Library

Article summarizing the IBHS stance on building practices that can mitigate the impact of high winds and storm surge on structures.

Website providing a link for purchasing NFPA 914, Code for the Protection of Historic Structures.

Fact sheet describing what builders need to know about designing a structure for flood loads.

Specification defining performance and reporting requirements to meet the voluntary “Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pump Specification” (ccASHP Specification) for air source heat pumps suited to heat efficiently in cold climates (IECC cz 4 and higher).

Research study investigating the energy performance and cost effectiveness of several state-of-the-art retrofit strategies that could be used in residential houses in the Boston and New England area.

Webpage outlining how to optimize the installations and performance of mini-split heat pump systems. As well, it discusses a set of design considerations for multi-level homes, low load homes, and heat distribution to rooms without a heat source.

Research study describing an experimental and theoretical investigation of the energy and hygrothermal performance of retrofit foundation insulation systems in climate zones 6 and 7.

The Cold Climate Heat Pump Decision Tool guides contractors and installers through the decision-making process for heat pump (HP) sizing, identifying personalized CCHP recommendations, and applicable tax credits, with a focus on retrofits in cold climates.

Website discussing building foundation problems caused by settling soil in Colorado.

A website explaining the various shades of light, from warm to cool colors, with a visual diagram illustrating the various shades of light.

Report describing combined space- and water-heating (combi) systems using a high-efficiency direct-vent burner.

Information sheet summarizing inspection and testing of combustion appliances taught during the 2006 Florida whole-house weatherization training as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hot Climate Initiative.

Fact sheet that details the steps needed to perform a combustion appliance safety inspection to determine if fossil fuel-fired appliances are operating safely under a depressurized condition.

Report on a simplified test procedure for combustion safety that is easier to implement and should produce fewer false positives than the previous procedure.

Report summarizing one year of monitoring and analysis of the effectiveness of a space conditioning system at maintaining temperature and relative humidity levels in a test home, as well as room-to-room differences and the actual measured energy consumption by the space conditioning system.

Report describing how space-conditioning systems are operating in the field and if these systems are meeting required standards.

Report documenting the results of an in-depth evaluation of thermal comfort for two potential net zero-energy homes (NZEHs) in Massachusetts.

List of commercial heat pump water heater systems that comply with NEEA's Advanced Water Heating Specification.

List of multifamily commercial heat pump water heater products that meet the NEEA Advanced Water Heating Specification Requirements.

Report about instrumentation and limited short-term testing completed on a retrofit unoccupied test house in Fresno, California.

An article illustrating common errors found in fiber cement siding installations. Many of these errors and poor flashing examples apply to siding materials beyond fiber cement siding.

Report investigating the nature, strength, and durability of connections between high performance dwellings and developments.

Report outlining the steps developers can take to create high-performance standards on a community-wide scale.

Report on heating and cooling air-distribution ducts that are insulated, installed close to the ceiling in a vented attic and covered with attic insulation to minimize energy loss.

Study investigating measured cooling energy performance in side-by-side identical homes with varying roof types, including cool roof technologies.

Research report providing a comparison of the most common residential water heating technologies to determine energy-efficient and cost-effective water heating technologies are when subjected to a variety of typical operating conditions.

Research study comparing various retrofit models in Wisconsin to evaluate performance in terms of savings per home and program cost per home to assess the relative cost effectiveness of each program design.

Technical report detailing a study in which actual cooling loads are compared to modeled cooling loads.

Two hourly energy simulation software, BEopt and Energy Gauge USA, were compared to ensure accuracy and evaluate agreement on the impact of various energy efficiency improvements.

Document containing a 3D drawing (CAD) of advanced framing details.

Article introducing the FTC’s new EnergyGuide label, including estimates of annual energy usage.

Manual assisting architects, engineers, owners and roofing contractors for designing, specifying and installing roof tiles in areas of snow and ice.

Installation manual describing proper installation practices, industry standards and the code requirements of roofing tiles.

Installation manual outlining proper installation practices, industry standards and the code requirements of roofing tiles.

Information guide describing issues with concrete floors, in multiple climate zones.

Document discussing moisture considerations and testing techniques for concrete floors.

Information sheet discussing the properties and benefits of insulating concrete forms.

Attachment or installation of foundations, floors, roofs, insulation, utilities, and finishes to concrete masonry walls as well as on special tools and fasteners available for use with concrete masonry.

Report covering insulating crawlspaces.

Article describing the process of constructing concrete walls

Document about condensation between the panes, on the inside surface of the outer glass of double pane windows.

Report about a hybrid condensing water heater (thermal efficiency = 0.973, energy factor = 0.95) installed in an occupied home in Sacramento, California, and monitored for one year to determine the actual in situ efficiency.

Report outlining how conditioned crawlspaces perform better than vented crawlspaces in terms of safety, health, comfort, durability and energy consumption.

Website for CEE, the US and Canadian consortium of natural gas and electric efficiency program administrators.

Webpage with instructions for heat pump installers to choose the most suitable type of heat pump system, according to a project’s specific requirements.

Document for contractors detailing how to prioritize, control, and configure heat pumps in a residence that uses two heating systems.

Document for customers describing the benefits of two-system controls for homes, including information answering how, when, why, and how two-system controls with multiple heating sources are employed.

Guidance from Zero Energy Project on construction techniques for warmer climates, such as home orientation, and insulation requirements.

A website explaining how to properly dispose of old refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.

Article about how mortar droppings during the installation of a brick veneer can clog the weep holes in the wall assembly causing moisture damage. The article also illustrates products that can be installed in the ventilated cavity to mitigate this problem.