Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 46 of 46 results:

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Humid Climate, Volume 15

2011

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

A guidebook helping builders in hot-humid climates design and construct homes for energy efficiency, durability, health, safety, and comfort.

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Mixed-Humid Climate, Volume 16

2011

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing measures that builders in mixed-humid climates can use to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Accelerating the Adoption of the Solid Panel Structural System

2024

Huelman Patrick H,

et al.

University of Minnesota,

UMN,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report examining the structural properties and applications of an innovative studless building system, detailing its testing regime and providing an engineering guide for architects and engineers.

Advanced Strategy Guideline: Air Distribution Basics and Duct Design

2011

Burdick Arlan

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Document providing guideance and considerations for duct design in an energy efficient house.

Aerosol Envelope Sealing of Existing Residences

2024

Bohac Dave,

Harrington Curtis,

Meyers Frederick

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE,

Center for Energy and Environment,

CEE

Report examining the effectiveness of an aerosolized acrylic technique for air sealing existing homes to reduce air leakage and improve energy efficiency.

Assessing and Improving the Accuracy of Energy Analysis for Residential Buildings

2011

Kruis Neal,

Polly Benjamin,

Roberts David

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing methodology to assess and improve the accuracy of whole building energy analysis for residential buildings.

BSD-163: Controlling Cold-Weather Condensation Using Insulation

2011

Straube John

BSC,

Building Science Corporation

Article describing selecting insulation for minimizing condensation risks.

Building America Best Practices Series - 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Cold and Very Cold Climates, Volume 12

2011

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Guide describing measures that builders in the cold and very cold climates can take to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Building America Special Research Project - High R-Value Enclosures for High Performance Residential Buildings in All Climate Zones, BA-1005

2011

Straube John

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

This report will review, and summarize the current state of understanding and research into enclosures with higher thermal resistance, so-called “High-R Enclosures.” Recommendations are provided for further research.

Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes (BESTEST-EX)

2011

Judkoff Ron,

Neymark Joel,

Polly Benjamin

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Document about testing software predictions of retrofit energy savings in existing homes.

Building Science Education: Heat Pump Water Heater Training Module

2024

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Training module describing the operation, efficiency, consumer and seller benefits, and cost comparison of Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWH) against conventional gas, oil, or electric water heaters.

Challenges and Opportunities To Achieve 50% Energy Savings in Homes: National Laboratory White Papers

2011

Bianchi Marcus V A

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report summarizing the key opportunities, gaps, and barriers identified by the national laboratory white papers discussing long-term 50% energy reduction goals.

Condensing Hybrid Water Heater Monitoring Field Evaluation

2011

Maguire Jeff,

et al.

Mountain Energy Partnership,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

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.

Development and Validation of Home Comfort System for Total Performance Deficiency/ Fault Detection and Optimal Comfort Control

2024

Jiang Yilin,

et al.

University of Oklahoma,

University of Miami,

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report examining the use of smart thermostat data to detect performance degradation and optimize comfort control in home AC systems.

Energy Performance Techniques and Technologies: Preserving Historic Homes, Volume 13

2011

Britt Michelle,

et al.

Kaufman Heritage Conservation,

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document providing a resource to help contractors renovate historic houses, while addressing issues such as building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort.

Energy Savings Measure Packages: Existing Homes

2011

Casey Sean,

Booten Chuck

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document presenting a simple starting point to determine the most cost-effective Energy Savings Measure Packages (ESMP) for existing homes to achieve 15% and 30% savings in 37 locations across the United States.

Evaluation of Humidity Control Options in Hot-Humid Climate Homes

2011

Winkler Jon,

Christensen Dane,

Fang Xia

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Research study that utilizes EnergyPlus equipped with the moisture capacitance model to analyze the indoor relative humidity in three home types.

Expert Meeting Report: Simplified Space Conditioning Strategies for Energy Efficient Houses

2011

Stecher Dave

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Expert meeting held to discuss simplified space conditioning systems in low load homes, including the relationship between advanced thermal enclosures, space conditioning systems and comfort.

Field Monitoring Protocol: Mini-Split Heat Pumps

2011

Christensen Dane,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Mountain Energy Partnership,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Information sheet with an analysis of mini split heat pump systems.

Field Test Protocol: Standard Internal Load Generation for Unoccupied Test Homes

2011

Christensen Dane,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Mountain Energy Partnership,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing a simple and general way to generate House Simulation Protocol (HSP)-consistent internal sensible and latent loads in unoccupied homes.

Ground Source Integrated Heat Pump for Near Zero Energy Houses: Technology Status Report.

2024

Murphy Richard W,

et al.

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

Report describing the ground-source IHP (GS-IHP) design and includes the lessons learned and best practices revealed by the research and development (R&D) effort throughout.

Header Hangers in Bearing Walls, Code Notes Article 126

2011

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Document providing supplemental information for code enforcement professionals about header hangers in bearing walls.

Heat Pump Water Heater Guide - Best Practices and Technical Considerations for Single-Family New Construction

2024

ENERGY STAR,

U.S. Department of Energy,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

DOE,

EPA

Informational guide describing the design, installation, and maintenance best practices and technical considerations for integrated Heat Pump Water Heaters in single-family and multifamily new construction.

Hot Water Solutions

2024

Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

NEEA

Website for consumers describing heat pump water heater technology and linking to retailers and installers.

HVAC A Guide for Contractors to Share with Homeowners, Volume 14

2011

Gilbride Theresa L,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report providing information about energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) equipment options to help homeowners cut their energy use, reduce their carbon footprint, and increase their homes comfort, health, and safety.

Laboratory Performance Evaluation of Residential Integrated Heat Pump Water Heaters

2011

Sparn Bethany,

Hudon Kate,

Christensen Dane

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report presenting lab evaluation of five heat pump water heaters available in the US market today.

Laboratory Test Report for Fujitsu 12RLS and Mitsubishi FE12NA Mini-Split Heat Pumps

2011

Winkler Jon

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report proposing mini-split heat pumps as a new retrofit option to replace resistance heating in the Pacific Northwest.

Laboratory Test Report for Six ENERGY STAR Dehumidifiers

2011

Winkler Jon,

Christensen Dane,

Tomerlin Jeff

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report documenting the measured performance of six residential ENERGY STAR vapor compression dehumidifiers.

Measure Guideline: Sealing and Insulating Ducts in Existing Homes

2011

Aldrich Robb,

Puttagunta Srikanth

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Report describing the sealing and insulating of HVAC duct systems in existing homes.

Measure Guideline: Summary of Interior Ducts in New Construction, Including an Efficient, Affordable Method to Install Fur-Down Interior Ducts

2011

Beal David,

et al.

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document illustrating guidelines for efficient installation of interior duct systems in new housing.

Measure Guideline: Water Management at Tub and Shower Assemblies

2011

Dickson Bruce

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report covering the fundamental waterproofing strategies for tub and shower assemblies.

Method for Determining Optimal Residential Energy Efficiency Packages

2011

Polly Benjamin,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report describing an analysis method for determining optimal residential energy efficiency retrofit packages and applies the analysis method to a 1960s-era home in eight U.S. cities.

Moisture Performance of Unvented Attics with Vapor Diffusion Ports and Buried Ducts in Hot, Humid Climates

2024

Kaufman Zoe,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report on the use of vapor diffusion ports to reduce moisture issues with buried ductwork in unvented attics in hot-humid climates.

No Headers in Nonbearing Walls - Code Notes, Article 125

2011

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Document providing supplemental information for code enforcement professionals about headers in nonbearing walls.

Performance Evaluation and Opportunity Assessment for St. Bernard Project

2011

Dickson Bruce

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report providing information about improving the energy efficiency and long-term durability of the buildings that are being reconstructed post Katrina in New Orleans.

Reaching for Peak Performance in Existing Homes - A Cold Climate Study With Synergy Construction

2011

Gates Cathy,

Osser Rosie

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Research study about two test homes that are examined with the goal of providing case studies that could be applied to other similar New England homes.

Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge

2024

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Webpage describing a DOE Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge. The challenge engages industry partners and focuses around the Cold Climate Heat Pumps, a more environmental and efficient heating alternative to traditional heating.

Sizing a New Water Heater

2024

US Department of Energy

U.S. DOE

Information sheet describing how to select a properly sized water heater based on household usage patterns, peak demand, and heater type—whether tankless, solar, or storage-based—to ensure efficiency and adequate hot water supply.

Strategy Guideline: Accurate Heating and Cooling Load Calculations

2011

Burdick Arlan

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report about the impact on the loads when common safety factors are applied to the load calculation process using two houses that meet the 2009 IECC prescriptive path modeled as the accurate baseline.

Strategy Guideline: Advanced Construction Documentation Recommendations for High Performance Homes

2011

Lukachko Alex,

Straube John,

Gates Cathy

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document identifying differences between the requirements for construction documents for high performance housing and the documents that are typically produced for conventional housing.

Strategy Guideline: Quality Management in Existing Homes

2011

Taggart Jim,

et al.

NAHB Research Center,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Research study providing a comparison of selected retrofit activity typically done, versus that same retrofit activity approached from an integrated high performance remodeling and quality management perspective.

Thermal Impact of Fasteners in High-Performance Wood-Framed Walls

2011

Christensen Dane

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Research study investigating the thermal efficiency of fasteners, namely drywall screws and siding nails, in high-performance wood-framed walls.

Three-Dimensional Numerical Evaluation of Thermal Performance of Uninsulated Wall Assemblies

2011

Ridouane El Hassan,

Bianchi Marcus V A

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Research study describing a detailed 3D computational fluid dynamics model that evaluates the thermal performance of uninsulated wall assemblies.

Using EnergyPlus to Perform Dehumidification Analysis on Building America Homes

2011

Fang Xia,

Winkler Jon,

Christensen Dane

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Document presenting analysis results, focusing on relative humidity (RH) excursions, which are defined as unique events of indoor RH above a threshold.

Validation Study of Experimental Insulating and Air-Sealing Technology for Enclosed Roof Cavities

2024

Lamm Douglas,

Bell Alexander

Building Envelope Materials,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Research report that validates Pinhole Insulation®, offering a cost-effective, minimally invasive solution for enhancing insulation and air sealing in enclosed roof cavities, improving R-value by 60% compared to traditional methods.

Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality in Recently Constructed U.S. Homes: Measured Data From Select Southeastern States

2024

Martin Eric,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

This report examines indoor air quality in post-2013 homes across various climates, focusing on contaminant levels, ventilation equipment usage, and control measure impact, with regional data from Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.