Library

Report presenting long-term evaluation results from a hot-dry climate project that examines thermal and HVAC performance in a highly efficient home.

Brochure describing use of low-e storm windows as effective ways weatherization programs can increase the efficiency of windows without significant costs.

Technical report assessing the market for Low-e storm windows based on market data, case studies, and recent experience with weatherization deployment programs.

A webpage outlining CAL FIRE’s recommendations for creating defensible space.

Webpage from Boston Solar describing how solar plus storage options can be beneficial for maintaining electricity during power outages.

Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.

Document providing information on the impact of various defects and the potential energy savings that can result from proper maintenance, and describing a two-step process for diagnosing and correcting faults. This document is targeted towards home performance contractors who are relatively...

Project discussing buried or encapsulated ducts and their pros and cons.

Document intended for designers and installers of hydronic heating systems interested in maximizing the overall system efficiency of condensing boilers when coupled with baseboard convectors. It is applicable to new and retrofit projects.

Report providing guidance on how to implement a compact duct system inside a plenum truss bulkhead of a one-story, slab-on-grade home.

Document covering the technical aspects of buried and insulated ducts (BEDs), as well as the advantages, disadvantages, and risks of BEDs compared to alternative strategies.

Document intending to put some context and structure around the process of balancing and tuning one-pipe steam systems to help practitioners begin to garner the potential in energy savings that this measure presents.

Research study analyzing measured energy savings from a moderate retrofit by comparing post-retrofit performance with measured pre-retrofit monitored data.

Research study outlining results of monitoring a low temperature heat pump.

Discussion of building sheathing.

Standard using performance-based principles to determine dead, live, soil, flood, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, earthquake, and wind loads, and their combinations for general structural design. This version of the standard was published in the year 2010 and is available in both digital and print...

Report providing a resource that communities can use to identify and evaluate a range of potential mitigation actions for reducing risk to natural hazards and disasters.

Article describing how moisture accumulates inside of structures and issues that result.

EPA guidance document providing information on moisture control in buildings.

Report about exterior sheathing insulation and inward driven moisture issues.

Report explaining moisture-related concerns for high R-value wall assemblies and discusses past Building America research work that informs this study.

Report describing evaluation of several configurations of wall assemblies to determine the accuracy of moisture modeling and make recommendations to ensure durable, efficient assemblies.

RESNET standards aimed to ensure that accurate and consistent home energy ratings are performed by accredited home energy rating providers through their raters nationwide.

Report providing guidance to air-sealing multifamily homes.

NFPA standard for design and installation of indoor automatic fire sprinkler systems.

Standard for installing manufactured homes, including specifications and procedures, for installation of utility connections of a manufactured home.

A nine-part fact sheet covering a variety of common questions surrounding wildfires and how to make a home more resilient to wildfires.

Book providing home owners with building science information to help make good decisions when planning a home remodel or renovation.

Research study conducted on new specifications that would improve on the energy requirements of a NEEM home.

Report studying the specification, implementation, and energy savings from an EER in a group home, with an energy savings goal of 30%.

Research study using modeling to determine optimal combination(s) of components/pumps, high efficiency heat sources, plumbing configurations and controls that result in the highest overall efficiency for a hydronic system.

Report providing information to researchers, utility program managers, and building owners interested in controlling heating energy waste and improving resident comfort.

Report describing a field study to measure pollutant concentrations in 324 homes in California.

Report providing information on performance of mortars and concrete containing PCMs.

This CASE report proposes updates and revisions to the standards for residential swimming pool filtration pumps, new and replacement single phase pump motors under 5 horsepower (HP), controllers, portable electric spas as well as expanding the scope of the current standards to include light emitting...

Large scale simulation study investigating the effects of cool roofs and walls on buildings of various vintages across the U.S., with special attention given to California.

Report documenting actual energy savings of a retrofit project in Boulder, CO.

Research study exploring a test method measuring air leakage between units through common surfaces and air infiltration across exterior, noncommon surfaces of the enclosure.

Webpage describing steps homeowners can take to prepare their home and car for winter storms.

Webpage describing steps homeowners can take to prepare their home and car for winter storms.

Webpage providing guidance for homeowners on how much snow weight a typical roof can handle and when to consider removing snow from the roof.

Research report describing study of exterior retrofit approach for air sealing, insulating, and water management conducted by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team run by University of Minnesota.

Report providing wildfire protection guidance for homeowners in California.

Recovery Advisory document provide guidance related to the use and installation of opening protection systems to protect glazed openings (windows) from wind-borne debris during high-wind events.

Information sheet including a checklist of steps to follow for pouring concrete.

Website with information about radon-resistant construction techniques and other radon resources for builders, contractors and homebuyers.

Report describing the REDi™ Rating System, which is a framework for implementing “resilience-based earthquake design,” a holistic “beyond-code” design, planning and assessment approach for achieving earthquake resilience.

Webpage explaining how to mitigate heat loss through roofs for ice dam prevention.

Report describing methods for reducing the cost of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Report including an overview of the buried duct research and information the retrofit methodology used to install and test the three existing duct systems, including short- and long-term data collection.