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Library

This library contains research reports produced by the Building America program and other building science resources used to support this Solution Center. The materials cover both new construction and existing homes. Use the search box and/or the filters to explore hundreds of residential building resources. Access to some references not produced by Building America may require purchase from the publisher. Documents are listed alphabetically. While we continually update our database, links may have changed since posting. Please contact our webmaster if you find broken links.

Showing results 101 - 126 of 126

Energy Savings and Peak Demand Reduction of a SEER 21 Heat Pump vs. a SEER 13 Heat Pump with Attic and Indoor Duct Systems

Author(s)
Cummings James B,
Withers Charles R
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Research study describing experiments run in an unoccupied 1600 square foot house to evaluate the delivered performance as well as the relative performance of a SEER 21 variable capacity heat pump versus a SEER 13 heat pump.

Impact of Residential Mechanical Ventilation on Energy Cost and Humidity Control

Author(s)
Martin Eric
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS
Publication Date
The study described in this white paper is based on building energy modeling with an important focus on the indoor humidity impacts of ventilation.

2013 EBMUD Biosolids Performance Report

Author(s)
East Bay Municipal Utility District,
Alliance for Water Efficiency
Organization(s)
EBMUD,
AWE,
Merced County
Publication Date
Report describing practices and considerationsfor more efficient water use in pools, spas, and fountains.

HVAC Duct Supports, AC 284

Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Standards criteria supporting ICC HVAC duct support standards.

Air Distribution Retrofit Strategies for Affordable Housing

Author(s)
Dentz Jordan,
Conlin Francis,
Holloway Parker,
Podorson David,
Varshney Kapil
Organization(s)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions,
ARIES,
Levy Partnership,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report describing two retrofit duct sealing techniques - manually-applied sealants and injecting a spray sealant, that were implemented in several low-rise multi-unit buildings in North Carolina.

How Do Buildings Stack Up?, BSI-075

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Article describing the stack effect in buildings.

Measure Guideline: Condensing Boilers - Optimizing Efficiency and Response Time During Setback Operation

Author(s)
Arena Lois
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report providing step-by-step instructions for heating contractors and hydronic designers for selecting the proper control settings to maximize system performance and improve response time when using a thermostat setback.

Measure Guideline: Selecting Ventilation Systems for Existing Homes

Author(s)
Aldrich Robb
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
This document addresses adding—or improving—mechanical ventilation systems to existing homes. The purpose of ventilation is to remove contaminants from homes either directly or by dilution. This report discusses where, when, and how much ventilation is appropriate in a home, including some...

Estimating the Payback Period of Additional Insulation

Author(s)
Green Fit Homes
Organization(s)
GFH
Publication Date
Homebuilding’s simple payback estimator for an insulation upgrade – the type and amount of insulation, square footage of the area, recent utility bill, and a quote from insulation contractor.

Professional Home Energy Assessments

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage from DOE describing how to conserve energy and save money with a home energy audit.

Pressures in Buildings, BSD-109

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Article describing airflow within buildings due to pressure differences.

Evaluation of Ventilation Strategies in New Construction Multifamily Building

Author(s)
Maxwell Sean,
Berger David,
Zaluga M
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Technical report describing the evaluation of four different ventilation strategies for providing make-up air in high-performance, new construction multifamily buildings in the Northeast, emphasizing the challenges posed by increasing airtightness standards and the variability of system performance...

A Field Study of Ventilation System Effectiveness in Low Air Leakage Residences

Author(s)
Hales David,
Eklund Ken,
Kunkle Rick,
Lubliner Michael,
Banks Adria
Organization(s)
Washington State University Extension Energy Program,
WSU Extension Energy Program,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
NEEA
Publication Date
Report describing the results of a field study of five different ventilation system types in 29 homes in the Pacific Northwest.

Cladding Attachment Over Thick Exterior Insulated Sheathing

Author(s)
Baker Peter,
Eng P,
LePage Robert
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Report on the stability of furring strips as a means for cladding attachment over walls with thick exterior rigid insulation.

Evaluation of Retrofit Variable-Speed Furnace Fan Motors

Author(s)
Aldrich Robb,
Williamson Jim
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report detailing the effects of replacing PSC motors with more efficient, variable-speed motors.

Wildland Urban Interface Construction Shasta County

Author(s)
Department of Resource Management Building Division
Organization(s)
County of Shasta California
Publication Date
An example of wildland urban interface construction requirements for new buildings built in very high fire risk zones/areas.

Suitability of foundation heat exchangers for ground source heat pump systems in European climates

Author(s)
Cullin James R,
Spitler Jeffrey D,
Gehlin Signhild E A
Organization(s)
Federation of European Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations,
REHVA,
Oklahoma State University,
OSU,
Swedish Centre for Shallow Geothermal Energy
Publication Date
A research paper discussing the use of foundation heat exchangers for ground source heat pump systems in European climates.

Evaluation of Passive Vents in New-Construction Multifamily Buildings

Author(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
CARB,
DOE
Publication Date
Case study on exhaust ventilation and corresponding outdoor air intake strategies implemented in high-performance new-construction multifamily buildings.

Advanced Framing Construction Guide

Author(s)
APA - The Engineered Wood Association
Organization(s)
American Plywood Association,
APA
Publication Date
Guide describing advanced framing, a system of construction framing techniques designed to optimize material usage and increase energy efficiency.