Library

Factsheet describing the importance of building enclosures and their impact on energy efficiency.

Factsheet outlining the advantages of using heat pumps, which are an efficient way to heat and cool a home.

Factsheet outlining how window attachments like cellular shades, roller shades, storm windows with low-emissivity coatings, and solar screens are low-cost steps that can be implemented to keep homes cool in the summer.

Webpage containing a library of ready-to-use social media posts, graphics and video links that promote life-saving information about how individuals and families can prepare for and survive during a hurricane.

NOAA webpage providing images and short descriptions of different types of hurricane shutters.

Website detailing how to prepare for, stay safe during, and return home after hurricanes.

Webpage providing curriculum with links to presentations and problem sets for teaching an understanding of sizing cold climate heat pumps.

This webpage provides an interactive walk-through of the installation of a heat pump water heater in a home in Massachusetts, including how-to videos of the installation, video interviews with the homeowners, installer, and utility program partners, and visual tours of the home before and after...

Webpage describing current and past versions of the International Mechanical Code (IMC), code establishing minimum regulations for mechanical systems, including heating, cooling, ventilation, exhaust, ducts, fireplaces, combustion and hydronic systems, using prescriptive and performance-related...

Webpage containing all editions of the International Residential Code (IRC), code for residential buildings that creates minimum regulations for one- and two-family dwellings of three stories or less, bringing together all building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and electrical provisions...

Research report discussing the reduction of HVAC energy consumption to meet U.S. greenhouse gas targets and DOE's energy-efficient building goals. It introduces iComfort, an IoT-based system for optimizing home comfort and energy savings.

Report describing research conducted to support California’s Title 24, Part 6 Building Energy Efficiency Standards by analyzing the impact of installation location and ventilation on heat pump water heater (HPWH) performance, emphasizing the need for proper installation to maximize efficiency...

Website describing best practices for minimizing exposure to lead while doing repairs and renovations in homes built in 1978 or earlier.

A website explaining why homeowners should install ENERGY STAR certified lightbulbs, which helps to save homeowners on utility bills and protect the environment.

Presentation detailing key challenges with lighting controls, best practices for the design and implementation of lighting controls, and best approaches for return on controls.

Web article describing two options for sizing ductless minisplit heat pumps, including a free HVAC sizing tool.

This webpage provides an interactive walk-through of the installation of a heat pump water heater in a home in Maine, including how-to videos of the installation, video interviews with the homeowners, installer, and utility program partners, and visual tours of the home before and after installation...

Factsheet describing how to test the duct leakage of a manufactured home in the manufactured home factory.

Website providing links to the EPA developed map of radon risk in the United States.

Website describing Minnesota Power’s New Construction Energy Efficiency program that promotes building practices and technologies that enhance new residential construction.

Practical guide describing the management of moisture during a building's design, construction and maintenance.

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

Online course providing an overview of mold prevention and mold remediation.

This standard provides a benchmark for safe electrical design, installation, and inspection to protect people and property from electrical hazards and has been adopted in all 50 states.

Database compiling extended capacity data for numerous cold climate heat pump manufacturers and models.

Webpage outlining important considerations when remodeling, including for maintaining healthy air and keeping radon, dirt, and moisture out.

An article about double-hung windows.

Code providing minimum safety requirements for the design and installation of fuel gas piping systems in homes and other buildings.

Website to access Oregon state specialty code. Chapter 11 contains requirements concerning energy efficiency measures in residential buildings.

Technical report describing research aimed to provide window manufacturers with foundational guidance for installing windows in walls with continuous insulation (CI), addressing critical aspects such as evaluating common installation methods, establishing acceptance criteria for window performance...

Report describing the key findings from the first third-party field validation of 120-volt heat pump water heater (HPWH) technology, addressing the significant barriers to their adoption and emphasizing their potential role in reducing carbon emissions from residential water heating.

Fact sheet poster describing an online tool offered within the Building America Solution Center which provides construction guidance for builders and contractors in building and renovating homes to be more resistant to natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes and wildfires, etc.

Website from the EPA containing information for homeowners and renters about how to identify asbestos in the home and how to deal with it to reduce exposure to it.

Webpage describing how to elevate major appliances in case of a flood.

Webpage describing the Quality Install Tool, an open-source web app designed to simplify, standardize, and expedite the creation of high-quality installation documentation for HVAC installations and efficiency upgrades.

Searchable database of over 3,000 roofing products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

Searchable database of wall cladding and coating products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

Technical report describing the Re-Side Right initiative by the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Building America research team that proposes enhancing home efficiency during the re-siding process by incorporating an insulating layer that acts as both an air barrier and water resistive barrier...

Fact sheet describing best practices in installing leak-free refrigerant systems, including specifics on creating flare joints and brazed joints, pressure testing, vacuum testing, and charging the system with refrigerant.

Standard covering provisions for electrically operated single- and multiple-station carbon monoxide (CO) alarming devices used in various types of residential occupancies to protect against acute effects of exposure to CO. This version of the standard, originally published in 2017 and revised in...

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.

Brochure detailing the guidelines, recommendations, and preferences of the City of Burnsville for citizens installing solar photovoltaics.

Homepage for ENERGY STAR’s windows, skylights, and doors program providing information for consumers and links to product directories.

The Retrofit Decision Tool is an online tool to help homeowners, multifamily building owners and contractors to start the conversation about which retrofits they can employ to achieve zero-carbon-alignment.

Article explaining the energy cost reduction and other benefits associated with installing a heat pump clothes dryer

Research report detailing Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) partnership with Manatee County Habitat for Humanity to design a compact, Zero Energy Ready Home in Florida, tackling challenges like equipment sizing and indoor air quality, offering insights for projects surpassing building code...

Webpage discussing the characteristics of sunlight and how cool roofs work to reduce solar heat gain.

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.

Webpage describing the STEP campaign encouraging the use of smart diagnostic tools to reduce installation faults.