Library

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.

Webpage providing guidance on the 45L tax credit, assembling the most relevant information for Northwest builders to maximize their tax credit and build energy efficient homes.

Web article showing examples of various architectural methods for shading windows.

Article from the Sierra Club explaining 5 steps to take to ensure your home's resistance to wildfires, including site maintenance and roof construction guidelines.

Article describing seven reasons to mulch gardens.

Web page describing essential guidelines and recommendations for optimal installation of ductless heat pumps in cold climates, ensuring maximum heating performance and long-term satisfaction for homeowners, supported by research-backed insights and detailed resources.

Article describing thermal bridging, construction practices that encourage thermal bridging, and solutions.

Guide providing information for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold problems and how to prevent mold growth.

Report discussing opportunities and trends in the U.S. home performance contracting industry, along with market drivers such as consumer demand; federal, state, and local programs; and utility and non-governmental programs.

Report telling consumers the risks of radon, how radon gets into a home, and steps consumers can take to reduce radon exposure in their homes.

Document describing advancement in factory built housing innovations.

Article describing methods for venting a vented attic and a roof assembly over an unvented attic.

Guide for homeowners describing how to find and seal basement and attic air leaks, determine if attic insulation is adequate, make improvements safely, and reduce energy bills.

Research study estimating potential energy savings relative to conventional ducted air distribution, and identifying equipment requirements, costs, and barriers.

Report describing the results of a field study of five different ventilation system types in 29 homes in the Pacific Northwest.

Article describing tree health, environmental considerations, and details on how to preserve trees.

Article describing utility rates, net metering policies, installation costs, financial incentives, and other info for both consumers who are interested in installing renewable energy systems and for energy justice and clean energy advocates.

Case study providing homeowners guidance on installing window air conditioners.

A brochure educating homeowners on how to protect their home during seismic events.

Report describing testing and analysis on deep energy retrofits of existing single-family homes in the U.S.

Paper describing a proposed method for quantifying tree and vegetation evapotranspiration effects on city climate

Paper discussing innovative strategies for improving ventilation systems in high-rise apartment buildings, focusing on compartmentalization and controlling stack effect pressures to enhance indoor air quality and energy efficiency published in the Proceedings of the Eighth Conference on Building...

Report describing an air distribution system composed of a series of uniformly-sized ducts that terminate in rooms throughout the home and return to a central manifold, similar in fashion to a “home-run” cross-linked polyethylene plumbing system.

Guidance document from the UN environment programme on climate-resilient buildings and communities practices, including guidance on heat waves, drought, hurricanes, and flooding.

Guide developed to help contractors, building operators, and city officials successfully adopt cool roof and pavement technology.

Document outlining the current and the proposed draws and estimates typical ratings changes from draw specification changes for typical systems in four cities.

Report describing how changing the air exchange rate of a home (the sum of the infiltration and mechanical ventilation airflow rates) affects the annual thermal conditioning energy.

Article describing methods for thermally isolating a garage in a Passive House-certified multifamily building.

Information sheet about unvented fireplaces and combustion safety.

Standards book discussing the minimum standards of total system balance of HVAC systems.

Standard providing master specifications for closed cell, medium density spray polyurethane foam air barriers located in the non-accessible part of the wall.

Standard outlining materials and installation methods by using commercial building wraps.

Standard providing information about self-adhered sheet air barriers located in the non-accessible part of the wall and materials to bridge and seal air leakage pathways and gaps.

Standard outlining materials and installation methods for a liquid-applied vapor permeable air barrier systems located in the non-accessible part of the wall.

Energy Star web page providing guidance on attic ventilation.

Document describing three methods for elevating a home out of the flood zone.

Vinyl siding estimating and installation guide for vinyl siding products.

Website containing commercial information related to air conditioning and heating.

Website article comparing DC and AC batteries and explaining that DC batteries have black start ability to restart from solar power while providing AC batteries need grid power to restart if fully discharged.

Website article describing pros and cons of DC and AC batteries and explaining that AC batteries are less expensive than DC batteries.

Website article describing the advantages and disadvantages of AC and DC battery energy storage systems and inverters for solar power systems.

Website homepage for the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA).

Webpage of ACCA’s Quality Standards outlining precisely the procedures that contractors should follow when designing, installing, maintaining, repairing, and verifying indoor environment systems.

Radiant, hydronics, geothermal -- they are a vital part of modern comfort and energy solutions. ACCA helps hydronics contractors operate at peak performance.

Webpage listing ACCA Manual J and D calculation software that is approved by ACCA.

Standard outlining industry procedure for sizing residential duct systems.

Standard covering equipment sizing loads for single-family-detached homes, small multi-unit structures, condo­miniums, town houses and manufactured homes.

The manual covers residential zoning issues - multiple, single-zone, and central multi-zone systems - and includes advice on working with homeowners to adapt the heating or cooling system design to meet modern home design features.

Standard covering sizing strategies for all types of cooling and heating equipment, as well as how to use comprehensive manufacturer’s performance data on sensible, latent, or heating capacity for various operating conditions.

Standard providing guidance on how to select, size, and locate the supply air diffusers, grilles and registers, and the return grilles.