Organization(s)
NREL,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
News article describing the state of the residential battery storage market.
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 1351 - 1400 of 2352
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet defining “lowest floor,” identifying common construction practices that are violations of NFIP regulations, and discussing benefits of exceeding the NFIP minimum building elevation requirements; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact...
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
A website explaining lumens & how to compare the amount of light that lightbulbs can produce when shopping for replacements.
Organization(s)
DOE,
NEEP
Publication Date
Description
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...
Organization(s)
Cal Fire
Publication Date
Description
A webpage outlining CAL FIRE’s recommendations for creating defensible space.
Organization(s)
Boston Solar
Publication Date
Description
Webpage from Boston Solar describing how solar plus storage options can be beneficial for maintaining electricity during power outages.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Factsheet with information on energy efficient pool pumps.
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor,
GBA
Publication Date
Description
If your kitchen has a powerful exhaust fan, it may be pulling air down your chimney or water-heater flue.
Organization(s)
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Report focusing on managing the driving forces that move air and water vapor across the building envelope.
Organization(s)
ACCA
Publication Date
Description
Standard technical manual with information about HVAC balancing, testing air and hydronic systems.
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Factsheet describing how to test the duct leakage of a manufactured home in the manufactured home factory.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Website providing links to the EPA developed map of radon risk in the United States.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
The purpose of this map is to assist national, state and local organizations to target their resources and to implement radon-resistant building codes.
Organization(s)
International Masonry Institute
Publication Date
Description
Webpage featuring hundreds of illustrations of masonry construction details for brick, congrete, stone, tile, stucco, etc.
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing important roof-to-wall and wall-to-foundation connection details for masonry construction in coastal areas, including load paths, building materials, and reinforcement; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
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.
Organization(s)
Ply Gem Siding Group
Publication Date
Description
Siding installation guide for Ply Gem Siding Group products.
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Description
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...
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Guideline describing the importance of the different types of multifamily building attics and their unique challenges, and outlines strategies and materials used in air-sealing them.
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Document covering two fundamental retrofit strategies for air sealing around air handling systems that are located within the living space in an enclosed closet.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Document describing good practices for insulating basements in new and existing homes.
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Project discussing buried or encapsulated ducts and their pros and cons.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Document pertaining to design and application guidance for combination space and tankless domestic hot water heating systems used in residential buildings, based on field evaluation, testing, and industry meetings.
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership,
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota,
UMN
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the installation and operation of forced-air heating and domestic hot water combi systems in residential homes.
Organization(s)
Center for Energy and Environment,
CEE,
NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership,
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota,
UMN
Publication Date
Description
Measure Guideline describing how to assess and carry out the isolation of natural draft combustion appliances from the conditioned spaces of low-rise residential buildings.
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
Gas Technology Institute,
GTI Energy
Publication Date
Description
This measure guideline provides guidance on combustion safety inspection procedures for appliances and heating equipment that use indoor air for combustion and dilution of flue gases in low-rise residential buildings.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
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.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
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.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
This Measure Guideline provides design and construction information for a deep energy enclosure retrofit solution of a flat roof assembly.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report on two approaches to retrofitting existing double-stud walls.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report describing a deep energy enclosure retrofit solution for insulating mass masonry buildings from the interior.
Organization(s)
NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership,
NorthernSTAR,
University of Minnesota,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Document describing a process to help builders, homeowners, and designers select energy-efficient windows for new and existing residential construction in all U.S. climate zones.
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Description
Report about evaporative condensers, to provide information on a cost-effective solution for energy and demand savings in homes with cooling loads.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Measure Guideline research report providing simple, long term, and durable solutions when using tapes and flashing membranes in conjunction with the exterior face of rigid polymeric foam sheathing to create the drainage plane of a wall system.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Case study about how to properly tape insulating sheathing drainage planes.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Description
Guideline describing information and specifications relevant to air-seal existing attics.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Document with evaluation of 14 heat pump water heaters (including three recently released HPWH products) installed in existing homes in the northeast region of the United States.
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Gas Technology Institute,
GTI Energy
Publication Date
Description
Document covering installation of high efficiency gas furnaces, including when to install a high efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure, how to identify and address risks, and steps to follow for the selection and installation process.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Document providing information on basement insulation, air sealing and water management retrofits.
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS
Publication Date
Description
Report providing guidance on how to implement a compact duct system inside a plenum truss bulkhead of a one-story, slab-on-grade home.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report describing wall assemblies that use layers of rigid exterior insulation thicker than 1-½ inch and require a secondary cladding attachment location exterior to the insulation.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet providing information on installing Rigid XPS foam board insulation to existing brick masonry walls.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report summarizing the importance of properly insulating and air sealing masonry walls, providing step by step instructions and approaches.
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS
Publication Date
Description
Report describing recommendations for optimizing flexible duct, constant-volume HVAC systems using junction boxes.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the use of passive vents as a source of outdoor air in multifamily buildings.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
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.
Organization(s)
Building America Retrofit Alliance,
BARA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Building Media
Publication Date
Description
Research study showing that for a relatively small investment, a variable speed pool pump can reduce pool pump energy use by 50% to 75%.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the sealing and insulating of HVAC duct systems in existing homes.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
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...