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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 151 - 200 of 2448

Residential Carbon Monoxide Alarming Devices, CSA 6.19-17 (R2022)

Author(s)
Canadian Standards Association
Organization(s)
CSA Group
Publication Date
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...

Heat Pump Water Heater Installation Tool

Author(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Organization(s)
U.S. DOE
Publication Date
The Heat Pump Water Heater Installation Tool helps contractors, installers, and homeowners through the decision-making process for heat pump water heater (HPWH) product selection and installation, with a focus on overcoming installation barriers.

Cold Climate Heat Pump Decision Tool

Author(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Organization(s)
U.S. DOE
Publication Date
The Cold Climate Heat Pump Decision Tool guides contractors and installers through the decision-making process for heat pump (HP) sizing, identifying personalized CCHP recommendations, and applicable tax credits, with a focus on retrofits in cold climates.

Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2024 Edition

Author(s)
American Wood Council,
American National Standards Institute
Organization(s)
AWC,
ANSI
Publication Date
Manual providing design and construction provisions for connections, wall systems, floor systems, and roof systems; a range of structural elements are covered, including sawn lumber, structural glued laminated timber, wood structural sheathing, I-joists, and trusses.

Waterproofing Deep Foundations for New Construction

Author(s)
Amos,
Chan; Walter Moore
Organization(s)
Building Design and Construction
Publication Date
AIA CEU course covering design considerations for below-grade waterproofing for new construction, the types of below-grade systems available, and specific concerns associated with waterproofing deep foundations.

Washington State Energy Code - WSEC

Author(s)
Washington State Building Code Council
Organization(s)
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services
Publication Date
State building energy code for the State of Washington.

NFPA 54/ANSI Z223.1: National Fuel Gas Code

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
Code providing minimum safety requirements for the design and installation of fuel gas piping systems in homes and other buildings.

Assessment of Suite Compartmentalization and Depressurization in New High-Rise Residential Buildings: Final Report

Author(s)
Cooke George
Organization(s)
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation,
Tridel Group of Companies
Publication Date
Technical report describing the evaluation of air management systems in a high-rise apartment building in Toronto, Ontario, focusing on air leakage, suite depressurization, and the performance of in-suite exhaust and corridor ventilation systems.

Interactive Walk-Through of a Residential Heat Pump Water Heater Installation in Massachusetts

Author(s)
D+R Learn,
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships,
Home Works Energy Inc.,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
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...

Maine Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) Interactive Tour

Author(s)
D+R Learn,
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships,
Home Works Energy Inc.,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE,
NEEP
Publication Date
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...

ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction, OR-WA Program Requirements

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Webpage with links to documents providing the program requirements and checklists for ENERGY STAR Certified Multifamily Homes, national and regional program requirements.

ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction Program Requirements

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA
Publication Date
Website showing compliance timelines for various versions of the ENERGY STAR Multi-Family New Construciton program requirements with links to national program requirements documents and checklists.

Laboratory Testing of Heat Pump Water Heater Performance: Impact of Airflow and Space Configurations

Author(s)
Larson Ben,
Larson Sam,
Gantley Maya
Organization(s)
Pacific Gas and Electric Company,
PG&E,
Energy Transition Coordinating Council,
ETCC
Publication Date
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...

How Does a Water Softener Work?

Author(s)
Gerbis Nicholas
Organization(s)
Home & Garden
Publication Date
Resource that explains how water softeners work to reduce scale.

Tips & Resources - Evaporative Coolers

Author(s)
City of Fresno
Organization(s)
City of Fresno
Publication Date
Webpage from the City of Fresno's Water Conservation Program describing household water conservation recommendations, including tips for maintaining evaporative coolers.

Re-Side Right: A Systems Approach to High-Performance Re-Siding Projects

Author(s)
Liaukus Christine
Organization(s)
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Publication Date
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...

Earthquake Safety Checklist, FEMA B-526

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
Organization(s)
FEMA,
NEHRP
Publication Date
Reference guide helping families prepare for an earthquake and prevent earthquake-related damage.

Best Practices for the Retrofit Installation of Heat Pump Water Heaters

Author(s)
Richard Health & Associates
Organization(s)
RHA
Publication Date
Report describing the best practices for the safe, efficient, and compliant installation of residential air source heat pump water heaters (HPWH) in California, aligning with the state's climate goals and providing guidance for educators, installers, and industry stakeholders.

Furniture Stability

Author(s)
American Home Furnishings Alliance
Organization(s)
AHFA
Publication Date
Regulatory compliance regarding furniture stability requirements

2023 (2020) Standard for Performance Rating of Unitary Air-Conditioning and Air-Source Heat Pump Equipment, AHRI Standard 210/240

Author(s)
Air-Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institute
Organization(s)
AHRI
Publication Date
Performance rating standards for unitary air-conditioners and unitary air-source heat pumps, including definitions, classifications, testing, rating, and operating requirements, as well as minimum data requirements for published ratings and markings.

Map of Radon Zones

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Website providing links to the EPA developed map of radon risk in the United States.

FEMA National Risk Index

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Website providing maps for natural disaster risk in the United States.

Load Calculation Tools for Ductless Heat Pumps

Author(s)
BetterBuilt Northwest,
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Organization(s)
BetterBuiltNW,
NEEA
Publication Date
Web article describing two options for sizing ductless minisplit heat pumps, including a free HVAC sizing tool.

Geospatial Data Science

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Organization(s)
NREL
Publication Date
A website providing geospatial data , tools, and maps including data on the U.S. solar resources for solar power.

Eclipse Shading

Author(s)
Professional Awning Manufacturers Association,
Industrial Fabrics Association International
Organization(s)
PAMA,
IFAI
Publication Date
Webpage providing information on using awnings to enhance outdoor living space.

Find Your Climate Zone

Author(s)
Attachments Energy Rating Council
Organization(s)
AERC
Publication Date
Webpage providing assistance with finding the AERC climate zone of particular locations to aid in selecting window attachment products.

Hurricane Shutter Types

Author(s)
Hurricane Research Division,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Organization(s)
NOAA
Publication Date
NOAA webpage providing images and short descriptions of different types of hurricane shutters.

Window Attachments: Call to Action

Author(s)
Attachments Energy Rating Council
Organization(s)
AERC
Publication Date
Fact sheet providing information on window attachments and their potential for improving energy efficiency.

DOE Solar Decathlon Website

Author(s)
Solar Decathlon,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Website for the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon competition.

Window Attachment Ratings | AERC

Author(s)
Attachments Energy Rating Council
Organization(s)
AERC
Publication Date
Website developed by the Attachments Energy Rating Council to provide consumers with credible, relevant, and comparable information about window attachments and their performance.

Efficient Window Coverings Website

Author(s)
Efficient Window Coverings
Organization(s)
Building Green,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Website sponsored by DOE to provide consumers with intelligent and unbiased guidance on the best window covering for your climate, your needs, and your windows.

Wildland-Urban Interface Growth in the U.S.

Author(s)
U.S. Forest Service
Organization(s)
USDA
Publication Date
Article describing the growth of the wildland urban interface in the United States from 1990 to 2010, expanding from 30.8 to 43.4 million homes (a 41% increase), and growing from 581,000 to 770,000 kM2 (33% growth), an increase of 189,000 km2, an area that is larger than Washington State.

Manufactured Home Factory Duct Leakage Testing

Author(s)
Slipstream
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Factsheet describing how to test the duct leakage of a manufactured home in the manufactured home factory.

Residential Solar System Guidelines

Author(s)
City of Burnsville
Organization(s)
City of Burnsville
Publication Date
Brochure detailing the guidelines, recommendations, and preferences of the City of Burnsville for citizens installing solar photovoltaics.

Preparing for the Worst: DOE’s Building America Solution Center Disaster Resistance Tool

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
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.

Adding Insulation when Re-Siding

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing how to add exterior, continuous, rigid insulation to the exterior walls when replacing siding on an existing home.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing benefits and qualification of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) certified Zero Energy Ready Homes and providing eight examples of certified homes.

Energy Savings With Acceptable Indoor Air Quality Through Improved Airflow Control in Residential Retrofits

Author(s)
Francisco Paul W.,
Sun Yigang,
Merrin Zachary,
Gilleade Kiel,
Graham Molly,
Wilson Jonathan,
Jacobs David,
Brand Larry,
Lafluer Jason
Organization(s)
Gas Technology Institute
Publication Date
Technical report describing the enhancement of energy efficiency in existing buildings through a systems approach, assessing airflow-focused retrofits for improved energy savings and indoor air quality, considering factors like air leakage, distribution system dynamics, duct leakage, and ventilation...

Wildfire Statistics

Author(s)
Congressional Research Service
Organization(s)
CRS
Publication Date
Fact sheet providing recent statistics on wildfires in the U.S.

Window Attachments Offer Added Savings

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing and comparing the energy-saving and comfort benefits of window attachment options such as low-emissivity storm windows, automated blinds, cellular shades, and solar screens, etc.

The Home Improvement Expert

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing a series of fact sheets and checklists for homeowners to share with contractors to help achieve cost-effective, energy-efficient retrofits for dozens of common home renovation projects.

The Retrofit Decision Tool

Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Publication Date
Fact sheet poster describing a DOE tool that walks homeowners through a series of simple questions to produce a list of retrofit recommendations to improve the energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and durability of the homeowners’ home, while also lowering their carbon footprint.