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 2251 - 2300 of 2453
Organization(s)
USDA
Publication Date
Description
Interactive map maintained by the USDA showing plant hardiness zones throughout the U.S.
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Technical fact sheet highlighting important building connections and illustrating the proper use of various types of connection hardware; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”
Organization(s)
NEEP
Publication Date
Description
Users guide to help contractors and homeowners use the Cold Climate Heat Pump Sizing Support Tools developed by NEEP to size and select the best air source heat pumps for their cold climate location.
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the purpose of Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs), how to obtain FIRMs, DFIRMs, and Flood Insurance Studies (FISs), and highlighting features that are important to coastal builders, including flood zones and flood elevations;; also...
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Description
This study uses a computer simulation approach to examine the energy and indoor air quality implications of passive and hybrid ventilation systems.
Organization(s)
Journal of Light Construction,
JLC
Publication Date
Description
Article describing how adhesives can be used to make homes in high-wind locations stronger and how adhesives could be too effective resulting in overloading foundation anchors under earthquake loads.
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
A reference guide providing basic tips on using backup generators safely and effectively.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Webpage describing the use of cool roofs to reduce heat islands and and benefits and costs.
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Document presenting analysis results, focusing on relative humidity (RH) excursions, which are defined as unique events of indoor RH above a threshold.
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Document providing a case study of commissioned performance measures that justify costs for these demonstration and "live" show homes.
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report on investigating the effectiveness of using solar thermal water heaters to address heat losses from piping while recirculating water in multifamily buildings.
Organization(s)
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Western Massachusetts Electric Company,
Northeast Utilities
Publication Date
Description
Report summarizing results from a study in Massachusetts that aimed to upgrade existing homes and incorporate solar thermal systems.
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the certification requirements for structural design and methods of construction in V Zones; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Research study comparing TRNSYS Type 604 pipe model against laboratory pipe heat loss test data and detailed field monitoring data.
Organization(s)
Building Envelope Materials,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Research report that validates Pinhole Insulation®, offering a cost-effective, minimally invasive solution for enhancing insulation and air sealing in enclosed roof cavities, improving R-value by 60% compared to traditional methods.
Organization(s)
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report about a project with successful integration of numerous energy-conservation and renewable-energy features into a beautiful, comfortable, and very energy-efficient off-grid home.
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
EnerNOC
Publication Date
Description
Report discussing the measured variability in indoor space temperatures in a set of 60 homes located in Florida, New York, Oregon, and Washington.
Organization(s)
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Publication Date
Description
Article describing a method for flashing roof vent boots, describing how to flash the pipe, how to flash over and under the pan, and finish by shaping the shingles, as well as addressing potential water leakage by adding an additional seal with EPDM flashing tape with a butyl adhesive backing to the...
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy,
ACEEE
Publication Date
Description
Preliminary results of two monitored lab homes constructed to represent the thermal characteristics of typical existing Florida homes are presented.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Building science report describing issues with vented attics in hot-humid climates and how sealed attic construction may be a solution.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
A review on the knowledge about ventilated wall claddings from field performance and hydrothermal modeling.
Organization(s)
Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory,
CRREL
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the formation of icicles and ice dams along poorly ventilated roofs and how to mitigate ventilation issues with insulation and vents.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet about proper ventilation and air sealing.
Organization(s)
ASHRAE,
ANSI
Publication Date
Description
Standard that defines the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings. This version of the standard was published in the year 2010, and is available for...
Organization(s)
ASHRAE,
ANSI
Publication Date
Description
Standard that defines the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings. This version of the standard was published in the year 2013, and is available for...
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
This report examines indoor air quality in post-2013 homes across various climates, focusing on contaminant levels, ventilation equipment usage, and control measure impact, with regional data from Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
ENERGY STAR overview on certified ventilation fans.
Organization(s)
ASHRAE,
ANSI
Publication Date
Description
Standard that provides procedures and methods for meeting minimum ventilation and indoor air quality requirements to engineers, design professionals, owners, and jurisdictional authorities where model codes have been adopted. This is the current version of the standard, which was published in the...
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
This report describes how twenty homes were tested and monitored in the Zone 2 climate of Houston, Texas, U.S.A., to evaluate the humidity control performance and operating cost of six different integrated dehumidification and ventilation systems that could be applied by production homebuilders.
Organization(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
ASHRAE
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the use of attic ventilation to control moisture in cathedral roofs and avoid the formation of ice dams.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Guide providing information on controlling attic ductwork sweating.
Organization(s)
International Association of Certified Home Inspectors,
InterNACHI
Publication Date
Description
Document outlining important safety considerations of ventless fireplaces.
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report summarizing NRELs efforts to develop diagnostic test cases to conduct accurate energy simulations when phase change materials (PCMs) are modeled in residential buildings.
Organization(s)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions,
ARIES,
Levy Partnership,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Research study developed and verified a fuel oil flow field measurement protocol that is cost effective and can be performed with little training for use by the BB program as well as other weatherization programs and building science researchers.
Organization(s)
Pacific Seismic Products
Publication Date
Description
Products and specification for a State of California-compliant earthquake-actuated automatic gas shutoff valve.
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Document describing the measured annual performance data from 12 recent-vintage very low energy homes in the US.
Organization(s)
Vinyl Siding Institute
Publication Date
Description
Website describing proper methods for installing vinyl siding on homes.
Organization(s)
Vinyl Siding Institute
Publication Date
Description
Publication with installation guidance for vinyl siding.
Organization(s)
JLC
Publication Date
Description
Article describing ways to construct or retrofit a home to increase is resistance to high winds, hurricanes, and tornadoes.
Organization(s)
VCE,
VT,
VSU
Publication Date
Description
Report describing filtration, distillation, and disinfection methods of water treatment.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Report describing concentrations of 54 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ventilation rates that were measured in four new manufactured houses over 2 - 9.5 months following installation and in seven new site built houses 1 - 2 months after completion.
Organization(s)
APA,
NIST
Publication Date
Description
Standard that provides expanded and updated requirements for producing, marketing, and specifying plywood for construction and industrial uses.
Organization(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety,
IBHS
Publication Date
Description
Report covering the migration of wind-blown embers in roof vents.
Organization(s)
City of Verona,
WI Building Department,
State of Wisconsin
Publication Date
Description
Document describing wall bracing techniques and suggestions for the city of Verona, WI building department.
Organization(s)
International Code Council,
ICC
Publication Date
Description
A guide describing how to do wall bracing calculations and evaluations.
Organization(s)
BEMMI
Publication Date
Description
A presentation about the need for rainscreens including the damage water and moisture ingress into a home’s siding and framing can cause, and ways to design a resilient wall that drains and ventilates well.
Organization(s)
CDC
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing how to identify heat-related illness and what actions to take.
Organization(s)
WSDOH
Publication Date
Description
A website providing information on sealing the home against rodents and how to trap rodents once they have made their way into the home.
Organization(s)
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services
Publication Date
Description
State building energy code for the State of Washington.