BASC Search | Building America Solution Center

Types of Insulation

Author(s)

U.S. Department of Energy

Organization(s)

DOE

Publication Date

May, 2012

Information sheet about types and installation of insulation.

Slab Edge Insulation

Guide describing how to insulate slabs on grade in climate zones 3 and higher.

Unvented Attic Insulation

Guide describing methods for insulating an unvented attic along the roof line.

Attic Eave Minimum Insulation

Guide providing guidance on insulating attic eaves in new and existing single-family homes and multifamily buildings.

Ducts Buried in Attic Insulation

Guide describing buried ducts in loose-fill attic insulation, a method that can only be used in dry climates.

Batt Insulation for Existing Vented Attics

Guide describing how to increase insulation in existing homes by installing batt insulation on the ceiling plane of a vented attic.

Blown Insulation for Existing Vented Attic

Guide describing how to insulate a vented attic in an existing home using blown insulation added to the attic floor.

Ducts Buried in Attic Insulation and Encapsulated

Guide describing approaches to burying and encapsulating ducts in unconditioned attics to increase the overall R-value of duct insulation.

Exterior Edge Insulation for Existing Foundation Slabs

Guide describing how to install slab edge insulation when retrofitting existing slab-on-grade foundations.

Insulating Concrete Forms for Multifamily Residential Construction

Author(s)

Lemay Lionel,

Peng Tien

Organization(s)

Civil + Structural Engineers

Publication Date

June, 0019

Article describing methods for designing and constructing multifamily buildings with insulating concrete forms (ICFs).

Spray Foam Insulation Applied to Existing Attic Floor

Guide describing how to apply spray foam insulation to ceilings in existing homes.

Below Deck Spray Foam Insulation for Existing Roofs

Guide describing how to add spray foam insulation to the underside of the existing roof deck as part of the conversion of a vented attic to an unvented, insulated attic.

No Vapor Retarders on Interior Side of Air-Permeable Foundation Insulation

Vapor retarder plastic should not be installed over fibrous insulation on basement or crawlspace walls unless rigid foam or spray foam is installed directly against the concrete, behind the blanket insulation.

BSD-163: Controlling Cold-Weather Condensation Using Insulation

Author(s)

Straube John

Organization(s)

BSC,

Building Science Corporation

Publication Date

October, 2011

Article describing selecting insulation for minimizing condensation risks.

Attic Air Sealing, Insulating, and Ventilating for Ice Dam Prevention

Information guide describing proper attic air-sealing, insulation, and ventilation to combat ice dam formation on roofs in cold climate zones.

2009 and 2012 IECC Code Level Insulation – ENERGY STAR Requirements

This guide describes IECC 2009 and 2012 and ENERGY STAR Certified Homes insulation requirements.

Unvented Conditioned Attic with Spray Foam Insulation Below Roof Deck

Guide describing a method for insulating an unvented attic by spraying foam insulation along the underside of the roof deck.

Water Managed Roof – Re-roofing and Adding Insulation Over a Sloped Roof

Guide describing how to re-roof an existing home with a sloped and add insulation above the roof deck.

2015 IECC Code Level Insulation – DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Requirements

This guide describes IECC 2015 and DOE Zero Energy Ready Home insulation requirements.

Air-Impermeable Insulation for Condensation Control in Unvented Attics, per IRC Table 806.5.

Publication Date

Wed, 04/08/2020 - 12:00

Buried Ducts within Ceiling Insulation of Vented Attics in all Climate Zones - Code Compliance Brief

Publication Date

January, 2020

The intent of this brief is to provide code-related information about buried ducts in vented attics to help ensure that the measure will be accepted as being in compliance with the code. Providing notes for code officials on how to plan review and conduct field inspections can help provide jurisdictional officials with information for acceptance. Providing the same information to all builders, designers, and others is expected to result in increased compliance and fewer innovations being questioned at the time of plan review and/or field inspection.

Building America Existing Home Case Study: Insulated Siding Retrofit in a Cold Climate, New Paltz, New York

Author(s)

Florida Solar Energy Center

Organization(s)

BA-PIRC,

FSEC

Publication Date

April, 2015

Case study describing the application of insulated siding on an existing home.

This house design in the Hot-Humid climate uses a slab foundation, masonry walls, and an Exterior Insulation Finish System (EIFS) cladding.

Publication Date

Thu, 09/01/2011 - 12:00

Pier foundations, hurricane strapping, borate- and pressure-treated lumber, and high-density spray foam insulation help protect this New Orleans home from costal flooding and storms (Source: Green Coast Enterprises).

Publication Date

Thu, 09/01/2011 - 12:00

Floor Above Unconditioned Basement or Vented Crawlspace

Guide describing how to air-seal and insulate the floor above an unconditioned basement or crawl space.

Wind Washing

Guide describing wind washing and how to prevent it.

Construct Roofs and Attics for Ice Dam Prevention

Guide describing how ice dams form and how roofs can be constructed to prevent them.

Support at Intervals for Flex Ducts

Guide describing how to hang ducts with supporting straps or saddles to adequately support ducts so they do not sag and are not pinched or compressed in a manner that would cause damage to the ducts, the duct insulation, or the duct air barrier covering.

Analysis of Joint Masonry Moisture Content Monitoring

Author(s)

Ueno Kohta

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

October, 2015

Report on adding insulation to load-bearing mass masonry buildings.

Class I Vapor Retarders Not Installed in Above-Grade Walls in Warm-Humid Climate

Guide describing vapor retarder permeability, insulation interaction, and example construction in a hot-humid climate.

Water Management of Existing Crawlspace Floor

Guide providing information about treating bulk water drainage issues and moisture control measures in existing basements and crawl spaces.

Attic Radiant Barriers

Guide describing application of a radiant barrier layer in the attic to block radiant heat transfer between hot surfaces and heat-absorbing surfaces.

CCHRC - Cold Climate Housing Research Center

Author(s)

Cold Climate Housing Research Center

Organization(s)

CCHRC

Publication Date

November, 2019

Website of the Cold Climate Housing Research Center.

gutters and good drainage

Publication Date

October, 2011

Author(s)

Cold Climate Housing Research Center

Organization(s)

CCHRC

Video from Cold Climate Housing Research Center explaining how to correctly 'fur' and outside wall for maximum insulation protection.

Building Cavities Not Used as Supply or Return Ducts

Guide describing the use of building cavities as supply or return ducts.

Tips for Installing a Weather Resistive Barrier

Author(s)

Keenan Watson,

Samantha Kambo

Organization(s)

DuPont Performance Building Solution,

EEBA

Publication Date

June, 2020

Webinar from Keenan Watson and Samantha Kambo of DuPont on how to correctly install a weather-resistant barrier on a home for code compliance effectiveness. Free EEBA login required.

This house wrap assembly can work in all climates except extreme cold.

Publication Date

Thu, 09/01/2011 - 12:00

Hood River Passive House

Author(s)

Hales David

Organization(s)

WSU Extension Energy Programs,

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC

Publication Date

March, 2013

Report documenting short-term test results of the Shift House and compares the results of Passive House Planning Package and Building Energy Optimization modeling of the project.

Designing Houses That Keep Their Cool

Author(s)

Wilson Alex

Organization(s)

Green Building Advisor

Publication Date

July, 2013

Article from Green Building Advisor on strategies to take when building homes to reduce the need for air conditioning, including insulation, windows, site selection, and roofing.

Conway Street Apartments: A Multifamily Deep Energy Retrofit

Author(s)

Aldrich Robb,

Williamson Jim

Organization(s)

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE,

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB

Publication Date

November, 2014

Research report anayzing the results of a large retrofit project, turining an old school into near zero energy consumption apartments in Greenfield MA.

Field Testing Unvented Roofs with Asphalt Shingles in Cold and Hot-Humid Climates

Author(s)

Ueno Kohta,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Publication Date

September, 2015

Report to understand the long-term moisture performance of unvented roof assemblies with fibrous insulation.

Sealed Crawl Spaces with Integrated Whole-House Ventilation in a Cold Climate

Author(s)

Puttagunta Srikanth,

Zoeller William,

Williamson James

Organization(s)

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Publication Date

July, 2015

Report on hybrid ventilation methods for insulated and sealed crawl spaces.

Survey of Whole House Programs in Midwestern Climates

Author(s)

McGeough U,

Baker Will,

Peters J,

Beitel Annette

Organization(s)

Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,

PARR,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Publication Date

November, 2012

Research study making several recommendations to whole-home program designers and implementers for improving the cost effectiveness and reach of whole-home programs.

Whole-House Fans

Guide describing the types of whole-house fans, installation details to reduce energy loss, and how to operate them for comfort and energy savings based on climate zone.

Exploring Cost-Effective High Performance Residential Retrofits for Affordable Housing in the Hot Humid Climate

Author(s)

McIlvaine Janet,

Sutherland Karen,

Schleith Kevin,

Chandra Subrato

Organization(s)

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Publication Date

August, 2010

Report presenting the process of a residential retrofit project for houses in the states of Florida and Alabama, including findings at the time of reporting and highlights of the first home to meet the target HERS Index of 70.

Construction Guide - Next Generation High Performance Walls Climate Zones 3-5 Part I: 2x6 Walls

Author(s)

Kochkin Vladimir,

Wiehagen Joseph

Organization(s)

Home Innovation Research Labs,

HIRL

Publication Date

June, 2017

Part I of the Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x6 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as exterior sheathing, gypsum board as interior sheathing, and a cladding system installed over WSP sheathing in low-rise residential buildings up to three stories in height. Walls with...

Roof Eaves Sealed with Self-Adhering Membrane in Cold Climates

Guide describing how to apply heavy membranes at eaves in cold climates to help guard against ice dams.

DOE ZERH HIA 2014 Case Study: One Sky Homes, Cottle Zero Net Energy Home, San Jose, CA

Author(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

Organization(s)

PNNL,

DOE

Publication Date

September, 2014

Case study describing a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home 2014 Housing Innovation Award winner that scored HERS 69 without PV and -1 with PV.