BASC Search | Building America Solution Center

No insulation installed in cavity and not air sealed

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Exterior Insulation Implications on Heating and Cooling in Cold Climates

Reference

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is interested in finding cost-effective solutions for deep energy retrofits (DERs) related to exterior wall insulation in a cold climate, with targets of 50% peak load reduction and 50% space conditioning energy savings.

Inadequate amount of insulation installed with compression, misalignment, and voids

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Spray foam insulates and air seals the underside of the attic roof and walls.

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If HVAC duct must be installed in an exterior wall, separate it from the exterior with at least R-6 of continuous rigid insulation

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Wrong: open wall cavity connected to this return air plenum is allowing cellulose attic insulation to be pulled into the furnace

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HVAC ducts, cavities used as ducts, and combustion inlets and outlets may pass perpendicularly through exterior walls but shall not be run within exterior walls unless at least R-6 continuous insulation is provided on exterior side of the cavity

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HVAC Ducts Shall Not Be Run within Exterior Walls

Guide

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

Case Study: Rural Development, Inc., Wisdom Way Solar Village, Greenfield, MA

Case Study

Case study describing a 20-unit community of energy-efficient duplexes in Massachusetts incorporating solar water heating and photovoltaics.

Advances in Manufactured Home Energy Efficient Design

Presentation

Webinar explaining advances in energy efficient design for manufactured homes.

Fort Devens: Cold Climate, Energy-Efficient, Market-Rate Townhomes

Reference

Report about development of effective strategies to reduce the overall building energy use in line with Building America goals in this modestly priced market rate project.

The New American Home 2004 Las Vegas, Nevada

Case Study

Case study describing whole house building techniques in the hot-dry climate.

Building America Case Study Technology Solutions for Existing Homes: Concord Four Square Retrofit

Case Study

Case study describing a four-square Concord home retrofitted by Building Science Corporation in Massachusetts.

Building America Case Study Technology Solutions for Existing Homes: Bedford Farmhouse High Performance Retrofit Prototype

Case Study

Case study describing project conducted by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell (HfHGL) and Building Science Corporation (BSC).

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Deep Energy Retrofit in the Pacific Northwest

Case Study

Case study describing a whole-house, deep energy retrofit project in the marine climate.

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Dry and Mixed-Dry Climates, Volume 9

Reference

Report providing builders in the hot-dry and mixed-dry climates with guidance for building homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Lancaster County Career and Technology Center Green Home 3 - Mount Joy, Pennsylvania

Case Study

Case study describing the Green Home 3 project, which achieved a 44% whole-house energy savings over the Building America New Construction B10 Benchmark, DOE Zero Energy Ready Home certification, and National Green Building Standard Gold-level certification.

DOE ZERH HIA 2014 Case Study: M Street Homes, Smartlux on Greenpark Houston, TX

Case Study

Case study describing a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home 2014 Housing Innovation Award winner that scored HERS 45 without PV and 32 with PV and is the first home in the world to use a tri-generation system to supply electricity, heating, and cooling on site.