Past, Present, Future: Directions in Single-Family Energy Auditing and Retrofits

Round-robin energy audits and a building science stakeholder survey help to inform technical and policy discussions for single-family homes.

The Current State of Duct Leakage Measurement: Field Evaluation of Five Methods

Author: Paul W. Francisco

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March 01, 2001

A study of test methods for duct leakage revealed that there is room for improvement in this evolving field. [continue reading]

Duct Leakage: How Much

Author: John Proctor

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January 01, 2001

Q:Is there a standard for energy-efficient ducts? I was called to a home built in 1955 that is under a warranty from a recent sale. The customer wanted us to “fix the ducts.” ... [continue reading]

Refrigerator Monitoring, A Sequel

Author: Larry Kinney

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September 01, 2000

How briefly can you monitor refrigerator energy use and still get valid results? Home Energy takes another look at this timely topic. [continue reading]

Energy Ratings for Rental Units

Author: Kathleen Greely

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July 01, 2000

If a property’s energy use were made visible, would that be sufficient incentive to convince landlords to invest in energy-efficient capital improvements? That’s the question ... [continue reading]

In the last two decades, researchers have relied increasingly on computer programs such as DOE-2 and BLAST to analyze building energy use. For example, simulations can be used to extrapolate building energy performance from limited measured energy data, or to weather normalize predicted savings in energy management or shared savings contracts. [continue reading]

Calculating Water Heater Energy Use

Author: Steven Bodzin

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July 01, 1999

Have you ever wanted to calculate how much energy a water heater would use annually in a given household? To make this task easier, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) has developed a straightforward equation that produces results close to those of simulation programs--without their baffling complexity. [continue reading]

Program Assesses Contractor Work in California

Author: Scott Matthews

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May 01, 1999

A new project will use building diagnostic equipment and techniques to assess the installation quality of energy features in new California homes. [continue reading]

Home Energy Audits--Only a Web Site Away

Author: Helen Hunter

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November 01, 1998

Fifteen forward-looking utilities are offering their residential customers a chance to perform energy audits on their own homes, any time of the day, for free. The customers can simply go to the utility's Web site, enter their utility account number, and spend 30 minutes answering questions on-line about their home, appliances, and usage patterns. [continue reading]