Publications
NREL publishes a variety of documents related to its research, including technical reports, brochures, and presentations. Read the information below to find out how to find a publication about buildings research at NREL.
Accessing Buildings Research Documents
Documents produced by NREL related to buildings technologies may be accessed online in several different ways.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Publications Database
The NREL Publications Database covers building technology documents written or edited by NREL staff and subcontractors from 1977 to the present. The database includes technical reports as well as outreach publications such as brochures and fact sheets. Coverage is nearly complete for NREL technical reports, less so but still extensive for journal articles and subcontract reports. NREL reports published from 1999 to the present are available as full text PDFs.
DOE Information Bridge
This publications database is similar to the NREL Publications Database, but covers the entire U.S. Department of Energy system, thus including buildings documents produced by other DOE national laboratories. It has a growing collection of full text documents from 1995 forward.
Research Papers — Commercial
NREL has produced many papers related to Building Design and Performance. Listed below are some key documents published since 2000.
Deru, M.; Torcellini, P.; Pless, S. (2005). Energy Design and Performance Analysis of the BigHorn Home Improvement Center. 120 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-34930.
Deru, M.; Torcellini, P.; Sheffer, M.; Lau, A. (2005). Analysis of the Design and Energy Performance of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Cambria Office Building. 85 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-34931.
Griffith, B.; Deru M.; Torcellini, P.; Ellis, P. (2005). Analysis of the Energy Performance of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Philip Merrill Environmental Center. 145 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-34830.
Torcellini, P.; Long, N.; Pless, S.; Judkoff, R. (2005). Evaluation of the Low-Energy Design and Energy Performance of the Zion National Park Visitor Center. 156 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-34607.
Torcellini, P.; Pless, S.; Griffith, B.; Judkoff, R. (2005). Evaluation of the Energy Performance and Design Process of the Thermal Test Facility at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 144 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-34832.
Deru, M.; Torcellini, P.; Judkoff, R. (2004). BigHorn Home Improvement Center: Proof That a Retail Building Can Be a Low-Energy Building; Preprint. NICH Report No. CP-550-36274.
Pless, S.; Torcellini, P.; Peterson, J. (2004) Oberlin College Lewis Center for Environmental Studies: A Low-Energy Academic Building; Preprint. NICH Report No. CP-550-36273.
Torcellini, P.; Pless, S.; Long, N.; Judkoff, R. (2004) Zion National Park Visitor Center: Performance of a Low-Energy Building in a Hot, Dry Climate; Preprint. NICH Report No. CP-550-36272.
Crawley, D.; Torcellini, P.; Malin, N. (2003). Creating a Public Web Database about High Performance (Green) Buildings: Preprint. Conference Preprint submitted for publication to ASHRAE. NICH Report No. CP-550-34313.
Deru, M.; Hancock, E. (2002). Preliminary Energy Analysis of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Cambria Office Building, Ebensburg, PA. 26 pp. NREL NICH Report No. TP-550- 33106.
Hayter, S.; Torcellini, P.; Deru, M. (2002). Photovoltaics for Buildings: New Applications and Lessons Learned. NICH Report No. CP-500-32158.
Pless, S.; Torcellini, P. (2002). Energy Performance Evaluation of a Low-Energy Academic Building at Oberlin College, Oberlin Ohio. 107 pp. NREL NICH Report No. TP-550-33180.
Torcellini, P.; Judkoff, R.; Hayter, S. (2002). Zion National Park Visitor Center: Significant Energy Savings Achieved through a Whole-Building Design Process: Preprint. NICH Report No. CP-550-32157.
Hayter, S. J.; Torcellini, P. A. (2000). Photovoltaics for Buildings: Case Studies of High-Performance Buildings with PV. Program and Proceedings: NCPV Program Review Meeting 2000, 16-19 April 2000, Denver, Colorado. BK-520-28064. Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory; pp. 9-10. NICH Report No. CP-550-28223.
Judkoff, R.; Balcomb, J.D.; Hancock, C.E.; Barker, G.; Subarao, K. (2000). Side-by-Side Thermal Tests of Modular Offices: A Validation Study of the STEM Method. NREL Technical report. NREL/TP-550-23940. Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory; 33 pp.
Research Papers — Residential Buildings
NREL has produced numerous research papers in partnership with DOE's Building America Program. Listed below are some key documents published since 2004. You may also search for NREL documents on the Building America Document Database.
Christensen, D.; Winker, J. (2009). Laboratory Test Report for ThermaStor Ultra-Aire XT150H Dehumidifier. 27 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-47215
Fang, X.; Hancock, E. (2009). RDI Development: Wisdom Way Solar Village, Greenfield, Massachusetts Field Test Report. 42 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-45865.
Roberts, D.R.; Anderson, R. (2009). Technical Approach for the Development of DOE Building America Builders Challenge Technology Information Packages.66 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-44687.
Roberts, D. R. (2009). Preliminary Assessment of the Energy-Saving Potential of Electrochromic Windows in Residential Buildings. 19 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-46916.
Anderson, R.; Roberts, D. (2008). Maximizing Residential Energy Savings: Net Zero Energy House (ZEH) Technology Pathways. 47 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-44547.
Christensen, C.; Horowitz, S. (2008). Orienting the Neighborhood: A Subdivision Energy Analysis Tool; Preprint. 16 pp.; NREL Report No. CP-550-43341.
Hendron, R.; Anderson, R.; Barley, D.; Rudd, A.; Townsend, A.; Hancock, E. (2008). Field Test of Room-to-Room Distribution of Outside Air with Two Residential Ventilation Systems. 23 pp.; NREL Report No. CP-550-41210.
Horowitz, S.; Christensen, C.; Anderson, R. (2008). Searching for the Optimal Mix of Solar and Efficiency in Zero Net Energy Buildings 13 pp.; NREL Report No. CP-550-42956.
Horowitz, S.; Christensen, C.; Brandemuehl, M.; Krarti, M. (2008). Enhanced Sequential Search Methodology for Identifying Cost-Optimal Building Pathways. 11 pp.; NREL Report No. CP-550-43238.
Norton, P.; Burch, J.; Hendron, B. (2008). Project Closeout: Guidance for Final Evaluation of Building America Communities. 76 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-42448.
Norton, P.; Christensen, C.; Hancock, E.; Barker, G.; Reeves, P. (2008). The NREL/Habitat for Humanity Zero Energy Home: A Cold-Climate Case Study for Affordable Zero Energy Homes. 50 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-43188.
Barley, C. D.; Anderson, R.; Hendron, B.; Hancock, E. (2007). Test Protocol for Room-to-Room Distribution of Outside Air by Residential Ventilation Systems. 63 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-31548.
Anderson, R.; Christensen, C.; Horowitz, S. (2006). Analysis of Residential System Strategies Targeting Least-Cost Solutions Leading to Net Zero Energy Homes: Preprint. 22 pp.; NREL Report No. CP-550-38170.
Christensen, C.; Anderson, R.; Horowitz, S.; Courtney, A.; Spencer, J. (2006). BEopt™ Software for Building Energy Optimization: Features and Capabilities. 21 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-39929.
Eastment, M.; Hendron, R. (2006). Method for Evaluating Energy Use of Dishwashers, Clothes Washers, and Clothes Dryers: Preprint. 15 pp.; NREL Report No. CP-550-39769.
Hendron, R. (2006). Building America Performance Analysis Procedures for Existing Homes. 53 pp.; NREL Report No. CP-550-38238.
Hendron, R.; Barker, G.; Hancock, E.; Reeves, P. (2006). Evaluation of Affordable Prototype Houses at Two Levels of Energy Efficiency. 22 pp.; NREL Report No. CP-550-38774.
Barley, C. D.; Torcellini, P.; Van Geet, O. (2004). Van Geet Off-Grid Home: An Integrated Approach to Energy Savings (DF 1.8 MB). 68 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-32765.
Burch, J.; Erickson, P. (2004). Using Ratings Data to Derive Simulation-Model Inputs for Storage Tank Water Heaters. 6 pp.; NREL Report No. CP-550-36035.
