Top Web Sites for Builders

The top Web sites for builders of energy-efficient homes:

1. Advanced Energy Corporation: Great publications, particularly "Building Solutions On-line" and "High Performance Homes."
   
   
2. Building Energy Codes: Your resource for tools to facilitate energy code compliance, development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement.
   
   
3. BuildIQ: BuildIQ is an Internet-based knowledge network that provides education in best homebuilding practices to production builders around the nation. We are totally committed to helping you integrate quality across the most important areas of your business-your customers, your homes and your team.
   
   
4. Building Science Consortium: Building America team leader with newly revised web site. Lots of practical text and graphic resources on energy-efficient design and construction, particularly under "Houses That Work" and "Case Studies."
   
   
5. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation: Lots of quality information and technical resources for cold climates for both builders and home buyers/owners.
   
   
6. Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB): Building America team leader, Steven Winter Associates. Check out their "Projects" and "CARB-News."
   
   
7. Energy & Environmental Building Association: This is THE trade organization for energy-efficient builders. Especially go to "Building Info Central" and "Communications," and "Houses that Work" seminars.
   
   
8. Environmental Building News: Lots of news stories and feature articles offered on-line that deal with energy efficiency in design and construction.
   
   
9. DSIRE - Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy: This database is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy.
   
   
10. DOE's Efficient Windows Collaborative: Great resources on why and how to select high performance, climate-tuning glazing.
    
    
11. EPA's ENERGY STAR^TM: Really good product-specific information on high performance appliances and lighting for the home.
    
    
12. EPA's ENERGY STAR^TM Homes: ENERGY STAR^TM Web site just for high performance homes. Good subsection for homebuilders.
    
    
13. HUD's Partnership for Advancing Housing Technology: Great resource for builders on technology and building components/systems. Go to "Inventory."
    
    
14. Incentive Insulation Database: An on-line searchable database for access to local information on incentive programs for making energy-efficient improvements. This web site was created and is maintained by North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA).
    
    
15. Industrialized Housing Partnership: Building America team leader, Florida Solar Energy Center, has excellent technical resources, particularly on energy efficiency for hot, humid climates.
    
    
16. IBACOS (Integrated Building and Construction Solutions): IBACOS is a Building America team leader that posts various builder resources including reports, presentations, and newsletters on their "publications" page.
    
    
17. NAHB Research Center: Key programs with builder resources include ToolBase, Energy Value in Housing Award, and "Research."
    
    
18. National Energy Affordability and Accessibility Project: The Residential Energy Efficiency Database helps consumers find out what energy efficiency programs a utility or state offers to help save energy and money.
    
    
19. National Renewable Energy Lab: NREL does a wide range of work on energy-efficiency, but this section of their web site is dedicated to excellent technical resources for builders, particularly on renewable energy systems and energy analysis and building evaluation.
    
    
20. Partners for High Performance Homes: An informal network of industry professionals and advocates who wish to advance high-performing-home supply and demand in Colorado.
    
    
21. Residential Commissioning: Procedures for new or retrofitted homes to ensure their construction and operation can achieve safety, health, comfort, and energy design goals.
    
    
22. Residential Duct Systems: Information on problems concerning residential duct systems, including leakage testing, duct sealing, duct insulation and other topics.
    
    
23. Southface Institute: Southface Institute is a Building America partner, posting great resources under "Journal" and "Fact Sheets."
    
    
24. Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC): National resource clearinghouse for whole building design, product information, professional training, consumer education, and analytic tools.
    
    
25. ZIP-Code Program for Insulation: A computer program is available to help you calculate the amount of insulation appropriate for your house. The program is called the ZIP-Code because it includes weather and cost information for local regions defined by the first three digits of each postal service zip code.

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