Architecture and Building

RESOURCES BY TOPIC

Topics covered by this guide include architecture, building and construction, design, housing, planning, preservation, facility management, energy and the environment, and landscape architecture. Types of listings range from discussion groups to electronic publications to databases -- and of course a wide variety of websites. This is a selective guide. Links to more comprehensive link collections are included. For some topics just one or two sites with good links to the net resources in that topic are listed. Although the emphasis is on quality sites, sometimes sites that are currently not well-developed but show promise of being so are included.

This guide, started in 1993, is posted to the UNLV Libraries Architecture Studies Library page [/arch/rsrce/webresources/index.php]. Additions and corrections, as well as suggestions for categories, can be sent to Jeanne Brown (jeanne.brown@unlv.edu), head of the UNLV Architecture Studies Library. Permission is granted to use this material for non-commercial purposes, provided the author (Jeanne Brown) is credited.
This Architecture Internet Database is very extensive.
Scroll down, use ->EDIT ->FIND , or the hotkeys Control F to search within these pages.

Architecture Internet Resources -> Resources -> Green Design/Sustainable Resources -> Energy Efficiency

Resources for: Energy Efficiency

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy [http://aceee.org/]
Broad-based energy policy concerns. Highlights of the 1998 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Building are posted. 12/98

Building Energy Efficiency Research (BEER) [http://arch.hku.hk/research/BEER/index.html]
Information and links on topics including analysis of building climatic data, building energy simulation tools, building energy standards and codes, and sustainable architecture. the links to building energy related site is extensive, and organized by topic. 7/98, 6/08

Building Research Establishment [http://www.bre.co.uk]
BRE literature, specific initiatives such as the Energy Efficient Office Building Best Practice Programme, research programme (under construction), and links to other organizations. "The Building Research Establishment (BRE) is the principal organisation in the United Kingdom carrying out research into building and construction and the prevention and control of fire. BRE is an Executive Agency of the UK Government's Department of the Environment."

Buildings Technology Center [http://www.ornl.gov/ORNL/BTC/]
"The Buildings Technology Center (BTC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the premier U.S. research facility devoted to the development of technologies that improve the energy efficiency and environmental compatibility of residential and commercial buildings." Sections of the web site, based on topic (e.g. envelope systems, building design and performance), vary in depth. Some contain full-text papers. Some contain factsheets and calculators. 8/99

Center for Environmental Design Research (CEDR), UC Berkeley [http://www.cedr.berkeley.edu/]
Description of its various research groups and projects. AW 4/99. Updated 11/08

Center for the Built Environment (CBE), UC Berkeley [http://www.cbe.berkeley.edu]
Provides research on how well a building works and how well it can work. The site describes projects, facilities, and publications list. AW 4/99

Climate Change, Global Warming, and the Built Enviroment - Architecture 2030 News [http://www.architecture2030.org/news/news.php]
A 2008 white paper, titled “Meeting the 2030 Challenge Through Building Codes”, includes a single chart that provides the key to deciphering various building energy codes, standards and rating systems as they relate to the immediate 50% reduction target called for in the 2030 Challenge. http://www.architecture2030.org/pdfs/2030Challenge_Codes_WP.pdf. 6/08

demosite - exhibition center for photovoltaic integration [http://www.demosite.ch/]
"How the building envelope produces solar electricity ...an international exhibition and demonstration centre for photovoltaic building elements." 12/93. 6/08.

Energy Design Resources [http://www.energydesignresources.com/]
Software tools, information resources including case studies. 8/99

Energy Design Tools [http://www2.aud.ucla.edu/energy-design-tools/]
From the School of Arts and Architecture, UCLA. 8/99

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network [http://www.eere.energy.gov/]
Information on EREN and links to energy and other information resources.

Energy Systems Research Unit [http://www.esru.strath.ac.uk/]
Extensive publications list, description of projects, products, and courses. ESRU "focuses on the development of simulation based design tools for predicting the energy/environmental performance of demand side systems such as buildings; heating, cooling and power plant; and the technologies to harness renewable sources such as solar and wind energy."

Federal Building Energy Codes [http://www.energycodes.gov/federal/]
US Department of Energy. Includes software and manuals that can be downloaded at no cost.

Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE [http://www.ise.fhg.de/]
"The Institute conducts research on the technology needed to supply energy efficiently and on an environmentally sound basis in industrialised, threshold and developing countries. To this purpose, it develops systems, components, materials and processes in the areas of thermal use of solar energy, photovoltaics, solar architecture, electrical power supplies, chemical energy conversion and rational use of energy." 6/99

Home Energy Magazine [http://www.homeenergy.org]
Issues from 1993 and 1994 online, with plans to add them back to volume 1, 1984.

inter.Light [http://www.light-link.com]
"Dedicated exclusively to lighting products and lighting design with a special emphasis on energy efficiency. inter.Light includes a directory of lighting companies, searchable product databases, a photo gallery of hot lighting products, lighting design case studies, information about the lighting provisions of the Energy Policy Act (EPACT) and links to other useful lighting information on the Internet."

IRC: Institute for Research in Construction - Sustainable Built Environment [http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/index_e.html]
The NRC Institute for Research in Construction (NRC-IRC) is the leading construction research agency in Canada and provides the National Research Council with an industrial perspective on strategic requirements, opportunities and priorities within the construction sector. Of interest will be the Sustainable Built Environment Resources at: http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/sbe/index_e.html. 6/08

Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory [http://www.lbl.gov]
Access is provided to their library catalog, their publications list, and more. The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory has a Center for Building Science which has programs in Building Technologies (including windows and daylighting), Energy Analysis, and Indoor Air Quality. Full-text of the 1994 and 1995 issues of the Lawrence Berkeley Lab Building Science newsletter on energy are available http://eetd.lbl.gov/newsletter/CBS_NL/

LBL Center for Building Science News [http://eetd.lbl.gov/newsletter/CBS_NL/]
Full-text of the 1994 and 1995 issues of the Lawrence Berkeley Lab newsletter on energy.

Lighting Center [http://www.thelightingcenter.com]
Lighting manufacturers and detailed product information. Includes links to a variety of categories such as "energy, government, and utility lighting programs," "light pollution articles," "light source comparison and reviews," and "lighting, electrical and miscellaneous organizations."

National Renewable Energy Laboratory [http://www.nrel.gov]
Under "Research in progress" you find the NREL publications database and information about the various divisions including the Photovoltaic Division and the Buildings and Energy Systems Division. Under Information Sources/ NREL Information Systems find the solar radiation data and maps, wind energy resources maps, and more.

New Buildings Institute [http://www.newbuildings.org/index.htm]
Non-profit group which promotes energy efficiency through research and advocacy. Their site contains some of their research, guidelines for energy efficiency, and energy code information. 7/02

NOAA National Data Centers [http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/ngdcinfo/onlineaccess.html]
"The objective of this NOAA National Data Centers web site is to provide the public with access to the extensive data holdings of the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)." Data on climate, geophysical, and oceanographic. First lined to August 1999. Updated and last accessed 6/08.

Pacific Energy Center Daylighting Initiative [http://www.pge.com/pec/daylight/]
History of the project, papers on daylighting and productivity, case studies of a variety of building types, design tools. 10/99

REPP - Renewable energy policy project [http://www.crest.org/]
Renewable energy policy project & CREST[Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology] "Site for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable technology information and connections." Last accessed 7/08.

Solar Architecture [http://www.dennisrhollowayarchitect.com/]
Site of architect Dennis R. Holloway, with solar architecture projects, links, and "A Simple Design Methodology for Passive Solar Architecture." 6/99, last updated 7/08

Solar Architecture - Arizona Solar Center [http://www.azsolarcenter.com/design.html]
Explores various technologies, including photovoltaics, solar cooking, solar water heating, solar architecture, wind power, and hands-on activities for the classroom. 7/08.

Solar Energy and Building Physics Laboratory [http://lesowww.epfl.ch]
Information on passive solar architecture, daylighting and photovoltaics.

Solar Energy Industries Association Members Database [http://www.seia.org/]
Solar energy products offered by members of the Solar Energy Industries Association, including photovoltaics, solar thermal building products, and solar components and materials. SEIA is a trade group for manufacturers and service suppliers.

Solar Resource Information [http://www.nrel.gov/rredc/solar_resource.html]
Data, codes and calculators, publications and links. 7/02, last updated 7/08.

Solar Works [http://www.solar-works.com/]
A renewable energy systems integrator in the northeast United States. Includes a "Solar FAQ", including a glossary of solar terms and links to other resources at: http://www.solar-works.com/solarfacts/. 12/01, last updated 7/08.

SunAngle [http://www.susdesign.com/sunangle/]
Helpful calculator that will determine solar angles and related information for a given location, date, and time. Help buttons will give very good explanations and diagrams of the various readings. 9/05

U.S. Department of Energy Building Standards & Guidelines Program [http://www.energycodes.gov/]
Shows states that have adopted the Model Energy Code. Information on their codes and products, and links. Link established 7/98, last accessed 7/08.

Usable Buildings [http://www.usablebuildings.co.uk/]
Full-text publications, some available to members only, on building use and services. 9/99

Western Regional Climate Center [http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/]
Lots of weather data! Useful data and maps on the western states, including climate historical summaries, daily temperature and precipitation, radar and satellite imagery, climate maps, etc. Links to other sources such as the solar radiation data at the University of Oregon. 6/99, last accessed 7/08.