NREL developed this resource repository to help residential energy auditors quickly find information for accurate data collection and analysis of residential buildings.
Residential energy auditors conduct detailed home assessments and develop comprehensive work scopes for planned energy conservation, repair, or health and safety measures for each home served in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program.
If you would like to contribute to this centralized resource repository or have additional feedback, please contact workforce.guidelines@nrel.gov.
Visual and Dimensional Information – Area and Volume
DOE Better Buildings® Home Energy Assessor Calculator:
- Areas Calculator (sixth worksheet tab) – calculates ceiling and floor areas including cathedral or vaulted ceilings and attic kneewalls
- Averaging Calculator (second worksheet tab) - calculates the weighted average ceiling height of up to 3 components. Also calculates the building volume for each building area.
Insulation and Building Components
DOE Better Buildings® Home Energy Assessor Calculator: Insulation De-Rate Calculator (third worksheet tab)
De-rates existing insulation R-values after entering the insulation type, quality, and depth.
Residential Energy Dynamics Calc Free: Parallel-Path Equivalent R-Value
Provides an equivalent R-value of a building section made up of different materials with different R-values.
National Association for State Community Service Programs: Required Bags of Insulation for Dense Pack Insulation
Calculates the number of bags per cubic feet of insulation required for dense pack insulation.
Residential Energy Dynamics Calc Free: Dense-Pack Insulation
Helps accurately calculate the number of insulation bags needed and installed density required for dense-pack insulation.
Appliance and Base Load Information
DOE Refrigerator and Freezer Energy Rating Database Search Tool
Provides estimated annual electrical usage of various refrigerators or freezers based on the model number or year manufactured.
DOE Energy Saver: Calculating Annual Electricity Consumption and Costs
Estimates annual energy use and cost to operate various appliances or equipment by entering wattage values for a wide range of products from aquariums to well pumps.
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Home Energy Saver & Score: Engineering Documentation – Default Energy Consumption of MELs
Provides standard energy consumption estimates for different home energy uses.
National Association for State Community Services Program: Light Fixture Wattage Reduction Savings Calculator
Calculates savings for CFLs as well as LED bulbs when modified by the user.
EnergyUse Calculator: Electricity Usage of an LED Light Bulb
Finds out the electricity cost per hour, day, month, or year of a single LED bulb.
Environmental Protection Agency: WaterSense Calculator
Estimates how much water, energy, and money can be saved if installing WaterSense-labeled products.
Residential Energy Dynamics Calc Free: Daily Hot Water Use Calculator
Calculates the average daily hot water use based on different appliances used and how often they are used.
DOE Energy Saver: Reduce Hot Water Use for Energy Savings
Features a table illustrating average hot water usage and steps to measure a shower head using a bucket. Energy auditors interested in directly measuring shower head or faucet aerator flow may consider purchasing inexpensive flow bags.
Residential Energy Dynamics Calc Free: Daily Hot Water Systems Comparison Calculator
Calculates the annual cost of heating domestic hot water and compares costs with up to three different fuel type systems.
Diagnostic Testing and Health and Safety
Residential Energy Dynamics Depressurization Analysis Tool Guide
Estimates building leakage, exhaust flow of appliances, or depressurization which is helpful when determining if combustion appliance zone pressures are likely to result in a safety concern.
NREL Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ) Depressurization Quick Guide
Details the steps to complete CAZ depressurization testing in accordance the Building Performance Institute standards.
Residential Energy Dynamics Calc Free: Air Leakage Metrics Calculator
Calculates up to eight different leakage metrics, including specific leakage area, equivalent leakage area, effective leakage area, and others.
Residential Energy Dynamics Calc Free: ASHRAE 62.2-2016 Ventilation Calculator
Calculates dwelling-unit ventilation based on ASHRAE 62.2 standard.
Residential Energy Dynamics Calc Free: Zone Pressure Diagnostics Calculator
Determines air leakage between a zone and the house, zone and outdoors, and through the zone.
National Association for State Community Services Programs: Open-a-Door and Add-a-Hole Zone Pressure Diagnostic Calculator
Estimates the total path zonal air leakage and the percentage of total leakage through the tested zone (e.g., attic or garage).
HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
Air Conditioning Contractors of America: Technical Manuals
Cover design, installation, and maintenance guidelines for residential and light commercial HVAC systems:
- Manual H serves as a reference for heat pump system design including design calculations, equipment selection, sizing, and operating costs.
- Manual J is used to conduct HVAC load calculations to be used in system sizing.
- Manual S help with choosing the correct HVAC equipment based on local climate and construction specifications.
- Manual D provides standards for duct system design.
- Manual T provides detailed information on air distribution systems design.
Air Conditioning Contractors of America: Approved Software
Lists load calculation and duct design software to speed up system design and minimize the potential for miscalculation due to human error.
Residential Energy Dynamics Calc Free: Advanced Infiltration Calculator
Calculates hourly stack, wind, and infiltration, and the effect of combining natural infiltration with whole-building ventilation.
The Energy Conservatory: Smart Calculators
Calculate sensible heat ratio, mixed air, ventilation, design friction rate, filter sizing, duct sizing, gas heat flow, and more.
Building Science
DOE Building America: Building Science Advisor
Provides expert advice on retrofit and new construction building envelope systems, from multiple categories (e.g., roofs and attics, exterior walls, windows, and attachments) specific to the climate zones.
Residential Energy Dynamics Calc Free: Surface Heat Transfer Calculator
Determines heat transfer through a surface by solving five values: area, R-value, time interval, temperature difference, or heat transfer.
The intention of the Energy Auditor Resource Repository is to provide access to relevant resources that help energy auditors accurately collect data, support unique analysis of residential buildings, or expand their building science knowledge. Resources were prioritized based on industry feedback. The provided links are NOT endorsed by NREL, but are intended to provide information which in some instances was not produced by DOE or government funded partners. Resource links ending in .com may provide information to the target audience that otherwise is currently accessible at scale. The links were selected and reviewed when the Energy Auditor Resource Repository was created. Although efforts are made to ensure the links are accurate, up to date and relevant, NREL is not responsible for the content of any external websites, or the accuracy of such content.