Research Teams
Partner with Building America
Are you interested in conducting research on zero energy homes? Please review the information below to learn more about the Building America research teams and contact a team to find out more.
The Building America Research Teams work with all segments of the building industry to develop, analyze, and implement strategies that achieve significant home energy savings with little or no impact to the cost of home ownership. These teams utilize a systems engineering approach to design, test, and build energy-efficient, high-quality homes. On this page you'll find a brief description of the Research Teams and other key partners as well as links to each group's Web site.
Building Industry Research Alliance 
Working primarily on the West Coast, the Building Industry Research Alliance (BIRA) is the newest coalition to join Building America. BIRA consists of over 80 industry partners representing a wide variety of builders, architects, manufacturers, state energy offices, utilities, and representatives from all aspects of the new residential homebuilding industry. The team leader, ConSol, is recognized as a leader in energy efficiency analysis, policy, and implementation.
Building Science Consortium
Building Science Consortium (BSC) works with its many partners to develop advanced building technologies for energy- and resource-efficient homes and communities that provide quality living environments in an affordable and sustainable way. In one Illinois development, testing confirms that BSC's building strategies allow for 50% to 60% energy savings at a small incremental cost when compared to regional standards.
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings
Led by Steven Winter Associates, Inc., the Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) works with scores of professionals throughout the homebuilding industry to design, engineer, and test affordable, high-performance homes. Results range from a 40% improvement in energy efficiency with little or no cost to the builder, to "zero-energy" homes that incorporate renewable energy systems and other "green" features. Davis Energy Group, a member of CARB, has been a leading innovator of cooling and heating technology for residential, commercial, and institutional applications since 1981.
Industrialized Housing Partnership
Led by the Florida Solar Energy Center of the University of Central Florida, the Building America Industrialized Housing Partnership (BAIHP) works with factory builders, affordable housing providers as well as site builder partners primarily in the Southeast and the Northwest-see case studies. Research is a strong component of BAIHP's work-see publications.
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions (IBACOS) partners with innovative builders and developers through the Best Practices Research Alliance™—delivering homes that are more energy-efficient, safe, healthy, durable, comfortable, and environmentally responsible. By employing Building America's systems engineering approach, IBACOS has enabled homeowners to achieve as much as 40% to 60% annual utility savings with no additional cost to the builder.
National Association of Home Builders Research Center
Created in 1964, this center is a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders. The mission of the National Association of Home Builders Research Center (NAHBRC) is to promote innovation in housing technology to improve the durability, affordability, and environmental performance of homes and home-building products. NAHBRC's reliable and objective research reflects its strong relationship with the housing industry and broad technical expertise.
The Department of Energy's national laboratories partner with the Research Teams to move the industry toward higher quality homes that use less energy.