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Library

This library contains research reports produced by the Building America program and other building science resources used to support this Solution Center. The materials cover both new construction and existing homes. Use the search box and/or the filters to explore hundreds of residential building resources. Access to some references not produced by Building America may require purchase from the publisher. Documents are listed alphabetically. While we continually update our database, links may have changed since posting. Please contact our webmaster if you find broken links.

Showing results 101 - 150 of 766

Climate Consultant

Author(s)
Milne Murray
Organization(s)
Society of Building Science Educators,
SBSE,
University of California Los Angeles,
UCLA
Publication Date
Climate Consultant is a software tool for helping architects, builders, contractor, homeowners, and students to understand their local climate.

Coastal Building Success and Failures, FEMA 1.1

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the characteristics that make for a successful coastal residential building, including design and construction recommendations; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Coastal Climate Resiliency - Retrofitting Buildings for Flood Risk

Author(s)
Department of City Planning New York City
Organization(s)
Department of City Planning New York City
Publication Date
Report describing retrofitting options and methodology for architects, developers, and property owners to use when making decisions about retrofits for common building types in NY.

Coastal Construction Manual - Principles and Practices of Planning, Siting, Designing, Constructing, and Maintaining Residential Buildings in Coastal Areas, Fourth Edition, Volume II, FEMA P-55

Author(s)
Coulbourne William,
Jones Christopher P,
Kapur Omar,
Koumoudis Vasso,
Line Philip,
Low David K,
Overcash Glenn,
Passman Samantha,
Reeder Adam,
Seitz Laura,
Smith Thomas,
Tezak Scott
Organization(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
FEMA,
Applied Technology Council,
ATC,
URS Group,
DK Low and Associates,
Atkins,
TLSmith Consulting
Publication Date
Volume II of a two-volume report providing a comprehensive approach to design, construction, and renovation of homes located in coastal environments.

Coastal Construction Manual, Volume I, Fourth edition, FEMA P-55

Author(s)
Coulbourne William,
Jones Christopher P,
Kapur Omar,
Koumoudis Vasso,
Line Philip,
Low David K,
Overcash Glenn,
Passman Samantha,
Reeder Adam,
Seitz Laura,
Smith Thomas,
Tezak Scott
Organization(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
FEMA,
Applied Technology Council,
ATC,
URS Group,
DK Low and Associates,
Atkins,
TLSmith Consulting
Publication Date
Volume 1 of a two-volume report providing a comprehensive approach to planning, siting, and risk management for homes constructed in coastal environments.

Collapsible Soils

Author(s)
Colorado Geological Survey
Organization(s)
CGS
Publication Date
Website discussing building foundation problems caused by settling soil in Colorado.

Comparison of Select NFIP & Building Code Requirements for Special Flood Hazard Areas

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Documents describing the similarities and differences between the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) minimum requirements and the requirements of the International Codes® (I-Codes®) and ASCE 24, Flood Resistant Design and Construction, a standard referenced by the I-Codes., and illustrating...

Construction & Design Considerations in Warmer Climates

Author(s)
Zero Energy Project
Organization(s)
Zero Energy Project
Publication Date
Guidance from Zero Energy Project on construction techniques for warmer climates, such as home orientation, and insulation requirements.

Construction of Low-Rise Buildings in Cyclone Prone Areas and Modification of Cyclone

Author(s)
Keote Shreyas Ashok,
Kumar Dhanendra,
Singh Rishabh
Organization(s)
Journal of Energy and Power Sources,
Indian Institute of Technology BHU Varanasi,
IIT BHU
Publication Date
Article describing construction best practices to help reduce the wind-induced pressure loads on a low-rise building during a hurricane.

Consumer Tips for a Post-Disaster Home Restoration

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Organization(s)
HUD
Publication Date
Brochure helping homeowners identify hazards, work with contractors to remove the hazards, help ensure the work is done properly, and educate when they can return safely to the home.

Cool Colored Materials for Roofs

Author(s)
Akbari Hashem,
Levinson Ronnen,
Wiel Stephen,
Miller William,
Jenkins Nancy,
Rosenfeld Arthur,
Scruton Chris,
Desjarlais Andre O
Organization(s)
California Energy Commission,
CEC,
Public Interest Energy Research Program,
PIER,
Laboratory Directed Research and Development,
LDRD,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Study describing efforts and outcomes in developing color-pigmented roofing products with coatings to increase solar reflectance.

Cool Hand Luke Meets Attics, BSI-077

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Article describing the difference between conditioned or unvented attics and unconditioned or vented attics.

Cool Neighborhoods: The Measurement of Small Scale Heat Islands

Author(s)
Sonne Jeffrey K,
Vieira Robin K
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy,
ECEEE
Publication Date
Paper describing the effects of tree canopies on residential climates indicating tree cover to be beneficial to climate conditions

Cool Roofs

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing 'cool roofs' and their usage for passive home cooling.

Cool Roofs Help Reduce Energy Costs

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA
Publication Date
Web page providing information on the types of cool roofs and their benefits to consumers.

Cool Surfaces Savings Explorer

Author(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Organization(s)
LBNL
Publication Date
Tool developed by LBNL to calculate potential savings from increasing wall and roof solar reflectance.

Cooling Related Performance of Finished and Unfinished Metal Roofing Systems

Author(s)
Parker Danny S,
Sonne Jeffrey K,
Sherwin John S
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of finished and unfinished metal roofing systems on cooling energy performance in a test facility.

Cooling with a Whole-House Fan

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
DOE Energy Saver webpage summarizing the use of whole-house fans for cooling.

Cost Effectiveness of Home Energy Retrofits in Pre-Code Vintage Homes in the United States

Author(s)
Fairey Philip W,
Parker Danny S
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report describing the analytical study of renewable energy retrofits to homes built before 1980 and whether it is cost efficient or not.

Create a Fire Smart Yard

Author(s)
FIRESafe Marin
Organization(s)
FIRESafe Marin
Publication Date
Webpage from FireSafe Marin explaining the different landscaping strategies near homes to lower the risk of a home's ignition from wildfire.

Creating a Fire Adapted Home

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
A factsheet that offers guidance on choosing appropriate materials and using proper construction practices when rebuilding, repairing, or renovating a home to increase its resistance to fires.

De-Icing Ice Dams, BSI-097

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Article describing the importance of air sealing, insulation, and roof ventilation in reducing the likelihood of ice dam formation on roofs in cold snowy climates.

Dealing with and preventing ice dams

Author(s)
University of Minnesota Extension
Organization(s)
University of Minnesota
Publication Date
Webpage explaining what causes the formation of ice dams on roofs and steps to take to prevent them.

Decks - Fire Safe or Not?

Author(s)
Stephen L. Quarles
Organization(s)
University of California
Publication Date
Article from Stephen L. Quarles on fire resistant decking design and materials recommendations.

Decks in the Line of Fire

Author(s)
Bolton Bill
Organization(s)
Journal of Light Construction,
JLC
Publication Date
Article describing codes and test methods related to fire-resistant construction of decks.

Designing Energy Efficient New Homes for a Warm Climate

Author(s)
EXtension Home Energy - Cooperative Extension
Organization(s)
EXtension Home Energy - Cooperative Extension
Publication Date
Article from The Home Energy Community of Practice on designing energy efficient homes in hot climate zones, including home orientation, window location, and roof design considerations.

Designing Houses That Keep Their Cool

Author(s)
Wilson Alex
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor
Publication Date
Article from Green Building Advisor on strategies to take when building homes to reduce the need for air conditioning, including insulation, windows, site selection, and roofing.

Designing Your Home to Survive Wildfires

Author(s)
Milne Murray
Organization(s)
University of California Los Angeles,
UCLA
Publication Date
Wildfire resistant home checklist from Murray Milne, a professor of architecture at UCLA, who outlines seven steps to take to improve a home's chance of survival during a wildfire.

Digital Coast

Author(s)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Organization(s)
NOAA
Publication Date
Website helping communities address coastal issues with data, tools, and training resources.

Disconnect or Redirect Your Downspout Brochure

Author(s)
Mid-America Regional Council
Organization(s)
MARC
Publication Date
A guide on the use of rain barrels for greater water efficiency and use in gardens and lawns.

Discover how to stay safe during a flood

Author(s)
Pacific Gas & Electric
Organization(s)
PG&E
Publication Date
Guidelines from PG&E outlining how to stay safe during a flood event by shutting off natural gas and electric service to the home.

Discussion of Strategies for Mounting Photovoltaic Arrays on Rooftops

Author(s)
Barkaszi Stephen F,
Dunlop James P
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
A research paper exploring the installation and mounting of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on rooftops and the challenges faced by system designers and installers.