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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 1 - 36 of 36

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet summarizing the changes to the flood provisions in the 2012 I-Codes that appear in the 2015 edition.
Author(s)
Building Seismic Safety Council,
National Institute of Building Sciences,
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
Organization(s)
BSSC,
NIBS,
FEMA,
NEHRP
Publication Date
Description
Document presenting the minimum recommended requirements necessary for the design and construction of new buildings and other structures to resist earthquake ground motions throughout the United States.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet providing guidance and best practices on the selection of building materials used for coastal construction, and discussing flood, wind, corrosion, decay resistance, and protection recommendations; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact...
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Document discussing methods to bioengineer stabilization of shorelines using living and non-living plant materials in combination, known as the “Living Shorelines” concept.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Factsheet describing the flood-resistant provisions of the 2021 International Codes and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 24-14, Flood Resistant Design and Construction, that are “higher standards” and that are more specific than the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet discussing designs for prefabricated safe rooms built to ICC 500 standards mentioned in FEMA P-361.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
A website providing information on funding for mitigation programs to reduce disaster losses under FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
FEMA guidance for flood damage in areas prone to flooding.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing foundation design criteria, foundation types suitable for coastal environments, and addressing foundations for high-elevation coastal areas (e.g., bluff areas); also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”
Author(s)
Thompson Boyce
Organization(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Website article touring areas hit hardest by tornadoes to see how they are building differently to protect against the next big twister.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the function of housewrap, its attributes, and common problems associated with its use, including housewrap vs. building paper and housewrap installation; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing effects of planning, siting, and design decisions on coastal home costs, including initial, operating, and long-term costs; risk determination; and the effect on costs of meeting and exceeding code and NFIP design and construction requirements; also published in FEMA P-499...
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
A guide aiming to assist local officials and community decision makers in coastal areas in adopting and implementing sound mitigation measures to lower building natural disaster vulnerability.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Resources describing the National Flood Insurance Program's technical bulletins for flood zone construction, including foundation walls, corrosion protection, floodproofing, and breakaway walls among other topics.
Author(s)
Gromala David S,
Kapur Omar,
Kochkin Vladimir,
Line Philip,
Passman Samantha,
Reeder Adam,
Trusty Wayne
Organization(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the interactions, both positive and negative, between common green building practices and the robustness of residential buildings to withstand natural hazards.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing an alternative to piles in V Zones and A Zones in coastal areas where soil properties preclude pile installation, but the need for an “open foundation system” still exists and recommendations for good masonry practices in coastal environments; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home...
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
A fact sheet educating homeowners on the importance of residential safe rooms, including their cost and how to register a safe room with local officials.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing residential tornado safe room doors.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
Organization(s)
FEMA,
NEHRP
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing improvements in the earthquake resistance of residential and commercial new construction through the adoption into the International Residential Code of seismic provisions including those developed by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP).
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Website providing links to building codes, seismic codes, code enforcement, safe buildings, and seismic retrofitting.
Author(s)
Kapur Omar,
Mahadevia Amit,
Park Jae,
Passman Samantha,
Perotin Manuel,
Reeder Adam,
Seitz Laura,
Sheldon Adrienne,
Tezak Scott
Organization(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Report providing guidance on how to improve the wind resistance of existing residential buildings in Mississippi and across the Gulf Coast.