Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Guide providing information on using exterior foam insulating sheathing in building wall assemblies to enhance thermal performance.
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 190
Organization(s)
Home Construction and Improvement
Publication Date
Description
A article about the best practice method of installing fiber cement siding, to install flashing at the butt joints of the siding boards, rather than face caulking the butt joints afterwards.
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Document providing supplemental information for code enforcement professionals about header hangers in bearing walls.
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Case study of new home construction in the hot-dry and mixed-dry climate zones.
Organization(s)
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Brochure with details on advanced framing techniques.
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Article from NREL on wall construction guidelines for homes in hot climate zones.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet briefly summarizing double stud wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet briefly summarizing double stud with spray foam wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet briefly summarizing truss wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report that considers a number of promising wall systems that can meet the requirement for better thermal control.
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Report providing testing methodology to evaluate structural rim header designs over openings up to 6 ft. wide and applicable to one- and two-story homes.
Organization(s)
NAHB Research Center,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Report with test results that serve as a baseline of data for further material tests of other high-R wall systems and for comparison to whole-house wind pressure testing.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report covering control of hydrostatic pressure in wall assemblies.
Organization(s)
Siding Cost Guide
Publication Date
Description
A starting point for ballparking and comparing the cost of different siding materials and a brief overview of the pros and cons of different siding materials.
Organization(s)
Journal of Light Construction
Publication Date
Description
A story about how omission of two small but critical wall details, a kick-out flashing and a weep screed, lead to extensive water damage to a wall.
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Description
Checklist for verifying FORTIFIED levels and documentation needed.
Organization(s)
LADBS
Publication Date
Description
Report describing ways to retrofit a home to make it more resistant to earthquakes.
Organization(s)
Florida Building Code
Publication Date
Description
Code describing the requirements for existing site-built single-family homes to receive roof-to-wall retrofits when re-roofing.
Organization(s)
Florida Division of Emergency Management
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the hurricane retrofit guide with focus on walls and wooded framed walls.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report detailing the design and construction of 10 new houses under the Wyandotte Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet summarizing ICF wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.
Organization(s)
Canada Masonry Design Centre,
CMDC
Publication Date
Description
An impact test report from projectile missile tests against brick veneer, verifying that brick veneers perform well to resisting hurricane force wind driven debris.
Organization(s)
NAHB
Publication Date
Description
Guide detailing best practices on how to build wall assemblies with absorptive claddings such as brick, stone that drain and dry well.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Article explaining installing cavity insulation.
Organization(s)
Vinyl Siding Institute
Description
A guide for users and energy raters of insulated siding as home insulation.
Organization(s)
Home Energy Magazine
Publication Date
Description
Article describing how insulated siding can save homeowners energy by providing continuous exterior insulation.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report about promoting energy efficiency for Hilton Head Island.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report covering reservoir claddings, back ventilation and vapor throttles.
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Description
Report describing ways to retrofit a home to make it more hurricane resistant.
Organization(s)
National Concrete Masonry Association
Publication Date
Description
Article providing guidance for installing manufactured stone veneer, including information on rainscreens.
Organization(s)
Knauf
Description
Website providing information about Knauf Insulation.
Organization(s)
International Masonry Institute
Publication Date
Description
Webpage featuring hundreds of illustrations of masonry construction details for brick, congrete, stone, tile, stucco, etc.
Organization(s)
Ply Gem Siding Group
Publication Date
Description
Siding installation guide for Ply Gem Siding Group products.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Measure Guideline research report providing simple, long term, and durable solutions when using tapes and flashing membranes in conjunction with the exterior face of rigid polymeric foam sheathing to create the drainage plane of a wall system.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report describing wall assemblies that use layers of rigid exterior insulation thicker than 1-½ inch and require a secondary cladding attachment location exterior to the insulation.
Organization(s)
IBACOS
Publication Date
Description
Report covering the fundamental waterproofing strategies for tub and shower assemblies.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the work conducted for high performance hybrid assemblies.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Description
Report explaining moisture-related concerns for high R-value wall assemblies and discusses past Building America research work that informs this study.
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs
Publication Date
Description
The next generation of building enclosures is a key step toward achieving high-performance goals through decreasing energy load demand and enabling advanced space-conditioning systems. Yet the adoption of high-R enclosures and particularly high-R walls has been a slow-growing trend because...
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report describing evaluation of several configurations of wall assemblies to determine the accuracy of moisture modeling and make recommendations to ensure durable, efficient assemblies.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report on a study monitoring moisture conditions of double-stud wall assemblies with different insulation in Devens, Massachusetts.
Organization(s)
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Report providing guidance to air sealing multifamily homes.
Organization(s)
Premier SIPS
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet with nail withdrawl capacities in OSB.
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet with details on pan flashing for exterior walls.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report covering wind loading on roofing assemblies.
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs,
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Publication Date
Description
Technical report describing research aimed to provide window manufacturers with foundational guidance for installing windows in walls with continuous insulation (CI), addressing critical aspects such as evaluating common installation methods, establishing acceptance criteria for window performance...
Organization(s)
Edition Diffusion Presse Sciences,
EDP Sciences
Publication Date
Description
A study on how fires spread through exterior building envelopes with discussion on how fires propagate in a rain screen cavity.
Organization(s)
Technical Services Information Bureau,
Walls & Ceilings
Publication Date
Description
Manual covering design, detailing, material selection and troubleshooting for plaster, IEFs, and drywall, with info on continuous insulation, air barriers, rain screens, fire and sound ratings, etc.
Organization(s)
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Document with information about the most practical methods to achieve whole-wall performance of R-30 or above.
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Research study exploring a test method measuring air leakage between units through common surfaces and air infiltration across exterior, noncommon surfaces of the enclosure.