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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 201 - 250 of 253

Residential Seismic Strengthening

Author(s)
City of Portland OR
Organization(s)
City of Portland OR
Publication Date
Website providing resources for seismic retrofits for builders and homeowners as well as city permit requirements from the City of Portland OR.

Residential Tornado Safe Room Doors

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing residential tornado safe room doors.

Residential: Ceiling Fans (website)

Author(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Organization(s)
LBNL
Publication Date
Website with product and standards information about ceiling fans.

Resilient Communities Need Resilient Buildings

Author(s)
U.S. Resiliency Council
Organization(s)
USRC
Publication Date
Website describing the USRC, which "brings an unparalleled level of capability to the mission of improving community resilience in the built environment."

Resilient Housing

Author(s)
Green Builder Media
Organization(s)
Green Builder Media
Publication Date
Website providing resilient housing articles that relate to codes, including webinars, training, and guest articles.

Revised Analysis of Efficiency Standards for Pool Pumps and Motors, and Spas

Author(s)
Fischel Ben,
Steffensen Sean
Organization(s)
California Energy Commission,
CEC
Publication Date
This report discusses proposed updates to the pool pumps and motors, and portable electric spas standards in the Appliance Efficiency Regulations (California Code of Regulations, Title 20, Sections 1601 to 1609). These proposed updates are part of the 2012 Appliance Efficiency Rulemaking, Phase I...

Scaling Up to Zero Energy Ready - and Down to 530 ft2

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Organization(s)
NREL
Publication Date
Research report detailing Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) partnership with Manatee County Habitat for Humanity to design a compact, Zero Energy Ready Home in Florida, tackling challenges like equipment sizing and indoor air quality, offering insights for projects surpassing building code...

Seismic Building Code Provisions for New Buildings to Create Safer Communities

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
Organization(s)
FEMA,
NEHRP
Publication Date
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).

Seismic Retrofitting

Author(s)
The Getty Conservation Institute
Organization(s)
The Getty Conservation Institute
Publication Date
Newsletter containing five articles focused on seismic retrofitting.

Technical Standards for the Building Analyst Professional

Author(s)
Building Performance Institute
Organization(s)
BPI
Publication Date
Standard covering minimum required health and safety diagnostics and specifications for BPI's Building Analyst Professional certification.

Technician’s Guide & Work Book For Quality Installation

Author(s)
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
Organization(s)
ACCA
Publication Date
The Technician's Guide equips practitioners with the knowledge to properly implement all of the measurement procedures required in the HVAC QI Specification.

The Performance Check Between Whole Building Thermal Performance Criteria and Exterior Wall Measured Clear Wall R-Value, Thermal Bridging, thermal mass and airtightness

Author(s)
Kosny Jan,
Christian Jeffrey E,
Desjarlais Andre O,
Kossecka Elisabeth,
Berrenberg Lance
Organization(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
Polish Academy of Sciences,
PAN,
American Polysteel Forms
Publication Date
Paper that illustrates a performance check between the thermal performance of a Massive Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) wall system mocked up and Whole Building Performance criteria such as total space heating and cooling loads (thermal comfort).

Tornado Alley Spawns Tornado Codes

Author(s)
Thompson
Organization(s)
Code Watcher: Ahead of the Building Curve
Publication Date
Website article touring areas hit hardest by tornadoes to see how they are building differently to protect against the next big twister.

Urban Forestry Manual

Author(s)
U.S. Forest Service
Organization(s)
USDA Forest Service
Publication Date
Manual describing scientific, technical, and practical information needed to work with communities on urban forestry, including a section on trees and construction.

WaterSense Labeled Homes Program-Home Certification Organization: RESNET

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the home certification organization, RESNET and its requirements for whole house water management in a checklist format as well as the scope, information verifiers, and partners of the program.

WaterSense Labeled Homes Program: Ensuring Homes Deliver on Efficiency

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing how the Environmental Protection Agency ensures labeled homes meet the WaterSense efficiency requirements for whole house water management including a list of requirements and a data chart.

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Bathroom Sink Faucets

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
This fact sheet outlines the requirements for WaterSense® labeled bathroom sink faucets, detailing their water-efficient features, compliance with flow rate standards, how they are tested, how they are built, and how they are verified to ensure their quality and compliance with conservation and...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Clothes Washers

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified clothes washers that highlights the integrated water factor, integrated modified energy factor, top-loading vs. front-loading specifications, efficiency code standards, local requirements, faucet types and regulations for building...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Dishwashers

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified dishwashers that highlights water cycle specifications, efficiency code standards, water consumption level relation to criteria, the advantages of ENERGY STAR dishwashers, and the regulations for building and verifying a labeled...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Kitchen Faucets

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense® certified kitchen faucets that highlights flow rate specifications, efficiency code standards, local requirements, faucet types and regulations for building and verifying a labeled faucet to ensure it meets the quality and water management...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Landscape Design and Plant Selection

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing water-efficient landscaping through informed landscape design and plant selection, outlining considerations for climate, soil, and maintenance, as well as emphasizing the benefits of native and drought-tolerant plants, all within the context of achieving water efficiency...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Leak Detection and Flow Monitoring System

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing how to effectively build, implement, and verify leak detection and flow monitoring systems, detailing their significance in identifying and preventing leaks, selecting appropriate devices, installation procedures, and verification protocols within the context of water...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Service Water Pressure

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the significance of managing service water pressure within recommended ranges through the installation of pressure-regulating valves (PRVs), emphasizing their role in preventing damage, conserving energy, and ensuring water-efficient operation in residential properties; There...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Showerheads

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
This fact sheet describes the requirements for WaterSense® labeled showerheads in, highlighting their water-saving capabilities, adherence to flow rate criteria, independent performance certification, and how they're built, verified and in alignment with the conservation and water management goals...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Toilets

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
This fact sheet outlines the mandatory inclusion of WaterSense® labeled toilets in homes, highlighting their water-efficient features, certified performance, and leak prevention; The sheet describes the requirements for these features, steps to build, and steps to verify a labeled toilet to insure...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Water Metering

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the implementation of water metering and submetering measures in residential properties, particularly multifamily buildings, to enhance water efficiency, usage tracking, and compliance with relevant regulations; It outlines how to build and verify water meters and submeters to...

WaterSense Labeled Homes Technical Sheet: Water Softeners

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
WaterSense
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the importance and regulation of EPA WaterSense water softeners including the function of cation exchange water softeners, the importance of salt efficiency, the negative impact of hard water on household appliances, softeners that use demand-initiated regeneration with...

Wildfire codes and standards

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
Website containing links to key wildfire codes and standards.