Skip to main content

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 401 - 450 of 687

Keep Safe: A Guide for Resilient Housing Design in Island Communities

Author(s)
Enterprise Community Partners
Organization(s)
Enterprise Community Partners
Publication Date
A guide providing tools to island and hurricane-prone communities on redevelopment and rehabilitation of homes to prepare for future natural disasters.

Keeping Homes and Cities Cool in Extreme Heat

Author(s)
Kyle Mittan
Organization(s)
University of Arizona
Publication Date
Article from University of Arizona on keeping homes cool during extreme heat, both personal and system changes.

Keeping Warm during Winter Power Outages

Author(s)
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences & Family and Consumer Sciences
Organization(s)
University of Georgia
Publication Date
Webpage describing how to conserve heat or find alternative heat sources during a power outage to keep one room warm.

Land Use Tool: Wildland-Urban Interface Code (WUI Code)

Author(s)
Planning for Hazards: Land Use Solutions for Colorado
Organization(s)
Planning for Hazards: Land Use Solutions for Colorado
Publication Date
Website describing the wildland-urban interface code and providing links to resources.

Lead: Worker and Employer Guide to Hazards and Recommended Controls

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Organization(s)
EPA,
HUD,
NIH,
OSHA
Publication Date
Guidance from EPA, HUD, NIH, and OSHA on worker and employer interactions with lead contaminants.

LEED v4.1 Certification Program

Author(s)
U.S Green Building Council
Organization(s)
USGBC
Publication Date
Website explaining the LEED v4.1 program and providing a portal for those who want to investigate or start a LEED project.

Living on the Coast: Protecting Investments in Shore Property on the Great Lakes

Author(s)
University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Organization(s)
University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Publication Date
A publication describing how to protect coastal investments by adapting to natural processes and protecting coastal environments and shorelines.

Living with Fire: Homeowners' Firesafe Guide for Montana

Author(s)
FireSafe Montana
Organization(s)
FireSafe Montana
Publication Date
Guide for homeowners describing actions they can take to modify their home and the surrounding site to create a survivable space to reduce the amount of damage a home would likely experience during a wildfire.

Load Paths, FEMA Technical Fact Sheet No. 4.1 

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Factsheet describing the concept of load paths and the important connections in a wind uplift load path; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Maintain Defensible Space

Author(s)
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Organization(s)
Cal Fire
Publication Date
A webpage outlining CAL FIRE’s recommendations for creating defensible space.

Mass Save Deep Energy Retrofit Builder Guide, GM-1302

Author(s)
Pettit,
Neuhauser,
Gates
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.

Measured Impacts of Air Conditioner Condenser Shading

Author(s)
Sonne Jeffrey K,
Parker Danny S,
Barkaszi Stephen F
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Paper describing energy savings in space cooling from shading condenser units.

Metal Roof Systems in High-Wind Regions

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
A Recovery Advisory guide reccomending practices for designing and installing metal roof systems that will enhance wind resistance in high-wind regions (i.e., greater than 90-miles per hour [mph] gust design wind speed).

Minimizing Flood Damage to Electrical Service Components

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Factsheet describing smart practices for minimizing damage to residential electrical service components during coastal and riverine flood events.

Mitigation Ideas: A Resource for Reducing Risk to Natural Hazards

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Report providing a resource that communities can use to identify and evaluate a range of potential mitigation actions for reducing risk to natural hazards and disasters.

Mold: Worker and Employer Guide to Hazards and Recommended Controls

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Organization(s)
EPA,
HUD,
NIH,
OSHA
Publication Date
Worker guidance from EPA, HUD, NIH, and OSHA on how to deal with mold in homes following natural disasters.

National Flood Hazard Layer

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Online geospatial map with interactive viewer showing flood risk areas and base flood elevations

National Flood Insurance Technical Bulletins

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
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.

Natural Disasters Association, Natural Hazards

Author(s)
Natural Disasters Association
Organization(s)
NDA
Publication Date
Website providing information on tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms and more.

Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2017 Interim Report

Author(s)
Porter,
Scawthorn,
Dash,
Santos,
Eguchi,
Ghosh,
Huyck,
Isteita,
Mickey,
Rashed,
Schneider
Organization(s)
NIBS
Publication Date
Report updating and expanding on a 2005 study that found, among other things, that every $1 of natural hazard mitigation funded by FEMA between 1993 and 2003 saved the American people an average of $4 in avoided future losses.

Natural Hazards

Author(s)
U.S. Geological Survey
Organization(s)
USGS
Publication Date
Website containing USGS-related publications related to natural hazards.

Natural Ventilation

Author(s)
Energy Saver
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
DOE Energy Saver webpage providing a brief summary of natural ventilation for houses.

New Analyses Reveal WUI Growth in the U.S.

Author(s)
U.S. Forest Service
Organization(s)
USDA
Publication Date
Article describing the growth of the wildland urban interface in the United States from 1990 to 2010, expanding from 30.8 to 43.4 million homes (a 41% increase), and growing from 581,000 to 770,000 kM2 (33% growth), an increase of 189,000 km2, an area that is larger than Washington State.

New and Substantially Improved Buildings - Fuel Systems

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Guide for fuel systems design including installation guidance and formulas for calculating loads and buoyancy forces for specifying number, type and capacity of strapping for hold-downs in flood-prone areas.

New LSSJ Hanger Strengthens Jack Rafter Connections

Author(s)
Simpson Strong Tie
Organization(s)
Simpson Strong Tie Structural Engineering Blog
Publication Date
Article describing a steel connector product for jack rafter connections.

New National Guide for Wildland-Urban Interface Fires

Author(s)
National Research Council Canada
Organization(s)
National Research Council Canada
Publication Date
Report for local governments, planners, emergency managers, developers, insurers, and property owners describing ways to improve the wildfire resistance of buildings, infrastructure and communities in the wildland urban interface.

NFIP Summary of Coverage

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Brochure outlining what is covered under the National Flood Insurance Program

NFIP Terminology Definitions

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Glossary of terms used by the National Flood Insurance Program

NFPA 1142 – Standard on Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
An NFPA Standard that identifies a method for determining the minimum water supply necessary for structural fire-fighting purposes in areas where it has been determined that there is no water or inadequate water for fire fighting.

NFPA 22 – Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
An NFPA standards document that provides minimum requirements for the design, construction, installation, and maintenance of tanks and accessory equipment that supply water for private fire protection.

NFPA 25 - Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
An NFPA standard for inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire sprinklers, including fire pump operation and flow tests, evaluation techniques such as sprinkler inspections, valve status tests, internal piping assessments, and forward flow tests for backflow preventers, and water storage system...

NFPA 70: National Electric Code

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
This standard provides a benchmark for safe electrical design, installation, and inspection to protect people and property from electrical hazards and has been adopted in all 50 states.

NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
Standard establishing criteria for levels of health care services or systems based on risk to the patients, staff, or visitors in health care facilities to minimize the hazards of fire, explosion, and electricity.