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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 - 50 of 132

2015 IBC - International Building Code

Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
2015 edition of code for commercial buildings that brings together all structural, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and electrical provisions for all buildings except detached one- and two-family residences and townhouses up to three stories.

2018 Long-term National Seismic Hazard Map

Author(s)
U.S. Geological Survey,
Earthquake Hazards Program
Organization(s)
USGS,
U.S. Department of the Interior,
USDI
Publication Date
A colored map showing seismic zones across the United States, ranging from lowest to highest seismic hazards.

AIA Disaster Assistance Handbook, Third Edition

Author(s)
American Institute of Architects
Organization(s)
AIA
Publication Date
Report describing the experience gained from AIA’s Disaster Assistance Program with first-hand accounts of disaster response and recovery, case studies and other best practices, including approaches to designing buildings to be more adaptable to uncertainty.

American Gas Association White Paper Automatic Shut-off Valves (ASV) And Remote Control Valves (RCV) On Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines

Author(s)
American Gas Association
Organization(s)
AGA
Publication Date
Report providing information regarding the benefits and challenges associated with the installation of earthquake-actuated automatic shut-off valves (ASVs) or remote-control valves (RCVs) to stop the flow of natural gas into buildings in the event of an earthquake or rupture of the gas line.

Anchor it and Protect a Child

Author(s)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Organization(s)
USCPSC
Publication Date
Safety brochure from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) describing the dangers to children of furniture tipping over if it is not securely anchored.

Anchor It! Secure Furniture and TVs: Protect Children

Author(s)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Organization(s)
USCPSC
Publication Date
Website providing consumers with information about the risk to children from appliances and furniture tipping over and ways to anchor furniture and appliances to prevent this hazard.

ASCE Hazard Tool Homepage

Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE
Publication Date
Web-based mapping tool offering a fast, reliable way to look up key design parameters specified in Standard ASCE 7-10, 7-16, or 7-22 for a specific address or location which is free to use and can look up data for eight different environmental hazard types: wind, tornado, seismic, ice, rain, flood...

Association of Bay Area Governments

Author(s)
Association of Bay Area Governments
Organization(s)
ABAG
Publication Date
A basic guide walking through the various types of valves useful in mitigating the effects of earthquakes and other seismic events on natural gas pipelines for residential use.

C-36 - Plumbing Contractor

Author(s)
California Contractors State License Board
Organization(s)
CSLB
Publication Date
California State Code of Regulations, Title 16, Division 8, Article 3, listing requirements for plumbing contractors.

Central United States Earthquake Consortium Website

Author(s)
Central United States Earthquake Consortium
Organization(s)
CUSEC
Publication Date
Website providing disaster preparedness information and resources for residents and building owners in locations susceptible to earthquakes.

Chimney Failure Most Common Damage In An Earthquake

Author(s)
Tucker Jill
Organization(s)
SFGate
Publication Date
News article from SFGate explaining and giving figures on how chimney failure is the most common type of damage to homes during an earthquake.

Coastal Building Materials, FEMA 1.7

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

DSA Gas Shut off Valves Certification Program

Author(s)
California Division of the State Architect,
California Department of General Services
Organization(s)
DSA,
DGS
Publication Date
A quick guide from the California Division of the State Architect (DSA) explaining the three types of gas shutoff devices to stop the flow of natural gas into buildings in the event of an earthquake or rupture of the gas line.

Durability by Design: 2nd Edition: A Professional's Guide to Durable Home Design

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Office of Policy Development and Research
Organization(s)
HUD,
PD&R
Publication Date
Designer checklist covering hazards involving ground and surface water, rain and water vapor, HVAC and plumbing, sunlight, insects, decay, and natural hazards, and builder checklist covering all disaster resistance, sorted by building component.

Earthquake Country Alliance: Refrigerators

Author(s)
Earthquake Country Alliance,
Southern California Earthquake Center
Organization(s)
ECA,
SCEC
Publication Date
Factsheet describing how to secure refrigerators and other major appliances to wall studs using earthquake appliance straps or angle brackets and bolts.

Earthquake Country Alliance: TVs, Computers and Electronics

Author(s)
Earthquake Country Alliance,
Southern California Earthquake Center
Organization(s)
ECA,
SCEC
Publication Date
Factsheet describing how to secure televisions, microwaves, computers, and other electronics to prevent damage during earthquakes.

Earthquake Country Alliance: Water Heater

Author(s)
Earthquake Country Alliance,
Southern California Earthquake Center
Organization(s)
ECA,
SCEC
Publication Date
Factsheet describing how to secure water heaters to resist seismic activity.

Earthquake Home Hazard Hunt, FEMA 528

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Poster describing earthquake safety tips and protection measures to take at home.

Earthquake Retrofit Your Home

Author(s)
City of San Jose,
State of California,
Planning Building and Code Enforcement
Organization(s)
City of San Jose,
State of California,
Planning Building and Code Enforcement
Publication Date
Factsheet describing ways to retrofit a home to make it more earthquake resistant.

Earthquake Risk

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Website providing links to scalable guidance and tools about the importance of earthquake mitiation to the private sector, its owners, managers, and employees.

Earthquake Safety

Author(s)
American Red Cross
Organization(s)
American Red Cross
Publication Date
Webpage providing earthquake safety tips including proactive home structure and utility action items.

Earthquake Safety at Home, FEMA P-530

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Guide provides homeowners ways to prepare for an earthquake and protect a home against earthquake damage.

Earthquake Safety Checklist, FEMA B-526

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
Organization(s)
FEMA,
NEHRP
Publication Date
Reference guide helping families prepare for an earthquake and prevent earthquake-related damage.

Earthquake Valve Overview

Author(s)
MBS Engineering
Organization(s)
MBS Engineering
Publication Date
A one-page fact sheet outlining the purpose of an earthquake valve and how the valve can stop gas from flowing into a residence or building.

Earthquake-Actuated Automatic Gas Shutoff Devices, ANSI/ASCE/SEI 25-16

Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE
Publication Date
Standard providing minimum functionality requirements for earthquake-actuated automatic gas shutoff devices; applicable to systems carrying natural gas and propane, the devices are used in piping, equipment, and appliances typically found in structures of three stories or less.

Earthquakes

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Organization(s)
DHS
Publication Date
Website describing what to do for safety in an earthquake and other types of disasters.

Excess Flow Valve

Author(s)
City of Ellensburg
Organization(s)
City of Ellensburg
Publication Date
Flyer from the City of Ellensburg WA describing what an excess flow valve is, how they work, and associated costs.

Excess Flow Valves

Author(s)
Colorado Springs Utilities
Organization(s)
CSU
Publication Date
Website for gas utility customers describing the installation of excess flow valves to stop the flow of natural gas into a home in the event of a line rupture.

Excess Flow Valves

Author(s)
Knoxville Utilities Board
Organization(s)
KUB
Publication Date
Webpage describing what excess flow valves are, how they work, and the installation process.

Excess Flow Valves

Author(s)
TECO Peoples Gas
Organization(s)
TECO
Publication Date
Utility webpage describing the monetary costs associated with excess flow valves for TECO in Florida.

Federal Disaster Policy: Toward a More Resilient Future

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Organization(s)
HUD
Publication Date
Newsletter reviewing federal disaster policy, the research basis for resilience, and three models of building resilient communities.

FLASH website

Author(s)
Federal Alliance For Safe Homes
Organization(s)
FLASH
Publication Date
Website containing resources from the nonprofit FLASH, which "is the country’s leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from natural and manmade disasters."

Food and Water in an Emergency, FEMA 477

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA,
American Red Cross
Publication Date
A fact sheet on how to prepare for a natural disaster by storing food and water through an emergency food supply.

Gas Safety Tips

Author(s)
Pacific Gas & Electric
Organization(s)
PG&E
Publication Date
Webpage describing the safety hazards associated with natural gas and tips on how to avoid these hazards by a step process of turning off natural gas service to a home and restoring service afterwards.

Gas Shut-Off Valve Requirements

Author(s)
Town of Danville CA
Organization(s)
Town of Danville CA
Publication Date
Brochure for natural gas utility customers describing seismic valves and excess flow valves for homes.

Gas Shutoff Devices

Author(s)
Pacific Gas & Electric
Organization(s)
PG&E
Publication Date
Webpage describing when and how to safely turn off the natural gas to the home during an emergency.

Gas Shutoff Valve Certification for Residential Structures

Author(s)
Commins Tav
Organization(s)
State of California Division of the State Architect
Publication Date
Webpage with certification requirements for excess flow and earthquake valves from California's Division of the State Architect (DSA).