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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 251 - 300 of 1555

Building America Top Innovations 2013: Attic Air Sealing Guidelines

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Factsheet describing research sponsored by DOE's Building America program to research the importance of attic air sealing and best practice attic air sealing techniques for new and existing homes.

Building Code Requirements That Exceed or Are More Specific Than the National Flood Insurance Program

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

Building Energy Efficiency Standards - Title 24

Author(s)
California Energy Commission
Organization(s)
CEC
Publication Date
Website providing information about the Title 24 building energy efficiency standards for the State of California and links to current and past standards including the 2025, 2022, 2019, and 2016 standards, etc.

Building Materials Listing

Author(s)
Cal Fire Office of the State Fire Marshal
Organization(s)
Cal Fire,
CAL FIRE - OSFM
Publication Date
California Office of the State Fire Marshal's homepage for the Building Materials Listing Program, providing builders, contractors, architects, and others with access to a database of fire alarm systems and fire-resistant construction materials including roof coverings, wall, ceiling, and floor...

Building Materials Listings - Search Listing Services

Author(s)
Cal Fire Office of the State Fire Marshal
Organization(s)
Cal Fire,
CAL FIRE - OSFM
Publication Date
California Office of the State Fire Marshal's compiled and searchable list of different building materials and their test results for fire resistance.

Building Materials Property Table, Info-500

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Document presenting some of the key technical properties of many of the most common building materials.

Building Performance Institute Certified Professionals

Author(s)
Building Performance Institute
Organization(s)
BPI
Publication Date
A comprehensive list of professional certifications offered by the Building Performance Institute. The webpage includes links to overviews of the different certificates, certification scheme handbooks, and directions for taking certification exams and recertification.

Building Science Corporation's Building America Quality Control Checklist

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Document with the Quality Control Checklist developed as both a guide to assist in the transition to high performance home building, and as a simplified tool to be used as part of any builder's on-site quality control procedures.

Building Thermal Performance, Extreme Heat, and Climate Change

Author(s)
Matthew J. Nahlik,
Mikhail V. Chester,
Stephanie S. Pincetl,
David Eisenman,
Deepak Sivaraman,
Paul English
Organization(s)
ASCE
Publication Date
Article published by American Society of Civil Engineers on different building types and their effictiveness resisting extreme heat from a building envelope perspective.

Building with SIPs: Need to Know

Author(s)
Structural Insulated Panel Association
Organization(s)
Structural Insulated Panel Association
Publication Date
Guide informing builders and developers about efficient building practice for constructing homes with structural insulated panels.

Buried and Encapsulated Ducts

Author(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings
Organization(s)
CARB,
BASF
Publication Date
Reference investigating the strategy of using buried and/or encapsulated ducts to reduce duct thermal losses in residential buildings.

Burn Wise

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
The EPA Burn Wise program promotes the importance of burning the right wood, the right way, in the right appliance.

Buyer Beware Video Series

Author(s)
Wieber
Organization(s)
NW Seismic
Publication Date
A website containing a video series by NW Seismic illustrating how a seismic retrofit should be done and ways they are done incorrectly.

CA Senate Bill SB-1898 Seismic Safety: Gas Shutoff Devices

Author(s)
California Legislative Information
Organization(s)
California Legislative Information
Publication Date
Description of California Senate Bill SB 1898, which requires the sale of new seismic gas shutoff devices sold in California to be certified by the State Architect.

California Code of Regulations 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.

California Energy Commission's HVAC Design Guide

Author(s)
California Energy Commission
Organization(s)
CEC
Publication Date
Webpage containing California Energy Commission's HVAC design information, including mandatory and prescriptive HVAC requirements for residential and nonresidential buildings following the California Energy Commission's Building Energy Efficiency Standards.

California Plumbing Code 2019

Author(s)
State of California
Organization(s)
State of California
Publication Date
2019 version of California's plumbing code.

Capillarity - Small Sacrifices, BSI-011

Author(s)
Lstiburek
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Article describing correct ways to eliminate water damage by incorporating a sacrificial layer to foundation walls and footings.

Capillary Break

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
BSC definition of a capillary break.

Carpentry, Fifth Edition

Author(s)
Koel
Organization(s)
American Technical Publishers
Website with instructional material for career and technical education.

Carpet and Rug Institute

Author(s)
Carpet and Rug Institute
Organization(s)
CRI
Publication Date
Carpet and Rug Institute website homepage.

CBE Thermal Comfort Tool

Author(s)
Tartarini Federico,
Schiavon Stefano,
Cheung Toby,
Hoyt Tyler
Organization(s)
Center for the Built Environment,
CBE,
University of California Berkeley,
UC Berkeley,
SinBerBEST,
Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore,
BEARS
Publication Date
Online tool for thermal comfort calculations and visualizations SoftwareX 12, 100563 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2020.100563

Ceiling Fan Basics

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
ENRGY STAR webpage discussing the basics of certified ceiling fans.

Ceiling Fans Key Product Criteria

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Website that describes two ceiling fan types and their respective ENERGY STAR eligible product types.

Ceilings and Attics

Author(s)
Southface Energy Institute,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Organization(s)
Southface Energy Institute,
ORNL
Publication Date
Information sheet with information about insulating and ventilating attics.

Central Fan Integrated Ventilation Systems, Info-610

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Report about ventilation system design, including central fan integrated supply (CFIS) system, made up of a 6-inch outdoor air intake duct connected to the return side of the air handler with a fan cycling control to make sure the fan runs a programmed minimum amount of time.

Certified Home Ventilating Products Directory

Author(s)
Home Ventilating Institute
Organization(s)
HVI
Publication Date
Website providing an online directory of more than 3,600 residential ventilation products lisiting flowrates, sones, watts, and other performance metrics; all listed products have been tested by the Home Ventilating Institute.

CFL Glossary

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
A website describing a list of common vocabulary used when describing light bulbs.

Change Is In the Air

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Publication Date
This is a guide for establishing smoke-free policies in public housing and multifamily properties.

Characterization of Framing Factors for Wood-Framed Low-Rise Residential Buildings

Author(s)
Carpenter Stephen C,
Schumacher Christopher
Organization(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
ASHRAE
Publication Date
Case study characterizing the framing factors for the exterior walls, ceilings, and floors of 180 wood-framed low-rise residential buildings across the United States.

Chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the EPA evaluates potential risks from new and existing chemicals and acts to address any unreasonable risks chemicals may have on human health and the environment. This website explains the implications of such chemicals.

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.

Choose A Light Guide

Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
A simple three-step guide for homeowners who are looking to replace existing light bulbs with more energy-efficient, higher-performing bulbs.

Choosing Between Oriented Strandboard and Plywood

Author(s)
Fisette
Organization(s)
University of Massachusetts
Publication Date
Information sheet discussing how OSB will define the future of the structural sheathing market. OSB will define the future of the structural sheathing market. - See more at: http://bct.eco.umass.edu/publications/by-title/choosing-between-oriented-strandboard-and-plywood/#sthash.RilEtDpl.dpuf

Choosing Thermostatic Radiator Valves

Author(s)
Gifford
Organization(s)
American Boiler Manufacturers Association
Publication Date
Part 2 of an article discussing how to maximize two-pipe steam systems for resident space heating.

Choosing Wood-Burning Appliances

Author(s)
EPA
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
A list of EPA-certified wood-burning appliances for home heating for a range of budgets.

Cladding Attachment Over Thick Exterior Insulated Sheathing

Author(s)
Baker Peter,
Eng P,
Lepage R
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Report on the stability of furring strips as a means for cladding attachment over walls with thick exterior rigid insulation.