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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 65

APA Building for High Wind Resistance in Light-Frame Wood Construction

Author(s)
APA - The Engineered Wood Association
Organization(s)
APA
Publication Date
A publication highlighting recommendations that contribute to improved overall performance in the structural shell and focus on good connection details to tie together exterior walls, roofs and floors.

Climate Consultant 6.0

Author(s)
UCLA Energy Design Tools Group
Organization(s)
Regents of the University of California,
Society of Building Science Educators
Publication Date
Climate Consultant is a software tool for helping architects, builders, contractor, homeowners, and students to understand their local climate.

Dealing with and preventing ice dams

Author(s)
University of Minnesota Extension
Organization(s)
University of Minnesota
Publication Date
Webpage explaining what causes the formation of ice dams on roofs and steps to take to prevent them.

Designing Energy Efficient New Homes for a Warm Climate

Author(s)
The Home Energy Community of Practice
Organization(s)
The Home Energy Community of Practice
Publication Date
Article from The Home Energy Community of Practice on designing energy efficient homes in hot climate zones, including home orientation, window location, and roof design considerations.

FEMA Design Guide: Three-Dimensional Roof Snowdrifts

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Factsheet providing design guidance for engineers describing how to characterize snow drifts on roofs in three dimensions rather than two, as anticipated in the 2022 edition of the standards, ASCE 7 - Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures.

Fire Ratings for Construction Materials

Author(s)
Quarles
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Agriculture National Cooperative Extension
Publication Date
Article defining terms and testing requirements for fire-resistant construction materials including combustible, noncombustible, fire-resistant or fire-resistance, and ignition-resistant.

Fortified Home Hurricane Standard

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Guide describing the requirements by FORTIFIED Home™ for improving the home's resistance in severe thunderstorms, straight-line wind events, and high winds at the outer edges of tornadoes.

Fortified Home Hurricane Technical Requirements Summary: Existing Homes

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Report summarizing the requirements for strenghtening and protecting the roof, openings in the house, and creating a continuous load path to strengthen walls and foundation per the IBHS Fortified Homes Hurricane Standard for Existing Homes.

Fortified Home Hurricane Technical Summary: New Construction

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Report summarizing the requirements for strenghtening and protecting the roof, openings in the house, and creating a continuous load path to strengthen walls and foundation per the IBHS Fortified Homes Hurricane Standard for New Homes.

Fortified Home Re-Roofing Checklist: High Wind

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Checklist providing information about the specific requirements of FORTIFIED Roof™ design and construction standard for re-roofing specific for high wind resistance.

Fortified Home Re-Roofing Checklist: High Wind & Hail

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Checklist providing information about the specific requirements of FORTIFIED Roof™ design and construction standard for re-roofing specific for high wind and hail resistance.

Fortified Home Re-Roofing Checklist: Hurricane

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Checklist providing information about the specific requirements of FORTIFIED Roof™ design and construction standard for re-roofing specific for hurricane resistance.

Fortified Home: Choosing the Right Tape

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Checklist providing recommendations for the right tape in order to reduce the risk of leaks during storms with wind-driven rain.

Fortified Roof: Standard Detail Set for Fortified Roof

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Webpage providing video links and Spanish/English handouts for installing roofs to meet the hurricane and high wind resistant guidance in the IBHS Fortified Home criteria.

Fortified Technical Bulletin: Metal Panel Roof Covering Guidance

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Checklist providing selection and installation guidance for residential, non-structural metal roof systems installed over wood roof decks with a roof slope 2:12 or greater to comply with section R905.1 of the 2015 IRC for a FORTIFIED Roof – New Roof Designation.

Fortified Technical Bulletin: Sealed Roof Deck Underlayment Alternative

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing the acceptable underlayment alternatives including ASTM D6757 Underlayment Felt Containing Inorganic Fibers for Steep-Slope Roofing for certain applications.

How Many Hours-of-Safety Do Our Homes Have in Extreme Weather?

Author(s)
Jacob Corvidae,
Sneha Ayyagari
Organization(s)
RMI
Publication Date
Article from RMI on how climate change is leading to an increase in critical extreme heat hours and what smart building strategies can be taken to mitigate some of these effects including paint color and insulation.

How to Prevent Roof Damage from Winter Ice Buildup

Author(s)
Dorsi Chris
Organization(s)
Montana State University Extension,
MSU Extension
Publication Date
Article from Montana State University Extension explaining how proper insulation techniques can greatly reduce the risks of ice dams on roofs in cold climate zones.

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.

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.

Potential benefits of cool walls on residential and commercial buildings across California and the United States: Conserving energy, saving money, and reducing emission of greenhouse gases and air pollutants

Author(s)
Rosado Pablo,
Levinson Ronnen
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Large scale simulation study investigating the effects of cool roofs and walls on buildings of various vintages across the U.S., with special attention given to California.