Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Description
Report on adding insulation to load-bearing mass masonry buildings.
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 57
Organization(s)
ASHRAE,
American National Standards Institute,
ANSI
Publication Date
Description
Standard 55 specifies conditions for acceptable thermal environments and is intended for use in design, operation, and commissioning of buildings and other occupied spaces. This is the current version of the standard, which was published in the year 2021, and is available for preview and purchase at...
Organization(s)
Home Ventilating Institute
Publication Date
Description
Web page describing the benefits of attic fans, with rules for sizing fans and intake vents.
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Powerpoint on attic ventilation developed as training material for the Weatherization Assistance Program.
Organization(s)
Energy Texas
Publication Date
Description
Blog article discussing pros and cons of attic ventilation fans.
Organization(s)
CMHC,
Government of Canada
Publication Date
Description
Article by the Canadian Government on attic ventilation and considerations for moisture and ice dams.
Organization(s)
The Weatherization Training Center at Penn College
Publication Date
Description
Technical article describing issues and moisture concerns related to weatherization efforts.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Description
Book presenting the best techniques for energy and resource efficient residential construction in the colder climates of North America.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Description
The Builder's Guide provides the building industry with the latest and best practical information on how to apply building science principles to structures as systems in hot-humid climate regions.
Organization(s)
CDC
Publication Date
Description
Report describing extreme heat events, how an extreme heat event threatens public health, and how to prepare for and respond to such an event.
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Description
Website providing data indicating climate change.
Organization(s)
Regents of the University of California,
Society of Building Science Educators
Publication Date
Description
Climate Consultant is a software tool for helping architects, builders, contractor, homeowners, and students to understand their local climate.
Organization(s)
Passive House Institute US
Description
Report on improving passive design adoption rates.
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs
Publication Date
Description
Part I of the Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x6 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as exterior sheathing, gypsum board as interior sheathing, and a cladding system installed over WSP sheathing in low-rise residential buildings up to three stories in height. Walls with...
Organization(s)
University of Minnesota
Publication Date
Description
Webpage explaining what causes the formation of ice dams on roofs and steps to take to prevent them.
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Occupant Behavior chapter discusses how to assess homeowner behavior patterns and use these patterns to enhance overall energy savings.
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Over Time, Phased Guidance chapter presents a phased approach to deep energy retrofits.
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Reducing costs and Increasing Cost-Effectiveness chapter provides suggestions for controlling deep retrofit costs, including both 'do's' and 'don'ts.'
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Description
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Source Energy and Carbon Decisions chapter helps users carefully assess the impacts of switching from gas to electricity for heating end-uses, using source energy and/or carbon emissions...
Organization(s)
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Website with prepopulated information about the United States renewable resources.
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
A map describing the average temperature of shallow groundwater in Fahrenheit across the continental United States.
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
Report evaluating the accuracy of the regression technique used in 2006 by using the same least-squares regression analysis on data created from hourly energy simulation software.
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Description
Guidebook meant to provide public officials with information on excessive heat event.
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Website providing maps for natural disaster risk in the United States.
Organization(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
FEMA,
Applied Technology Council,
ATC,
URS Group,
DK Low and Associates,
Atkins,
TLSmith Consulting
Publication Date
Description
Volume II of a two-volume report providing a comprehensive approach to design, construction, and renovation of homes located in coastal environments.
Organization(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
FEMA,
Applied Technology Council,
ATC,
URS Group,
DK Low and Associates,
Atkins,
TLSmith Consulting
Publication Date
Description
Volume 1 of a two-volume report providing a comprehensive approach to planning, siting, and risk management for homes constructed in coastal environments.
Organization(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
FEMA,
URS Corporation,
DK Low and Associates,
Greenhorne and O'Mara,
Dewberry and Davis
Publication Date
Description
Report providing recommended designs and guidance for rebuilding homes destroyed by hurricanes in the Gulf Coast.
Organization(s)
Urban Land Institute
Publication Date
Description
Updated wildfire risk assessment, community impacts, and building science measures following the disastrous 2020 wildfire season in the western U.S.
Organization(s)
U.S. Global Change Research Program
Publication Date
Description
Report assessing the science of climate change with a focus on the U.S.
Organization(s)
U.S. Global Change Research Program
Publication Date
Description
Report analyzing the effect of global climate change on national interests, and providing climate predictions.
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor
Publication Date
Description
Article describing issues with attic ventilation fans and why the state of Georgia residential code does not allow plug-in attic ventilation fans.
Organization(s)
Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Publication Date
Description
Document describing amendments to IECC 2015 to create the Georgia State Minimum Standard Energy Code.
Organization(s)
GIS Geography
Description
A website providing free access to a variety of U.S. and international maps.
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,
EERE
Publication Date
Description
Report identifying Building America and 2021 International Energy Conservation Code climate zone designations for every county in the United States; where a county's climate zone designation has changed since the 2018 IECC, that change is indicated as well.
Organization(s)
Green Building Solutions
Publication Date
Description
A report describing how to build a high-performance affordable house to achieve 30% whole house energy savings in the mixed-humid climate region.
Organization(s)
Energy Vanguard
Publication Date
Description
Blog article citing the risks and downsides of attic ventilation fans from a building science perspective.
Organization(s)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Publication Date
Description
Web page describing how to identify heat-related illness and how to prevent it.
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Building science insight into crawlspaces.
Organization(s)
NOAA
Publication Date
Description
Webpage presenting updated maps for annual average temperature and precipitation in the contiguous U.S.
Organization(s)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Publication Date
Description
Website providing weather data.
Organization(s)
NOAA,
NWS
Publication Date
Description
A website issuing watches, warnings, forecasts, and analyses of hazardous tropical weather and increasing the understanding of hazards.
Organization(s)
NOAA,
NWS
Publication Date
Description
A website providing timely and accurate forecasts and watches for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes over the contiguous United States.
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center
Publication Date
Organization(s)
BARA
Publication Date
Description
Research project aimed to verify whether homes in the New Jersey HPwES program achieved 30% source energy savings, and if so, what measures were implemented to achieve them.
Organization(s)
Home Energy
Publication Date
Description
Article describing moisture and ice dam issues in attics and how to air seal the attic floor.
Organization(s)
Federation of European Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations,
REHVA,
Oklahoma State University,
OSU,
Swedish Centre for Shallow Geothermal Energy
Publication Date
Description
A research paper discussing the use of foundation heat exchangers for ground source heat pump systems in European climates.
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet about types and installation of insulation.
Organization(s)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
NOAA
Publication Date
Description
Website providing guidance for people to find and use tools, information, and subject matter expertise to build climate resilience.
Organization(s)
USDA
Publication Date
Description
Interactive map maintained by the USDA showing plant hardiness zones throughout the U.S.
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Technical fact sheet highlighting important building connections and illustrating the proper use of various types of connection hardware; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”