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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 - 28 of 28

2018 IFC - International Fire Code

Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
2018 edition of code establishing regulations involving life and property safety from fires and explosion hazards, including emergency planning, fire department access and water supply, automatic sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and hazardous materials planning and storage.

2018 IWUIC - International Wildland-Urban Interface Code

Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
2018 edition of the code establishing regulations to safeguard life and property from the intrusion of wildland fire and to prevent structure fires from spreading to wildland fuels; regulates defensible space and provides ignition-resistant construction requirements to protect against fire exposure...

2021 IFC - International Fire Code

Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
2021 edition of code establishing regulations involving life and property safety from fires and explosion hazards, including emergency planning, fire department access and water supply, automatic sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and hazardous materials planning and storage.

2021 IWUIC - International Wildland-Urban Interface Code

Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
2021 edition of the code establishing regulations to safeguard life and property from the intrusion of wildland fire and to prevent structure fires from spreading to wildland fuels; regulates defensible space and provides ignition-resistant construction requirements to protect against fire exposure...

Fire Resistant Decks

Author(s)
FIRESafe Marin
Organization(s)
FIRESafe Marin
Publication Date
Webpage from FireSafe Marin explaining the vulnerability of different deck setups and materials.

Fire Sprinkler Coalitions

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
A webpage containing information on state-based fire sprinkler coalitions.

Firebreak: Wildfire Resilience Strategies for Real Estate

Author(s)
Urban Land Institute
Organization(s)
Urban Land Institute
Publication Date
Updated wildfire risk assessment, community impacts, and building science measures following the disastrous 2020 wildfire season in the western U.S.

Firescaping

Author(s)
FIRESafe Marin
Organization(s)
FIRESafe Marin
Publication Date
Webpage from FireSafe Marin explaining the different landscaping strategies near homes to lower the risk of a home's ignition from wildfire.

FireWise Research Fact Sheet Series

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety,
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
IBHS,
NFPA
Publication Date
Webpage listing 10 factsheets describing research by IBHS into wildfire causes and construction tips for reducing the risk of ignition.

Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition

Author(s)
Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition
Organization(s)
HFSC
Publication Date
Website containing educational and marketing resources for residential fire sprinklers.

Ignition Resistant Construction Design Manual

Author(s)
Colorado Springs Fire Department
Organization(s)
City of Colorado Springs Colorado
Publication Date
Wildfire guidance for homes located in the wildland urban interface, focused on site design and individual pieces of the home.

Individual and Community Preparedness Activities

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Activity sheets describing questions and preparedness action items for a variety of disasters including floods, fires, earthquakes, and winter weather.

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.

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.

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.

Prepare for Wildfire - Fire-Resistant Landscaping

Author(s)
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Organization(s)
Cal Fire
Publication Date
Article from CAL FIRE on fire-resistant landscaping to mitigate ignition of homes.

Preparing Homes for Wildfire

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
Website describing methods for homeowners to prepare their homes to withstand ember attacks and minimize the likelihood of flames or surface fire touching the home or any attachments.

Protect Your Property from Wildfires

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Brochure describing multiple earthquake safety measures for homeowners to take, including home reinforcement, exterior maintenance, and recovery tips.

Regional Wildfire Retrofit Guides

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Webpage that provides regional guides to help home and business owners prioritize necessary retrofit projects for wildfire resistance.

U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit Case Studies

Author(s)
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
Organization(s)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
NOAA
Publication Date
Website providing guidance for people to find and use tools, information, and subject matter expertise to build climate resilience.

Weather Related Fatality and Injury Statistics

Author(s)
National Weather Service
Organization(s)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Publication Date
Web page providing statistics on weather related fatalities and injuries.

Wildfire codes and standards

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
Website containing links to key wildfire codes and standards.

Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide

Author(s)
Restaino Christina,
Kocher Susan,
Shaw Nicole,
Hawks Steven,
Murphy Carlie,
Quarles Stephen L
Organization(s)
University of Nevada Reno Extension,
University of California Cooperative Extension,
Tahoe Resource Conservation District,
Cal Fire
Publication Date
Guide from University of Nevada, Reno Extension providing specific recommendations for how to retrofit existing homes for wildfire resilience.