Skip to main content

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 51 - 100 of 800

Author(s)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Organization(s)
CSPC
Publication Date
Description
Safety brochure from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) describing the dangers to children of furniture tipping over if it is not securely anchored.
Author(s)
USPC
Organization(s)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Publication Date
Description
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.
Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
Structural Engineering Institute,
SEI,
American National Standards Institute,
ANSI
Publication Date
Description
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. The current version...
Author(s)
APA - The Engineered Wood Association
Organization(s)
APA
Publication Date
Description
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.
Author(s)
APA - The Engineered Wood Association
Organization(s)
APA
Publication Date
Description
Wall bracing calculator simplifying the design of residential structures that comply with 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018 or 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) wall bracing requirements.
Author(s)
Albuquerque Museum
Organization(s)
City of Albuquerque
Publication Date
Description
Power Point PDF presentation on historical architecture in New Mexico
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Organization(s)
FEMA,
EPA,
NIH,
OSHA
Publication Date
Description
Guidance from HUD, EPA, NIH, and FEMA for workers who deal directly with asbestos.
Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE
Publication Date
Description
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. The tool is free to use and can look up data for eight different environmental hazard types: wind, tornado, seismic, ice, rain...
Author(s)
Wilkerson
Organization(s)
Medeek Design
Publication Date
Description
Webpage providing mapping tool for obtaining ground snow load, based on ASCE 7-10, for any location in the contiguous United States, with the exception of locations requiring a case study due to extreme local variations in ground snow loads. Fee required for some data.
Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
Structural Engineering Institute,
SEI
Publication Date
Description
Standard describing the minimum requirements and expected performance for the siting and design and construction of buildings and structures in flood hazard areas that are subject to building code requirements. The current version of this standard was published in the year 2014, and is available in...
Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
Structural Engineering Institute,
SEI
Publication Date
Description
Standard using deficiency-based and systematic procedures that use performance-based principles to evaluate and retrofit existing buildings to withstand the effects of earthquakes. This version of the standard was published in the year 2013, and is available in both digital and print versions. The...
Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
Structural Engineering Institute,
SEI
Publication Date
Description
Standard using deficiency-based and systematic procedures that use performance-based principles to evaluate and retrofit existing buildings to withstand the effects of earthquakes. The current version of this standard was published in the year 2017, and is available in both digital and print...
Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
Structural Engineering Institute,
SEI
Publication Date
Description
Standard using performance-based principles to determine dead, live, soil, flood, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, earthquake, and wind loads, and their combinations for general structural design. This version of the standard was published in the year 2010 and is available in both digital and print...
Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
Structural Engineering Institute,
SEI
Publication Date
Description
Standard using performance-based principles to determine dead, live, soil, flood, tsunami, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, earthquake, wind, and fire loads, and their combinations for general structural design. This version of the standard was published in the year 2016 and is available in both digital...
Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
Structural Engineering Institute,
SEI
Publication Date
Description
Standard using performance-based principles to determine dead, live, soil, flood, tsunami, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, seismic, and wind loads, and their combinations for general structural design. The current version of this standard was published in the year 2022 and is available in both digital...
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Technical fact sheet describing ways to construct asphalt shingle roofs to be more resistant to high winds and hurricanes; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Website providing a compilation of guidance, case studies, tools, and training to assist local communities as they are in the midst of managing recovery post-disaster.
Author(s)
Association of Bay Area Governments
Organization(s)
ABAG
Publication Date
Description
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.
Author(s)
ASTM International
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Description
ASTM standard for wood-composite decking and guardrail materials under a variety of tests, including fire performance and UV resistance. This standard was produced in the year 2021, and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. There are also other versions of this standard...
Author(s)
American Society for Testing and Materials,
ASTM International
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Description
ASTM standard test method for surface burning response of different building materials. This version of the standard was published in the year 2022 and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. Other versions of the standard were published in the years 2023, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018...
Author(s)
American Society for Testing and Materials,
ASTM International
Organization(s)
ASTM
Publication Date
Description
ASTM standard test method for testing the surface burning response of different building materials. This version of the standard was published in the year 2023 and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. Other versions of the standard were published in the years 2022, 2021, 2020...
Author(s)
Lstiburek
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Document providing background and approach for the prep work necessary prior to adding attic insulation - focusing on combustion safety, ventilation for indoor air quality, and attic ventilation for durability.
Author(s)
Neuhauser
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report about a project that examines implementation of advanced retrofit measures in the context of a large-scale weatherization program and the archetypal Chicago, Illinois, brick bungalow.
Author(s)
Weatherization Assistance Program
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Powerpoint on attic ventilation developed as training material for the Weatherization Assistance Program.
Author(s)
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Organization(s)
CMHC,
Government of Canada
Publication Date
Description
Article by the Canadian Government on attic ventilation and considerations for moisture and ice dams.
Author(s)
Oscar Castillo
Organization(s)
4 Home Sales Realty
Publication Date
Description
Article describing different types of earthquake shut-off valves for home buyers.
Author(s)
Emma Elgqvist
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet providing information on building-scale and utility-scale battery storage for disaster resistance.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet from FEMA on preparation for extreme heat, including measures for keeping homes cool.
Author(s)
Town of Los Gatos California
Organization(s)
Town of Los Gatos California
Publication Date
Description
A webpage outlining recommendations for creating defensible space.
Author(s)
Arbor Day Foundation
Organization(s)
Arbor Day Foundation
Publication Date
Description
Article describing the benefits trees provide through quotes and anecdotes.
Author(s)
Hammer & Hand
Organization(s)
Hammer & Hand
Publication Date
Description
This Best Practices Manual is the product of Hammer & Hand’s ongoing work to document and internally codify our standard operating procedures for construction practice.
Author(s)
Baechler Michael C,
Gilbride Theresa L,
Hefty Marye G,
Cole Pam C,
Adams Karen T,
Butner Ryan S,
Ortiz S J,
Love Pat M
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL
Publication Date
Description
Report describing measures that builders in mixed-humid climates can use to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.
Author(s)
Brick Industry Association
Organization(s)
BIA
Publication Date
Description
Document focusing on the design and wall components that contribute to a pressure equalized rain screen wall, including the frequency of the weep holes and other brick masonry rain screen wall requirements.
Author(s)
Lstiburek
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Research study discussing how housewraps restrict or permit the passage of water molecules based on size, but cannot control the direction in which the water vapor molecules move.
Author(s)
Lstiburek
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.