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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 155

Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2003 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...
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2006 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...
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2009 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.
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2009 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...
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2012 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.
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2012 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...
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2015 edition of code for commercial buildings that brings together all structural, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and electrical provisions for all buildings except detached one- and two-family residences and townhouses up to three stories.
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2015 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.
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
2015 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...
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
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.
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
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...
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
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.
Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
Description
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...
Author(s)
McGuigan Connor
Organization(s)
Sierra Club
Publication Date
Description
Article from the Sierra Club explaining 5 steps to take to ensure your home's resistance to wildfires, including site maintenance and roof construction guidelines.
Author(s)
American Institute of Architects
Organization(s)
AIA
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the experience gained from AIA’s Disaster Assistance Program with first-hand accounts of disaster response and recovery, case studies and other best practices, including approaches to designing buildings to be more adaptable to uncertainty.
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)
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)
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)
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)
Quarles,
Pohl
Organization(s)
USFS,
IBHS
Publication Date
Description
Report examining the cost differences between a typical home and a home constructed using wildfire-resistant materials and design features.
Author(s)
Cal Fire Office of the State Fire Marshal
Organization(s)
Cal Fire,
CAL FIRE - OSFM
Publication Date
Description
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...
Author(s)
Cal Fire Office of the State Fire Marshal
Organization(s)
Cal Fire,
CAL FIRE - OSFM
Publication Date
Description
California Office of the State Fire Marshal's compiled and searchable list of different building materials and their test results for fire resistance.
Author(s)
California Contractors State License Board
Organization(s)
CSLB
Publication Date
Description
California State Code of Regulations, Title 16, Division 8, Article 3, listing requirements for plumbing contractors.
Author(s)
EPA
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
A list of EPA-certified wood-burning appliances for home heating for a range of budgets.
Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Description
A factsheet that offers guidance on choosing appropriate materials and using proper construction practices when rebuilding, repairing, or renovating a home to increase its resistance to fires.
Author(s)
Stephen L. Quarles
Organization(s)
University of California
Publication Date
Description
Article from Stephen L. Quarles on fire resistant decking design and materials recommendations.
Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety,
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
IBHS,
NFPA
Publication Date
Description
Factsheet describing research by IBHS into causes of deck ignition in a wildfire and tips for constructing and maintain decks to reduce the risk by ignition by embers and under-deck fires.
Author(s)
Bolton Bill
Organization(s)
Journal of Light Construction,
JLC
Publication Date
Description
Article describing codes and test methods related to fire-resistant construction of decks.
Author(s)
Milne
Organization(s)
UCLA
Publication Date
Description
Wildfire resistant home checklist from Murray Milne, a professor of architecture at UCLA, who outlines seven steps to take to improve a home's chance of survival during a wildfire.
Author(s)
El Dorado County Fire District
Organization(s)
El Dorado County Fire District
Publication Date
Description
Document explaining requirements and recommendations for defensible space, with a focus on sloped vegetation.
Author(s)
San Diego County Fire Authority
Organization(s)
San Diego County
Publication Date
Description
A San Diego County standard highlighting the requirements for residential emergency vehicle turnarounds.
Author(s)
Boulder County Land Use Department,
Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting Department
Organization(s)
Boulder County
Publication Date
Description
A factsheet that provides information and requirements for emergency water supplies for firefighting in Boulder County, Colorado.
Author(s)
City of Ellensburg
Organization(s)
City of Ellensburg
Publication Date
Description
Flyer from the City of Ellensburg WA describing what an excess flow valve is, how they work, and associated costs.
Author(s)
Colorado Springs Utilities
Organization(s)
Colorado Springs Utilities
Publication Date
Description
Website for gas utility customers describing the installation of excess flow valves to stop the flow of natural gas into a home in the event of a line rupture.
Author(s)
Knoxville Utilities Board
Organization(s)
KUB
Publication Date
Description
Webpage describing what excess flow valves are, how they work, and the installation process.
Author(s)
TECO Peoples Gas
Organization(s)
TECO
Publication Date
Description
Utility webpage describing the monetary costs associated with excess flow valves for TECO in Florida.
Author(s)
Insurance Information Institute
Organization(s)
Insurance Information Institute
Publication Date
Description
Webpage with statistics on recent U.S. wildfires.