Library | Building America Solution Center

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 - 16 of 16

Chamberlain Heights Redevelopment: A Large Scale, Cold Climate Study of Affordable Housing Retrofits

Author(s)

Donnelly,

Mahle

Organization(s)

CARB,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Publication Date

March, 2012

Report about City of Meriden Housing Authority's (MHA) collaboration with Jonathon Rose Companies to complete a gut renovation of 126 residential units in the Chamberlain Heights retrofit project.

De-Icing Ice Dams, BSI-097

Author(s)

Joseph Lstiburek

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation

Publication Date

October, 2018

Article describing the importance of air sealing, insulation, and roof ventilation in reducing the likelihood of ice dam formation on roofs in cold snowy climates.

Evaluation of Savings in Energy-Efficient Public Housing in the Pacific Northwest

Author(s)

Gordon,

Lubliner,

Howard,

Kunkle

Organization(s)

BA-PIRC,

Washington State University Extension Energy Program

Publication Date

October, 2013

Research study documenting market-ready energy solutions to improve the efficiency of new affordable housing in the marine climate of Washington State.

High-R Walls for Remodeling: Wall Cavity Moisture Monitoring

Author(s)

Wiehagen,

Kochkin

Organization(s)

NAHB Research Center,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Publication Date

December, 2012

Research study presenting results of an existing home monitoring project designed to measure wall cavity moisture characteristics.

Home Energy Guide - Techniques, Tactics, & Tips: Ice Dams

Author(s)

Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Information Center

Organization(s)

Minnesota Department of Commerce

Publication Date

May, 2003

Article describing the causes that form ice dams, as well as solutions for preventing future ice dams on roofs, focusing on air sealing to prevent hot air leakage.

How to Prevent Roof Damage from Winter Ice Buildup

Author(s)

Dorsi Chris

Organization(s)

Montana State University Extension,

MSU Extension

Publication Date

January, 2019

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.

IBHS provides consumer information to deal with winter storm power outages

Author(s)

jmaloni

Organization(s)

Niagara Frontier Publications

Publication Date

February, 2014

Recommendations from IBHS describing how to safely use generators during winter storm power outages.

Measure Guideline: High Efficiency Natural Gas Furnaces

Author(s)

Brand Larry,

Rose W

Organization(s)

Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,

PARR,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Gas Technology Institute,

GTI Energy

Publication Date

October, 2012

Document covering installation of high efficiency gas furnaces, including when to install a high efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure, how to identify and address risks, and steps to follow for the selection and installation process.

Moisture Durability with Vapor-Permeable Insulating Sheathing

Author(s)

Lepage,

Lstiburek

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation

Publication Date

September, 2013

Report about exterior sheathing insulation and inward driven moisture issues.

Moisture Research - Optimizing Wall Assemblies

Author(s)

Arena Lois,

Mantha Pallavi

Organization(s)

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Publication Date

May, 2013

Report describing evaluation of several configurations of wall assemblies to determine the accuracy of moisture modeling and make recommendations to ensure durable, efficient assemblies.

Prevent Home Roof Damage from Heavy Snow and Ice.

Author(s)

Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety

Organization(s)

IBHS

Publication Date

November, 2019

Webpage providing guidance for homeowners on how much snow weight a typical roof can handle and when to consider removing snow from the roof.

Preventing Ice Dams

Author(s)

Paul Fisette

Organization(s)

UMass Amherst Department of Environmental Conservation

Publication Date

January, 2011

Article describing how ice dams form on residential roofs, how they damage homes, and solutions to prevent future dams.

Preventing Ice Dams Fact Sheet

Author(s)

Wisconsin Focus on Energy

Organization(s)

Wisconsin Focus on Energy

Publication Date

January, 2007

Ice dam fact sheet from Wisconsin Focus on Energy explaining how to prevent future ice dams on homes by learning about their formation and mitigation of contributing factors.

Protect Your Home from Ice Dams

Author(s)

IBHS DisasterSafety

Organization(s)

IBHS

Publication Date

September, 2021

List of recommendations from IBHS on how to protect homes from ice dam formation.

Reduce Ice Dam and Icicle Damage

Author(s)

Kenneth Hellevang

Organization(s)

NDSU

Publication Date

February, 2013

Webpage explaining how to mitigate heat loss through roofs for ice dam prevention.

When should I worry about snow accumulation on the roof?

Author(s)

Cold Climate Housing Research Center

Organization(s)

CCHRC

Publication Date

March, 2021

Webpage describing how different amounts and types of snow loads affect the structural integrity of roofs and homes.