Library

Fact sheet describing a report providing best practices for reducing damages from floods to manufactured homes.

Fact sheet providing an overview of the FEMA document Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential Buildings.

A supplement to the 2012 Florida Building Code on energy efficiency and conservation.

Guide providing engineering seismic design and building practices based on post-earthquake research.

Article describing how an airtight home shell helps achieve a tight envelope that is energy efficient and cost effective.

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.

Web page describing the benefits of attic fans, with rules for sizing fans and intake vents.

Blog article discussing pros and cons of attic ventilation fans.

Article by the Canadian Government on attic ventilation and considerations for moisture and ice dams.

Technical article describing issues and moisture concerns related to weatherization efforts.

Report describing approaches to insulating basements in homes built to meet Energy Star levels of performance of heat loss reduction.

Information sheet from FEMA on preparation for extreme heat, including measures for keeping homes cool.

Article from California Earthquake Authority on the benefits of retrofitting homes to withstand earthquake forces, with a focus on foundations, walls, and chimneys.

Book presenting the best techniques for energy and resource efficient residential construction in the colder climates of North America.

Article describing the control layers (air, thermal, and vapor barriers) needed to build homes successfully in very cold locations.

Report about the fundamental concepts that must be understood at the planning or initial nspection of existing homes regarding surface and ground water management.

Article describing correct ways to eliminate water damage by incorporating a sacrificial layer to foundation walls and footings.

Website of the Cold Climate Housing Research Center.

Website providing data indicating climate change.

Climate Consultant is a software tool for helping architects, builders, contractor, homeowners, and students to understand their local climate.

Website providing weather data.

Report assessing the science of climate change with a focus on the U.S.

Report aimed to quantify the impact of closed crawlspaces in new homes, and investigate modeling software to ensure accuracy of energy consumption predictions in these homes.

Guide about designing and installing closed crawlspaces in the Southeast.

Volume 1 of a two-volume report providing a comprehensive approach to planning, siting, and risk management for homes constructed in coastal environments.

Website discussing building foundation problems caused by settling soil in Colorado.

Information guide describing issues with concrete floors, in multiple climate zones.

Document discussing moisture considerations and testing techniques for concrete floors.

Report covering insulating crawlspaces.

Article describing the process of constructing concrete walls

Webpage explaining what causes the formation of ice dams on roofs and steps to take to prevent them.

Report providing guidance on designing buildings to be flood resistant.

Article from Green Building Advisor on strategies to take when building homes to reduce the need for air conditioning, including insulation, windows, site selection, and roofing.

Report providing an introduction to the NEHRP recommended seismic provisions for new buildings and other structures.

A map describing the average temperature of shallow groundwater in Fahrenheit across the continental United States.

Powerpoint on attic ventilation developed as training material for the Weatherization Assistance Program.

A publication developed by the U.S. Forest Service for its employees and other federal agency staff describing erosion control methods.

Information sheet with details on a building enclosure designed for Albuquerque, NM, as an example for building enclosures built for hot-dry and mixed-dry climates.

Guidebook meant to provide public officials with information on excessive heat event.

Technical report detailing the vulnerabilities of the U.S. electric grid to weather-related failures.

Study characterizing how foundation heat exchangers (FHXs) used in residential ground source heat pump systems represent a potential cost savings due to their lesser first cost over other types of heat exchangers.

Document discussing methods to bioengineer stabilization of shorelines using living and non-living plant materials in combination, known as the “Living Shorelines” concept.

Documents describing the similarities and differences between the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) minimum requirements and the requirements of the International Codes® (I-Codes®) and ASCE 24, Flood Resistant Design and Construction, a standard referenced by the I-Codes., and illustrating...

Fact sheet discussing designs for prefabricated safe rooms built to ICC 500 standards mentioned in FEMA P-361.

Website providing maps for natural disaster risk in the United States.

Updated wildfire risk assessment, community impacts, and building science measures following the disastrous 2020 wildfire season in the western U.S.

This document includes tips for safely and effectively cleaning up a home after a flood. It is available in several languages.

Website providing series of short how-to videos, infographics and more resources on cleaning up a home after a flood.

Report describing dry floodproofing technologies for non-residential buildings, including information about regulatory requirements, design considerations, and descriptions of floodproofing methods and equipment.

Article describing the effective R-values of various subslab insulation products, including foil bubble pack.