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Explore this extensive library of building science guidance including research reports from DOE’s Building America program as well as hundreds of other articles, fact sheets, webpages, and reference documents related to constructing and renovating homes.

Showing 101 - 150 of 231 results:

Freeze Protection for CPVC Fire Sprinkler Piping Guide

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
City of Gresham,
State of Oregon
·
Organization(s)
City of Gresham,
State of Oregon
Description
A guideline containing fire sprinkler insulation requirements from the Prescott, Arizona Fire Department.

Gas Safety Tips

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Pacific Gas & Electric
·
Organization(s)
PG&E
Description
Webpage describing the safety hazards associated with natural gas and tips on how to avoid these hazards by a step process of turning off natural gas service to a home and restoring service afterwards.

Gas Shut-Off Valve Requirements

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Town of Danville CA
·
Organization(s)
Town of Danville CA
Description
Brochure for natural gas utility customers describing seismic valves and excess flow valves for homes.

Gas Shutoff Devices

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Pacific Gas & Electric
·
Organization(s)
PG&E
Description
Webpage describing when and how to safely turn off the natural gas to the home during an emergency.

Gas Shutoff Valve Certification for Residential Structures

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Commins Tav
·
Organization(s)
State of California Division of the State Architect
Description
Webpage with certification requirements for excess flow and earthquake valves from California's Division of the State Architect (DSA).

Georgia Pulls the Attic-Ventilator Plug (Sort of)

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Defendorf Richard
·
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor
Description
Article describing issues with attic ventilation fans and why the state of Georgia residential code does not allow plug-in attic ventilation fans.

Geospatial Data Science

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Energy
·
Organization(s)
NREL,
DOE
Description
Website with prepopulated information about the United States renewable resources.

GIS Geography

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
GIS Geography
·
Organization(s)
GIS Geography
Description
A website providing free access to a variety of U.S. and international maps.

Great Fire of London, BSI–098

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
·
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Description
Report covering the fire performance of combustible cladding over combustible insulation.

Guide to Determining Climate Zone by County: Building America and IECC 2021 Updates

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Gilbride Theresa L,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Description
Report identifying Building America and 2021 International Energy Conservation Code climate zone designations for every county in the United States; where a county's climate zone designation has changed since the 2018 IECC, that change is indicated as well.

Guide to Staying Safe During Wildfires

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Gabriele Rob
·
Organization(s)
SafeHome.org
Description
Webpage describing how to guard homes and properties against wildfire, as well as what to do during a wildfire, whether sheltering in place or attempting evacuation.

Hazard and Risk Assessment Maps

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Geological Survey
·
Organization(s)
USGS
Description
Webpage providing maps and information to assess the particular hazards and risks for an area.

High Volume Excess Flow Valves

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration,
U.S. Department of Transportation
·
Organization(s)
PHMSA,
DOT
Description
Webpage describing federal regulation related to excess flow valves on residential natural gas lines.

Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition

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

Home Fire Sprinkler Cost Assessment

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Newport Partners,
National Fire Protection Association
·
Organization(s)
NFPA
Description
Report assessing the costs of home fire sprinkler systems.

Homeowner's Wildfire Mitigation Guide - Attached Decks

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
University of California
·
Organization(s)
University of California
Description
Wildfire mitigation guidelines from the University of California outlining how to mitigate fire risk for attached decks.

Hood River Passive House

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Hales David
·
Organization(s)
WSU Extension Energy Programs,
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC
Description
Report documenting short-term test results of the Shift House and compares the results of Passive House Planning Package and Building Energy Optimization modeling of the project.

How to Prepare Your Home for Wildfires

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
·
Organization(s)
NFPA
Description
Factsheet describing defensible space and wildfire risk reduction steps that homeowners can take to make their homes safer during a wildfire.

Ignition Resistant Construction Design Manual

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

Ignition Resistant Construction Guide

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
FireSafe Montana
·
Organization(s)
FireSafe Montana
Description
Ignition resistant residential construction and landscaping guidelines from FireSafe Montana.

Industry Becoming More Comfortable with Excess Flow Valves

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Pipeline & Gas Journal
·
Organization(s)
Pipeline & Gas Journal
Description
Article describing excess flow valves installed on gas lines to shut-off natural gas flow to a home in the event that a gas line is severed due to an earthquake, natural disaster, earthquake, etc.

Information About Purchasing And Installing

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Southern California Gas Company
·
Organization(s)
SoCalGas
Description
Webpage detailing how to purchase and install the correct shut-off valve for homes in California, including differences between earthquake and excess flow valves and how to install each.

Keep Your Cool in Hot Weather

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Center for Environmental Health,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
·
Organization(s)
NCEH,
CDC
Description
Web page describing how to identify heat-related illness and how to prevent it.

Land Use Tool: Wildland-Urban Interface Code (WUI Code)

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Planning for Hazards: Land Use Solutions for Colorado
·
Organization(s)
Planning for Hazards: Land Use Solutions for Colorado
Description
Website describing the wildland-urban interface code and providing links to resources.

Living with Fire: Homeowners' Firesafe Guide for Montana

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
FireSafe Montana
·
Organization(s)
FireSafe Montana
Description
Guide for homeowners describing actions they can take to modify their home and the surrounding site to create a survivable space to reduce the amount of damage a home would likely experience during a wildfire.

Maintain Defensible Space

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
·
Organization(s)
Cal Fire
Description
A webpage outlining CAL FIRE’s recommendations for creating defensible space.

Mitigation Ideas: A Resource for Reducing Risk to Natural Hazards

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
·
Organization(s)
FEMA
Description
Report providing a resource that communities can use to identify and evaluate a range of potential mitigation actions for reducing risk to natural hazards and disasters.

National Fire Protection Association

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
·
Organization(s)
NFPA
Description
National Fire Protection Association website.

National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
National Weather Service
·
Organization(s)
NOAA,
NWS
Description
A website issuing watches, warnings, forecasts, and analyses of hazardous tropical weather and increasing the understanding of hazards.

Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2017 Interim Report

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Schneider Philip J,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Natural Institute of Building Science,
NIBS
Description
Report updating and expanding on a 2005 study that found, among other things, that every $1 of natural hazard mitigation funded by FEMA between 1993 and 2003 saved the American people an average of $4 in avoided future losses.

Natural Hazards and Sustainability for Residential Buildings, FEMA P-798

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Gromala David S,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
FEMA
Description
Report describing the interactions, both positive and negative, between common green building practices and the robustness of residential buildings to withstand natural hazards.

New Light in Crawlspaces, BSI-009

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
·
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Description
Building science insight into crawlspaces.

New National Guide for Wildland-Urban Interface Fires

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Research Council Canada
·
Organization(s)
NRCC
Description
Report for local governments, planners, emergency managers, developers, insurers, and property owners describing ways to improve the wildfire resistance of buildings, infrastructure and communities in the wildland urban interface.

NFPA 1142 – Standard on Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
·
Organization(s)
NFPA
Description
An NFPA Standard that identifies a method for determining the minimum water supply necessary for structural fire-fighting purposes in areas where it has been determined that there is no water or inadequate water for fire fighting.