Library

Research report describing study of interior and exterior air sealing techniques to stop ice dams in five 1.5-story retrofit homes conducted by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team run by University of Minnesota.

Manual describing best practices or home construction in Alaska and northern climates.

Alliance for Water Efficiency website homepage.

Regulatory Compliance Toolbox by the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) concerning health, safety, environmental, fashion and business information related to home furnishings.

Standard detailing the specific requirements for all face, back, and inner ply grades as well as formaldehyde emissions, moisture content, tolerances, sanding, and grade marking which was published in 2020, can be acquired through a subscription with the ANSI webstore.

Library describing ANSI-affiliated standards.

Wepage containing links to door standards from the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association addressing a range of features and characteristics of doors.

This specification specifies the test method for measuring heat flow through building assemblies or components.

This specification requires that insulated vinyl siding demonstrate a thermal insulation value of R-2.0 or greater. The specification also establishes other performance requirements and test methods including materials properties and dimensions, warp, shrinkage, impact strength, expansion...

Webpage showing standards developed by ASHRAE that define the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings. Additional technical guidance is provided on...

Updated detailed information about Formaldehyde.

ASHRAE Standard prescribing an field evaluation and test method to measure and score the performance of unitary HVAC systems.

Standard providing a methodology for evaluating the installation quality of unitary HVAC systems.

This ANSI/RESNET/ICC standard provides a consistent, uniform methodology for evaluating the airtightness of building, dwelling unit, and sleeping unit enclosures and heating and cooling air distribution systems, and the air flows of mechanical ventilation systems.

Standard covering updates to the expected leakage rates for ductwork constructed to the SMACNA HVAC Duct Construction Standards—Metal & Flexible, duct leakage test procedures; includes recommendations on use of leakage testing, types of test apparatus, and test setup and sample leakage analysis.

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 which is free to use and can look up data for eight different environmental hazard types: wind, tornado, seismic, ice, rain, flood...

This standard provides the minimum requirements for energy-efficient design of most sites and buildings, except low-rise residential buildings. It offers, in detail, the minimum energy efficiency requirements for design and construction of new sites and buildings and their systems, new portions of...

Standard establishing test methods for determining air leakage in duct systems using fan pressurization in low-rise residential and commercial buildings.

Website developed by the Attachments Energy Rating Council to provide consumers with credible, relevant, and comparable information about window attachments and their performance.

Article describing different kinds of water-resistant backer boards.

Fact sheet describing basement insulation considerations.

Information sheet describing techniques for insulating basements.

YouTube channel featuring 90+ videos to educate Bay Area homeowners and contractors about seismic retrofitting, including information for various home and construction types.

Article explaining the importance of regular inspections of boiler systems in maintaining their safety, lifespan, and efficiency.

This directory contains the I=B=R Ratings for cast-iron, steel, aluminum and copper boilers, baseboard and finned tube radiation, indirect-fired water heaters, effective as of the date of this publication.

Code establishing the rules of safety relating only to pressure integrity for the design, fabrication, and inspection of boilers and pressure vessels during construction which was published in the year 2017 and is available to order at the referenced link.

Code establishing the rules of safety relating only to pressure integrity for the design, fabrication, and inspection of boilers and pressure vessels during construction which was published in the year 2021 and is available to order at the referenced link.

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.

Brochure providing information about flashing in all cimates.

Webinar answering code-related questions on duct leakage tests, moisture levels in attics and crawlspaces, combustion equipment in conditioned attics, ventilation in multifamily buildings, and continuous insulation in residential construction.

Information sheet providing information about vapor management in building assemblies.

Information sheet providing details on the vapor permeance of different types of materials used in building assemblies.

Report providing water management details for roof assemblies.

The Builder's Guide provides the building industry with the latest and best practical information on how to apply building science principles to structures as systems in hot-humid climate regions.

Research study about key sustainability concepts, durability, energy efficiency and new flood resistant design.

Report examining the cost differences between a typical home and a home constructed using wildfire-resistant materials and design features.

Guidance document providing BA research teams and partners with specific information and approaches to identifying and overcoming potential barriers to Building America (BA) innovations arising in and/or stemming from codes, standards, and rating methods.

This report will review, and summarize the current state of understanding and research into enclosures with higher thermal resistance, so-called “High-R Enclosures.” Recommendations are provided for further research.

Website with consumer and contractor information about building codes and regulations for solar water heating systems.

Website providing information about the Title 24 building energy efficiency standards for the State of California and links to current and past standards including the 2025, 2022, 2019, and 2016 standards, etc.

State code requiring energy efficiency measures for residential and commercial buildings.

A comprehensive list of professional certifications offered by the Building Performance Institute. The webpage includes links to overviews of the different certificates, certification scheme handbooks, and directions for taking certification exams and recertification.

Document outlining building science principles about air flow, heat flow and moisture flow in homes.

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

California State Code of Regulations, Title 16, Division 8, Article 3, listing requirements for plumbing contractors.

Website homepage of the California Energy Commission.

Webpage providing the latest version of the California Plumbing Code.

2019 version of California's plumbing code.

Subprogram of the California Statewide Codes and Standards Program designed to help cities and counties to adopt above-state-code ordinances.

Webpage containing the latest version of the California Residential Code.