Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 161 results:

2009 Protecting Manufactured Homes from Floods and Other Hazards, FEMA P-85

2019

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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

2010 Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential Buildings, FEMA P-804

2019

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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

2015 NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions for New Buildings and Other Structures, Volume 1: Part 1 Provisions, Part 2 Commentary, FEMA P-1050-1

2015

Building Seismic Safety Council,

et al.

BSSC,

NIBS,

FEMA,

NEHRP

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

2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey - RECS Data

2015

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA

Federal statistics about national energy consumption in residential homes.

A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home

2012

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Guide providing information for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold problems and how to prevent mold growth.

A Business Case for Home Performance Contracting

2012

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Report discussing opportunities and trends in the U.S. home performance contracting industry, along with market drivers such as consumer demand; federal, state, and local programs; and utility and non-governmental programs.

A Guide to Residential Energy Storage and Rooftop Solar: State Net Metering Policies and Utility Rate Tariff Structures

2024

Kerby Jessica,

Tarekegne Bethel

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Article describing utility rates, net metering policies, installation costs, financial incentives, and other info for both consumers who are interested in installing renewable energy systems and for energy justice and clean energy advocates.

Aeroseal: Our Process

2021

Aeroseal

A website explaining the process of sealing a home with Aeroseal & how the technology is used to seal holes in the air ducts and vents of the home.

Air Sealing - Seal Air Leaks and Save Energy!

1999

Southface Energy Institute,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE,

SEI

Brochure describing the benefits of air-sealing for homeowners.

Air Sealing That Works

2018

Bruton Jack,

Baczek Steven

Journal of Light Construction

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

Analysis of Pre-Retrofit Building and Utility Data

2014

Prahl Duncan,

Beach Robert

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS

Report outlining workflow and results of regression models on monthly and daily utility data (meter readings of electricity consumption), outlining a process for screening and gathering useful results from inverse models.

APA The Engineered Wood Association Homepage

2020

APA - The Engineered Wood Association

American Plywood Association,

APA

Website homepage of APA – The Engineered Wood Association, a nonprofit trade association combining the research efforts of scientists and engineers, APA promotes new solutions and improved processes that benefit the entire industry.

Approaches to 30% Energy Savings at the Community Scale in the Hot-Humid Climate

2013

Thomas-Rees Stephanie,

et al.

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

Florida HERO,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing partner approaches to achieving the Building America goal of 30% whole-house source energy savings using packages adopted at the community scale, using building projects in Florida as a reference.

Basement Insulation Systems, BA-0202

2002

Building Science Corporation

BSC

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

Benefits of Seismic Upgrades: Is Earthquake Retrofitting Worth It in CA?

2020

California Earthquake Authority

CEA

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

Best Practices Manual

2018

Hammer & Hand

This Best Practices Manual is the product of Hammer & Hand’s ongoing work to document and internally codify our standard operating procedures for construction practice.

BSC Information - Slab Edge Insulation for All Climates, Sheet 513

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet about insulating slabs.

Building America Research-to-Market Plan

2015

Werling Eric

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report presenting the building america research to market plan.

Building in Extreme Cold, BSI-031

2010

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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

Bulk Water Control Methods for Foundations, BA-1015

2011

Lstiburek Joseph W,

Ueno Kohta

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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

Capillarity - Small Sacrifices, BSI-011

2014

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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

Ceiling Fans - Tips for Maximizing Energy Savings

2008

Calwell Chris,

Horowitz Noah

Massachusetts Department of Energy,

Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

Home Energy Magazine,

State of Massachusetts

Article describing customer tip sheet and how ceiling fans are one of the most popular and generally well regarded of all home energy efficiency features.

Change Is In the Air

2014

The Cadmus Group

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

HUD

This is a guide for establishing smoke-free policies in public housing and multifamily properties.

Choosing, Installing, and Operating an Efficient Swimming Pool Pump

2018

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

You can save energy and maintain a comfortable swimming pool temperature by using a smaller, higher efficiency pump and by operating it less.

Closed Crawl Space Performance: Proof of Concept in the Production Builder Marketplace

2008

Dastur Cyrus,

Mauceri Maria,

Hannas Benjamin

Advanced Energy

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.

Closed Crawl Spaces - An Introduction to Design, Construction and Performance

2005

Dastur Cyrus,

Davis Bruce,

Warren William E

Advanced Energy

Guide about designing and installing closed crawlspaces in the Southeast.

Coastal Construction Manual - Principles and Practices of Planning, Siting, Designing, Constructing, and Maintaining Residential Buildings in Coastal Areas, Fourth edition, Volume I, FEMA P-55

2011

Coulbourne William,

et al.

Federal Emergency Management Agency,

FEMA,

Applied Technology Council,

ATC,

URS Group,

DK Low and Associates,

Atkins,

TLSmith Consulting

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

Collapsible Soils

2011

Colorado Geological Survey

CGS

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

Color and Mood

2024

ENERGY STAR

A website explaining the various shades of light, from warm to cool colors, with a visual diagram illustrating the various shades of light.

Comfort in High-Performance Homes in a Hot-Humid Climate

2016

Beach Robert,

Poerschke Andrew

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing how space-conditioning systems are operating in the field and if these systems are meeting required standards.

Community-Wide Zero Energy Ready Home Standard

2016

Herk Anastasia,

Beggs Timothy

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

U.S. Department of Energy

Report outlining the steps developers can take to create high-performance standards on a community-wide scale.

Concluding Two-Year Rulemaking, FTC Announces New EnergyGuide Label

2007

Federal Trade Commission

FTC

Article introducing the FTC’s new EnergyGuide label, including estimates of annual energy usage.

Concrete Floor Problems, BSI-003

2008

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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

Concrete Floors and Moisture, 2nd Edition

2008

Kanare Howard M

Portland Cement Association

Document discussing moisture considerations and testing techniques for concrete floors.

Concrete Solutions, BSI-118

2020

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report covering insulating crawlspaces.

Concrete Wall Construction Process Including Materials

2022

The Constructor

Article describing the process of constructing concrete walls

Construction and Demolition: How to Properly Dispose of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Equipment

2011

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

A website explaining how to properly dispose of old refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.

Consumer Tips for a Post-Disaster Home Restoration

2015

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUD

Brochure helping homeowners identify hazards, work with contractors to remove the hazards, help ensure the work is done properly, and educate when they can return safely to the home.

Consumer’s Guide to Radon Reduction - How to Fix Your Home

2016

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Report telling consumers how radon gets into a home and how to reduce radon entry into a home.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Lessons learned

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Lessons Learned chapter focuses on successful deep energy retrofit projects throughout the U.S.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Occupant Behavior

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Occupant Behavior chapter discusses how to assess homeowner behavior patterns and use these patterns to enhance overall energy savings.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Over-Time, Phased Guidance

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Over Time, Phased Guidance chapter presents a phased approach to deep energy retrofits.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Reducing Costs and Increasing Cost-Effectiveness

2015

Less Brennan,

Walker Iain S

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Reducing costs and Increasing Cost-Effectiveness chapter provides suggestions for controlling deep retrofit costs, including both 'do's' and 'don'ts'.

Designing for Floods, BSI-128

2022

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report providing guidance on designing buildings to be flood resistant.

Durable Interior Foundation Insulation Retrofits for Cold Climates, Cloquet Minnesota

2015

University of Minnesota

NorthernSTAR,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Case study describing foundation wall moisture studies at a research facility in Minnesota run by Building America team NorthernSTAR.

Earthquake Home Hazard Hunt, FEMA 528

2014

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Poster describing earthquake safety tips and protection measures to take at home.

Earthquake-Resistant Design Concepts: An Introduction to the NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions, FEMA P-749

2010

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) Frequently Asked Questions

2011

ENERGY STAR

A FAQ explaining the purpose of the Energy Independence and Security Act, a law which sets energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs.

Energy Renovations Insulation - A Guide for Contractors to Share with Homeowners, Volume 17

2012

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document providing descriptions of the many insulation options available to homeowners, along with guidance on where, when, and how to install insulation throughout your house.

ENERGY STAR Certified Ceiling Fans

2014

ENERGY STAR

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA,

ENERGY STAR

Website providing consumer information about ceiling fans, including specifications and buying guidance.