Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 127 results:

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 Citizen’s Guide to Radon - The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon

2016

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Report telling consumers the risks of radon, how radon gets into a home, and steps consumers can take to reduce radon exposure in their homes.

A Ventless Gas Fireplace Doesn't Belong in Your Home

2013

Bailes Allison A

Green Building Advisor,

GBA

Information sheet about unvented fireplaces and combustion safety.

ACCA Standard 4 - Maintenance of Residential HVAC Systems

2019

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

ACCA

Standard providing nationally recognized, manufacturer-endorsed set of inspection tasks for HVAC maintenance.

Affordable Passive Solar Planbook for North Carolina

2005

Appalachian State University

AEC,

App State

Study from Appalachian State University on passive solar design to take advantage of local climate zones for energy conservation.

Air Infiltration from Attached Garages in Canadian Houses

2001

Fugler Don

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation,

CMHC,

Environment Canada,

Health Canada,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document reporting results from a study done to evaluate effects of automotive emissions from attached garages on the indoor environment.

Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation Center

2025

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. EPA

Website describing indoor air quality, and common indoor pollutants and how to reduce exposure to them.

Air Sensors International Conference

2025

University of California

University of California Davis

Website describing archived program inforamtion for the Air Sensors International Conference, hosted by the University of California, Davis.

American Cleaning Institute

2020

American Cleaning Institute

ACI

American Cleaning Institute website homepage.

American National Standard for Hardwood and Decorative Plywood, ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2020

2020

American National Standards Institute,

Decorative Hardwoods Association

ANSI,

DHA

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.

An Update on Formaldehyde

2016

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

USCPSC

Updated detailed information about Formaldehyde.

Architecture of New Mexico

2022

Albuquerque Museum

City of Albuquerque,

CABQ

Power Point PDF presentation on historical architecture in New Mexico

Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness, FEMA P-2064

2020

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Report explaining how to develop, practice, and maintain emergency plans that reflect what must be done before, during, and after a disaster to protect people and their property.

Asbestos: Worker and Employer Guide to Hazards and Recommended Controls

2015

National Institution of Health,

et al.

NIH,

OSHA,

EPA,

HUD

Guidance from HUD, EPA, NIH, and FEMA for workers who deal directly with asbestos.

ASHRAE Position Document on Indoor Carbon Dioxide

2025

American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers

ASHRAE

Document describing recent discussions on indoor carbon dioxide (CO 2) levels.

ASTM D8405-21 Standard Test Method for Evaluating PM2.5 Sensors or Sensor Systems Used in Indoor Air Applications

2021

ASTM International

Attached Garages and Indoor Air Quality

2001

Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre

AIVC

Report describing information for builders and retrofitters about eliminating hazards and coincidental energy losses that come from attached garages.

Building a Better Trombe Wall

1998

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NREL

Fact sheet providing background and technical information on Trombe wall design

Building Orientation for Optimum Energy

2022

Gromicko Nick,

Gromicko Ben

InterACHI

Webpage explaining how to site and orient a house to take advantage of the solar path.

Carbon Monoxide - Environmental Health Effects Research Series

1977

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

National Service Center for Environmental Publications

EPA,

NSCEP

Source for information about Carbon Monoxide including health effects and measures to reduce exposure.

CBE Thermal Comfort Tool

2020

Tartarini Federico,

et al.

Center for the Built Environment,

CBE,

UC Berkeley,

SinBerBEST,

Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore,

BEARS

Online tool for thermal comfort calculations and visualizations SoftwareX 12, 100563 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2020.100563

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.

Climate Consultant

2021

Milne Murray

Society of Building Science Educators,

SBSE,

University of California Los Angeles,

UCLA

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

Combustion Appliance Safety & Efficiency Testing

1995

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Information sheet summarizing inspection and testing of combustion appliances taught during the 2006 Florida whole-house weatherization training as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hot Climate Initiative.

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.

CPA Publishes VOC Emission Barrier Effects Technical Bulletin - VOC Emission Barrier Effects of Laminates, Overlays and Coatings for Particleboard, Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) and Hardboard

2024

Composite Panel Association

CPA

Technical bulletin addressing surfacing options in regards to composite wood panels and their emission barrier capabilities.

Decay of Wood

1969

Baker Maurice C

National Research Council Canada,

NRC

Article describing the causes of wood decay and moisture issues.

DOE Solar Decathlon Website

2023

Solar Decathlon,

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Website for the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon competition.

Electric Fan Use for Cooling During Hot Weather: A Biophysical Modelling Study

2021

Morris Nathan B,

et al.

University of Sydney,

University of Copenhagen,

University of Montreal,

Monash University,

The Lancet Planetary Health,

The Lancet Group

Study testing the effect of fan cooling on healthy adults at increased ambient temperatures.

Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines

2014

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

This publication provides a set of best practices for improving indoor air quality in conjunction with energy upgrade work in homes.

EPA Region 8 Headquarters

2007

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Brochure providing information on the design of the EPA Region 8 headquarters in Denver, CO.

Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool: Emergency Action Plan Shelter-in Place

2020

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA,

U.S. Department of Labor,

DOL

Website providing information on preparing to stay or go, shelter-in-place procedures, and additional resources.

Experimental Evaluation of Installed Cooking Exhaust Fan Performance

2010

Singer Brett C,

Delp William W,

Apte Michael G

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Report on the performance of range hood exhaust fans.

Factor of Building Orientation Direction as Determinant the Thermal Comfort Quality

2019

Rilatupa James

Sriwijaya International Conference on Science Engineering and Technology,

Tarumanagara University,

Christian University of Indonesia,

Electrochemical Society,

ECS

Technical report describing the impact of orientation on thermal comfort.

Factsheet: What is Indoor Air Quality?

2025

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. EPA

Fact sheet describing indoor air quality (IAQ), including information on common sources of indoor air pollutants and best practices for improving IAQ.

Field Trial of an Aerosol-Based Enclosure Sealing Technology

2015

Springer David,

Harrington Curtis

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report presenting the results from several demonstrations of a new method for sealing building envelop air leaks.

Filtration and Disinfection FAQ

2023

American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers

ASHRAE

ASHRAE Q&A addressing HVAC filtration and disinfection for reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Formaldehyde

2014

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Detailed information about Formaldehyde including health effects and strategies to reduce exposure.

Garage Performance Testing

2004

Health Canada,

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

CMHC,

Environment Canada

Results from a research program testing airtightness, implications of air leakage and contaminant reduction over the garage-to-house interface.

GLP Emissions Criteria

2024

Carpet and Rug Institute

CRI

Document describing the emissions criteria for carpets, cushions, and adhesives to qualify as those with low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions under the Carpet and Rug Institute's Green Label Plus Indoor Air Quality Testing Program.

GREENGUARD Certification for Paints and Coatings

2009

GREENGUARD Environmental Institute

Standard describing GREENGUARD Emission Criteria for use with GREENGUARD Certification Program for Low Emitting Products.

Guide for Team Leaders to Help Disaster Victims Get Back to a Healthy Home

2022

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

et al.

HUD,

CDC,

EPA,

FEMA,

OSHA

Guidance from HUD for volunteer team leaders, project managers and supervisors who work in recovery and rebuilding after natural disasters.

Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home 2nd Edition: Portable Air Cleaners, Furnace and HVAC Filters

2022

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Report about opportunities for ventilation when traditional methods are limited by weather conditions or by contaminants in the outdoor air.

Hazard and Risk Assessment Maps

2021

U.S. Geological Survey

USGS

Webpage providing maps and information to assess the particular hazards and risks for an area.

Health Problems Caused by Secondhand Smoke

2020

Office on Smoking and Health,

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

OSH,

NCCDPHP,

CDC

Webpage that describes health problems that can be caused by secondhand smoke.

Healthy Homes Manual : Smoke-free Policies in Multiunit Housing

2011

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CDC,

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,

Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services,

National Center for Environmental Health

Homeowner's and Renter's Guide to Asbestos Cleanup After Disasters

2015

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

et al.

FEMA,

EPA,

HUD,

NIH,

CDC

Guidance from EPA, FEMA, HUD, and NIH on how to deal with asbestos in homes following natural disasters.

Homeowner's and Renter's Guide to Mold Cleanup After Disasters

2015

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

et al.

CDC,

EPA,

FEMA,

HUD,

NIH

Homeowner guidance from CDC, EPA, FEMA, HUD, and NIH on how to safely clean up mold issues following flooding from a natural disaster.