Library

Documents describing Flood Resistant Provisions of the international codes (including the international building, residential, exiting building, mechanical, plumbing, fuel gas, fire, swimming pool and spa, private sewage disposal, and code council performance codes) and summaries of changes from the...

Activity sheets describing questions and preparedness action items for a variety of disasters including floods, fires, earthquakes, and winter weather.

A guide to construction of wildfire resistant homes and communities.

Factsheet describing fire related terms such as noncombustible, fire resistant, fire retardant, flame spread, how they are applied, and related testing standards.

Guidelines from the University of California Cooperative Extension on how fires spread, how homes typically burn, and what homeowners can do to prepare their homes for wildfire season.

A report showing what happens when windows break as a result of temperature differences between the inside and outside of the home, as well as code standards for the State of California regarding window exposure to wildfires.

A guide for designers, architects, engineers, and fire experts on how to design rainscreen and ventilated cavities such that they don’t contribute to the spread of a fire.

Articles, research, case studies, and more outlining considerations for planning and installation of a fire-protection system.

Fact sheet providing a reference for the different types of fire pumps and fire pump drivers.

Article defining terms and testing requirements for fire-resistant construction materials including combustible, noncombustible, fire-resistant or fire-resistance, and ignition-resistant.

Webpage from FireSafe Marin explaining the vulnerability of different deck setups and materials.

Fact sheet describing research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety into how burning embers can ignite softwood decks like redwood and cedar and how to minimize the likelihood these decks will be ignited by embers.

A webpage containing information provides links to state- and province- based coalitions dedicated to advocating for home fire sprinklers.

Article from CAL FIRE on fire-resistant landscaping to mitigate ignition of homes.

List of guidelines for plants and their fire resistance from FIRESafe Marin.

Five step plan from the Tahoe Fire & Fuels team outlining how to create an effective defensible space for wildfire protection. Recommendations include siting for homes on slopes.

Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of various roof types on cooling energy performance in a test facility.

This five-page brochure contains basic information on flood cleanup with illustrations and links to more detailed information.

Report describing a project aimed at developing validated models and design tools for foundation heat exchangers.

A guideline containing fire sprinkler insulation requirements from the Prescott, Arizona Fire Department.

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.

Brochure for natural gas utility customers describing seismic valves and excess flow valves for homes.

Webpage describing when and how to safely turn off the natural gas to the home during an emergency.

Webpage with certification requirements for excess flow and earthquake valves from California's Division of the State Architect (DSA).

Website with information about ENERGY STAR criteria for geothermal heat pumps.

Report covering the fire performance of combustible cladding over combustible insulation.

Website article discussing the economics of ground source heat pumps.

Guide describing refrigeration leaks, including common leak points, how to fix them, and how to prevent them.

Factsheet describing how to install air source heat pumps for residential heating and cooling in cold climates.

Factsheet describing how to install air source heat pumps for residential heating and cooling in cold climates.

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.

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

A ENERGY STAR guide on efficient heating, ventilation and cooling systems in residential homes.

EPA webpage explaining the heat island effect and providing links to related content.

LBNL webpage providing resources and tools related to cool technologies, including the SRI calculator and the DOE Cool Roof Calculator.

Webpage providing basic information on various types of heat pumps and their applications in Massachusetts.

Webpage describing federal regulation related to excess flow valves on residential natural gas lines.

Factsheet profiling a simple modification that can be made to window air-conditioners to improve their energy efficiency.

Report providing a collection of fact sheets describing guidance for constructing homes in wildfire zones.

Website containing educational and marketing resources for residential fire sprinklers.

Report assessing the costs of home fire sprinkler systems.

A guide that summarizes building materials and design considerations for increasing wildfire-resistivity of homes in areas that are prone to wildfires.

Wildfire mitigation guidelines from the University of California outlining how to mitigate fire risk for attached decks.

Article from RMI on how climate change is leading to an increase in critical extreme heat hours and what smart building strategies can be taken to mitigate some of these effects including paint color and insulation.

Article from The Earthbound Report on passive cooling design strategies for homes located in hot climates.

Factsheet describing defensible space and wildfire risk reduction steps that homeowners can take to make their homes safer during a wildfire.

Webpage describing how to locate and manually shut off natural gas service at the meter.

Factsheet outlining the advantages of using heat pumps, which are an efficient way to heat and cool a home.

Factsheet outlining how window attachments like cellular shades, roller shades, storm windows with low-emissivity coatings, and solar screens are low-cost steps that can be implemented to keep homes cool in the summer.