Library

Article describing thermal bridging, construction practices that encourage thermal bridging, and solutions.

Article describing methods for thermally isolating a garage in a Passive House-certified multifamily building.

Report providing guidance on wet floodproofing crawlspaces, unfinished basements, and garages.

Report providing guidance to homeowners and business owners on protecting crawlspaces from flood damage.

Report describing advanced framing techniques, including discussion of cost and energy savings.

Report describing approaches to using less wood in home building that minimize waste.

Fact sheet describing advanced framing techniques that reduce the amount of lumber used in constructing wood-framed houses while providing more space for wall insulation.

Fact sheet describing advanced wall framing.

Website article interviewing the inventor of the Larsen truss, a history of its use, and a discussion of its advantages and disadvantages.

A book about structurally insulated panels.

Report investigating implementation of advanced framing in both production and prototype built homes built in a variety of climate regions across the USA.

Presentation about advanced framing techniques.

Website providing CAD files and drawings of advanced framing details.

Website providing information about building plans for the ENERGY STAR thermal bypass checklist.

Information sheet containing images and descriptions of cantilevers.

Document with information from a workshop addressing framing materials for residential buildings in California. A copy of the document can be requested at the resource link, and an online copy of the document can be found by searching for it on the California Energy Commission's Library Online...

Case study characterizing the framing factors for the exterior walls, ceilings, and floors of 180 wood-framed low-rise residential buildings across the United States.

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.

Guide about designing and installing closed crawlspaces in the Southeast.

Article describing how closed crawlspaces can do "double duty" by controlling moisture and providing energy savings.

Fact sheet describing the characteristics that make for a successful coastal residential building, including design and construction recommendations; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Document containing a 3D drawing (CAD) of advanced framing details.

Report outlining how conditioned crawlspaces perform better than vented crawlspaces in terms of safety, health, comfort, durability and energy consumption.

Article discussing whether or not to seal and insulate crawlspaces.

A website by the U.S. DOE highlighting the potential energy savings from upgrading energy inefficient windows with low-emissivity.

Guide provides homeowners ways to prepare for an earthquake and protect a home against earthquake damage.

Article in the SIPA Technical Bulletin (No. 11) comparing the earthquake resistance of light-frame wood shear wall construction to residential construction with structural insulated panels (SIPS).

Information sheet briefly summarizing double stud wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.

Information sheet briefly summarizing double stud with spray foam wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.

Information sheet briefly summarizing truss wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.

Article explaining what a continuous load path is and the key connection points that make it up.

Article describing methods to manage moisture, rainwater, and vapor in basements and crawlspaces.

Handbook providing guidance on the design and construction of foundations for homes, including insulation, air sealing, and water management details for basements, crawlspaces, and slabs.

Article describing what the building codes say about frost-protected shallow foundations as a cost-saving alternative to conventional concrete foundations.

Guides describing frost-protected shallow foundations as an alternative method for building an energy-efficient foundation for a house in a cold climate that uses less concrete and saves on labor.

Article describing frost-protected shallow foundations with construction drawing details.

Brochure describing advanced framing techniques.

Brochure describing advanced framing techniques.

Guide discussing observations, recommendations, and technical guidance as a result of Hurricane Katrina

A document aimed at reducing the vulnerability of a gable end roof to wind damage in a hurricane.

Report outlining results from a 2005 hygrothermal pilot study in the South.

Video describing how a frost-protected shallow foundation (FPSF) is constructed and including use of a stay-in-place EPS (expanded polystyrene) footing form that provides insulation and simplifies the installation of frost-protected monolithic concrete slab foundations.

Video describing how a frost-protected shallow foundation (FPSF) is constructed and including use of a stay-in-place EPS (expanded polystyrene) footing form that provides insulation and simplifies the installation of frost-protected monolithic concrete slab foundations.

Information sheet providing links and resources for insulating basements in cold climates.

Siding installation guide for Ply Gem Siding Group products.

FEMA Mitigation Assessment Team Report describing damages from Hurricane Michael in Florida in Oct. 2018 and recommendations for future hurricane preparedness.

Building science insight into crawlspaces.

Document describing guidance and requirements for flood openings in walls at and below grade.

Report providing guidance on protecting foundation walls and enclosures from flood damage.

Information sheet including a checklist of steps to follow for pouring concrete.