Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 66 results:

2014 Florida Building Code - Energy Conservation, Fifth Edition

2014

International Code Council

ICC

Code describing energy codes for energy-conserving and compliant designs in Florida.

A Thermally Broken Steel Connection

2017

West Chris

Journal of Light Construction,

JLC

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

ABTCO Estimating and Installation Guide

2016

ABTCO Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding estimating and installation guide for vinyl siding products.

ACCA - Radiant & Hydronics

2020

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

ACCA

Radiant, hydronics, geothermal -- they are a vital part of modern comfort and energy solutions. ACCA helps hydronics contractors operate at peak performance.

Actions for Flood Resilient Homes: Wet Floodproofing

2020

City of Edina

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

Actions You Can Take to Protect a Flood-Prone House or Business with a Crawlspace

2020

Association of State Floodplain Managers' Nonstructural Flood Proofing Committee

ASFPM

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

Advanced Framing Construction Guide

2014

APA - The Engineered Wood Association

American Plywood Association,

APA

Guide describing advanced framing, a system of construction framing techniques designed to optimize material usage and increase energy efficiency.

BSI-124: Parking Garages

2021

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Article Describing methods for thermally isolating multifamily parking garages.

Builder's Guide to Hot-Humid Climates

2005

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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.

Building Plans for Advanced Framing

2013

Green Building Advisor

Website providing CAD files and drawings of advanced framing details.

Building Science Introduction

2011

ENERGY STAR

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA,

ENERGY STAR

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

Built to Last, Understanding Thermal Movement in Residential Metal Roof Systems is Key to Long-term Performance

2016

Nick Sabino

National Roofing Contractors Association,

NRCA

An article discussing how different metal roof materials and attachment methods affect the ability of the roof to thermally expand and contract and the durability of different solutions.

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.

Closed Crawlspaces Do Double Duty

2005

Dastur Cyrus,

Davis Bruce

Home Energy Magazine

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

Conditioned Crawl Space Construction, Performance and Codes, BA-0401

2004

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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

Construction Instruction

2021

Construction Instruction Experience Center

CIEC

Website providing building science based guidance and training for residential construction.

Controlling Cold-Weather Condensation Using Insulation, BSD-163

2011

Straube John

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Article describing research encouraging use of exterior insulation to warm interior sheathing surfaces in walls and roof assemblies to reduce the likelihood of condensation during cold weather

Crawlspaces – Either In or Out, BSI-115

2020

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Article discussing whether or not to seal and insulate crawlspaces.

Don't Be Dense - Cellulose and Dense-Pack Insulation, BSI-043

2010

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Information about dense pack, cellulose insulation.

Earthquake Safety at Home, FEMA P-530

2020

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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

Effect of Cladding Systems on Moisture Performance of Wood Frame Walls in a Mixed-Humid Climate

2010

Drumheller S Craig,

Carll Charles G

National Association of Home Builders,

NAHB,

U.S. Department of Agriculture,

USDA

The objective of this research was to quantify the field performance of wood-frame walls clad with a variety of common claddings in a mixed-humid climate.

EIFS - Problems and Solutions, BSD-146

2007

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report on problems and solutions with EIFS stucco wall cladding systems.

Energy Flow Across Enclosures, BSI-028

2009

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Discussion of structural thermal resistance.

Energy Saver

2018

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Website from the U.S. Department of Energy providing consumers with information on saving energy and using renewable energy technologies.

ETW: Building Profile: New - Albuquerque New Mexico

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet with details on a building enclosure designed for Albuquerque, NM, as an example for building enclosures built for hot-dry and mixed-dry climates.

ETW: Wall - ICF Wall Construction

2014

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet that summarizes Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) construction including advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.

FEMA Continuous Load Path

2023

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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

Fixing Wet Basements and Crawlspaces

2012

Todd Jason

Home Energy Magazine

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

Foundation Design Handbook

2013

Carmody John,

et al.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

University of Minnesota

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.

Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations

2022

Williams Randy

Green Building Advisor,

GBA

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

Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations 1

2010

Holladay Martin

Fine Homebuilding

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.

Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations Reduce Costs, Save Energy

2014

Hooker Kenneth A

Concrete Construction

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

Guide to Attaching Exterior Wall Coverings through Foam Sheathing to Wood or Steel Wall Framing

2010

Foam Sheathing Coalition

FSC

Document that gives a step-by-step approach for designing attachments for cladding materials through foam sheathing.

Hygrothermal Performance Study: A Field Study Comparison of the Energy and Moisture Performance Characteristics of Ventilated Versus Sealed Crawl Spaces in the South

2005

Davis Bruce,

Dastur Cyrus,

Warren William E

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

Advanced Energy,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

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

Innovation in Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

2019

Green Home Institute

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.

Innovation in Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

2019

Green Home Institute

Keeping The Heat In - Chapter 6: Basement Insulation Floors, Walls and Crawl Spaces

2016

Natural Resources Canada

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

Low-e Storm Windows: Market Assessment and Pathways to Market Transformation

2013

Cort Katherine A

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Technical report assessing the market for Low-e storm windows based on market data, case studies, and recent experience with weatherization deployment programs.

Mass Save Deep Energy Retrofit Builder Guide, GM-1302

2013

Neuhauser Ken,

Gates Cathy,

Pettit Betsy

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.

Mastic Home Exteriors Installation Guide

2015

Ply Gem Siding Group

Siding installation guide for Ply Gem Siding Group products.

Mitigation Assessment Team Report: Hurricane Ike in Texas and Louisiana, FEMA P-757

2009

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

FEMA report describing findings from an investigation of Hurricane Ike in Texas and Louisiana and residential construction recommendations based on those findings.

Moving Ducts Inside: Big Builders, Scientists Find Common Ground

2008

Lubliner Michael,

et al.

WSU Extension Energy Program,

Washington State Department of Community Trade and Economic Development

Conference paper making the case that moving ducts to conditioned space saves energy, is practical for production builders (when accompanied by careful pre-planning), and creates significant andmarketable energy savings for homebuyers.

New Light in Crawlspaces, BSI-009

2010

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Building science insight into crawlspaces.

NFIP Technical Bulletin 1: Requirements for Flood Openings in Foundation Walls and Walls of Enclosures - Below Elevated Buildings in Special Flood Hazard Areas

2020

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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

Openings in Foundation Walls and Walls of Enclosures - Below Elevated Buildings in Special Flood Hazard Areas in accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program Technical, Bulletin 1

2008

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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

Plaster and Drywall Assemblies Manual

2014

Fowler Mark,

Stanley Bryan,

Coats Darin

Technical Services Information Bureau,

Walls & Ceilings

Manual describing design, detailing, material selection and troubleshooting for plaster, IEFs, and drywall, with information on continuous insulation, air barriers, rain screens, and ratings for fire and sound.

Pump Day Procedures

2013

ICF Systems

Massachusetts Building Products

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

Retrofit Improvements - Improve Window & Door Flashing/Sealing

2012

Home Innovation Research Labs

HIRL

Fact sheet describing methods for flashing and air-sealing windows and doors.

Revised Builder’s Guide to Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

2004

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing,

National Association of Home Builders

HUD,

PATH,

NAHB Research Center

Report describing how to construct a frost protected shallow foundation (FPSF) as a practical alternative to a deeper, more-costly foundation in cold regions with seasonal ground freezing and the potential for frost heave.