Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 71 results:

About Attic Ventilation

2022

ENERGY STAR

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA,

ENERGY STAR

Energy Star web page providing guidance on attic ventilation.

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.

Adding Insulation when Re-Siding

2023

Gilbride Theresa L

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Fact sheet poster describing how to add exterior, continuous, rigid insulation to the exterior walls when replacing siding on an existing home.

Avoiding Moisture Problems

2003

Van der Meer Bill

National Association for State Community Services Programs,

NASCSP,

Weatherization Training Center at Penn College,

Pennsylvania College of Technology,

PCT

Technical article describing issues and moisture concerns related to weatherization efforts.

Avoiding Wet Roofs - Part I

2018

Yost Peter

Journal of Light Construction,

JLC

Article describing the building science implications of insulating vented or unvented attics.

Avoiding Wet Roofs - Part II

2018

Yost Peter

Journal of Light Construction,

JLC

Article describing the research into insulating vented versus unvented attics.

Brick Masonry Rain Screen Walls

1994

Brick Industry Association

BIA

Document focusing on the design and wall components that contribute to a pressure equalized rain screen wall, including the frequency of the weep holes and other brick masonry rain screen wall requirements.

Building America Building Science Advisor

2019

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

ORNL,

DOE

Web based tool providing decision-making guidance for selecting wall assembly components.

Buried and Encapsulated Ducts, Jacksonville Florida

2013

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

U.S. Department of Energy

CARB,

DOE

Reference investigating the strategy of using buried and/or encapsulated ducts to reduce duct thermal losses in residential buildings.

Classic Rib® Install Guide

2019

Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation

MS Manufacturing Corporation

Installation manual for installing metal panel siding.

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.

Common Siding Failures - Avoid errors that will cause a fiber-cement job to fail

2015

Parlee Mark

The Building Consultant

An article illustrating common errors found in fiber cement siding installations. Many of these errors and poor flashing examples apply to siding materials beyond fiber cement siding.

Compact Buried Ducts in a Hot-Humid Climate House

2016

Mallay David

Home Innovation Research Labs,

HIRL

Report on heating and cooling air-distribution ducts that are insulated, installed close to the ceiling in a vented attic and covered with attic insulation to minimize energy loss.

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 Defects – Mortar Bridging and Mortar Droppings Still Plague the Industry

2014

Stephan Bill

Metropolitan Engineering Consulting & Forensics,

MECF

Article about how mortar droppings during the installation of a brick veneer can clog the weep holes in the wall assembly causing moisture damage. The article also illustrates products that can be installed in the ventilated cavity to mitigate this problem.

Cool Hand Luke Meets Attics, BSI-077

2015

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Article describing the difference between conditioned or unvented attics and unconditioned or vented attics.

Crawlspace Insulation

2009

Southface Energy Institute,

et al.

ORNL,

SEI,

DOE

Information sheet about crawlspace insulation, including installation details.

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.

Drain the Rain…On the Plane…the Drainage Plane, BSI–112

2019

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report covering the rainwater performance of building assemblies.

Earth Tubes Exhibit

2022

Clean Energy Exhibition

Clean Energy Exhibition,

Solar World

Webpage providing details of an experimental earth tube installation at the Clean Energy Exhibition in Georgia.

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.

Evaluation of Crawlspace Retrofits in Multifamily Buildings

2014

Rudd Armin

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report analyzing results in crawlspace retrofits in multifamily buildings.

FB Cavity Barrier – Fire rated ventilated cavity barrier

2021

Odice

An example of a commercially available thermally expansive fire stopping product for controlling the spread of fires in a rainscreen cavity.

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.

Field Testing Unvented Roofs with Asphalt Shingles in Cold and Hot-Humid Climates

2015

Ueno Kohta,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report to understand the long-term moisture performance of unvented roof assemblies with fibrous insulation.

Fire Protection of Facades

2017

Marija Jelčić Rukavina,

Milan Carević,

Ivana Banjad Pečur

University of Zagreb

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.

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.

Great Fire of London, BSI–098

2017

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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

HardiPlank Lap Siding Butt Joint Flashing

2021

Fratzel Todd

Home Construction and Improvement

A article about the best practice method of installing fiber cement siding, to install flashing at the butt joints of the siding boards, rather than face caulking the butt joints afterwards.

HUD 2024 Housing Innovation Showcase Poster: Re-Siding your Home?

2024

Patricia Gunderson,

Theresa Gilbride

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Factsheet describing re-siding retrofits containing exterior insulation and window upgrades aimed at improved energy savings and comfort.

HVI Certified Products Directory

2020

Home Ventilating Institute

HVI

Website providing an online directory of more than 3,600 residential ventilation products lisiting flowrates, sones, watts, and other performance metrics; all listed products have been tested by the Home Ventilating Institute.

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.

Improving Drainage and Drying Features in Certain Conditions: Rain Screen Design for Absorptive Cladding

2008

National Association of Home Builders

NAHB

Guide detailing best practices on how to build wall assemblies with absorptive claddings such as brick, stone that drain and dry well.

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

Inward Drive – Outward Drying, BSI-061

2017

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report covering reservoir claddings, back ventilation and vapor throttles.

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.

Key Installation Checkpoints for Manufactured Stone Veneer

2021

National Concrete Masonry Association

NCMA

Article providing guidance for installing manufactured stone veneer, including information on rainscreens.

Masonry Detailing Series

2021

International Masonry Institute

Webpage featuring hundreds of illustrations of masonry construction details for brick, congrete, stone, tile, stucco, etc.

Mea Culpa Roofs, BSI-083

2014

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Article describing methods for insulating and air sealing vented and unvented roofs in various climates zones.

Moisture Control for Residential Buildings

2020

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

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.