Library

Fact sheet providing an overview of the FEMA document Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential Buildings.

2012 edition of code establishing minimum regulations for mechanical systems, including heating, cooling, ventilation, exhaust, ducts, fireplaces, combustion and hydronic systems, using prescriptive and performance-related provisions.

Code set from IAPMO explaining plumbing standards. 2012 Publication.

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

The purpose of this standard is to establish minimum requirements to safeguard the public health, safety and general welfare relative to the design, construction and installation of storm shelters constructed for protection from high winds associated with tornadoes and hurricanes.

2018 edition of code establishing a baseline for existing building retrofits to reach appropriate safety levels under new construction requirements covered in other ICC codes.

Code set from IAPMO explaining plumbing standards. 2018 publication.

2019 version of the California Residential Code.

Report summarizing the requirements for strenghtening and protecting the roof, openings in the house, and creating a continuous load path to strengthen walls and foundation per the IBHS Fortified Homes Hurricane Standard for New Homes.

2020 energy efficiency code for the state of Florida.

Guide describing the requirements by FORTIFIED Home™ for improving the home's resistance in severe thunderstorms, straight-line wind events, and high winds at the outer edges of tornadoes.

Document containing a series of resource papers that describe earthquake design components, including shear walls, resiliency, ground motion, and story drift and deflection, among others.

Report providing builders in the hot-dry and mixed-dry climates with guidance for building homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

A guidebook helping builders in hot-humid climates design and construct homes for energy efficiency, durability, health, safety, and comfort.

Report describing measures that builders in mixed-humid climates can use to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Document describing advancement in factory built housing innovations.

Report describing an air distribution system composed of a series of uniformly-sized ducts that terminate in rooms throughout the home and return to a central manifold, similar in fashion to a “home-run” cross-linked polyethylene plumbing system.

Standard outlining industry procedure for sizing residential duct systems.

Report examining the structural properties and applications of an innovative studless building system, detailing its testing regime and providing an engineering guide for architects and engineers.

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

The research report outlines a practical and cost-effective strategy utilizing central HVAC systems to optimize humidity control and ventilation in energy-efficient homes located in hot-humid climates, demonstrating significant improvements without requiring complex equipment upgrades.

Document providing guideance and considerations for duct design in an energy efficient house.

Report examining the effectiveness of an aerosolized acrylic technique for air sealing existing homes to reduce air leakage and improve energy efficiency.

Technical report describing the research behind a new aerosol-based sealing method, utilizing pressurization and a dispersed sealant fog, facilitated by a standard blower door, to automatically measure, locate, and seal air leaks in new homes in the United States, providing an efficient solution to...

Fact sheet describing an innovative aerosol-based sealing technique for tightening building envelopes in new homes, involving pressurizing the structure and dispersing an aerosol sealant "fog" to autonomously identify and seal leaks, with real-time feedback through a standard blower door and laptop...

Report outlining workflow and results of regression models on monthly and daily utility data (meter readings of electricity consumption), outlining a process for screening and gathering useful results from inverse models.

This ANSI/RESNET/ICC standard provides a consistent, uniform methodology for evaluating the airtightness of building, dwelling unit, and sleeping unit enclosures and heating and cooling air distribution systems, and the air flows of mechanical ventilation systems.

Technical report describing the thermal performance of 40 common building envelope details for mid- and high-rise buildings, including analyses to optimize energy efficiency and reduce thermal bridging.

This report outlines research activities that are expected to facilitate the adoption of energy retrofits by remodeling contractors and roofing contractors using retrofit panels which applicable to many existing house designs in most climates and markets.

YouTube channel featuring 90+ videos to educate Bay Area homeowners and contractors about seismic retrofitting, including information for various home and construction types.

Article describing how demand plumbing systems send cold water back to the water heater until hot water arrives at the sink, shower or other fixture where it is needed.

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.

Presentation about building highly efficient, affordable homes that will achieve 40% whole-house energy savings in mixed-humid climates.

Guide describing measures that builders in the cold and very cold climates can take to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Report summarizing research results for the 30% energy savings level and demonstrates that lead builders can successfully provide 30% homes in the Marine Climate Region on a cost-neutral basis.

This report will review, and summarize the current state of understanding and research into enclosures with higher thermal resistance, so-called “High-R Enclosures.” Recommendations are provided for further research.

Guide describing methodologies for assessing and mitigating thermal bridging in building envelopes, featuring detailed performance data, interface solutions, and assembly-specific strategies for energy-efficient construction.

Presentation about advanced framing techniques.

A comprehensive list of professional certifications offered by the Building Performance Institute. The webpage includes links to overviews of the different certificates, certification scheme handbooks, and directions for taking certification exams and recertification.

Website providing CAD files and drawings of advanced framing details.

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

Training manual on how to locate ducts within conditioned space and compact design.

Design guide providing solutions and tools for designing central heat pump water heater systems in multifamily and other commercial buildings.

Report on the stability of furring strips as a means for cladding attachment over walls with thick exterior rigid insulation.

Volume II of a two-volume report providing a comprehensive approach to design, construction, and renovation of homes located in coastal environments.

Research study investigating the energy performance and cost effectiveness of several state-of-the-art retrofit strategies that could be used in residential houses in the Boston and New England area.

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

Webpage with instructions for heat pump installers to choose the most suitable type of heat pump system, according to a project’s specific requirements.

Document for contractors detailing how to prioritize, control, and configure heat pumps in a residence that uses two heating systems.

Document for customers describing the benefits of two-system controls for homes, including information answering how, when, why, and how two-system controls with multiple heating sources are employed.