Library

Fact sheet describing conditions for wildfire, how a home catches fire, how to create a survivable space, the ideal fire resistant home.

Webpage explaining how to mitigate heat loss through roofs for ice dam prevention.

Guide describing ways builders can block off entry points and otherwise make homes inhospitable to all manner of pests.

A report presenting alternative approaches for reducing the costs of roof-mounted, grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems.

An EPA guide describing the causes and impacts of summertime urban heat islands, promoting strategies for lowering temperatures in U.S. communities.

Article describing moisture and ice dam issues in attics and how to air seal the attic floor.

Website describing the RELi rating system and leadership standard that takes a holistic approach to resilient design.

Webpage from FEMA describing how to properly reconstruct masonry fireplace chimneys damages by earthquakes.

Document containing some of the basic characteristics for energy performance, durability, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality that should be met in all high performance homes.

Report proposes high performance duct measures for inclusion in California Title 24 building energy efficiency standards for 2016.

Website with information and research about residential hot water distribution systems.

Fact sheet describing residential tornado safe room doors.

Report providing architects, designers, and homeowners with information to make house plans useful for constructing a more wind resilient structure.

Fact sheet describing how to install bracing to retrofit roof dormers for increased wind resistance.

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

Factsheet providing homeowners with an overview of approaches for flashing and sealing roof penetrations to help discussion with a roofing contractor.

Fact sheet describing flashing of roof penetrations to make a home more resistant to high winds, hurricanes, and rainwater intrusion.

Report covering non-combustible continuous exterior insulation and non-combustible roof venting.

Fact sheet describing proper roof sheathing installation and illustrating fastening methods that will enhance the durability of a building in high-wind areas; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Fact sheet describing recommended practices for the use of roofing underlayment as an enhanced secondary water barrier in coastal environments and optional installation methods; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Q&A article discussing how to address moisture issues in an attic in a wet and humid coastal climate.

Fact sheet describing the importance of proper roof and deck flashing, and typical and enhanced flashing techniques for coastal homes; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Webpage discussing the characteristics of sunlight and how cool roofs work to reduce solar heat gain.

Document describing precast concrete earthquake design considerations including connections, detailing, and forces, among others.

Website providing an introduction to the concepts and principles of seismic design.

Newsletter containing five articles focused on seismic retrofitting.

How hard can it be to insulate a flat sheet of concrete? I mean you only have three choices – on the top, on the bottom, or on the edge. OK, you might have some combination of the three as well.

Fact sheet describing building envelope performance measures applicable to residential and small commercial construction.

A website discussing the use of consumer-grade small electric wind systems such as turbines to lower energy costs.

Report informing building stakeholders about the risks a snow event poses to their buildings, preventative measures to take before the snow season, and actions that should be taken before, during, and after a snow event.

Webpage providing information about design snow loads and a free interactive ground snow load mapping tool for the contiguous United States, as well as snow load calculation methods.

Report identifying the important aspects of building design and construction to enable installation of solar photovoltaic and heating systems at some time after the building is constructed.

A research paper exploring the design, installation, repair and maintenance of solar water and pool heating technologies.

Specifications to assist builders in designing and constructing homes equipped with a set of features that make the installation of solar energy systems after the completion of the home’s construction easier and less expensive.

Spreadsheet tool that computes solar reflectance index (SRI) and roof surface temperature based on solar reflectance and thermal emittance using ASTM standard E 1980.

Article describing ways to protect roofs from water infiltration by using self-adhering underlayment in vulnerable locations such as roof valleys, eave edges (to help deal with ice dams), rake edges, roofs to vertical walls (such as dormers), sidewall protection, the bottom of dormer valleys, and...

Research study providing a comparison of selected retrofit activity typically done, versus that same retrofit activity approached from an integrated high performance remodeling and quality management perspective.

The 2017 publication update to the SEAOC Wind Committee and SEAOC Solar Photovoltaic Systems Sub-Committee's 2012 report.

Fact sheet describing recommendations for exceeding NFIP regulatory requirements for new construction and for repairs, remodeling, and additions, including building foundations, enclosures below the Base Flood Elevation (BFE), use of nonstructural fill, use of space below the BFE, utilities...

Research study determining how well high performance envelope and innovative cooling system interact to cost effectively reduce cooling energy use in this hot-dry climate.

A guide for homeowners on determining the risks from tornadoes and hurricanes and selecting a safe room type and location, as well as providing detailed plans for safe room construction.

Fact sheet describing best practices for flashing doors and windows to minimize air and water intrusion.

Fact sheet describing water management in a residential building.

FSEC certification and testing page for solar systems.

Fact sheet describing the test procedure for wind and wind driven rain resistance of discontinuous roofing systems.

Report describing use of the Energy in Modular (EMOD) method to design, produce, and deliver affordable, net-zero energy, low-carbon, and healthier buildings through industrialized (factory) construction of modular buildings; modeling of whole buildings and subassemblies of components, pods, panels...

Manuals describing design, materials, and installation techniques applicable to almost all types of roof systems; four-volume set includes Metal Panel and SPF Roof Systems, Membrane Roof Systems, Architectural Metal Flashing and Condensation and Air Leakage Control, and Steep-Slope Roof Systems.

Fact sheet poster describing the energy efficiency and comfort benefits of thin triple-pane windows as compared to standard triple-pane and double-pane windows.

Article describing how an affordable multifamily building achieved energy savings for the same cost as code-minimum construction.

Article from Purdue University on the potential for white paint technology to lower air conditioning usage requirements.