Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 51 - 100 of 128 results:

Fire Protection Systems

2021

National Fire Protection Association

NFPA

Articles, research, case studies, and more outlining considerations for planning and installation of a fire-protection system.

Fire Resistant Decks, Patios, and Porches

2020

FIRESafe Marin

Webpage from FireSafe Marin explaining the vulnerability of different deck setups and materials.

Fire-Resistant Landscaping

2020

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection,

Lake County Fire Safe Council

Cal Fire

Article from CAL FIRE on fire-resistant landscaping to mitigate ignition of homes.

Fire-Smart Plants - Choosing Landscaping Plants in a Fire Prone Environment

2020

FIRESafe Marin

List of guidelines for plants and their fire resistance from FIRESafe Marin.

Five Steps to Creating an Effective Defensible Space

2018

Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team

TFFT

Five step plan from the Tahoe Fire & Fuels team outlining how to create an effective defensible space for wildfire protection. Recommendations include siting for homes on slopes.

Forest Home Sites Influence Heating and Cooling Energy

1983

DeWalle David,

Heisler Gordon,

Jacobs Robert

Northumberland County Conservation District,

Society of American Foresters

Journal article describing energy impacts from shade trees and forests and solar heating and air infiltration.

Foundation Heat Exchangers for Residential Ground Source Heat Pump Systems - Numerical Modeling and Experimental Validation

2011

Xing Lu,

et al.

Oklahoma State University,

OSU,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

Article describing a numerical model that can be used to size foundation heat exchanger (FHX) systems.

Gossamer Wind Ceiling Fans

2014

Florida Solar Energy Center,

University of Central Florida

FSEC,

UCF

Website providing information about the Gossamer Wind Series Ceiling fans, conceived by Danny Parker at the Florida Solar Energy Center as a means of realizing the energy efficiency and comfort potential of ceiling fans.

Guidance for Considering the Use of Living Shorelines

2015

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA

Document describing living shoreline techniques for shoreline stabilization.

Guidelines for Tree Preservation During Construction

2012

Peters Russell

Arborilogical Services Inc

Article describing tree preservation during the construction process.

Home Power

2012

Sanchez

Home Power

Web article about solar site assessment.

Home Ventilating Institute

2020

Home Ventilating Institute

Website providing certified rating programs to help manufacturers, builders, contractors and homeowners compare performance of ventilation products for air flow, sound, and other performance characteristics.

Homebuilders' Guide to Earthquake Resistant Design and Construction, FEMA 232

2006

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Report presenting seismic design and construction guidance for one- and two-family houses for homebuilders, knowledgeable homeowners, and other non-engineers.

How Much Ventilation Do I Need?

2018

Home Ventilating Institute

Website with articles on home ventilation and indoor air quality.

How to Create a Naturally Cool Building

2018

Williams Jeremy

The Earthbound Report

Article from The Earthbound Report on passive cooling design strategies for homes located in hot climates.

HVI Airflow Test Procedure

2015

Home Ventilating Institute

HVI

Publication specifying HVI’s prescriptive procedures for testing and rating airflow of residential ventilation products in accordance with ANSI consensus standards.

HVI Certification Program Policies and Procedures

2020

Home Ventilating Institute

HVI

Publication describing the requirements and procedures for the certified performance ratings program for residential ventilation products administered by the Home Ventilating Institute.

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.

Ignition Resistant Construction Design Manual

2020

Colorado Springs Fire Department

City of Colorado Springs,

State of Colorado

Wildfire guidance for homes located in the wildland urban interface, focused on site design and individual pieces of the home.

Ignition Resistant Construction Guide

2010

FireSafe Montana

Ignition resistant residential construction and landscaping guidelines from FireSafe Montana.

Impact of Residential Mechanical Ventilation on Energy Cost and Humidity Control

2014

Martin Eric

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS

The study described in this white paper is based on building energy modeling with an important focus on the indoor humidity impacts of ventilation.

Improving Comfort, Saving Energy with Large Circulator Fans

2008

Aynsley Richard

Big Ass Fans,

HPAC Engineering

Article describing how air speed affects thermal comfort and how fans can provide energy savings.

Indoor Air Pollution from Cooking

2020

California Air Resources Board,

California Environmental Protection Agency

CARB,

CalEPA

Article describing ways home owners can improve ventilation in their kitchens.

Keeping Homes and Cities Cool in Extreme Heat

2021

Kyle Mittan

University of Arizona

Article from University of Arizona on keeping homes cool during extreme heat, both personal and system changes.

Landscaping Tips

2021

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Guide describing landscaping tips for healthy and regionally-based gardens, including maintenance, mulching, water efficiency, and plant resources.

Landscaping To Reduce the Energy Used In Cooling Buildings

1983

Parker John H

Florida International University,

Society of American Foresters

Paper describing vegetation impacts on cooling load for buildings.

Living with Fire: Homeowners' Firesafe Guide for Montana

2009

FireSafe Montana

Guide for homeowners describing actions they can take to modify their home and the surrounding site to create a survivable space to reduce the amount of damage a home would likely experience during a wildfire.

Maintain Defensible Space

2019

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Cal Fire

A webpage outlining CAL FIRE’s recommendations for creating defensible space.

Measure Guideline: Ventilation Cooling

2012

Springer David,

Dakin Bill,

German Alea

Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,

ARBI,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Davis Energy Group,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Guide describing proper application, design, and installation of mechanical ventilation cooling systems for homes located in hot-dry and cold-dry climates, as well as a means of understanding the benefits, costs, and tradeoffs of these systems.

Measured Impacts of Air Conditioner Condenser Shading

1996

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Parker Danny S,

Barkaszi Stephen F

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Paper describing energy savings in space cooling from shading condenser units.

Modernized Appliance Efficiency Database System (MAEDbS) Enhancements and Improvements

2022

California Energy Commission

Webpage for the CEC’s Modern Appliance Efficiency Database System

Modernized Appliance Efficiency Database System Product List

2022

California Energy Commission

CEC

List of appliance brands and models, showing their performance and efficiency as tested by the appropriate standard.

Mulching to Improve Soil Health, E484A

2022

Sabata,

U.S. Department of Agriculture

U.S. Department of Agriculture,

USDA

Article describing mulch requirements and benefits.

Mulching with Lawn Clippings

2022

Garden City Harvest

Article describing mulching with lawn clippings.

Mulching Your Trees and Landscapes

2022

University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

University of Tennessee

Pamphlet describing different types of mulches and their benefits.

National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) Viewer

2022

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Online geospatial map with interactive viewer showing flood risk areas and base flood elevations

New National Guide for Wildland-Urban Interface Fires

2021

National Research Council Canada

NRCC

Report for local governments, planners, emergency managers, developers, insurers, and property owners describing ways to improve the wildfire resistance of buildings, infrastructure and communities in the wildland urban interface.

NFPA 1142 – Standard on Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting

2017

National Fire Protection Association

NFPA

An NFPA Standard that identifies a method for determining the minimum water supply necessary for structural fire-fighting purposes in areas where it has been determined that there is no water or inadequate water for fire fighting.

NFPA 22 – Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection

2018

National Fire Protection Association

NFPA

An NFPA standards document that provides minimum requirements for the design, construction, installation, and maintenance of tanks and accessory equipment that supply water for private fire protection.

Night Ventilation Cooling Compliance Option

2011

California Statewide Utility Codes and Standards Program

California Public Utilities Commission,

CPUC

Document describing recommended modeling rules, potential compliance credits, and eligibility criteria for residential night ventilation cooling systems for California’s Title 24 energy efficiency standards.

Participant Assisted Data Collection Methods in the California Healthy Homes Indoor Air Quality Study of 2011-13

2013

Mullen Nasim A,

Li Jina,

Singer Brett C

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Report describing a field study to measure pollutant concentrations in 324 homes in California.

Peak Power and Cooling Energy Savings of Shade Trees

1997

Akbari Hashem,

et al.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

Paper describing a study on savings in peak power and cooling energy for homes with shade trees.

Permeable Pavement

2022

City of Mercer Island

Brochure describing what permeable pavement is, where to install it, and how to maintain it.

Proper Mulching

2022

Fayetteville NC

Pamphlet describing proper mulching around trees and problems and benefits associated with mulching.

Protect Your Property from Wildfire, California Edition

2019

Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety

IBHS

Report providing wildfire protection guidance for homeowners in California.

Radon-Resistant New Construction Builder/Contractor Resources

2013

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Website with information about radon-resistant construction techniques and other radon resources for builders, contractors and homebuyers.

Reducing Urban Heat Islands: Compendium of Strategies, Urban Heat Island Basics

2008

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Guidance document describing urban heat islands, what they are, how they form, why we care, and including some strategies to reduce them.

Residential Fan Efficiency - Code Notes

2012

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

IECC code note explaining new fan efficacy requirements, along with how to determine which fans are affected by the new fan requirements.

Resilient Design Guide: High Wind Wood Frame Construction Edition

2020

Federal Alliance For Safe Homes

FLASH

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

Review of Residential Comfort Control Products and Opportunities

2017

Metzger Cheryn E,

Goyal Siddharth,

Baechler Michael C

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

This research paper outlines residential HVAC advanced controls and sensors. It includes a technology review, applications, maintenance and commissioning, occupant behavior and a summary of the state-of-the-art technologies for advanced controls for residential HVAC.