Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 51 - 100 of 104 results:

Greenbuilt Retrofit Test House Final Report

2014

Earle Lieko,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Mountain Energy Partnership

Research report presenting results of short term tests on measures used in an energy efficiency retrofit project in California.

High-Performance Slab-on-Grade Foundation Insulation Retrofits

2015

Goldberg Louise F,

Mosiman Garrett

NorthernSTAR,

NSTAR,

University of Minnesota,

UMN

Report assessing slab-on-grade foundation insulation energy savings.

Home Builder's Guide to Coastal Construction, FEMA P-499

2010

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Report containing 37 fact sheets that provide technical guidance and recommendations concerning the construction of coastal residential buildings.

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.

Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting - Six Ways to Protect Your House From Flooding, FEMA I-235

2020

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Brochure describing FEMA documents and foundation tips for floodproofing homes.

How Insulating Concrete Form vs. Conventional Construction of Exterior Walls Affects Whole Building Energy Consumption

2003

Petrie Thomas W,

et al.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy,

ACEEE

Report sumarizing results of an ICF investigation of side-by-side houses in Knoxville, Tennessee.

How to Verify New Construction Compliance

2020

IBHS Fortified

IBHS

Checklist for verifying FORTIFIED levels and documentation needed.

How You can Strengthen Your Home for the Next Big Earthquake in the Los Angeles Area

2005

City of Los Angeles,

Department of Building and Safety

City of Los Angeles

Report describing ways to retrofit a home to make it more resistant to earthquakes.

IBACOS Builder System Performance Packages: January 2003--December 2003

2004

Broniek John

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report presenting system design packages for cold and mixed-humid climates.

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

Insulating Concrete Forms for Multifamily Residential Construction

2019

Lemay Lionel,

Peng Tien

Civil + Structural Engineers

Article describing methods for designing and constructing multifamily buildings with insulating concrete forms (ICFs).

Local Officials Guide for Coastal Construction, FEMA P-762

2009

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Guide describing sound mitigation measures to lower building natural disaster vulnerability to assist local officials and community decision makers in coastal areas.

Low-Cost Evaluation of Energy Savings at the Community Scale, Fresno California

2012

Burdick Arlan,

Rapport Ari,

Poerschke Andrew

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

Wathen Castanos Hybrid Homes,

WCHH,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report using a field test plan to evaluate the success of implementing energy efficiency upgrades at the community scale incorporating whole-house systems integrated measures package (SIMP).

Measure Guideline: Guidance on Taped Insulating Sheathing Drainage Planes

2014

Grin Aaron,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Measure Guideline research report providing simple, long term, and durable solutions when using tapes and flashing membranes in conjunction with the exterior face of rigid polymeric foam sheathing to create the drainage plane of a wall system.

Measure Guideline: Hybrid Foundation Insulation Retrofits

2012

Lstiburek Joseph W,

Ueno Kohta

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Document providing information on basement insulation, air sealing and water management retrofits.

Measured Performance of Occupied, Side-by-Side, South Texas Homes

2012

Chasar Dave,

vonSchramm Valerie

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report summarizing a case study about the performance of three occupied homes built in 2009 in San Antonio, Texas.

Mitigation Assessment Team Report: Hurricane Charley in Florida Observations Recommendations and Technical Guidance, FEMA 488

2005

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

FEMA mitigation assessment team report following Hurricane Charley in Florida including observations, recommendations, and technical guidance for retrofitting hurricane-damaged homes.

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.

National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center

2020

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

National Weather Service

NOAA,

NWS

A website issuing watches, warnings, forecasts, and analyses of hazardous tropical weather and increasing the understanding of hazards.

National Weather Service: Storm Prediction Center: Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

2020

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

National Weather Service

NOAA,

NWS

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricane's sustained wind speed.

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.

NOAA's National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center: the Enhanced Fujita Scale

2007

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

National Weather Service

NOAA,

NWS

The Enhanced F-scale is a set of wind estimates (not measurements) based on damage which uses three-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a judgment of 8 levels of damage to the 28 indicators listed.

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.

Performance of a Hot-Dry Climate Whole-House Retrofit

2014

German Alea,

Porse Erik,

Weitzel Elizabeth

Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,

ARBI,

Davis Energy Group

Report presenting performance results from tests conducted on an energy efficiency retrofit project in Stockton, California.

Performance of Four Near Zero Energy Homes: Lessons Learned

2010

Colon Carlos J,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Paper examining the monitored performance of four newly constructed near zero energy homes in Florida.

Pump Day Procedures

2013

ICF Systems

Massachusetts Building Products

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

Rain and Groundwater Management Technote

2017

Home Innovation Research Labs,

National Association of Home Builders

HIRL,

NAHB

Fact sheet describing design and construction practices to reduce the likelihood of water intrusion in walls and foundations in residential construction.

READ THIS: Before You Design, Build or Renovate, GM-0602

2005

Brennan Terry,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Document with important building science considerations, designed for members of the residential construction and remodeling industries, as well as owners and managers who work in affordable housing.

Rebuilding Houston, BSI–101

2017

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report covering the reconstruction of flood damaged homes.

Recommended Residential Construction for Coastal Areas: Building on Strong and Safe Foundations, FEMA P-550

2009

Coulbourne Bill,

et al.

Federal Emergency Management Agency,

FEMA,

URS Corporation,

DK Low and Associates,

Greenhorne and O'Mara,

Dewberry and Davis

Report providing recommended designs and guidance for rebuilding homes destroyed by hurricanes in the Gulf Coast.

Reducing Flood Risk to Residential Buildings That Cannot Be Elevated, FEMA P-1037

2015

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Guide discussing ways that homeowners in ground-secured houses can reduce the risks and damage caused by floods upon residential buildings.

Reducing the Costs of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems: Proceedings of Solar Forum 2001

2001

Dunlop James P,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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

Residential Buildings: Foundations

2022

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Website describing the U.S. Department of Energy's residential buildings program.

Residential Seismic Strengthening

2021

City of Portland,

State of Oregon

City of Portland,

State of Oregon

Website providing resources for seismic retrofits for builders and homeowners as well as city permit requirements from the City of Portland OR.

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.

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.

Rodent Exclusion Manual: Mechanical Rodent Proofing Techniques: a training manual for National Park Service Employees

2014

National Park Service

Manual describing methods for rodent-proofing buildings.

Seismic Performance Assessment of Buildings, Volume 1 - Methodology, Second Edition, FEMA P-58-1

2018

Applied Technology Council,

Federal Emergency Management Agency

ATC,

FEMA

Reports describing a mathematical methodology for assessing the seismic performance of buildings.

Simplified Space Conditioning in Low-Load Homes: Results from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, New Construction Unoccupied Test House

2014

Poerschke Andrew,

Stecher Dave

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS

Study conducted to help determine cost-effective solutions for heating and cooling houses that are designed to be energy efficient.

Slab Happy, BSI-059

2012

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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.

Storm Prediction Center

2020

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

National Weather Service

NOAA,

NWS

A website providing timely and accurate forecasts and watches for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes over the contiguous United States.

Technology Fact Sheet Slab Insulation: Improve Comfort and Save Energy in Homes with Slab-on-Grade Floors

2000

Southface Energy Institute

DOE

Brochure describing insulation approaches for homes with slab-on-grade floors.

TechNote - Rain and Groundwater Management: Reducing the Risk of Water Intrusion and Damages

2014

Home Innovation Research Labs

HIRL

Fact sheet describing water management in a residential building.

Thermal Performance and Wall Ratings

1996

Christian Jeffrey E,

Kosny Jan

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

Report proposing a procedure for estimating the whole opaque wall R-value (whole-wall R-value), independent of system type and construction materials.

Understanding Basements, BSD-103

2006

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Information sheet with methods for constructing or retrofitting basements to reduce moisture issues.

Upgrading Below Grade Spaces - Residential Energy Efficiency Stakeholder

2012

Huelman Patrick H,

Breidenbach Sam,

Schirber Steve

NorthernSTAR,

University of Minnesota,

UMN,

NSTAR,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Presentation describing the challenges of insulating an existing basement, presented to the Building America residential energy-efficiency stakeholder meeting.

Use of Connectors and Brackets, FEMA Technical Fact Sheet 4.3

2010

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Technical fact sheet highlighting important building connections and illustrating the proper use of various types of connection hardware; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Waste Reduction Model (WARM)

2016

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Information sheet with the Waste Reduction Model (WARM), designed to help solid waste planners and organizations track and voluntarily report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions from several different waste management practices.

Water Management System Builder Checklist Guide

2011

ENERGY STAR,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA,

ENERGY STAR

A builder checklist guide for the water management of properties with appropriately-designed building technologies.