Library

This study evaluated 11 measures for passive cooling using four heat resilience metrics with and without grid power in Fresno CA and found the two most effective measures were installing solar-control window films and adding roof insulation; natural ventilation also helped reduce overheating in...

Website providing guidance on passive heating, cooling, and lighting methods.

Article from Williams College on the key elements of passive solar design for homes.

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

Paper summarizing passive and low-energy cooling systems for buildings.

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

Report providing information on performance of mortars and concrete containing PCMs.

Blog article describing considerations for how to use trees for shading to reduce cooling energy demand.

City of Plymouth webpage providing information on the Plymouth Community Center Project.

Large scale simulation study investigating the effects of cool roofs and walls on buildings of various vintages across the U.S., with special attention given to California.

Database describing FEMA preparedness webinars including natural hazard preparedness.

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

Fact sheet describing analysis of potential heating and cooling savings from radiant barriers in attics.

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

Searchable database of over 3,000 roofing products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

Searchable database of wall cladding and coating products that have undergone solar reflectance and thermal emittance testing.

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.

Report covering the reconstruction of flood damaged homes.

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

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

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

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

Report describing a study using parametric computer simulations of 112 single-family and 63 multi-family residential building prototypes to quantify the contributions of building components such as roofs, walls, windows, infiltration, outside air, lighting, equipment, and people to the aggregate...

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

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

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.

Manual describing methods for rodent-proofing buildings.

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

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

Website tool that can search for trees by name or characteristics and retrieve data describing tree attributes including site preferences and general characteristics and considerations.

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.

Technical report providing site selection guidance for installation of small wind turbines.

Document providing incident solar radiation data and window overhang sizing guidance for multiple locations across the U.S.

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

Paper describing landscaping influences on heat gain through shading, infiltration shielding, and microclimate creation for nearby buildings.

Paper describing case studies on urban vegetation and greenways and their impacts on city climate and building performance.

Presentation on sustainable development including water conservation, passive solar, daylighting, natural ventilation, and land use.

Presentation by the Washington University in St. Louis Office of Sustainability on saving energy.

Presentation on urban land use and sustainable building design.

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

Fact sheet describing water management in a residential building.

Study on the effects of wind, radiation, and pressure on apparent temperature.

Presentation describing how to make a Corsi-Rosenthal Box for air cleaning.

Study comparing the thermal performance of phase change materials to concrete construction during heat waves.

Document describing the impacts of tree cover on property values.

Article from Green Building Advisor on the importance of window selection in hot climates, with an emphasis on window glazing.

Webpage providing guidance on the use of thermal mass with passive heating and cooling strategies.

Technical research paper explaining how thermal mass influences heating and cooling energy needs.

Design guide providing technical information regarding building with thermal mass.

Article detailing a case study in which thermal mass was used as part of an overall Net Zero solution for a university building.