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Explore this extensive library of building science guidance including research reports from DOE’s Building America program as well as hundreds of other articles, fact sheets, webpages, and reference documents related to constructing and renovating homes.

Showing 101 - 150 of 157 results:

NFPA 70: National Electric Code

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
·
Organization(s)
NFPA
Description
This standard provides a benchmark for safe electrical design, installation, and inspection to protect people and property from electrical hazards and has been adopted in all 50 states.

NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
·
Organization(s)
NFPA
Description
Standard establishing criteria for levels of health care services or systems based on risk to the patients, staff, or visitors in health care facilities to minimize the hazards of fire, explosion, and electricity.

Outdoor and Wildfire Fire Safety Pictographs

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Fire Administration
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Fire Administration
Description
A webpage that provides wildfire preparedness and safety pictographs.

Performance profiles of exterior fire protective building envelopes

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Jarnskjold Tobias,
Jensen Geir,
Knudsen Atle
·
Organization(s)
Edition Diffusion Presse Sciences,
EDP Sciences
Description
A study on how fires spread through exterior building envelopes with discussion on how fires propagate in a rain screen cavity.

Prepare for Wildfire: Hardening Your Home

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
·
Organization(s)
State of California,
Cal Fire
Description
Webpage offering recommendations to homeowners and contractors for retrofitting a home to make it more resistant to wildfires.

Preparing Homes for Wildfire

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
·
Organization(s)
NFPA
Description
Website describing methods for homeowners to prepare their homes to withstand ember attacks and minimize the likelihood of flames or surface fire touching the home or any attachments.

Protect Your Property from Wildfires

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
·
Organization(s)
FEMA
Description
Brochure describing multiple earthquake safety measures for homeowners to take, including home reinforcement, exterior maintenance, and recovery tips.

Ready to Respond: Strategies for Multifamily Building Resilience

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Enterprise Green Communities
·
Organization(s)
Enterprise Green Communities
Description
Report providing strategies to support occupant behavior changes for enhancing resilience, and to reduce a building's vulnerability to extreme weather, climate change, and loss of power.

Rebuilding After a Wildfire

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
·
Organization(s)
FEMA
Description
Fact sheet describing conditions for wildfire, how a home catches fire, how to create a survivable space, the ideal fire resistant home.

Reduce Fire Losses

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
·
Organization(s)
IBHS
Description
Website describing wildfire related research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety at the IBHS Research Center.

Review of Residential Comfort Control Products and Opportunities

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Metzger Cheryn E,
Goyal Siddharth,
Baechler Michael C
·
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL
Description
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.

Rocks Don’t Burn, BSI–068

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
·
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Description
Report covering non-combustible continuous exterior insulation and non-combustible roof venting.

Safety: Excess Flow Valves

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Pacific Gas & Electric
·
Organization(s)
PG&E
Description
Brochure for utility customers describing installation of an excess flow valve to automatically shut off natural gas flow into a home in the event of a gas line rupture.

Seismic Gas Shut-Off Valve Requirements

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
City of Malibu
·
Organization(s)
City of Malibu
Description
Fact sheet for natural gas customers describing city’s seismic gas shut-off valve requirements.

Severe Weather Fire Safety

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Fire Administration,
Federal Emergency Management Agency
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Fire Administration,
FEMA
Description
Description webpage providing information about home fire safety during sever weather for consumers.

Sprinkler Insulation

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Merrifield Brian
·
Organization(s)
Fire Protection Research Foundation,
FPRF,
National Fire Protection Association,
NFPA
Description
Literature review from NFPA on the use of insulation to protect the piping in home fire sprinkler systems from freezing conditions.

Standard for Wildfire Control, NFPA 295

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
·
Organization(s)
NFPA
Description
Website containing links to key wildfire codes and standards.

Swapping ECM for PSC fan motor

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Holladay Martin
·
Organization(s)
Green Building Advisor,
GBA
Description
Question and Answer article in Energy Design Update describing the cost and savings benefits of electronically commutated motors (ECMs) for HVAC equipment.

The Corsi-Rosenthal Box

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Burnes Roberta
·
Organization(s)
Kentucky Department of Air Quality
Description
Presentation describing how to make a Corsi-Rosenthal Box for air cleaning.

Top 20 Largest California Wildfires

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
·
Organization(s)
Cal Fire
Description
Webpage with data on the 20 largest wildfires in California that occurred between the year 1932 and present day.

Training Course: Fire Behavior

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Wildfire Coordinating Group
·
Organization(s)
NWCG
Description
Online course describing the behavior of wildfires for firefighters.

U.S. Experience with Sprinklers

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
McGree Tucker
·
Organization(s)
National Fire Protection Association,
NFPA
Description
A report examining the presence, reliability, effectiveness, and impact of sprinkler systems in structure fires.

USDA Forest Service

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
USDA Forest Service
·
Organization(s)
USDA Forest Service

Water Tank Standards for Fire Protection

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
San Diego County Fire Authority,
San Diego County
·
Organization(s)
SDCFA,
SDC
Description
A San Diego County standard outlining the requirements for installing fire protection water tanks.

Ways to Stay Safe in a Natural Disaster

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
NorthWest Natural
·
Organization(s)
NW Natural
Description
Webpage from NW Natural on how to prepare homes with natural gas service for earthquakes and floods, what to do during an emergency, and how to respond after the emergency has passed.

Weather Related Fatality and Injury Statistics

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Weather Service,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
·
Organization(s)
NOAA
Description
Web page providing statistics on weather related fatalities and injuries.

What to Do if a Wildfire is Approaching

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
IBHS DisasterSafety
·
Organization(s)
IBHS
Description
Guidelines from IBHS on modifications to homes to prepare for a wildfire if evacuation orders are anticipated for the area.

Where Your Front Door Meets the Forest

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
·
Organization(s)
USDA
Description
Webpage describing the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and how to plan residential building to mitigate wildfire risks associated with building in the WUI.

Wildfire and the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Fire Administration
·
Organization(s)
USFA
Description
Webpage from USFA compiling resources from across the U.S. on Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) information.

Wildfire Hazard Potential

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
·
Organization(s)
USDA
Description
Webpage from USDA and U.S. Forest Service with a map of potential wildfire risk across the U.S.

Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Restaino Christina,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
University of Nevada Reno Extension,
University of California Cooperative Extension,
Tahoe Resource Conservation District,
Cal Fire
Description
A report for homeowners and contractors providing specific recommendations for how to retrofit existing components of a home to withstand wildfire.

Wildfire Operations: Wildfire Science

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Canada Government of Northwest Territories Department of Environment and Climate Change
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Organization(s)
GNWT ECC
Description
Website describing how wildfires spread and how fuels, weather, and topography influence fires.

Wildfire Prepared Protect Your Home from Wildfire

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
·
Organization(s)
IBHS
Description
Webpage that providing designation program enables homeowners to take preventative measures for their home and yard to protect against wildfire.

Wildfire Public Policy

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
·
Organization(s)
IBHS
Description
Webpage describing ways builders and communities an reduce wildfire risk.

Wildfire Ready

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
·
Organization(s)
IBHS
Description
A webpage providing guidance on increasing the wildfire resistance of a home.

Wildfire Risk to Communities

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
USDA Forest Service
·
Organization(s)
USDA,
USDA Forest Service
Description
A website created by the U.S. Forest Service, containing interactive maps, charts and resources to help communities explore their risk to wildfires.