Library

Guide providing minimum design and construction requirements for storm shelters that provide a safe refuge from storms that produce high winds, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

Report summarizing the wind-resistant provisions of the 2015 edition of the International Building Code.

Report describing the experience gained from AIA’s Disaster Assistance Program with first-hand accounts of disaster response and recovery, case studies and other best practices, including approaches to designing buildings to be more adaptable to uncertainty.

Webpage describing different types of appliance thermometers, how they work, and how they should be used by homeowners.

A report that evaluates the force it takes to crack stucco of various thicknesses.

FEMA risk management series guide on hospital safety and resilience to natural disasters.

Report providing information on ways to incentivize funding of hazard mitigation programs.

ENERGY STAR Key product criteria for dishwashers.

Report on the performance of range hood exhaust fans.

ENERGY STAR article on finding a refrigerator or freezer recycling program.

Calculator helping users determine cost savings of refrigerator replacement.

A fact sheet on how to prepare for a natural disaster by storing food and water through an emergency food supply.

Website article touring areas hit hardest by tornadoes to see how they are building differently to protect against the next big twister.

Guide describing refrigeration leaks, including common leak points, how to fix them, and how to prevent them.

NOAA webpage providing images and short descriptions of different types of hurricane shutters.

An impact test report from projectile missile tests against brick veneer, verifying that brick veneers perform well to resisting hurricane force wind driven debris.

If your kitchen has a powerful exhaust fan, it may be pulling air down your chimney or water-heater flue.

Report providing a resource that communities can use to identify and evaluate a range of potential mitigation actions for reducing risk to natural hazards and disasters.

Website containing USGS-related publications related to natural hazards.

A fact sheet educating the public on the potential hazards and safe use of portable generators.

Website providing guidance on how to reduce the risk of damage to a home from hail.

Database describing FEMA preparedness webinars including natural hazard preparedness.

Fact sheet describing how to prepare for a natural disaster and assemble a disaster supply kit.

A fact sheet providing tips on how to assemble a kit of food, water and other disaster supplies in the event of an emergency.

Report describing the testing of various siding materials for their ability to resist bullets from small firearms.

Resource to help builders better understand the WaterSense requirements for labeled homes and assist them in meeting the criteria so they can receive the label for their new construction.

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

FEMA information on safe room funding to regional governments.

Report covering the planning, design, construction, and operation of residential and community safe rooms. Written for architects, engineers, building officials, local officials and emergency managers, and prospective safe room owners and operators.

Article describing suggested food supplies, sanitation, safety, and cooking for during and after an emergency.

Report presenting safe room designs and showing the homeowner and builder/contractor or local design professional how to construct a safe room for a home or small business.

Resource manual for builders, designers, architects, plumbers, and others interested in the WaterSense Labeled Homes Program providing an overview of the program, explains how to meet the program requirements, gives descriptions of water-saving technologies, and provides links to further resources.

Projectile missile testing of various wall panel configuration to understand how the different wall constructions would perform when struck with wind driven debris from a hurricane.

Website providing consumer tips for using natural gas safely in the home, including guidance on cooking, fireplaces, ventilation, pilot lights, piping, etc.

Website providing guidance for people to find and use tools, information, and subject matter expertise to build climate resilience.

Article describing how adhesives can be used to make homes in high-wind locations stronger and how adhesives could be too effective resulting in overloading foundation anchors under earthquake loads.

A review on the knowledge about ventilated wall claddings from field performance and hydrothermal modeling.

Web page providing links or specifications for homes to be labeled through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense program.

Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense certified dishwashers that highlights water cycle specifications, efficiency code standards, water consumption level relation to criteria, the advantages of ENERGY STAR dishwashers, and the regulations for building and verifying a labeled...

Fact sheet describing protocols for detecting, addressing, and preventing water leaks in homes, covering pressure-loss testing, visual inspections, and specific leak tests for fixtures and appliances.

Fact sheet describing how to effectively build, implement, and verify leak detection and flow monitoring systems, detailing appropriate devices, installation procedures, and verification protocols.

Fact sheet describing the importance and regulation of EPA WaterSense water softeners including the function of cation exchange water softeners, the importance of salt efficiency, the negative impact of hard water on household appliances, softeners that use demand-initiated regeneration with...

A heat map showing the average number of tornadoes per year across the United States

Article discussing structural and nonstructural building components and illustrates a variety of wind-induced damages, including wind-driven rain infiltration.