Library

Fact sheet defining a grid-interactive efficient building and its benefits.

Report describing the use of fresh air ventilation systems to eliminate the formation of icicles and ice dams along the eaves of roofs.

Guide describing the requirements by FORTIFIED Home™ for improving the home's resistance to high wind and hail.

LBNL webpage introducing heat island effect and cool materials concepts, and providing links to LBNL pages explaining cool pavements, cool roofs, and cool walls.

LBNL webpage providing resources and tools related to cool technologies, including the SRI calculator and the DOE Cool Roof Calculator.

Report discussing the potential energy savings of new high-efficiency downlights, and the results of product testing to date.

Best Practices document providing an introduction to current photovoltaic and solar thermal building practices.

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

Report providing a collection of fact sheets describing guidance for constructing homes in wildfire zones.

Article describing the causes that form ice dams, as well as solutions for preventing future ice dams on roofs, focusing on air sealing to prevent hot air leakage.

Article from RMI on how climate change is leading to an increase in critical extreme heat hours and what smart building strategies can be taken to mitigate some of these effects including paint color and insulation.

Information sheet presenting the correct methods for building an insulated cathedral ceiling.

Article from Washington Post on passive cooling measures for homes during extreme heat.

Article from Montana State University Extension explaining how proper insulation techniques can greatly reduce the risks of ice dams on roofs in cold climate zones.

Checklist for verifying FORTIFIED levels and documentation needed.

A structural insulated panel (SIP) roof has no embedded lumber in the structure, and therefore nothing substantial for attaching PV array and solar hot water mounts. Single or double lumber splines could be put into the panels, or I-joists at 4-foot intervals could be added.

Code describing the requirements for existing site-built single-family homes to receive roof-to-wall retrofits when re-roofing.

A document aimed at reducing the vulnerability of a gable end roof to wind damage in a hurricane.

Report describing the hurricane retrofit guide with focus on walls and wooded framed walls.

Article describing the effect metal roofs have on thermal performance in hot-humid climates.

Report providing information about techniques and approaches to improve the efficiency of recessed lighting.

Article describing the second step of a three-step process for the installation a tubular skylight, using peel-and-stick flashing tape instead of roof cement, and integrating the roof underlayment with the flashing.

Article describing how to counterflash a chimney by tucking the upper pieces of counterflashing into the chimney mortar joints and overlapping them over the various pieces of base flashing, which are nailed to the roof deck.

Article describing the insurance savings of a home with a hip roof versus a gable roof from the perspective of an insurance advisor.

Article describing how the configuration of surrounding buildings affects the wind loads on a hip roof in a low-rise building.

Video course by the Lighting Controls Association presenting an overview of the basic functionality of today’s lighting controls, benefits and the basic questions to ask when identifying an appropriate lighting control strategy

Report discussing how to create livable space in the attic that meets IRC code requirements by either creating a ventilated roof assembly, or and unvented attic assembly.

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

Article discussing the downside to recessed can lights.

Article showing steps for kick out flashing at roof-wall intersection.

Article describing a technique for installing a skylight and avoiding potential water leaks with the use of a peel-and-stick (or self-adhesive) membrane under the flashing.

A website explaining the measurement of light bulbs, measurable in lumens, & brightness levels that ENERGY STAR products produce.

A website explaining the basics of LED lightning, their lifespan, their use in general lighting applications, the amount of heat produced, and why you should choose ENERGY STAR certified LED products for your home.

Information about LED lighting technology.

A fact sheet providing information on ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs & how to find the right one to fit your lighting fixture.

Webpage describing a lightbulb exchange program in Fairfax county, VA.

The light-emitting diode (LED) is one of today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technologies.

ENERGY STAR lightbulb criteria.

A website explaining why homeowners should install ENERGY STAR certified lightbulbs, which helps to save homeowners on utility bills and protect the environment.

American Lighting Association website homepage.

Webpage describing high-efficiency lighting choices for homeowners including LEDs, CFLs, and halogen bulbs.

A website exploring the use of lighting controls products like dimmers, motion sensors and timers to save energy in the home.

Presentation detailing key challenges with lighting controls, best practices for the design and implementation of lighting controls, and best approaches for return on controls.

Link for the webpage of the Lighting Controls Association, an industry organization dedicated to supporting adoption of advanced lighting controls in commercial buildings through education. Their webpage contains a variety of resources regarding advanced lighting controls.

Webpage for the Lighting Design Lab (LDL), an organization which provides educational resources regarding advanced lighting controls and other electric building technologies.

A website explaining basic lighting principles and terms & how they are applied to the home.

A website explaining lumens & how to compare the amount of light that lightbulbs can produce when shopping for replacements.

Web article describing many ways homeowners, contractors, and builders can make homes more resistant to hurricanes, tornadoes, high winds, floods, and hail.

Fact sheet describing important roof-to-wall and wall-to-foundation connection details for masonry construction in coastal areas, including load paths, building materials, and reinforcement; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Article describing the flashing of roofs and what to look for, targeted at home inspectors.