Library

Code describing energy codes for energy-conserving and compliant designs in Florida.

Article describing methods for thermally isolating a garage in a Passive House-certified multifamily building.

Vinyl siding estimating and installation guide for vinyl siding products.

Radiant, hydronics, geothermal -- they are a vital part of modern comfort and energy solutions. ACCA helps hydronics contractors operate at peak performance.

Guide describing advanced framing, a system of construction framing techniques designed to optimize material usage and increase energy efficiency.

Technical report describing the SPS (Structural Panel System), an innovative implementation of the "perfect wall" concept, situating environmental control layers on the exterior side of structural components for improved constructability, cost-effectiveness, and performance, validated through the...

Article by the Canadian Government on attic ventilation and considerations for moisture and ice dams.

Report covering interior energy retrofits of masonry buildings.

Document focusing on the design and wall components that contribute to a pressure equalized rain screen wall, including the frequency of the weep holes and other brick masonry rain screen wall requirements.

Article Describing methods for thermally isolating multifamily parking garages.

The Builder's Guide provides the building industry with the latest and best practical information on how to apply building science principles to structures as systems in hot-humid climate regions.

Web based tool providing decision-making guidance for selecting wall assembly components.

Website providing CAD files and drawings of advanced framing details.

Document outlining building science principles about air flow, heat flow and moisture flow in homes.

An article discussing how different metal roof materials and attachment methods affect the ability of the roof to thermally expand and contract and the durability of different solutions.

Article describing the principle of capillarity in construction materials.

Report on the stability of furring strips as a means for cladding attachment over walls with thick exterior rigid insulation.

Article describing how closed crawlspaces can do "double duty" by controlling moisture and providing energy savings.

Research study investigating the energy performance and cost effectiveness of several state-of-the-art retrofit strategies that could be used in residential houses in the Boston and New England area.

Guidance from Zero Energy Project on construction techniques for warmer climates, such as home orientation, and insulation requirements.

Article about how mortar droppings during the installation of a brick veneer can clog the weep holes in the wall assembly causing moisture damage. The article also illustrates products that can be installed in the ventilated cavity to mitigate this problem.

Part I of the Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x6 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as exterior sheathing, gypsum board as interior sheathing, and a cladding system installed over WSP sheathing in low-rise residential buildings up to three stories in height. Walls with...

The Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x4 wood frame studs, wood structural panel sheathing (WSP) as wall bracing and added backing for foam sheathing, a layer of rigid foam sheathing insulation up to 1.5 inches thick over the WSP, and a cladding system installed over the foam sheathing in low...

Part I of the Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x6 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as exterior sheathing, gypsum board as interior sheathing, and a cladding system installed over WSP sheathing in low-rise residential buildings up to three stories in height.

The Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x4 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as wall bracing and added backing for foam sheathing, a layer of rigid foam sheathing insulation up to 1.5 in. thick over the WSP, and a cladding system installed over the foam sheathing in low...

Website providing building science based guidance and training for residential construction.

Article describing research encouraging use of exterior insulation to warm interior sheathing surfaces in walls and roof assemblies to reduce the likelihood of condensation during cold weather

Report focusing on building envelopes that have been enhanced with phase change materials (PCMs), which can simultaneously reduce total cooling loads and shift peak-hour loads.

Job Process sheet for the manufactured housing industry showing how to cut insulation batts to fit wall cavities in a factory production environment.

Guidance document on deep energy retrofits.

Report covering exterior energy retrofits of masonry buildings.

Information about dense pack, cellulose insulation.

The objective of this research was to quantify the field performance of wood-frame walls clad with a variety of common claddings in a mixed-humid climate.

Report on problems and solutions with EIFS stucco wall cladding systems.

Discussion of structural thermal resistance.

Website from the U.S. Department of Energy providing consumers with information on saving energy and using renewable energy technologies.

Information sheet with details on a building enclosure designed for Albuquerque, NM, as an example for building enclosures built for hot-dry and mixed-dry climates.

Information sheet that summarizes Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) construction including advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.

Report that demonstrates the durability, constructability, and cost-effectiveness of the extended plate and beam (EP&B) wall system for new construction housing projects in compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code, addressing moisture risk management and high-performance envelope...

Report on the field evaluation of whole-building approaches and estimation of the relative contributions of select technologies toward reducing energy use related to space conditioning in new manufactured homes.

Report of a field evaluation of four novel roof designs to see how each design would reduce space-conditioned energy use so that the knowledge gained could be applied to the design of new manufactured homes.

Article describing five fundamental changes to building construction from the last 50 years and their modern construction consequences.

Research report assessing the moisture and cooling load impacts of airtightness and mechanical ventilation in homes in hot-humid climates.

Document that gives a step-by-step approach for designing attachments for cladding materials through foam sheathing.

A starting point for ballparking and comparing the cost of different siding materials and a brief overview of the pros and cons of different siding materials.

Article describing how omission of two small but critical wall details, a kick-out flashing and a weep screed, lead to extensive water damage to a wall.

Guide detailing best practices on how to build wall assemblies with absorptive claddings such as brick, stone that drain and dry well.

Research study describing field testing performed in 32 two-story Florida homes to characterize wind washing failures of the house air and thermal boundary.

Article describing walls and moisture development on them.

Technical report assessing the market for Low-e storm windows based on market data, case studies, and recent experience with weatherization deployment programs.