Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 64 results:

2008 Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters, ICC NSAA 500

2012

International Code Council,

National Storm Shelter Association

ICC,

NSSA

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

2015 International Building Code - IBC a Compilation of Wind Resistant Provisions

2021

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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

Affordable Passive Solar Planbook for North Carolina

2005

Appalachian State University

AEC,

App State

Study from Appalachian State University on passive solar design to take advantage of local climate zones for energy conservation.

AIA Disaster Assistance Handbook, Third Edition

2017

American Institute of Architects

AIA

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.

Architecture of New Mexico

2022

Albuquerque Museum

City of Albuquerque,

CABQ

Power Point PDF presentation on historical architecture in New Mexico

Assessing the Impact of Thickness of the Performance of Stucco Cladding

2004

Brown William C,

Dietrich Mike,

Latimer Mark

American Society of Heating,

American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,

ASHRAE

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

Building a Better Trombe Wall

1998

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NREL

Fact sheet providing background and technical information on Trombe wall design

Building Orientation for Optimum Energy

2022

Gromicko Nick,

Gromicko Ben

InterACHI

Webpage explaining how to site and orient a house to take advantage of the solar path.

CBE Thermal Comfort Tool

2020

Tartarini Federico,

et al.

Center for the Built Environment,

CBE,

UC Berkeley,

SinBerBEST,

Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore,

BEARS

Online tool for thermal comfort calculations and visualizations SoftwareX 12, 100563 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2020.100563

Climate Consultant

2021

Milne Murray

Society of Building Science Educators,

SBSE,

University of California Los Angeles,

UCLA

Climate Consultant is a software tool for helping architects, builders, contractor, homeowners, and students to understand their local climate.

Design Guide For Improving Hospital Safety In Earthquakes Floods and High Winds: Providing Protection To People And Buildings, FEMA 577

2007

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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

Developing Pre-Disaster Resilience Based on Public and Private Incentivization

2015

Multihazard Mitigation Council and Council on Finance,

Insurance and Real Estate

National Institute of Building Sciences,

NIBS

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

DOE Solar Decathlon Website

2023

Solar Decathlon,

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Website for the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon competition.

Electric Fan Use for Cooling During Hot Weather: A Biophysical Modelling Study

2021

Morris Nathan B,

et al.

University of Sydney,

University of Copenhagen,

University of Montreal,

Monash University,

The Lancet Planetary Health,

The Lancet Group

Study testing the effect of fan cooling on healthy adults at increased ambient temperatures.

EPA Region 8 Headquarters

2007

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Brochure providing information on the design of the EPA Region 8 headquarters in Denver, CO.

Factor of Building Orientation Direction as Determinant the Thermal Comfort Quality

2019

Rilatupa James

Sriwijaya International Conference on Science Engineering and Technology,

Tarumanagara University,

Christian University of Indonesia,

Electrochemical Society,

ECS

Technical report describing the impact of orientation on thermal comfort.

Food and Water in an Emergency, FEMA 477

2006

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA,

American Red Cross

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

Grim Lessons from Tornado Alley

2019

Thompson Boyce

Federal Emergency Management Agency,

FEMA

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

How to Cool Your Home Without Relying on Air Conditioning

2021

Kaplan Sarah

Washington Post

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

How to Create a Naturally Cool Building

2018

Williams Jeremy

The Earthbound Report

Article from The Earthbound Report on passive cooling design strategies for homes located in hot climates.

Hurricane Shutter Types

2023

Hurricane Research Division,

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA

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

Impact Resistance of Brick Veneer Structures to Hurricane Debris

2005

Bennett Richard M,

et al.

Canada Masonry Design Centre,

CMDC

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

Impacts of Shading and Glazing Combinations on Residential Energy Use in a Hot Dry Climate

2000

Farrar-Nagy Sara,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Partnership for Resource Conservation,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Study evaluating opportunities for reducing cooling energy use in a hot dry climate through the use of shading and window options.

Low-Energy Cooling: A Guide to the Practical Application of Passive Cooling and Cooling Conservation Measures

1986

Abrams Donald

Van Nostrand Reinhold

Book detailing passive cooling methods including airflow methods, evaporative cooling, and earth cooling.

Measured Natural Cooling Enhancement of a Whole House Fan

1992

Parker Danny S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Mitigation Ideas: A Resource for Reducing Risk to Natural Hazards

2013

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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.

Natural Hazards

2020

U.S. Geological Survey

USGS

Website containing USGS-related publications related to natural hazards.

OSHA Fact Sheet: Using Portable Generators Safely

2005

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA

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

Passive Cooling

2022

Smarter Homes NZ

Article from Smarter Homes NZ on home building techniques that incorporate passive cooling.

Passive Cooling

1989

Cook Jeffrey,

et al.

MIT Press,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

MIT

Book describing passive cooling techniques from a technical and academic perspective.

Passive Solar Design

2022

Williams College

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

Performance and Applicability of Passive and Low-Energy Cooling Systems

1991

Givoni Baruch

University of California Los Angeles,

UCLA

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

Phase Change Materials for Energy Efficiency in Buildings and Their Use in Mortars

2019

Frigione Mariaenrica,

Lettieri Mariateresa,

Sarcinella Antonella

Materials Journal

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

Plymouth Community Center Project

2021

City of Plymouth,

State of Minnesota

City of Plymouth,

State of Minnesota

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

Prepare Your Home Ahead of Severe Thunderstorms

2020

Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety

IBHS

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

Preparedness Webinars

2022

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Database describing FEMA preparedness webinars including natural hazard preparedness.

Preparing for Disaster, FEMA P-475

2004

Federal Emergency Management Agency,

American Red Cross

FEMA,

American Red Cross

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

Ready.gov: Build A Kit

2020

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

USDHS

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

Renewable Energy Annual

2012

Energy Information Administration

EIA

Data tables on U.S. renewable energy consumption and general trends in the market for renewable energy.

Resistance of Exterior Walls to High Velocity Projectiles

2001

Kashuba Scott D,

Kuzik Mark D,

Hatzinikolas Michael A

Canadian Masonry Research Institute,

CMPA

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

Retrofit Improvements - Bracing of Roof Projections

2012

Home Innovation Research Labs

HIRL

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

Safe Room Funding

2020

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

FEMA information on safe room funding to regional governments.

Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes - Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms, Fourth Edition, FEMA P-361

2021

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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.

Solar Pathfinder

2021

Solar Pathfinder

Tool determining the most economical and efficient photovoltaic array location and position.

Solar Radiation Data Manual for Buildings

Marion William,

Wilcox Stephen

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

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

Solmetric SunEye

2021

Solmetric Inc.

Handheld solar site analysis tool capturing whole-horizon images for a site and generating shading analysis reports.

Suggested Emergency Food Supplies

2022

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

USDHS

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

Sun Control and Shading Devices

2016

Prowler Don,

Bourg Joseph

Whole Building Design Guide

Article providing fundamental information and recommendations for shading windows for energy savings.

Taking Shelter from the Storm - Building or Installing a Safe Room For Your Home Includes Design Plans, FEMA P-320

2021

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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.

The Assessment of Sultriness Part II: Effects of Wind, Extra Radiation and Barometric Pressure on Apparent Temperature

1979

Steadman Robert G

American Meteorological Society,

AMS

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