Library

Guide describing landscaping tips for healthy and regionally-based gardens, including maintenance, mulching, water efficiency, and plant resources.

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 publication describing how to protect coastal investments by adapting to natural processes and protecting coastal environments and shorelines.

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

Report focusing on managing the driving forces that move air and water vapor across the building envelope.

Webpage featuring hundreds of illustrations of masonry construction details for brick, congrete, stone, tile, stucco, etc.

Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.

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

Siding installation guide for Ply Gem Siding Group products.

Document describing good practices for insulating basements in new and existing homes.

Measure Guideline research report providing simple, long term, and durable solutions when using tapes and flashing membranes in conjunction with the exterior face of rigid polymeric foam sheathing to create the drainage plane of a wall system.

Case study about how to properly tape insulating sheathing drainage planes.

Document providing information on basement insulation, air sealing and water management retrofits.

Report summarizing the importance of properly insulating and air sealing masonry walls, providing step by step instructions and approaches.

Report covering the fundamental waterproofing strategies for tub and shower assemblies.

An installation training manual discussing the installation of metal roofing materials and related accessories, for both new construction and retrofit projects.

A Recovery Advisory guide reccomending practices for designing and installing metal roof systems that will enhance wind resistance in high-wind regions (i.e., greater than 90-miles per hour [mph] gust design wind speed).

Report describing the work conducted for high performance hybrid assemblies.

Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

Report about exterior sheathing insulation and inward driven moisture issues.

Report explaining moisture-related concerns for high R-value wall assemblies and discusses past Building America research work that informs this study.

Document describing a hygrothermal modeling study, including all of the US climate zones, a range of interior humidity levels and numerous arrangements and types of insulation.

Brochure discussing specific practices for mitigating moisture and mold during the construction process.

Document describing common questions about moisture, mold, and wood.

Information sheet about mold mitigation.

An article about double-hung windows.

An NFPA Standard that identifies a method for determining the minimum water supply necessary for structural fire-fighting purposes in areas where it has been determined that there is no water or inadequate water for fire fighting.

An NFPA standards document that provides minimum requirements for the design, construction, installation, and maintenance of tanks and accessory equipment that supply water for private fire protection.

Report about an experimental evaluation has been conducted on a night sky cooling system designed to substantially reduce space cooling needs in homes in North American climates.

Report describing the experimentally evaluated potential of a novel residential night cooling concept.

Guide providing information on controlling attic ductwork sweating.

Report covering wind loading on roofing assemblies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calculator to help in calculating pool volume.

Article describing how to properly manage condensing HVAC equipment.

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

Research report describing study of exterior retrofit approach for air sealing, insulating, and water management conducted by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team run by University of Minnesota.

Case study describing the External Thermal and Moisture Management System developed by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership for retrofitting roofs with rigid foam over the roof deck, especially on one and a half-story homes.

Report addressing flood, wind and seismic hazards and recommends several multi-hazard resistant foundation designs of manufactured homes.

Fact sheet describing the special considerations that must be made when installing utility equipment, such as fuel, sewage, and water/sewage lines in a coastal home, and presenting recommendations for utility protection; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction...

Table calculating friction losses for PVC pipe by length.

Fact sheet describing design and construction practices to reduce the likelihood of water intrusion in walls and foundations in residential construction.

Document covering basic moisture control principles in the design of above-grade building enclosures; driving rain as a moisture load on walls; a classification system of the various rain control strategies available for walls; and good design practises for walls.