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Library

This library contains research reports produced by the Building America program and other building science resources used to support this Solution Center. The materials cover both new construction and existing homes. Use the search box and/or the filters to explore hundreds of residential building resources. Access to some references not produced by Building America may require purchase from the publisher. Documents are listed alphabetically. While we continually update our database, links may have changed since posting. Please contact our webmaster if you find broken links.

Showing results 551 - 600 of 759

Renewable Energy Ready Home Solar Photovoltaic Specification Guide

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
The RERH specifications and checklists take a builder and a project design team through the steps of assessing a home’s solar resource potential and defining the minimum structural and system components needed to support a solar energy system.

Repairs, Remodeling, Additions, and Retrofitting - Flood, FEMA Technical Fact Sheet No. 9.1

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing NFIP requirements for repairs, remodeling, and additions, and discussing opportunities for retrofitting in coastal flood hazard areas with recommendations for exceeding the minimum NFIP requirements; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction...

Residential Grid-interactive Efficient Building Technology and Policy: Harnessing the Power of Homes for a Clean, Affordable, Resilient Grid of the Future

Author(s)
Rinaldi Kara Saul,
Bunnen Elizabeth,
Rogers Sabine
Organization(s)
AnnDyl Policy Group,
National Association of State Energy Officials,
NASEO
Publication Date
Report identifying efficient, connected, smart, and flexible GEB technologies and their future potential, including barriers and opportunities, recommendations for policymakers, and research needs.

Residential Heating and Cooling Loads Component Analysis

Author(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Organization(s)
LBNL
Publication Date
Report describing a study using parametric computer simulations of 112 single-family and 63 multi-family residential building prototypes to quantify the contributions of building components such as roofs, walls, windows, infiltration, outside air, lighting, equipment, and people to the aggregate...

Residential Safe Rooms - Fact Sheet

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
A fact sheet educating homeowners on the importance of residential safe rooms, including their cost and how to register a safe room with local officials.

Residential Tornado Safe Room Doors

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing residential tornado safe room doors.

Resilient Communities Need Resilient Buildings

Author(s)
U.S. Resiliency Council
Organization(s)
USRC
Publication Date
Website describing the USRC, which "brings an unparalleled level of capability to the mission of improving community resilience in the built environment."

Resilient Housing

Author(s)
Green Builder Media
Organization(s)
Green Builder Media
Publication Date
Website providing resilient housing articles that relate to codes, including webinars, training, and guest articles.

Resistance of Exterior Walls to High Velocity Projectiles

Author(s)
Kashuba Scott D,
Kuzik Mark D,
Hatzinikolas Michael A
Organization(s)
Canadian Masonry Research Institute,
CMPA
Publication Date
Report describing the testing of various siding materials for their ability to resist bullets from small firearms.

Retrofit Improvements - Fuel Tank Anchoring

Author(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs
Organization(s)
HIRL
Publication Date
A guide on how to anchor fuel tanks to avoid damage from flooding and seismic events to the home by using straps and solid concrete slabs.

Retrofit Improvements - Self-Locking Cabinets, Drawers, & Doors

Author(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs
Organization(s)
HIRL
Publication Date
A brochure educating homeowners on how to install self-locking devices on cabinets, drawers and doors, including child-proof latches and drawer locks.

Roof Sheathing Installation, FEMA Technical Fact Sheet No. 7.1

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing proper roof sheathing installation and illustrating fastening methods that will enhance the durability of a building in high-wind areas; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Rooftop Solar Panel Attachment: Design, Installation, and Maintenance - Hurricane Irma and Maria in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Recovery advisory guide providing guidance on existing code requirements as well as recommend best practices for attachment design, installation, and maintenance of rooftop solar panels to increase panel wind resistance in the U.S. Virgin Islands after Hurricane Maria.

Safe Room Funding

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
FEMA information on safe room funding to regional governments.

Safe Room Resources, FEMA P-388 CD

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
A CD guide intended to help communities mitigate damage or loss from tornadoes and other extremewind events, and provide public information resources for conveying the importance of safe room construction.

Safety: Excess Flow Valves

Author(s)
Pacific Gas & Electric
Organization(s)
PG&E
Publication Date
Brochure for utility customers describing installation of an excess flow valve to automatically shut off natural gas flow into a home in the event of a gas line rupture.

San Francisco's Big Seismic Gamble

Author(s)
Fuller Thomas,
Singhvi Anjali,
Williams Josh
Organization(s)
New York Times
Publication Date
Article describing San Francisco and how impending seismic activity may affect modern skyscrapers.

Science of Cool Roofs

Author(s)
CoolCalifornia
Organization(s)
California Air Resources Board
Publication Date
Webpage discussing the characteristics of sunlight and how cool roofs work to reduce solar heat gain.

Securing Your Water Heater

Author(s)
Washington State Department of Health
Organization(s)
Washington State Department of Health
Publication Date
A fact sheet providing homeowners with guidance on properly securing water heaters to prevent them from tipping in an earthquake.

Seismic Building Code Provisions for New Buildings to Create Safer Communities - Earthquake Resistance Through Building Codes

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
Organization(s)
FEMA,
NEHRP
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing improvements in the earthquake resistance of residential and commercial new construction through the adoption into the International Residential Code of seismic provisions including those developed by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP).

Seismic Building Codes

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Website providing links to building codes, seismic codes, code enforcement, safe buildings, and seismic retrofitting.

Seismic Design Map

Author(s)
Structural Engineers Association of California,
California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
Organization(s)
SEAOC,
OSHPD
Publication Date
Web-based tool that uses the USGS web services to retrieve seismic design data and presents it in a report format.

Seismic Design Principles

Author(s)
Lorant Gabor
Organization(s)
Whole Building Design Guide,
WBDG,
Gabor Lorant Architects,
Inc.,
Lorant Group
Publication Date
Website providing an introduction to the concepts and principles of seismic design.

Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings, ASCE/SEI 41-13

Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE
Publication Date
Standard using deficiency-based and systematic procedures that use performance-based principles to evaluate and retrofit existing buildings to withstand the effects of earthquakes.

Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings, ASCE/SEI 41-17

Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE
Publication Date
Standard using deficiency-based and systematic procedures that use performance-based principles to evaluate and retrofit existing buildings to withstand the effects of earthquakes. The current version of this standard was published in the year 2017, and is available in both digital and print...

Seismic Gas Shut-Off Valve Requirements

Author(s)
City of Malibu
Organization(s)
City of Malibu
Publication Date
Fact sheet for natural gas customers describing city’s seismic gas shut-off valve requirements.

Seismic Retrofit Training For Building Contractors and Inspectors Participant Handbook

Author(s)
McCormick Timothy P
Organization(s)
Woodward Clyde Federal Services and the Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance Partnership,
City of Los Angeles,
Structural Engineers Association of Southern California,
SEAOSC
Publication Date
Report seeking to teach building contractors and building inspectors the correct methods for doing typical seismic retrofits that have been designed by an engineer or architect or described in a prescriptive standard.

Seismic Retrofitting

Author(s)
The Getty Conservation Institute
Organization(s)
The GCI
Publication Date
Newsletter containing five articles focused on seismic retrofitting.

Seismic Safety of the Building Envelope

Author(s)
Arnold Chris
Organization(s)
Whole Building Design Guide,
WBDG,
National Institute of Building Sciences,
NIBS
Publication Date
Article outlining the key issues related to the protection of the building envelope against seismic forces.

Seismic Safety: Gas Shutoff Devices, SB-1898

Author(s)
California Legislative Information
Organization(s)
California Legislative Information
Publication Date
Description of California Senate Bill SB 1898, which requires the sale of new seismic gas shutoff devices sold in California to be certified by the State Architect.