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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 51 - 100 of 799

A Practical Guide to Climate-resilient Buildings & Communities

Author(s)
United Nations Environment Programme
Organization(s)
UNEP
Publication Date
Guidance document from the UN environment programme on climate-resilient buildings and communities practices, including guidance on heat waves, drought, hurricanes, and flooding.

A Practical Guide to Cool Roofs and Cool Pavements

Author(s)
Global Cool Cities Alliance,
R20 Regions of Climate Action
Organization(s)
GCCA,
R20
Publication Date
Guide developed to help contractors, building operators, and city officials successfully adopt cool roof and pavement technology.

Accelerating Residential Building Decarbonization: Market Guidance to Scale Zero-Carbon-Aligned Buildings

Author(s)
Webster Brett,
Satre-Meloy Aven,
Badger Leslie,
Donovan Alison,
Lane Damon,
McGrath Kevin,
Wilson Eric,
Reyna Janet,
Metzger Cheryn E,
Pilet Tyler J,
Campbell Martha,
Toffoli Lucas
Organization(s)
Advanced Building Construction Collaborative,
ABC Collaborative,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Rocky Mountain Institute,
RMI,
Vermont Energy Investment Corporation,
VEIC
Publication Date
Report providing product manufacturers, fabricators, contractors and installers, design professionals, owners, and real estate developers with technical performance and cost guidance for scalable zero-carbon-aligned new construction pathways and retrofit packages to achieve zero carbon retrofits and...

Affordable Passive Solar Planbook for North Carolina

Author(s)
Appalachian State University
Organization(s)
AEC,
App State
Publication Date
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

Author(s)
American Institute of Architects
Organization(s)
AIA
Publication Date
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.

All About Shade Trees

Author(s)
Huber Jeanne
Organization(s)
This Old House
Publication Date
Article describing shade trees and how to plant, maintain, and replace them.

American Gas Association White Paper Automatic Shut-off Valves (ASV) And Remote Control Valves (RCV) On Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines

Author(s)
American Gas Association
Organization(s)
AGA
Publication Date
Report providing information regarding the benefits and challenges associated with the installation of earthquake-actuated automatic shut-off valves (ASVs) or remote-control valves (RCVs) to stop the flow of natural gas into buildings in the event of an earthquake or rupture of the gas line.

Anchor it and Protect a Child

Author(s)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Organization(s)
USCPSC
Publication Date
Safety brochure from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) describing the dangers to children of furniture tipping over if it is not securely anchored.

Anchor It! Secure Furniture and TVs: Protect Children

Author(s)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Organization(s)
USCPSC
Publication Date
Website providing consumers with information about the risk to children from appliances and furniture tipping over and ways to anchor furniture and appliances to prevent this hazard.

APA Building for High Wind Resistance in Light-Frame Wood Construction

Author(s)
APA - The Engineered Wood Association
Organization(s)
American Plywood Association,
APA
Publication Date
A publication highlighting recommendations that contribute to improved overall performance in the structural shell and focus on good connection details to tie together exterior walls, roofs and floors.

APA Wall Bracing Calculator

Author(s)
APA - The Engineered Wood Association
Organization(s)
American Plywood Association,
APA
Publication Date
Wall bracing calculator simplifying the design of residential structures that comply with 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018 or 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) wall bracing requirements.

Architecture of New Mexico

Author(s)
Albuquerque Museum
Organization(s)
City of Albuquerque,
CABQ
Publication Date
Power Point PDF presentation on historical architecture in New Mexico

Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness, FEMA P-2064

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Report explaining how to develop, practice, and maintain emergency plans that reflect what must be done before, during, and after a disaster to protect people and their property.

Asbestos: Worker and Employer Guide to Hazards and Recommended Controls

Author(s)
National Institution of Health,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Organization(s)
NIH,
OSHA,
EPA,
HUD
Publication Date
Guidance from HUD, EPA, NIH, and FEMA for workers who deal directly with asbestos.

ASCE Ground Snow Loads

Author(s)
Wilkerson
Organization(s)
Medeek Design
Publication Date
Webpage providing mapping tool for obtaining ground snow load, based on ASCE 7-10, for any location in the contiguous United States, with the exception of locations requiring a case study due to extreme local variations in ground snow loads. Fee required for some data.

ASCE Hazard Tool Homepage

Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE
Publication Date
Web-based mapping tool offering a fast, reliable way to look up key design parameters specified in Standard ASCE 7-10, 7-16, or 7-22 for a specific address or location which is free to use and can look up data for eight different environmental hazard types: wind, tornado, seismic, ice, rain, flood...

Asphalt Shingle Roofing for High-Wind Regions, FEMA Technical Fact Sheet No. 7.3

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Technical fact sheet describing ways to construct asphalt shingle roofs to be more resistant to high winds and hurricanes; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Assessing the Impact of Thickness of the Performance of Stucco Cladding

Author(s)
Brown William C,
Dietrich Mike,
Latimer Mark
Organization(s)
American Society of Heating,
American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
ASHRAE
Publication Date
A report that evaluates the force it takes to crack stucco of various thicknesses.

Association of Bay Area Governments

Author(s)
Association of Bay Area Governments
Organization(s)
ABAG
Publication Date
A basic guide walking through the various types of valves useful in mitigating the effects of earthquakes and other seismic events on natural gas pipelines for residential use.

Attic Air Sealing Guide and Details, GM-1001

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Document providing background and approach for the prep work necessary prior to adding attic insulation - focusing on combustion safety, ventilation for indoor air quality, and attic ventilation for durability.

Attic or Roof? An Evaluation of Two Advanced Weatherization Packages, BA-1205

Author(s)
Neuhauser Ken
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report about a project that examines implementation of advanced retrofit measures in the context of a large-scale weatherization program and the archetypal Chicago, Illinois, brick bungalow.

Attic Venting, Attic Moisture, and Ice Dams

Author(s)
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Organization(s)
CMHC,
Government of Canada
Publication Date
Article by the Canadian Government on attic ventilation and considerations for moisture and ice dams.

Battery Storage for Resilience

Author(s)
Elgqvist Emma
Organization(s)
NREL
Publication Date
Fact sheet providing information on building-scale and utility-scale battery storage for disaster resistance.

Be Prepared For Extreme Heat, FEMA V-1004

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Information sheet from FEMA on preparation for extreme heat, including measures for keeping homes cool.

Be Wildfire Ready; Defensible Space Saves Lives

Author(s)
Town of Los Gatos California
Organization(s)
Town of Los Gatos California
Publication Date
A webpage outlining recommendations for creating defensible space.

Before The Next Freeze: Buying and Safety Tips For Generators

Author(s)
Trisha Gedon
Organization(s)
Oklahoma State University,
OSU,
Agricultural Communications Services,
ACS
Publication Date
Article describing how to choose the right portable electric generator for a home and how to safely operate when power outages happen.

Benefits of Trees

Author(s)
Arbor Day Foundation
Organization(s)
Arbor Day Foundation
Publication Date
Article describing the benefits trees provide through quotes and anecdotes.

Best Practices Manual

Author(s)
Hammer & Hand
Organization(s)
Hammer & Hand
Publication Date
This Best Practices Manual is the product of Hammer & Hand’s ongoing work to document and internally codify our standard operating procedures for construction practice.

Brick Masonry Rain Screen Walls

Author(s)
Brick Industry Association
Organization(s)
BIA
Publication Date
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.

Brick, Stucco, Housewrap and Building Paper, RR-0105

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Research study discussing how housewraps restrict or permit the passage of water molecules based on size, but cannot control the direction in which the water vapor molecules move.

Builder's Guide to Cold Climates

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Book presenting the best techniques for energy and resource efficient residential construction in the colder climates of North America.

Building a Wildfire-Resistant Home: Codes and Costs

Author(s)
Quarles Stephen L,
Pohl Kelly
Organization(s)
Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire,
CPAW,
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety,
IBHS,
Headwaters Economics
Publication Date
Report examining the cost differences between a typical home and a home constructed using wildfire-resistant materials and design features.

Building America Best Practices Series - 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Cold and Very Cold Climates, Volume 12

Author(s)
Baechler Michael C,
Gilbride Theresa L,
Hefty Marye G,
Cole Pam C,
Love Pat M
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Guide describing measures that builders in the cold and very cold climates can take to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Building Materials Listing

Author(s)
Cal Fire Office of the State Fire Marshal
Organization(s)
CAL FIRE OSFM
Publication Date
California Office of the State Fire Marshal's homepage for the Building Materials Listing Program, providing builders, contractors, architects, and others with access to a database of fire alarm systems and fire-resistant construction materials including roof coverings, wall, ceiling, and floor...

Building Materials Listings - Search Listing Services

Author(s)
Cal Fire Office of the State Fire Marshal
Organization(s)
Cal Fire,
CAL FIRE OSFM
Publication Date
California Office of the State Fire Marshal's compiled and searchable list of different building materials and their test results for fire resistance.

Building Orientation for Optimum Energy

Author(s)
Gromicko Nick,
Gromicko Ben
Organization(s)
InterACHI
Publication Date
Webpage explaining how to site and orient a house to take advantage of the solar path.

C-36 - Plumbing Contractor

Author(s)
California Contractors State License Board
Organization(s)
CSLB
Publication Date
California State Code of Regulations, Title 16, Division 8, Article 3, listing requirements for plumbing contractors.

CBE Thermal Comfort Tool

Author(s)
Tartarini Federico,
Schiavon Stefano,
Cheung Toby,
Hoyt Tyler
Organization(s)
Center for the Built Environment,
CBE,
UC Berkeley,
SinBerBEST,
Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore,
BEARS
Publication Date
Online tool for thermal comfort calculations and visualizations SoftwareX 12, 100563 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2020.100563