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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 451 - 500 of 799

Mass Save Deep Energy Retrofit Builder Guide, GM-1302

Author(s)
Neuhauser Ken,
Gates Cathy,
Pettit Betsy
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
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.

Measure Guideline: Guidance on Taped Insulating Sheathing Drainage Planes

Author(s)
Grin Aaron,
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
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.

Measure Guideline: Guide to Attic Air Sealing

Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation
Publication Date
Guideline describing information and specifications relevant to air-seal existing attics.

Measured and Simulated Performance of Reflective Roofing Systems in Residential Buildings

Author(s)
Huang Yu Joe,
Konopacki Steven,
Gartland Lisa,
Gu Lixing,
Parker Danny S,
Sherwin John S
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Study investigating measured cooling energy savings in homes across the U.S. from the installation of roofing with higher solar reflectance.

Measured Impacts of Air Conditioner Condenser Shading

Author(s)
Sonne Jeffrey K,
Parker Danny S,
Barkaszi Stephen F
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Paper describing energy savings in space cooling from shading condenser units.

Measurement of the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient and U Value of Windows with Insect Screens

Author(s)
Brunger Alfred,
Harrison Stephen,
Dubrous Francois M
Organization(s)
American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating,
American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
ASHRAE
Publication Date
Technical article presenting the results of an analysis on the effect of insect screens on window solar heat gain coefficients and U-values.

Metal Roof Systems in High-Wind Regions - Hurricane Ike Recovery Advisory

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
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).

Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, ASCE/SEI 7-16

Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
SEI
Publication Date
Standard using performance-based principles to determine dead, live, soil, flood, tsunami, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, earthquake, wind, and fire loads, and their combinations for general structural design. This version of the standard was published in the year 2016 and is available in both digital...

Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, ASCE/SEI 7-22

Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
SEI
Publication Date
Standard using performance-based principles to determine dead, live, soil, flood, tsunami, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, seismic, and wind loads, and their combinations for general structural design. The current version of this standard was published in the year 2022 and is available in both digital...

Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, ASCE/SEI 7-10

Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
SEI
Publication Date
Standard using performance-based principles to determine dead, live, soil, flood, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, earthquake, and wind loads, and their combinations for general structural design. This version of the standard was published in the year 2010 and is available in both digital and print...

Mitigation Ideas: A Resource for Reducing Risk to Natural Hazards

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
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.

Mold: Worker and Employer Guide to Hazards and Recommended Controls

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Organization(s)
EPA,
HUD,
NIH,
OSHA
Publication Date
Worker guidance from EPA, HUD, NIH, and OSHA on how to deal with mold in homes following natural disasters.

MPI Green Performance Standard

Author(s)
Master Painters Institute
Organization(s)
MPI
Publication Date
List of products approved by the Master Painters Institute.

National Flood Insurance Technical Bulletins

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Resources describing the National Flood Insurance Program's technical bulletins for flood zone construction, including foundation walls, corrosion protection, floodproofing, and breakaway walls among other topics.

National Hazard Mitigation Association

Author(s)
Natural Disasters Association,
National Hazard Mitigation Association
Organization(s)
NDA,
NHMA
Publication Date
Website providing information on tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms and more.

National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center

Author(s)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
National Weather Service
Organization(s)
NOAA,
NWS
Publication Date
A website issuing watches, warnings, forecasts, and analyses of hazardous tropical weather and increasing the understanding of hazards.

Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2017 Interim Report

Author(s)
Schneider Philip J,
Santos Janet,
Rashed Tarek,
Mickey Kathelene,
Isteita Maher,
Huyck Charles,
Ghosh Simi,
Eguchi Ronald,
Dash Nicole,
Scawthorn Charles,
Porter Keith
Organization(s)
Natural Institute of Building Science,
NIBS
Publication Date
Report updating and expanding on a 2005 study that found, among other things, that every $1 of natural hazard mitigation funded by FEMA between 1993 and 2003 saved the American people an average of $4 in avoided future losses.

Natural Hazards

Author(s)
U.S. Geological Survey
Organization(s)
USGS
Publication Date
Website containing USGS-related publications related to natural hazards.

Natural Hazards and Sustainability for Residential Buildings, FEMA P-798

Author(s)
Gromala David S,
Kapur Omar,
Kochkin Vladimir,
Line Philip,
Passman Samantha,
Reeder Adam,
Trusty Wayne
Organization(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
FEMA
Publication Date
Report describing the interactions, both positive and negative, between common green building practices and the robustness of residential buildings to withstand natural hazards.

Natural Ventilation

Author(s)
Energy Saver
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
DOE Energy Saver webpage providing a brief summary of natural ventilation for houses.

New and Substantially Improved Buildings - Fuel Systems

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Guide for fuel systems design including installation guidance and formulas for calculating loads and buoyancy forces for specifying number, type and capacity of strapping for hold-downs in flood-prone areas.

New LSSJ Hanger Strengthens Jack Rafter Connections

Author(s)
Simpson Strong Tie
Organization(s)
Simpson Strong Tie Structural Engineering Blog
Publication Date
Article describing a steel connector product for jack rafter connections.

New National Guide for Wildland-Urban Interface Fires

Author(s)
National Research Council Canada
Organization(s)
NRCC
Publication Date
Report for local governments, planners, emergency managers, developers, insurers, and property owners describing ways to improve the wildfire resistance of buildings, infrastructure and communities in the wildland urban interface.

NFPA 1142 – Standard on Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
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.

NFPA 22 – Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
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.

NFPA 25 - Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
An NFPA standard for inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire sprinklers, including fire pump operation and flow tests, evaluation techniques such as sprinkler inspections, valve status tests, internal piping assessments, and forward flow tests for backflow preventers, and water storage system...

NFPA 70: National Electric Code

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
This standard provides a benchmark for safe electrical design, installation, and inspection to protect people and property from electrical hazards and has been adopted in all 50 states.

NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
Standard establishing criteria for levels of health care services or systems based on risk to the patients, staff, or visitors in health care facilities to minimize the hazards of fire, explosion, and electricity.

NW Seismic: Seismic Retrofits

Author(s)
Wieber Michael
Organization(s)
NW Seismic
Publication Date
A website containing a video series by NW Seismic illustrating how a seismic retrofit should be done and ways they are done incorrectly.