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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 1 - 9 of 9

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.

ASCE 7 Hazard Tool

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. The tool is free to use and can look up data for eight different environmental hazard types: wind, tornado, seismic, ice, rain...

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

Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
Structural Engineering Institute,
SEI
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...

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

Author(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization(s)
ASCE,
Structural Engineering Institute,
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...

Automatic Seismic Gas Shut-Off Valve

Author(s)
Oscar Castillo
Organization(s)
4 Home Sales Realty
Publication Date
Article describing different types of earthquake shut-off valves for home buyers.

Earthquake Safety Checklist: FEMA B-526

Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
Organization(s)
FEMA,
NEHRP
Publication Date
Reference guide helping families prepare for an earthquake and prevent earthquake-related damage.

Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2017 Interim Report

Author(s)
Porter,
Scawthorn,
Dash,
Santos,
Eguchi,
Ghosh,
Huyck,
Isteita,
Mickey,
Rashed,
Schneider
Organization(s)
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.

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.

Seismic Design of Precast Concrete Diaphragms: A Guide for Practicing Engineers

Author(s)
Ghosh S K,
Cleland Ned M,
Naito Clay J,
Applied Technology Council,
ATC
Organization(s)
National Institute of Standards and Technology,
NIST
Publication Date
Document describing precast concrete earthquake design considerations including connections, detailing, and forces, among others.