Skip to main content

Library

Explore this extensive library of building science guidance including research reports from DOE’s Building America program as well as hundreds of other articles, fact sheets, webpages, and reference documents related to constructing and renovating homes.

Showing 151 - 200 of 339 results:

Hail Supplement to the High Wind Standard

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
·
Organization(s)
IBHS
Description
Guide describing the requirements by FORTIFIED Home™ for improving the home's resistance to high wind and hail.

Heat Island Effect

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
·
Organization(s)
EPA
Description
EPA webpage explaining the heat island effect and providing links to related content.

Heat Island Group - Berkeley Lab

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Heat Island Group,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
·
Organization(s)
LBNL
Description
LBNL webpage introducing heat island effect and cool materials concepts, and providing links to LBNL pages explaining cool pavements, cool roofs, and cool walls.

Heat Island Group: Resources

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Heat Island Group,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
·
Organization(s)
LBNL
Description
LBNL webpage providing resources and tools related to cool technologies, including the SRI calculator and the DOE Cool Roof Calculator.

Heat.gov

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Integrated Heat Health Information System,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
·
Organization(s)
NOAA,
NIHHIS
Description
Federal webpage providing information regarding extreme heat and health for the United States.

High Performance Walls in Hot-Dry Climates

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Hoeschele Marc,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
Article from NREL on wall construction guidelines for homes in hot climate zones.

High-Efficiency Window Air Conditioners

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
·
Organization(s)
DOE
Description
Factsheet profiling a simple modification that can be made to window air-conditioners to improve their energy efficiency.

Home Cooling Systems

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Energy Saver
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
Website providing information on low-energy and standard cooling systems, with a focus on saving energy.

House Siding Options, Plus Costs, Pros & Cons 2020

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Siding Cost Guide
·
Organization(s)
Siding Cost Guide
Description
A starting point for ballparking and comparing the cost of different siding materials and a brief overview of the pros and cons of different siding materials.

How Many Hours-of-Safety Do Our Homes Have in Extreme Weather?

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Corvidae Jacob,
Ayyagari Sheha
·
Organization(s)
Rocky Mountain Institute,
RMI
Description
Article from RMI on how climate change is leading to an increase in critical extreme heat hours and what smart building strategies can be taken to mitigate some of these effects including paint color and insulation.

How to Create a Naturally Cool Building

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Williams Jeremy
·
Organization(s)
The Earthbound Report
Description
Article from The Earthbound Report on passive cooling design strategies for homes located in hot climates.

How to Destroy a Wall in Two Easy Steps

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Parlee Mark
·
Organization(s)
Journal of Light Construction
Description
Article describing how omission of two small but critical wall details, a kick-out flashing and a weep screed, lead to extensive water damage to a wall.

HUD 2024 Housing Innovation Showcase Poster: Window Attachments Keep out the Heat

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Katherine Cort,
Theresa Gilbride
·
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Description
Factsheet outlining how window attachments like cellular shades, roller shades, storm windows with low-emissivity coatings, and solar screens are low-cost steps that can be implemented to keep homes cool in the summer.

Hurricane Preparedness Digital Toolkit

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Description
Webpage containing a library of ready-to-use social media posts, graphics and video links that promote life-saving information about how individuals and families can prepare for and survive during a hurricane.

Hurricane Retrofit Guide - Gable End Overhangs

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Florida Disaster
·
Organization(s)
Florida Division of Emergency Management
Description
A document aimed at reducing the vulnerability of a gable end roof to wind damage in a hurricane.

Hurricane Retrofit Guide - Wood Frame Walls

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Florida Disaster
·
Organization(s)
Florida Division of Emergency Management
Description
Report describing the hurricane retrofit guide with focus on walls and wooded framed walls.

Hurricane Shutter Types

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Hurricane Research Division,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
·
Organization(s)
NOAA
Description
NOAA webpage providing images and short descriptions of different types of hurricane shutters.

Hurricanes

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Description
Website detailing how to prepare for, stay safe during, and return home after hurricanes.

ICC-ES Evaluation Report, ESR-1679

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ICC Evaluation Service
·
Organization(s)
ICC Evaluation Service
Description
ICC-ES Evaluation Report reviewing proprietary steel shear wall panels developed by Simpson Strong-Tie Company to resist vertical and lateral loads in walls resulting from wind or earthquakes.

Impact Resistance of Brick Veneer Structures to Hurricane Debris

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Bennett Richard M,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Canada Masonry Design Centre,
CMDC
Description
An impact test report from projectile missile tests against brick veneer, verifying that brick veneers perform well to resisting hurricane force wind driven debris.

Indirect/Passive Air-Flow Systems

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Kang Bhujon,
Lutz-Carillo Sky
·
Organization(s)
University of Texas
Description
Report detailing natural ventilation and passive airflow systems.

Indoor AirPlus

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
·
Organization(s)
EPA
Description
Indoor airPLUS is a voluntary partnership and labeling program that helps new home builders improve the quality of indoor air by requiring construction practices and product specifications that minimize exposure to airborne pollutants and contaminants.

Install Window Shutters

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Knowles III Hal S,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
University of Florida IFAS Extension
Description
This document covers how broken windows can allow wind and rain inside the house and even lead to roof failure.

Installing and Maintaining Evaporative Coolers

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Otterbein Roy
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
Article describing what evaporative coolers are, how they work, different types, performance, where they are appropriate, and how to install and maintain them.

Insurance Difference Between a Hip and Gable Roof

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Colucci Robert
·
Organization(s)
RTC Insurance Advisors
Description
Article describing the insurance savings of a home with a hip roof versus a gable roof from the perspective of an insurance advisor.

Interference Effects on Wind Loads on Low-Rise Hip Roof Buildings

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Ahmad Shakeel,
Kumar Krishen
·
Organization(s)
Aligarh Muslim University,
University of Roorkee
Description
Article describing how the configuration of surrounding buildings affects the wind loads on a hip roof in a low-rise building.

Introduction to the National Seismic Hazard Maps

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Geological Survey,
Earthquake Hazards Program
·
Organization(s)
USGS
Description
Website providing a probabilistic map of the expected number of damaging earthquakes around the U.S.

Is Your Home Ready for an Earthquake?

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Yeats Robert
·
Organization(s)
Oregon State University
Description
Article describing dozens of ideas on how to retrofit a home so it is more earthquake ready.

Keep Your Cool in Hot Weather

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Center for Environmental Health,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
·
Organization(s)
NCEH,
CDC
Description
Web page describing how to identify heat-related illness and how to prevent it.

Keeping Homes and Cities Cool in Extreme Heat

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Kyle Mittan
·
Organization(s)
University of Arizona
Description
Article from University of Arizona on keeping homes cool during extreme heat, both personal and system changes.

Load Paths, FEMA Technical Fact Sheet No. 4.1 

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
·
Organization(s)
FEMA
Description
Factsheet describing the concept of load paths and the important connections in a wind uplift load path; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Local Officials Guide for Coastal Construction, FEMA P-762

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
·
Organization(s)
FEMA
Description
Guide describing sound mitigation measures to lower building natural disaster vulnerability to assist local officials and community decision makers in coastal areas.