Library

Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing using Earth-Sheltered home building techniques in hot climate zones.

Document explaining requirements and recommendations for defensible space, with a focus on sloped vegetation.

Webpage describing embodied carbon through definition, significance to climate, and importance to policymaking.

Research project addressing low-cost options that reduce monthly energy costs and improve the quality of life by enhancing comfort levels in low-income homes.

Website describing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR New Homes and Apartments program with links to builder and homeowner resources.

A FAQ explaining the purpose of the Energy Independence and Security Act, a law which sets energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs.

Paper describing the effects of tree shade on residential electricity consumption and energy savings in summer and winter.

ENERGY STAR factsheet describing the HVAC Quality Installation Program

A list of clothes dryers that made the EnergyStar Most Efficient list for 2021, delivering cutting technological innovation along with energy efficiency.

Webpage on the ENERGY STAR website that list products that exceed the ENERGY STAR minimum criteria for their category, with links to several product categories, including windows, HVAC, home appliances, and computer monitors.

Website showing compliance timelines for various versions of the ENERGY STAR Multi-Family New Construciton program requirements with links to national program requirements documents and checklists.

Webpage with links to documents providing the program requirements and checklists for ENERGY STAR Certified Multifamily Homes, national and regional program requirements.

Webpage with links to documents providing the program requirements and checklists for ENERGY STAR Certified Single-Family New Homes.

Archived 2014 EPA newsroom release describing new EnergyStar standards for clothes dryers.

Report describing construction site erosion and sediment control practices recommended and required by a county planning department.

Guidance documents describing Erosion Control Blankets (ECBs) use as a construction material that provides temporary cover and support for establishing vegetation on bare soil. ECB holds topsoil and seed (typically grass) in place to minimize erosion during germination of seed.

Factsheet describing steps builders should take to reduce erosion and control sediment on construction sites during home construction.

Document providing an example procedure for establishing acceptance-range criteria to assess results from software undergoing BESTEST-EX.

Website providing a compilation of guidance, case studies, tools, and training to assist local communities as they are in the midst of managing recovery post-disaster.

Fact sheet discussing safe room and storm shelter door assemblies along with ICC® 500 compliance.

Website providing links to scalable guidance and tools about the importance of earthquake mitiation to the private sector, its owners, managers, and employees.

Document explores alternatives to riprap on banks and waterways to mitigate bankside erosion in the Pacific Northwest.

Online geospatial map with interactive viewer showing flood risk areas and base flood elevations

Website describing the national flood insurance program and how to purchase flood insurance.

A address searchable geographic information system for visualizing the flood hazard of an address and its surrounding area.

A website providing information on funding for mitigation programs to reduce disaster losses under FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Report describing a project focused on the use of home energy ratings as a tool to promote energy retrofits in existing homes.

Guidelines from the University of California Cooperative Extension on how fires spread, how homes typically burn, and what homeowners can do to prepare their homes for wildfire season.

Articles, research, case studies, and more outlining considerations for planning and installation of a fire-protection system.

Webpage from FireSafe Marin explaining the vulnerability of different deck setups and materials.

Article from CAL FIRE on fire-resistant landscaping to mitigate ignition of homes.

List of guidelines for plants and their fire resistance from FIRESafe Marin.

Five step plan from the Tahoe Fire & Fuels team outlining how to create an effective defensible space for wildfire protection. Recommendations include siting for homes on slopes.

Journal article describing energy impacts from shade trees and forests and solar heating and air infiltration.

Webpage providing access to the training for building professionals to earn certification as FORTIFIED™ Home Evaluators and FORTIFIED-Wise credentials.

Article describing a numerical model that can be used to size foundation heat exchanger (FHX) systems.

Website with information about ENERGY STAR criteria for geothermal heat pumps.

Report detailing field walk-through evaluations, energy simulations for projected savings with exterior insulation upgrades, building envelope energy improvement cost estimates, and installation and maintenance of monitoring equipment and data.

Document describing living shoreline techniques for shoreline stabilization.

Article describing tree preservation during the construction process.

A comprehensive list of all ENERGY STAR home performance programs.

Web article about solar site assessment.

Report presenting seismic design and construction guidance for one- and two-family houses for homebuilders, knowledgeable homeowners, and other non-engineers.

Report detailing an evaluation of Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) residential energy efficiency demand side management (DSM) programs to assess their impacts and relative measures of energy and economic performance.

Article from The Earthbound Report on passive cooling design strategies for homes located in hot climates.

Article summarizing for potential homeowners items to check or demand from the builder in designing a home for a cold climate.

Factsheet describing the performance criteria and key components of DOE Zero Energy Ready homes.

Wildfire guidance for homes located in the wildland urban interface, focused on site design and individual pieces of the home.

Ignition resistant residential construction and landscaping guidelines from FireSafe Montana.

Report on on lessons learned from building one multifamily home to the Zero Energy Ready Home program requirements.