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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 - 31 of 31

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

Author(s)
APA - The Engineered Wood Association
Organization(s)
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.

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.

Building America Best Practices Series Volume 15: 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Humid Climate

Author(s)
Baechler Michael C,
Gilbride Theresa L,
Hefty Marye G,
Cole Pam C,
Adams Karen T,
Noonan Chrissy F,
Love Pat M
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL
Publication Date
A guidebook helping builders design and construct homes that are among the most energy efficient available, while addressing issues such as building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort. Measures described in this guide can help builders in the hot-humid climate...

Building America Best Practices Series Volume 9: 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Dry and Mixed-Dry Climates

Author(s)
Baechler Michael C,
Gilbride Theresa L,
Hefty Marye G,
Williamson Jennifer,
Ruiz Kathi,
Bartlett Rosemarie,
Love Pat M
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL
Publication Date
Report providing builders in the hot-dry and mixed-dry climates with guidance for building homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Building in Extreme Cold, BSI-031

Author(s)
Lstiburek
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Article describing the control layers (air, thermal, and vapor barriers) needed to build homes successfully in very cold locations.

Building Profile: Hot-Dry/Mixed-Dry Climate: Albuquerque

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Information sheet with details on a building enclosure designed for Albuquerque, NM, as an example for building enclosures built for hot-dry and mixed-dry climates.

Conway Street Apartments: A Multifamily Deep Energy Retrofit

Author(s)
Aldrich Robb,
Williamson Jim
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Research report anayzing the results of a large retrofit project, turining an old school into near zero energy consumption apartments in Greenfield MA.

Cool Science: Overview

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

CRRC Website

Author(s)
Cool Roof Rating Council
Organization(s)
CRRC
Publication Date
Website providing information on cool roofs and walls for contractors, homeowners, architects, and code officials, including a directory of rated products.

FEMA P-804, Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential Buildings

Author(s)
Kapur,
Mahadevia,
Park,
Passman,
Perotin,
Reeder,
Seitz,
Sheldon,
Tezak
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Report providing guidance on how to improve the wind resistance of existing residential buildings in Mississippi and across the Gulf Coast.

Flash and Seal Roof Penetrations

Author(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs
Organization(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing flashing of roof penetrations to make a home more resistant to high winds, hurricanes, and rainwater intrusion.

Hurricane Retrofit Guide

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

Make your home more resilient for hurricane season

Author(s)
Blanchard Tobie,
Reichel Claudette Hanks
Organization(s)
LSU Ag Center Research Extension
Publication Date
Web article describing many ways homeowners, contractors, and builders can make homes more resistant to hurricanes, tornadoes, high winds, floods, and hail.

Moisture Control for Residential Buildings

Author(s)
Joseph Lstiburek
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

Potential benefits of cool walls on residential and commercial buildings across California and the United States: Conserving energy, saving money, and reducing emission of greenhouse gases and air pollutants

Author(s)
Rosado Pablo,
Levinson Ronnen
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Large scale simulation study investigating the effects of cool roofs and walls on buildings of various vintages across the U.S., with special attention given to California.

Preventing Ice Dams Fact Sheet

Author(s)
Wisconsin Focus on Energy
Organization(s)
Wisconsin Focus on Energy
Publication Date
Ice dam fact sheet from Wisconsin Focus on Energy explaining how to prevent future ice dams on homes by learning about their formation and mitigation of contributing factors.

Protect your Home from Hail

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Website providing guidance on how to reduce the risk of damage to a home from hail.

Protect Your Home from Ice Dams

Author(s)
IBHS DisasterSafety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
List of recommendations from IBHS on how to protect homes from ice dam formation.

Reduce Ice Dam and Icicle Damage

Author(s)
Kenneth Hellevang
Organization(s)
NDSU
Publication Date
Webpage explaining how to mitigate heat loss through roofs for ice dam prevention.

Wildfire-Resistant Buildings

Author(s)
Journal of Light Construction
Organization(s)
Journal of Light Construction
Publication Date
Article describing ways to design and construct a building to resist wildfires.

Wood Frame Roof-to-Wall Connections in Hurricane Retrofit Guide

Author(s)
Florida Division of Emergency Management
Organization(s)
Florida Division of Emergency Management
Publication Date
A hurricane retrofit guide describing techniques for strengthening roof-to-wall connections for family homes.