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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 - 18 of 18

Prevent Home Roof Damage from Heavy Snow and Ice.

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Webpage providing guidance for homeowners on how much snow weight a typical roof can handle and when to consider removing snow from the roof.

FORTIFIED Home Hurricane Technical Requirements Summary: Existing Homes

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Report summarizing the requirements for strenghtening and protecting the roof, openings in the house, and creating a continuous load path to strengthen walls and foundation per the IBHS Fortified Homes Hurricane Standard for Existing Homes.

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

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

Three-Dimensional Roof Snowdrifts

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety,
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
IBHS,
FEMA
Publication Date
Factsheet providing design guidance for engineers describing how to characterize snow drifts on roofs in three dimensions rather than two, as anticipated in the 2022 edition of the standards, ASCE 7 - Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures.

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

Author(s)
Corvidae Jacob,
Ayyagari Sheha
Organization(s)
Rocky Mountain Institute,
RMI
Publication Date
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.

FORTIFIED Home Choosing the Right Tape

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Checklist providing recommendations for the right tape in order to reduce the risk of leaks during storms with wind-driven rain.

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.

Dealing with and preventing ice dams

Author(s)
University of Minnesota Extension
Organization(s)
University of Minnesota
Publication Date
Webpage explaining what causes the formation of ice dams on roofs and steps to take to prevent them.

How to Prevent Roof Damage from Winter Ice Buildup

Author(s)
Dorsi Chris
Organization(s)
Montana State University Extension,
MSU Extension
Publication Date
Article from Montana State University Extension explaining how proper insulation techniques can greatly reduce the risks of ice dams on roofs in cold climate zones.

2019 Fortified Home New Construction Hurricane Technical Summary

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Report summarizing the requirements for strenghtening and protecting the roof, openings in the house, and creating a continuous load path to strengthen walls and foundation per the IBHS Fortified Homes Hurricane Standard for New Homes.

FORTIFIED Home Selection & Installation of Metal Roof Panels - Metal Panel Roof Covering: Guidance on Selection, Installation and Documentation

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Checklist providing selection and installation guidance for residential, non-structural metal roof systems installed over wood roof decks with a roof slope 2:12 or greater to comply with section R905.1 of the 2015 IRC for a FORTIFIED Roof – New Roof Designation.

FORTIFIED Home Technical Documents

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Website providing technical documents of checklists, calculators, bulletin, modular home toolkit, standard details, and corrosion resistance requirements – map set; describing the requirements of the IBHS Fortified Home program to improve the disaster resistance of new and existing homes.