Library

Guide describing measures that builders in the cold and very cold climates can take to build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

Document about testing software predictions of retrofit energy savings in existing homes.

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

California Office of the State Fire Marshal's homepage for the Building Materials Listing Program, providing builders, contractors, architects, and others with access to a database of fire alarm systems and fire-resistant construction materials including roof coverings, wall, ceiling, and floor...

California Office of the State Fire Marshal's compiled and searchable list of different building materials and their test results for fire resistance.

Webpage explaining how to site and orient a house to take advantage of the solar path.

Document containing recommendations on how to brace roofs and gable end walls based on lessons learned from analyzing the destruction from hurricane Andrew.

California State Code of Regulations, Title 16, Division 8, Article 3, listing requirements for plumbing contractors.

Web article describing utility customer’s right to use back-up generators during emergency events, including Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).

Catalog describing FEMA earthquake-resistant construction resources.

Online tool for thermal comfort calculations and visualizations SoftwareX 12, 100563 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2020.100563

Website providing disaster preparedness information and resources for residents and building owners in locations susceptible to earthquakes.

Report summarizing the key opportunities, gaps, and barriers identified by the national laboratory white papers discussing long-term 50% energy reduction goals.

Fact sheet describing changes made to the 2010 Florida Building Code with regards to wind design loads and requirements.

Report recording the results of a field study conducted in a single historic home in Seattle, Washington, to document the performance of Indow Windows' interior storm window inserts.

News article from SFGate explaining and giving figures on how chimney failure is the most common type of damage to homes during an earthquake.

Website providing data indicating climate change.

Climate Consultant is a software tool for helping architects, builders, contractor, homeowners, and students to understand their local climate.

Report assessing the science of climate change with a focus on the U.S.

Fact sheet describing the characteristics that make for a successful coastal residential building, including design and construction recommendations; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Report describing retrofitting options and methodology for architects, developers, and property owners to use when making decisions about retrofits for common building types in NY.

Report providing tools and resources to help community planners to improve coastal resilience.

Volume 1 of a two-volume report providing a comprehensive approach to planning, siting, and risk management for homes constructed in coastal environments.

Volume II of a two-volume report providing a comprehensive approach to design, construction, and renovation of homes located in coastal environments.

Article summarizing the IBHS stance on building practices that can mitigate the impact of high winds and storm surge on structures.

Website providing a link for purchasing NFPA 914, Code for the Protection of Historic Structures.

Fact sheet describing what builders need to know about designing a structure for flood loads.

Website discussing building foundation problems caused by settling soil in Colorado.

Report about instrumentation and limited short-term testing completed on a retrofit unoccupied test house in Fresno, California.

An article illustrating common errors found in fiber cement siding installations. Many of these errors and poor flashing examples apply to siding materials beyond fiber cement siding.

Study investigating measured cooling energy performance in side-by-side identical homes with varying roof types, including cool roof technologies.

Research study comparing various retrofit models in Wisconsin to evaluate performance in terms of savings per home and program cost per home to assess the relative cost effectiveness of each program design.

Installation manual describing proper installation practices, industry standards and the code requirements of roofing tiles.

Document discussing moisture considerations and testing techniques for concrete floors.

Guidance from Zero Energy Project on construction techniques for warmer climates, such as home orientation, and insulation requirements.

Article describing construction best practices to help reduce the wind-induced pressure loads on a low-rise building during a hurricane.

Brochure helping homeowners identify hazards, work with contractors to remove the hazards, help ensure the work is done properly, and educate when they can return safely to the home.

Study describing efforts and outcomes in developing color-pigmented roofing products with coatings to increase solar reflectance.

Article describing the difference between conditioned or unvented attics and unconditioned or vented attics.

Paper describing the effects of tree canopies on residential climates indicating tree cover to be beneficial to climate conditions

ENERGY STAR webpage discussing the costs and benefits of cool roofs.

Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing 'cool roofs' and their usage for passive home cooling.

Web page providing information on the types of cool roofs and their benefits to consumers.

Tool developed by LBNL to calculate potential savings from increasing wall and roof solar reflectance.

Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of finished and unfinished metal roofing systems on cooling energy performance in a test facility.

DOE Energy Saver webpage summarizing the use of whole-house fans for cooling.

Report providing recommendations to builders regarding how to reduce cooling loads, use air-circulation fans, natural ventilation, window and building design for natural ventilation, and whole-house fans.

A fact sheet providing information on termite species and how to prevent them from entering into your home.

Report exploring alternative methods to find long-term solutions to energy loss in 1 ½-story homes to save energy, improve comfort, prevent frost buildup on the underside of the roof deck, and reduce the risk of ice dam formation/reformation.

Report describing the analytical study of renewable energy retrofits to homes built before 1980 and whether it is cost efficient or not.