Library

Factsheet describing proper methods for installing vinyl siding and soffit coverings in high wind and coastal areas.

Report describing the identification of barriers and proposed practical solutions for the design, installation, and market adoption of heat pump water heaters in new low-rise multifamily housing, focusing on studio and one-bedroom units.

Factsheet describing tips for building or renovating with a focus on disaster resistance.

Report by the FEMA Mitigation Assessment Team on damages due to Hurricane Irma which struck Florida in September 2017, and recommendations for construction for future disaster resistance and preparedness.

Article presenting the 2008 update on the 2006 details on when required hurricane mitigation retrofits are required and the cost cap on required hurricane mitigation retrofits.

Code describing the requirements for existing site-built single-family homes to receive roof-to-wall retrofits when re-roofing.

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.

A document aimed at reducing the vulnerability of a gable end roof to wind damage in a hurricane.

Report describing the hurricane retrofit guide with focus on walls and wooded framed walls.

NOAA webpage providing images and short descriptions of different types of hurricane shutters.

Website detailing how to prepare for, stay safe during, and return home after hurricanes.

A news article documenting the milestone of the FORTIFED homes program surpassing 18,000 homes.

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.

Journal article presenting modeling of residential gas water heaters via dynamic simulation models to determine the effect of the pilot light on their annual energy consumption.

An impact test report from projectile missile tests against brick veneer, verifying that brick veneers perform well to resisting hurricane force wind driven debris.

Case study describing Alachua County, Florida’s, green infrastructure strategy for land use development that incorporates rain gardens, ponds, swales, and native vegetation to manage stormwater.

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.

This document covers how broken windows can allow wind and rain inside the house and even lead to roof failure.

Report describing the performance, economics, space heating impacts, and user satisfaction of heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) in the upper Midwest, based on a field study and survey of participants in the MECA HPWH incentive program.

Fact sheet describing principles of insulating steam distribution and condensate return lines as an effective way to prevent energy loss.

Article describing the insurance savings of a home with a hip roof versus a gable roof from the perspective of an insurance advisor.

Report describing the objective evaluation of space conditioning interactions between heat pump water heaters and home heating systems during winter 2016-2017, revealing a smaller than anticipated impact on space conditioning loads.

This webpage provides an interactive walk-through of the installation of a heat pump water heater in a home in Massachusetts, including how-to videos of the installation, video interviews with the homeowners, installer, and utility program partners, and visual tours of the home before and after...

Article describing how the configuration of surrounding buildings affects the wind loads on a hip roof in a low-rise building.

Website providing a probabilistic map of the expected number of damaging earthquakes around the U.S.

Article describing dozens of ideas on how to retrofit a home so it is more earthquake ready.

Guide describing tools for island and hurricane-prone communities on redevelopment and rehabilitation of homes to prepare for future natural disasters.

Report summarizing results of testing emerging combo water heating technologies under controlled laboratory operations, that differentiate the performance of the various packaged equipment configurations being offered.

Report describing research conducted to support California’s Title 24, Part 6 Building Energy Efficiency Standards by analyzing the impact of installation location and ventilation on heat pump water heater (HPWH) performance, emphasizing the need for proper installation to maximize efficiency...

A publication describing how to protect coastal investments by adapting to natural processes and protecting coastal environments and shorelines.

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.”

Guide describing sound mitigation measures to lower building natural disaster vulnerability to assist local officials and community decision makers in coastal areas.

Report identifying the target market for solar water heaters and potential pathways and cost/performance targets that must be met for these systems to realize large energy savings.

This webpage provides an interactive walk-through of the installation of a heat pump water heater in a home in Maine, including how-to videos of the installation, video interviews with the homeowners, installer, and utility program partners, and visual tours of the home before and after installation...

Web article describing many ways homeowners, contractors, and builders can make homes more resistant to hurricanes, tornadoes, high winds, floods, and hail.

Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.

Document pertaining to design and application guidance for combination space and tankless domestic hot water heating systems used in residential buildings, based on field evaluation, testing, and industry meetings.

Report describing the installation and operation of forced-air heating and domestic hot water combi systems in residential homes.

Document developed to help residential builders and retrofitters transition from tank-type water heaters to tankless water heaters.

Web resource that lays out the pre-work considerations, methods and finishes for installing mechanical insulation.

A presentation describing the standards regarding who is responsible for what part of the design to ensure the roof truss is properly designed and braced.

A Recovery Advisory guide reccomending practices for designing and installing metal roof systems that will enhance wind resistance in high-wind regions (i.e., greater than 90-miles per hour [mph] gust design wind speed).

Standard using performance-based principles to determine dead, live, soil, flood, tsunami, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, earthquake, wind, and fire loads, and their combinations for general structural design. This version of the standard was published in the year 2016 and is available in both digital...

Standard using performance-based principles to determine dead, live, soil, flood, tsunami, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, seismic, and wind loads, and their combinations for general structural design. The current version of this standard was published in the year 2022 and is available in both digital...

Standard using performance-based principles to determine dead, live, soil, flood, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, earthquake, and wind loads, and their combinations for general structural design. This version of the standard was published in the year 2010 and is available in both digital and print...

FEMA mitigation assessment team report following Hurricane Charley in Florida including observations, recommendations, and technical guidance for retrofitting hurricane-damaged homes.

FEMA Mitigation Assessment Team Report describing damages from Hurricane Michael in Florida in Oct. 2018 and recommendations for future hurricane preparedness.

Report providing a resource that communities can use to identify and evaluate a range of potential mitigation actions for reducing risk to natural hazards and disasters.

This paper discusses model validation using data from three thermosiphon systems.