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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 51 - 100 of 224

Designing Your Home to Survive Wildfires

Author(s)
Milne Murray
Organization(s)
University of California Los Angeles,
UCLA
Publication Date
Wildfire resistant home checklist from Murray Milne, a professor of architecture at UCLA, who outlines seven steps to take to improve a home's chance of survival during a wildfire.

Firebreak - Wildfire Resilience Strategies for Real Estate

Author(s)
Urban Land Institute
Organization(s)
Urban Land Institute
Publication Date
Updated wildfire risk assessment, community impacts, and building science measures following the disastrous 2020 wildfire season in the western U.S.

FAQs -- After Gutting a Flooded Home

Author(s)
Louisiana State University College of Agriculture
Organization(s)
LSU AgCenter
Publication Date
Webpage from LSU AgCenter answering frequently asked questions after gutting a flooded home, including mitigation strategies for future floods.

New Single-family Homes in 2019

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Organization(s)
HUD
Publication Date
An interactive website providing facts on new, single-family homes constructed in 2019.

Residential Energy Dynamics

Author(s)
Residential Energy Dynamics
Organization(s)
RED
Publication Date
A free tool used to calculate the required minimum flow rate of dwelling-unit ventilation.

Smart Ventilation Controls Boost Energy Efficiency and Indoor Air Quality

Author(s)
Burkett Helen,
Martin Eric
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Fact sheet outlining the research behind how smart ventilation controls boost energy efficiency and indoor air quality, including research findings from seasonal temperature, timer, and real-time weather-based controls showing that all three systems showed potential for energy savings while...

Remodeling Magazine

Author(s)
Remodeling Magazine
Organization(s)
Remodeling Magazine
Publication Date
Remodeling Magazine website.

FORTIFIED Home a Program of IBHS

Author(s)
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
Organization(s)
IBHS
Publication Date
Website describing the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)'s Fortified Home program which offers home builders standards and guidance for constructing and renovating homes for increased disaster resistance.

DOE Building Energy Codes Program

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Website providing information on U.S. residential and commercial building codes including adoption status.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Program

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
DOE
Publication Date
Homepage for DOE's Zero Energy Ready Homes program.

FLASH website

Author(s)
Federal Alliance For Safe Homes
Organization(s)
FLASH
Publication Date
Website containing resources from the nonprofit FLASH, which "is the country’s leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from natural and manmade disasters."

List of Codes & Standards

Author(s)
National Fire Protection Association
Organization(s)
NFPA
Publication Date
Webpage published by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) that lists more than 300 consensus codes and standards intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks.

Earthquake Retrofit Your Home

Author(s)
City of San Jose,
State of California,
Planning Building and Code Enforcement
Organization(s)
City of San Jose,
State of California,
Planning Building and Code Enforcement
Publication Date
Factsheet describing ways to retrofit a home to make it more earthquake resistant.

Ignition Resistant Construction Design Manual

Author(s)
Colorado Springs Fire Department
Organization(s)
City of Colorado Springs,
State of Colorado
Publication Date
Wildfire guidance for homes located in the wildland urban interface, focused on site design and individual pieces of the home.

Cost of Constructing a Home

Author(s)
Ford Carmel
Organization(s)
National Association of Home Builders,
NAHB
Publication Date
Document describing the methodology and results from 2009 to 2019 of the National Association of Home Builders' Construction Cost survey, which collects information from builders on the various components that go into the sales price of a typical single-family home.

Homeowner’s Guide to Earthquake Safety

Author(s)
California Seismic Safety Commission
Organization(s)
SSC,
State of California
Publication Date
Guidebook that provides information on earthquake hazards that can damage homes, the design and retrofit of earthquake resistant housing, and how to find more information on earthquake safety.

LEED v4.1 Certification Program

Author(s)
U.S Green Building Council
Organization(s)
USGBC
Publication Date
Website explaining the LEED v4.1 program and providing a portal for those who want to investigate or start a LEED project.

Standard 62.2-2019 - Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings, ANSI/ASHRAE

Author(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
American National Standards Institute
Organization(s)
ASHRAE,
ANSI
Publication Date
Standard that defines the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings; published in the year 2019, and is available for preview and purchase at the...

Air Sealing Colorado Homes – 10.634

Author(s)
Weiner C.
Organization(s)
Colorado State University,
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
USDA
Publication Date
Fact sheet describing air-sealing concerns and remedies, including HRV/ERV installation, caulking, spray foam, and weatherstrip installation.

2012 International Building Code - IBC

Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
2009 edition of code for commercial buildings that brings together all structural, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and electrical provisions for all buildings except detached one- and two-family residences and townhouses up to three stories.

Preparing for a Winter Storm

Author(s)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Organization(s)
CDC
Publication Date
Webpage describing steps homeowners can take to prepare their home and car for winter storms.

The Growing Threat of Urban Flooding: A National Challenge 2018

Author(s)
Texas A&M University,
University of Maryland
Organization(s)
Texas A&M University,
University of Maryland
Publication Date
Article from Texas A&M University and the University of Maryland analyzing why and how urban flooding happens and what can be done to mitigate damage.

Extended Plate and Beam Wall System

Author(s)
Home Innovation Research Labs,
U.S. Department of Energy
Organization(s)
HIRL,
DOE
Publication Date
Report that demonstrates the durability, constructability, and cost-effectiveness of the extended plate and beam (EP&B) wall system for new construction housing projects in compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code, addressing moisture risk management and high-performance envelope...

2009 International Building Code - IBC

Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
2009 edition of code for commercial buildings that brings together all structural, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and electrical provisions for all buildings except detached one- and two-family residences and townhouses up to three stories.

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II: Shallow Plus Retrofits

Author(s)
Sutherland Karen,
Martin Eric,
Chasar Dave,
Amos Bryan,
Parker Danny S
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,
BA-PIRC
Publication Date
Report describing single retrofit measures applied to shallow retrofitted homes that could be used to refine the deep retrofit package.

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase I: Shallow and Deep Retrofits

Author(s)
Sutherland Karen,
Chasar Dave,
Montemumo Joseph,
Amos Bryan,
Kono Jamie E,
Parker Danny S
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Report describing research on how to reduce energy used by residential homes by applying shallow and deep retrofits to an existing home.

Public Housing: A Tailored Approach to Energy Retrofits

Author(s)
Dentz Jordan,
Conlin Francis,
Podorson David,
Alaigh Kunal,
Davis T
Organization(s)
Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions,
ARIES,
Levy Partnership,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Report presenting ways public housing authorities (PHAs) can develop packages of energy efficiency retrofit measures the PHAs can cost-effectively implement with their own staff in the normal course of housing operations at the time when units are refurbished between occupancies.

2015 International Energy Conservation Code - IECC

Author(s)
International Code Council
Organization(s)
ICC
Publication Date
2015 edition of code establishing a baseline for energy efficiency by setting performance standards for the building envelope (defined as the boundary that separates heated/cooled air from unconditioned, outside air), mechanical systems, lighting systems and service water heating systems in homes...

Building America Research-to-Market Plan

Author(s)
Werling Eric
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Report presenting the building america research to market plan.

Retrofitting a 1960s Split-Level, Cold-Climate Home

Author(s)
Puttagunta Srikanth
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Report on air-sealing programs for energy-efficiency retrofits.

Building Materials Property Table, Info-500

Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
Organization(s)
BSC
Publication Date
Document presenting some of the key technical properties of many of the most common building materials.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Lessons learned

Author(s)
Less Brennan,
Walker Iain S
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Lessons Learned chapter focuses on successful deep energy retrofit projects throughout the U.S.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Occupant Behavior

Author(s)
Less Brennan,
Walker Iain S
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Occupant Behavior chapter discusses how to assess homeowner behavior patterns and use these patterns to enhance overall energy savings.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Over-Time, Phased Guidance

Author(s)
Less Brennan,
Walker Iain S
Organization(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
LBNL
Publication Date
Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Over Time, Phased Guidance chapter presents a phased approach to deep energy retrofits.

ENERGY STAR

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
ENERGY STAR website providing information about programs, products and energy efficiency information.

Greenbuilt Retrofit Test House Final Report

Author(s)
Earle Lieko,
Tabares-Velasco Paulo Cesar,
Barker Greg M,
Hudon Kate,
Sparn Bethany,
Hancock C E
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Mountain Energy Partnership
Publication Date
Research report presenting results of short term tests on measures used in an energy efficiency retrofit project in California.

Performance of a Hot-Dry Climate Whole-House Retrofit

Author(s)
German Alea,
Porse Erik,
Weitzel Elizabeth
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
Davis Energy Group
Publication Date
Report presenting performance results from tests conducted on an energy efficiency retrofit project in Stockton, California.

Evaluation of Missed Energy Saving Opportunity - Based on Illinois Home Performance Program Field Data: Homeowner Selected Upgrades Versus Cost-Optimized Solutions

Author(s)
Milby M,
Baker Julie D,
Yee Shannon
Organization(s)
Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit,
PARR
Publication Date
Study investigating homeowner measure package choices in the Illinois Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program compared to cost-optimal choices determined through Building Energy Optimization (BEopt) modeling software.