Library

Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

The next generation of building enclosures is a key step toward achieving high-performance goals through decreasing energy load demand and enabling advanced space-conditioning systems. Yet the adoption of high-R enclosures and particularly high-R walls has been a slow-growing trend because...

A website issuing watches, warnings, forecasts, and analyses of hazardous tropical weather and increasing the understanding of hazards.

Building science insight into crawlspaces.

Webpage presenting updated maps for annual average temperature and precipitation in the contiguous U.S.

Report presenting the results of a study evaluating retrofit solutions for addressing the effects of wind washing on homes.

Report documenting actual energy savings of a retrofit project in Boulder, CO.

Article describing airflow within buildings due to pressure differences.

Webpage providing guidance for homeowners on how much snow weight a typical roof can handle and when to consider removing snow from the roof.

Website providing an online calculator for determining energy and cost savings from installing radiant barriers in attics.

U.S. Department of Energy's website describing radiant barriers in homes.

Website with answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about attic radiant barriers.

Document with important building science considerations, designed for members of the residential construction and remodeling industries, as well as owners and managers who work in affordable housing.

Report providing recommended designs and guidance for rebuilding homes destroyed by hurricanes in the Gulf Coast.

Article describing moisture and ice dam issues in attics and how to air seal the attic floor.

Technical report describing the research and development of the Ventilation-Integrated Comfort System (VICS) which is a specifically designed, energy-efficient solution that seamlessly integrates with low-capacity, ducted heating, and cooling systems, offering controllable, balanced energy recovery...

Research study identifying the best performing, most energy-efficient and cost- effective techniques to provide controlled mechanical ventilation and humidity control in hot- humid climates with thermally efficient building envelopes.

Report on air-sealing programs for energy-efficiency retrofits.

Q&A article discussing how to address moisture issues in an attic in a wet and humid coastal climate.

Report on hybrid ventilation methods for insulated and sealed crawl spaces.

Webpage providing information about design snow loads and a free interactive ground snow load mapping tool for the contiguous United States, as well as snow load calculation methods.

Standard that covers the minimum performance and acceptance criteria for an air barrier (AB) material or system for framed walls of low-rise buildings with the service life of the building wall in mind. This link directs to a preview of the current version of the standard, published in the year 2019...

Standard that covers the minimum performance and acceptance criteria for an air barrier (AB) material or system for framed walls of low-rise buildings with the service life of the building wall in mind. This link directs to a preview of the version of the standard that was published in the year 2011...

A website providing timely and accurate forecasts and watches for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes over the contiguous United States.

A research paper discussing the use of foundation heat exchangers for ground source heat pump systems in European climates.

This document covers a description of the need and applied solutions for supplemental dehumidification in warm-humid climates, especially for energy efficient homes where the sensible cooling load has been dramatically reduced.

Research study making several recommendations to whole-home program designers and implementers for improving the cost effectiveness and reach of whole-home programs.

Brochure with information about how to select and install house wrap and other weather-resistive barriers.

Article from Green Building Advisor on the importance of window selection in hot climates, with an emphasis on window glazing.

Standard 55 specifies conditions for acceptable thermal environments and is intended for use in design, operation, and commissioning of buildings and other occupied spaces; is the current version of the standard, which was published in the year 2021, and is available for preview and purchase at the...

Technical report describing the impact of thermal bridging in balcony connections, presenting alternative design strategies, performance analyses, and case studies to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in building envelopes.

Fact sheet poster describing the energy efficiency and comfort benefits of thin triple-pane windows as compared to standard triple-pane and double-pane windows.

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.

Information sheet about types and installation of insulation.

Website providing guidance for people to find and use tools, information, and subject matter expertise to build climate resilience.

Webpage for the United States Geological Survey for the Department of the Interior.

Information sheet providing definitions, applications, and techniques for applying air barriers.

Information sheet with methods for constructing or retrofitting basements to reduce moisture issues.

Interactive map maintained by the USDA showing plant hardiness zones throughout the U.S.

Technical fact sheet highlighting important building connections and illustrating the proper use of various types of connection hardware; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Building science report describing issues with vented attics in hot-humid climates and how sealed attic construction may be a solution.

Publication with installation guidance for vinyl siding.

Fact sheet describing how to identify heat-related illness and what actions to take.

An overview of impacts from weather, climate, and water extremes globally from 1970 to 2019 based on disaster data from the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT)

Webpage describing how different amounts and types of snow loads affect the structural integrity of roofs and homes.

Webpage from USDA and U.S. Forest Service with a map of potential wildfire risk across the U.S.

A website created by the U.S. Forest Service, containing interactive maps, charts and resources to help communities explore their risk to wildfires.

ENERGY STAR website to find the best windows by selecting your state and county (or zip code in California) to find your climate zone and learn more about picking the best product for your area.