Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 51 - 100 of 250 results:

Built to Last, Understanding Thermal Movement in Residential Metal Roof Systems is Key to Long-term Performance

2016

Nick Sabino

National Roofing Contractors Association,

NRCA

An article discussing how different metal roof materials and attachment methods affect the ability of the roof to thermally expand and contract and the durability of different solutions.

Chimney Failure Most Common Damage In An Earthquake

2014

Tucker Jill

SFGate

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

Comparative Evaluation of the Impact of Roofing Systems on Residential Cooling Energy Demand in Florida

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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

Concrete and Clay Roof Tile - Design Criteria Installation Manual for Cold and Snow Regions

2015

Gillan Leland E,

Anderson Terry

Tile Roofing Institute,

TRI,

Western States Roofing Contractors Association,

WSRCA

Manual assisting architects, engineers, owners and roofing contractors for designing, specifying and installing roof tiles in areas of snow and ice.

Concrete and Clay Roof Tile - Design Criteria Installation Manual for Moderate Climate Regions

2010

Tile Roofing Institute

TRI

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

Concrete and Clay Tile - Installation Manual

2015

Tile Roofing Institute,

Western States Roofing Contractors Association

TRI,

WSRCA

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

Conditioned Crawl Space Construction, Performance and Codes, BA-0401

2004

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report outlining how conditioned crawlspaces perform better than vented crawlspaces in terms of safety, health, comfort, durability and energy consumption.

Continuous Rigid Insulation Sheathing/Siding

2013

National Association of Home Builders Research Center,

et al.

NAHB Research Center,

DOE,

GBA,

ORNL,

EPA

Document presenting step-by-step process for installing rigid insulating sheathing over wood studs or house wrap.

Cool Colored Materials for Roofs

2004

Akbari Hashem,

et al.

California Energy Commission,

CEC,

Public Interest Energy Research Program,

PIER,

Laboratory Directed Research and Development,

LDRD,

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

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

Cool Roofs

2023

ENERGY STAR

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA,

ENERGY STAR

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

Cool Roofs

2022

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

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

Cool Roofs Help Reduce Energy Costs

2023

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

EPA

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

Cool Surfaces Savings Explorer

2018

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

LBNL

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

Cooling Related Performance of Finished and Unfinished Metal Roofing Systems

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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.

Cost Analysis of Roof-Only Air Sealing and Insulation Strategies on 1 1/2-Story Homes in Cold Climates

2014

Ojczyk Cindy

University of Minnesota,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE,

NothernSTAR

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.

Cost Analysis of Roof-Only Air Sealing and Insulation Strategies on 1-1/2 Story Homes in Cold Climates, Minneapolis, MN

2014

University of Minnesota,

NorthernSTAR

NSTAR,

UMN

This case study describes costs associated with the External Thermal and Moisture Management System developed by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership for retrofitting roofs with rigid foam over the roof deck, especially on one and a half-story homes.

CRRC - Cool Roof Rating Council

2023

Cool Roof Rating Council

CRRC

Website providing information about the Cool Roof Rating Council including programs, membership, and resources for the construction industry.

Dam Ice Dam, BSI-046

2011

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Article describing strategies for reducing the risk of ice dam formation on roofs in winter.

De-Icing Ice Dams, BSI-097

2018

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Article describing the importance of air sealing, insulation, and roof ventilation in reducing the likelihood of ice dam formation on roofs in cold snowy climates.

Dealing with and preventing ice dams

2019

University of Minnesota Extension

University of Minnesota

Webpage explaining what causes the formation of ice dams on roofs and steps to take to prevent them.

Designing Houses That Keep Their Cool

2013

Wilson Alex

Green Building Advisor

Article from Green Building Advisor on strategies to take when building homes to reduce the need for air conditioning, including insulation, windows, site selection, and roofing.

Disconnect or Redirect Your Downspout Brochure

2020

Mid-America Regional Council

MARC

A guide on the use of rain barrels for greater water efficiency and use in gardens and lawns.

Discussion of Strategies for Mounting Photovoltaic Arrays on Rooftops

2001

Barkaszi Stephen F,

Dunlop James P

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

A research paper exploring the installation and mounting of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on rooftops and the challenges faced by system designers and installers.

DOE Steep Slope Calculator

2005

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

ORNL,

DOE

Simple web-based tool allowing homeowners to calculate the potential savings from installing a cool roof.

DOE Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers Program

2020

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

A PDF containing the SERC Solar PV System Field-Inspection Checklist.

Don’t Try Building Hugel Swales

2015

Spirko Jack

Permaculture Research Institute

Article describing the difference between swales and hugels (berms used to create soil from woody debris).

Effects of Roof Slope and Wind Direction on Wind Pressure Distribution on the Roof of a Square Plan Pyramidal Low-Rise Building Using CFD Simulation

2019

Roy Amrit Kumar,

Singh Jagbir

International Journal of Advanced Structural Engineering

Computer simulations comparing International Journal of Advanced Structural Engineering wind pressure differences between a gable-ended roof versus a hip roof versus a pyramidal-shaped roof.

Energy Renovations Insulation - A Guide for Contractors to Share with Homeowners, Volume 17

2012

Baechler Michael C,

et al.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document providing descriptions of the many insulation options available to homeowners, along with guidance on where, when, and how to install insulation throughout your house.

ETW: Building Profile: New - Albuquerque New Mexico

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet with details on a building enclosure designed for Albuquerque, NM, as an example for building enclosures built for hot-dry and mixed-dry climates.

ETW: Wall - Double Stud with Spray Foam Wall Construction

2014

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet briefly summarizing double stud with spray foam wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.

FEMA Avoiding Hurricane Damage: Action Items for Homeowners

2017

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Fact sheet describing how to prepare for hurricane season and mitigate damage from floods and high winds.

FEMA Best Practices for Minimizing Wind and Water Infiltration Damage - Hurricane Michael in Florida, Recovery Advisory 2

2019

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

A recovery advisory guide presenting important recommendations to reduce wind and water infiltration damage to new and existing residential buildings.

Field Evaluation of Efficient Building Technology with Photovoltaic Power Production in New Florida Residential Housing

1998

Parker Danny S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report comparing a high-performance house with a code-built control home.

Field Evaluation of Four Novel Roof Designs for Energy-Efficient Manufactured Homes

2015

Dentz Jordan,

et al.

Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions,

ARIES

Report of a field evaluation of four novel roof designs to see how each design would reduce space-conditioned energy use so that the knowledge gained could be applied to the design of new manufactured homes.

Field Performance of Unvented Cathedralized (UC) Attics in the USA, PA-0502

2005

Rudd Armin

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Journal article reporting on field experience of unvented cathedralized (UC) attics in several environments in the United States.

Field Testing of an Unvented Roof with Fibrous Insulation, Tiles, and Vapor Diffusion Venting

2016

Lstiburek Joseph W,

Ueno Kohta

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report describing research about a test implementation of an unvented tile roof assembly in a hot-humid climate.

Field Testing Unvented Roofs with Asphalt Shingles in Cold and Hot-Humid Climates

2015

Ueno Kohta,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report to understand the long-term moisture performance of unvented roof assemblies with fibrous insulation.

Field Trial of an Aerosol-Based Enclosure Sealing Technology

2015

Springer David,

Harrington Curtis

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report presenting the results from several demonstrations of a new method for sealing building envelop air leaks.

Flexible Residential Test Facility: Impact of Infiltration and Ventilation on Measured Cooling Season Energy and Moisture Levels

2014

Parker Danny S,

et al.

Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction,

BA-PIRC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Research report assessing the moisture and cooling load impacts of airtightness and mechanical ventilation in homes in hot-humid climates.

Flexible Roofing Facility: 2001 Summer Test Results

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of various roof types on cooling energy performance in a test facility.

Florida High Wind Concrete and Clay Tile Installation Manual, 5th Edition

2012

Tile Roofing Institute

TRI,

Florida Roofing Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association Inc.,

FRSA

Manual for proper installation practices, industry standards and the code requirements of roofing tiles for the Florida market.

Flow-Through Assemblies, BSI-091

2016

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Article discussing flow-through assemblies of walls.

Foam Shrinks, and Other Lessons, PA-1201

2012

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Journal article describing lessons learned from updating a 16-year-old deep-energy retrofit.

For Homes

2014

Florida Solar Energy Center

FSEC

Website with information for consumers about solar thermal systems for homes.