Library

Guide providing minimum design and construction requirements for storm shelters that provide a safe refuge from storms that produce high winds, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

Report summarizing the wind-resistant provisions of the 2015 edition of the International Building Code.

Standards book discussing the minimum standards of total system balance of HVAC systems.

Standard covering equipment sizing loads for single-family-detached homes, small multi-unit structures, condo­miniums, town houses and manufactured homes.

Technical manual from ACCA outlining correct methods for zoning of residential HVAC systems.

Report describing the experience gained from AIA’s Disaster Assistance Program with first-hand accounts of disaster response and recovery, case studies and other best practices, including approaches to designing buildings to be more adaptable to uncertainty.

Report analyzing design heating load sizing methods for superinsulated homes in cold climates and comparing them to the actual energy usage to determine if the building load calculation methodology should be changed for calculating the design heating load of these homes.

A report that evaluates the force it takes to crack stucco of various thicknesses.

Code establishing the rules of safety relating only to pressure integrity for the design, fabrication, and inspection of boilers and pressure vessels during construction which was published in the year 2017 and is available to order at the referenced link.

Code establishing the rules of safety relating only to pressure integrity for the design, fabrication, and inspection of boilers and pressure vessels during construction which was published in the year 2021 and is available to order at the referenced link.

Training manual on how to locate ducts within conditioned space and compact design.

Report describing strategies to improve the aging steam heating systems in New York City to improve energy efficiency, reduce oil and gas usage, and cut maintenance costs.

FEMA risk management series guide on hospital safety and resilience to natural disasters.

Report providing information on ways to incentivize funding of hazard mitigation programs.

Report outlining the issues with using existing ducts with a new low-load HVAC system, which reduces throw at supply registers causing decreased mixing of supply and room air, leading to potential thermal comfort complaints.

A fact sheet on how to prepare for a natural disaster by storing food and water through an emergency food supply.

Website article touring areas hit hardest by tornadoes to see how they are building differently to protect against the next big twister.

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

Correcting pressure imbalances in your HVAC system can result in a healthier, more efficient home.

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

Central return designs require an open pathway between the room and the heart of the house where the return grill is located.

Standard technical manual with information about HVAC balancing, testing air and hydronic systems.

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.

Website containing USGS-related publications related to natural hazards.

A fact sheet educating the public on the potential hazards and safe use of portable generators.

Website providing guidance on how to reduce the risk of damage to a home from hail.

Database describing FEMA preparedness webinars including natural hazard preparedness.

Fact sheet describing how to prepare for a natural disaster and assemble a disaster supply kit.

A fact sheet providing tips on how to assemble a kit of food, water and other disaster supplies in the event of an emergency.

Report describing the testing of various siding materials for their ability to resist bullets from small firearms.

Fact sheet describing how to install bracing to retrofit roof dormers for increased wind resistance.

FEMA information on safe room funding to regional governments.

Report covering the planning, design, construction, and operation of residential and community safe rooms. Written for architects, engineers, building officials, local officials and emergency managers, and prospective safe room owners and operators.

Article describing suggested food supplies, sanitation, safety, and cooking for during and after an emergency.

Report presenting safe room designs and showing the homeowner and builder/contractor or local design professional how to construct a safe room for a home or small business.

Webpage describing the standards, seminars, exams, etc regarding testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB).

Projectile missile testing of various wall panel configuration to understand how the different wall constructions would perform when struck with wind driven debris from a hurricane.

Article about installing balanced ventilation systems.

Report on a project conducted to better understand the current usage of thermostatic radiator valves by key market players in steam and hot water heating and to conduct limited experiments on the effectiveness of new and old thermostatic radiator valves as a means of controlling space temperatures...

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

Article describing how adhesives can be used to make homes in high-wind locations stronger and how adhesives could be too effective resulting in overloading foundation anchors under earthquake loads.

A review on the knowledge about ventilated wall claddings from field performance and hydrothermal modeling.

Article discussing the risks that can occur from undercutting bedroom doors to provide return airflow from bedrooms, as well as corrective measures that can be taken to address these risks.

A heat map showing the average number of tornadoes per year across the United States

Web article describing the defining characteristics of the CW and AW window performance classes.

Article discussing structural and nonstructural building components and illustrates a variety of wind-induced damages, including wind-driven rain infiltration.