Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 80 results:

Actions for Flood Resilient Homes: Wet Floodproofing

2020

City of Edina

Report providing guidance on wet floodproofing crawlspaces, unfinished basements, and garages.

Adding Insulation when Re-Siding

2023

Gilbride Theresa L

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

Fact sheet poster describing how to add exterior, continuous, rigid insulation to the exterior walls when replacing siding on an existing home.

ASCE Ground Snow Loads

2017

Wilkerson

Medeek Design

Webpage providing mapping tool for obtaining ground snow load, based on ASCE 7-10, for any location in the contiguous United States, with the exception of locations requiring a case study due to extreme local variations in ground snow loads. Fee required for some data.

Basement Insulation Systems, BA-0202

2002

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Report describing approaches to insulating basements in homes built to meet Energy Star levels of performance of heat loss reduction.

Basement Insulation Technology Fact Sheet

2002

Southface Energy Institute

SEI,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Fact sheet describing basement insulation considerations.

Basement Insulation, Info 511

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet describing techniques for insulating basements.

Bay Area Seismic Retrofit

2020

Bay Area Retrofit

YouTube channel featuring 90+ videos to educate Bay Area homeowners and contractors about seismic retrofitting, including information for various home and construction types.

Brick Masonry Rain Screen Walls

1994

Brick Industry Association

BIA

Document focusing on the design and wall components that contribute to a pressure equalized rain screen wall, including the frequency of the weep holes and other brick masonry rain screen wall requirements.

Building America Building Science Advisor

2019

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

ORNL,

DOE

Web based tool providing decision-making guidance for selecting wall assembly components.

CARB Regulations Allow for the Use of Back-Up Generators During a Public Safety Power Shutoff

2019

California Air Resources Board

CARB

Web article describing utility customer’s right to use back-up generators during emergency events, including Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).

Classic Rib® Install Guide

2019

Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation

MS Manufacturing Corporation

Installation manual for installing metal panel siding.

Common Siding Failures - Avoid errors that will cause a fiber-cement job to fail

2015

Parlee Mark

The Building Consultant

An article illustrating common errors found in fiber cement siding installations. Many of these errors and poor flashing examples apply to siding materials beyond fiber cement siding.

Concrete Floor Problems, BSI-003

2008

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Information guide describing issues with concrete floors, in multiple climate zones.

Construction Defects – Mortar Bridging and Mortar Droppings Still Plague the Industry

2014

Stephan Bill

Metropolitan Engineering Consulting & Forensics,

MECF

Article about how mortar droppings during the installation of a brick veneer can clog the weep holes in the wall assembly causing moisture damage. The article also illustrates products that can be installed in the ventilated cavity to mitigate this problem.

Crawlspace Insulation

2009

Southface Energy Institute,

et al.

ORNL,

SEI,

DOE

Information sheet about crawlspace insulation, including installation details.

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.

Drain the Rain…On the Plane…the Drainage Plane, BSI–112

2019

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report covering the rainwater performance of building assemblies.

Evaluation of Crawlspace Retrofits in Multifamily Buildings

2014

Rudd Armin

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report analyzing results in crawlspace retrofits in multifamily buildings.

Even in Frigid Temperatures, Air-Source Heat Pumps Keep Homes Warm From Alaska Coast to U.S. Mass Market

2021

Rettig Molly

National Renewal Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Article describing a study of the potential to use heat pumps to heat and cool homes across the United States, including cold climate locations like Alaska.

Extreme Weather and Climate Vulnerabilities of the Electric Grid: A Summary of Environmental Sensitivity Quantification Methods

2019

Allen-Dumas Melissa R,

KC Binita,

Cunliff Colin I

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

Technical report detailing the vulnerabilities of the U.S. electric grid to weather-related failures.

FB Cavity Barrier – Fire rated ventilated cavity barrier

2021

Odice

An example of a commercially available thermally expansive fire stopping product for controlling the spread of fires in a rainscreen cavity.

FEMA Continuous Load Path

2023

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Article explaining what a continuous load path is and the key connection points that make it up.

FEMA How to Prepare for a Winter Storm

2017

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Fact sheet providing an overview of how to properly prepare for a winter storm and how to protect yourself before, during, and after one.

Fixing Wet Basements and Crawlspaces

2012

Todd Jason

Home Energy Magazine

Article describing methods to manage moisture, rainwater, and vapor in basements and crawlspaces.

Foundation Design Handbook

2013

Carmody John,

et al.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

University of Minnesota

Handbook providing guidance on the design and construction of foundations for homes, including insulation, air sealing, and water management details for basements, crawlspaces, and slabs.

Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations

2022

Williams Randy

Green Building Advisor,

GBA

Article describing what the building codes say about frost-protected shallow foundations as a cost-saving alternative to conventional concrete foundations.

Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations 1

2010

Holladay Martin

Fine Homebuilding

Guides describing frost-protected shallow foundations as an alternative method for building an energy-efficient foundation for a house in a cold climate that uses less concrete and saves on labor.

Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations Reduce Costs, Save Energy

2014

Hooker Kenneth A

Concrete Construction

Article describing frost-protected shallow foundations with construction drawing details.

Great Fire of London, BSI–098

2017

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report covering the fire performance of combustible cladding over combustible insulation.

Guidelines for Ventilating Attics and Cathedral Ceilings to Avoid Icings at Their Eaves

2001

Tobiasson Wayne N,

Buska James S,

Greatorex Alan R

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Report describing the use of fresh air ventilation systems to eliminate the formation of icicles and ice dams along the eaves of roofs.

HardiPlank Lap Siding Butt Joint Flashing

2021

Fratzel Todd

Home Construction and Improvement

A article about the best practice method of installing fiber cement siding, to install flashing at the butt joints of the siding boards, rather than face caulking the butt joints afterwards.

Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting - Six Ways to Protect Your House From Flooding, FEMA I-235

2020

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Brochure describing FEMA documents and foundation tips for floodproofing homes.

How to Insulate a Basement Wall

2012

Holladay Martin

Green Building Advisor,

GBA

Blog entry describing methods for insulating basement walls on the interior or exterior.

How to Insulate Your Basement

2022

Mathews Erin

This Old House

An article and video of a breakdown on the preparation and installation of basement insulation.

HUD 2024 Housing Innovation Showcase Poster: Re-Siding your Home?

2024

Patricia Gunderson,

Theresa Gilbride

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Factsheet describing re-siding retrofits containing exterior insulation and window upgrades aimed at improved energy savings and comfort.

HUD 2024 Housing Innovation Showcase Poster: Top Tips for Making Your Home More Disaster Resistant

2024

Theresa Gilbride,

Kaltreider Christian E

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

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

Hygrothermal Performance Study: A Field Study Comparison of the Energy and Moisture Performance Characteristics of Ventilated Versus Sealed Crawl Spaces in the South

2005

Davis Bruce,

Dastur Cyrus,

Warren William E

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

Advanced Energy,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report outlining results from a 2005 hygrothermal pilot study in the South.

Improving Drainage and Drying Features in Certain Conditions: Rain Screen Design for Absorptive Cladding

2008

National Association of Home Builders

NAHB

Guide detailing best practices on how to build wall assemblies with absorptive claddings such as brick, stone that drain and dry well.

Innovation in Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

2019

Green Home Institute

Video describing how a frost-protected shallow foundation (FPSF) is constructed and including use of a stay-in-place EPS (expanded polystyrene) footing form that provides insulation and simplifies the installation of frost-protected monolithic concrete slab foundations.

Innovation in Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

2019

Green Home Institute

Inward Drive – Outward Drying, BSI-061

2017

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report covering reservoir claddings, back ventilation and vapor throttles.

Keeping The Heat In - Chapter 6: Basement Insulation Floors, Walls and Crawl Spaces

2016

Natural Resources Canada

Information sheet providing links and resources for insulating basements in cold climates.

Key Installation Checkpoints for Manufactured Stone Veneer

2021

National Concrete Masonry Association

NCMA

Article providing guidance for installing manufactured stone veneer, including information on rainscreens.

Masonry Detailing Series

2021

International Masonry Institute

Webpage featuring hundreds of illustrations of masonry construction details for brick, congrete, stone, tile, stucco, etc.

Measure Guideline: Basement Insulation Basics

2012

Aldrich Robb,

Mantha Pallavi,

Puttagunta Srikanth

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Document describing good practices for insulating basements in new and existing homes.

Measure Guideline: Hybrid Foundation Insulation Retrofits

2012

Lstiburek Joseph W,

Ueno Kohta

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Document providing information on basement insulation, air sealing and water management retrofits.

Moisture Control for Residential Buildings

2020

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

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

NFIP Technical Bulletin 1: Requirements for Flood Openings in Foundation Walls and Walls of Enclosures - Below Elevated Buildings in Special Flood Hazard Areas

2020

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Document describing guidance and requirements for flood openings in walls at and below grade.

Performance profiles of exterior fire protective building envelopes

2016

Jarnskjold Tobias,

Jensen Geir,

Knudsen Atle

Edition Diffusion Presse Sciences,

EDP Sciences

A study on how fires spread through exterior building envelopes with discussion on how fires propagate in a rain screen cavity.