Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 60 results:

2015 International Building Code - IBC

2021

International Code Council

ICC

2015 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.

Actions for Flood Resilient Homes: Wet Floodproofing

2020

City of Edina

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

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.

Concrete Floor Problems, BSI-003

2008

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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

Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet 338: Termite Prevention and Control

2019

University of Georgia,

Wang Changlu

University of Georgia

A fact sheet providing information on termite species and how to prevent them from entering into your home.

Crawlspace Insulation

2009

Southface Energy Institute,

et al.

ORNL,

SEI,

DOE

Information sheet about crawlspace insulation, including installation details.

Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines

2014

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

This publication provides a set of best practices for improving indoor air quality in conjunction with energy upgrade work in homes.

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.

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.

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.

Get Rid of Rats and Mice

2021

King County Washington

King County WA

Article describing a 9-step process to getting rid of rats and mice, and some preventative actions to take.

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.

How to Seal Up to Prevent Rodent Infestations

2023

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CDC

A website providing a checklist of important areas to check when sealing holes inside and outside of the home to prevent entry by rodents and other outside pests.

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.

Indoor airPLUS Technical Bulletin Pest Entry Prevention

2019

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

A factsheet providing information on how to prevent pests from entering the home by sealing cracks and openings.

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

Is There a Mouse in the House? Eliminate Mice with IPM

2017

Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania State University,

PennState Extension

Article explaining how to use integrated pest management to choose methods of pest control that are safe and effective.

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.

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.

National Hazard Mitigation Association

2020

Natural Disasters Association,

National Hazard Mitigation Association

NDA,

NHMA

Website providing information on tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms and more.

National Wildlife Control Operators Association

2020

National Wildlife Control Operators Association

NWCOA

NWCOA website homepage.

New York Department of Environmental Conservation

2021

New York State

New York Department of Environmental Conservation

Website of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

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.

Pest Prevention by Design: Authoritative Guidelines for Designing Pests out of Structures

2012

Geiger Chris A,

Cox Caroline

San Francisco Department of the Environment,

SF Environment,

Center for Environmental Health,

CEH,

International Code Council,

ICC

Report providing detailed steps for builders, architects, and property managers to take for integrated pest management for control of a variety of pests including insects, rodents, and birds.

Pump Day Procedures

2013

ICF Systems

Massachusetts Building Products

Information sheet including a checklist of steps to follow for pouring concrete.

Rats: Information for Tenants and Property Owners

2017

City of New York

Website providing information about how to keep the properties rat-free and address conditions that can lead to rats.

READ THIS: Before You Move In, GM-0606

2006

Brennan Terry,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report describing steps homeowners can take to improve the indoor air quality in their home, including ventilating, preventing pests, and reducing pollutants in the home.

Reduce Pest Intrusion

2018

Building Energy Codes Program,

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Guide describing ways builders can block off entry points and otherwise make homes inhospitable to all manner of pests.

Revised Builder’s Guide to Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

2004

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing,

National Association of Home Builders

HUD,

PATH,

NAHB Research Center

Report describing how to construct a frost protected shallow foundation (FPSF) as a practical alternative to a deeper, more-costly foundation in cold regions with seasonal ground freezing and the potential for frost heave.

Rodent Exclusion Manual: Mechanical Rodent Proofing Techniques: a training manual for National Park Service Employees

2014

National Park Service

Manual describing methods for rodent-proofing buildings.

Rodent Exclusion Methods

2013

Wildlife Damage Management

Website providing information about how to prevent rodent entry in homes.

Small Commercial Building Fact Sheet - Building Envelope

2016

Southface Energy Institute

SEI

Fact sheet describing building envelope performance measures applicable to residential and small commercial construction.

Stop Pests in Housing

2018

Northeastern IPM Center

Website providing information on all types of pest management for multi-family housing.

Stop Pests in Housing - Rodents

2024

Stop Pests

Webpage providing information how to deal with rodents by knowing what they look like, where they live, and what they do.

Subterranean Termites – Their Prevention and Control in Buildings

2006

Peterson Chris,

et al.

U.S. Department of Agriculture,

USDA,

USDA Forest Service

A report describing methods for constructing homes and treating soils to reduce the risk of termites in buildings.

Sunnyvale Marine Climate Deep Retrofit

2014

German Alea,

Siddiqi Aqdus,

Dakin Bill

Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,

ARBI,

Davis Energy Group,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Research project evaluating the pre-and post-retrofit energy consumption of a marine climate retrofit, compare actual energy use to original predictions, and identify opportunities for cost savings in other similar retrofits in this climate.

Tennessee 'Bee Whisperer' Removes 35,000 Honey Bees from Brick Wall

2018

Farber Madeline

Fox News

A story about bees building a hive in the drainage plane behind the brick veneer siding. The bees entered the wall through unprotected drainage holes.

Termite Damaged Weatherboard

2001

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

CSIRO

Image depicting damage from termites in weatherboard cladding.