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Library

This library contains research reports produced by the Building America program and other building science resources used to support this Solution Center. The materials cover both new construction and existing homes. Use the search box and/or the filters to explore hundreds of residential building resources. Access to some references not produced by Building America may require purchase from the publisher. Documents are listed alphabetically. While we continually update our database, links may have changed since posting. Please contact our webmaster if you find broken links.

Showing results 1701 - 1750 of 1873

Author(s)
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials,
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
IAPMO,
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Documents describing Flood Resistant Provisions of codes published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officers (IAPMO): the Uniform Mechanical Code; Uniform Plumbing Code; Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code; and Uniform Solar, Hydronics and Geothermal Code (Uniform...
Author(s)
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials,
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
IAPMO,
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) has been protecting the public’s health and safety for ninety-three years by working in concert with government and industry to implement comprehensive plumbing and mechanical systems around the world. Main website.
Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
Publication Date
Description
Article describing the impact of increasingly stringent ventilation standards on multifamily buildings, highlighting the inefficiencies and challenges of exhaust-only ventilation in tightly sealed enclosures, the complications of achieving balanced ventilation, and the unintended consequences of...
Author(s)
Southern California Earthquake Center,
Earthquake Country Alliance,
University of Southern California
Organization(s)
SCEC,
ECA,
USC
Publication Date
Description
Webpage from Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) on identifying key problem spots on unreinforced masonry chimneys and how to retrofit them to withstand seismic forces.
Author(s)
Schumacher Christopher
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report reviewing unvented roof assemblies, such as conditioned attics and unvented cathedral ceilings that are becoming common in North American construction.
Author(s)
Ueno Kohta
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Document summarizing the various papers on unvented conditioned cathedralized attics found on BSC's website.
Author(s)
Fairey Philip W,
Parker Danny S,
Hendron Robert
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report addressing the ever increasing percentage of whole house energy use that is attributable to miscellaneous electricity loads (MELs) and major appliances.
Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Report covering wind uplift and roofing membrane failures.
Author(s)
U.S. Forest Service
Organization(s)
USFA
Publication Date
Description
Manual describing scientific, technical, and practical information needed to work with communities on urban forestry, including a section on trees and construction.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
EPA WaterSense guidance on urinals.
Author(s)
USDA Forest Service
Organization(s)
USDA Forest Service
Publication Date
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Organization(s)
USDA
Publication Date
Description
Interactive map maintained by the USDA showing plant hardiness zones throughout the U.S.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
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.”
Author(s)
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships
Organization(s)
NEEP
Publication Date
Description
Users guide to help contractors and homeowners use the Cold Climate Heat Pump Sizing Support Tools developed by NEEP to size and select the best air source heat pumps for their cold climate location.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the purpose of Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs), how to obtain FIRMs, DFIRMs, and Flood Insurance Studies (FISs), and highlighting features that are important to coastal builders, including flood zones and flood elevations;; also...
Author(s)
Cushman Ted
Organization(s)
Journal of Light Construction,
JLC
Publication Date
Description
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.
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Organization(s)
EPA
Publication Date
Description
Webpage describing the use of cool roofs to reduce heat islands and and benefits and costs.
Author(s)
Springer David,
Seitzler Matt,
Backman Christine,
Weitzel Elizabeth
Organization(s)
Alliance for Residential Building Innovation,
ARBI,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL,
Davis Energy Group,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
Report on investigating the effectiveness of using solar thermal water heaters to address heat losses from piping while recirculating water in multifamily buildings.
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing the certification requirements for structural design and methods of construction in V Zones; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”
Author(s)
Guertin Mike
Organization(s)
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Publication Date
Description
Article describing a method for flashing roof vent boots, describing how to flash the pipe, how to flash over and under the pan, and finish by shaping the shingles, as well as addressing potential water leakage by adding an additional seal with EPDM flashing tape with a butyl adhesive backing to the...
Author(s)
Rudd Armin,
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Building science report describing issues with vented attics in hot-humid climates and how sealed attic construction may be a solution.
Author(s)
Tobiasson Wayne N,
Tantillo Thomas,
Buska James S
Organization(s)
Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory,
CRREL
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the formation of icicles and ice dams along poorly ventilated roofs and how to mitigate ventilation issues with insulation and vents.
Author(s)
Puttagunta Srikanth
Organization(s)
Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,
CARB,
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Publication Date
Description
Information sheet about proper ventilation and air sealing.
Author(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers
Organization(s)
ASHRAE,
ANSI
Publication Date
Description
Standard that defines the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings. This version of the standard was published in the year 2010, and is available for...
Author(s)
Martin Eric,
Khan Tanvir,
Chasar Dave,
Sonne Jeffrey K,
Withers Charles R
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC
Publication Date
Description
This report examines indoor air quality in post-2013 homes across various climates, focusing on contaminant levels, ventilation equipment usage, and control measure impact, with regional data from Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
Organization(s)
ENERGY STAR
Publication Date
Description
ENERGY STAR overview on certified ventilation fans.
Author(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
American National Standards Institute
Organization(s)
ASHRAE,
ANSI
Publication Date
Description
Standard that provides procedures and methods for meeting minimum ventilation and indoor air quality requirements to engineers, design professionals, owners, and jurisdictional authorities where model codes have been adopted. This is the current version of the standard, which was published in the...
Author(s)
Rudd Armin,
Bergey Daniel
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Publication Date
Description
This report describes how twenty homes were tested and monitored in the Zone 2 climate of Houston, Texas, U.S.A., to evaluate the humidity control performance and operating cost of six different integrated dehumidification and ventilation systems that could be applied by production homebuilders.
Author(s)
TenWolde Anton,
Rose William B
Organization(s)
American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,
ASHRAE
Publication Date
Description
Report describing the use of attic ventilation to control moisture in cathedral roofs and avoid the formation of ice dams.
Author(s)
Lstiburek Joseph W
Organization(s)
Building Science Corporation,
BSC
Publication Date
Description
Guide providing information on controlling attic ductwork sweating.
Author(s)
Gromicko Nick
Organization(s)
International Association of Certified Home Inspectors,
InterNACHI
Publication Date
Description
Document outlining important safety considerations of ventless fireplaces.
Author(s)
Tabares-Velasco Paulo Cesar,
Christensen Craig B,
Bianchi Marcus V A,
Booten Chuck
Organization(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Publication Date
Description
Report summarizing NRELs efforts to develop diagnostic test cases to conduct accurate energy simulations when phase change materials (PCMs) are modeled in residential buildings.
Author(s)
Pacific Seismic Products
Organization(s)
Pacific Seismic Products
Publication Date
Description
Products and specification for a State of California-compliant earthquake-actuated automatic gas shutoff valve.
Author(s)
Vinyl Siding Institute
Organization(s)
Vinyl Siding Institute
Publication Date
Description
Website describing proper methods for installing vinyl siding on homes.
Author(s)
Vinyl Siding Institute
Organization(s)
Vinyl Siding Institute
Publication Date
Description
Publication with installation guidance for vinyl siding.
Author(s)
Quarles Stephen L
Organization(s)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety,
IBHS
Publication Date
Description
Report covering the migration of wind-blown embers in roof vents.
Author(s)
City of Verona,
WI Building Department,
State of Wisconsin
Organization(s)
City of Verona,
WI Building Department,
State of Wisconsin
Publication Date
Description
Document describing wall bracing techniques and suggestions for the city of Verona, WI building department.
Author(s)
Bajnai Charles S
Organization(s)
International Code Council,
ICC
Publication Date
Description
A guide describing how to do wall bracing calculations and evaluations.
Author(s)
Building Enclosure Moisture Management Institute
Organization(s)
BEMMI
Publication Date
Description
A presentation about the need for rainscreens including the damage water and moisture ingress into a home’s siding and framing can cause, and ways to design a resilient wall that drains and ventilates well.
Author(s)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Organization(s)
CDC
Publication Date
Description
Fact sheet describing how to identify heat-related illness and what actions to take.
Author(s)
Washington State Department of Health
Organization(s)
WSDOH
Publication Date
Description
A website providing information on sealing the home against rodents and how to trap rodents once they have made their way into the home.
Author(s)
Washington State Building Code Council
Organization(s)
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services
Publication Date
Description
State building energy code for the State of Washington.