Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 70 results:

A Bridge Too Far, BSI-005

2008

Lstiburek Joseph

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Article describing thermal bridging, construction practices that encourage thermal bridging, and solutions.

Above the Flood: Elevating Your Floodprone House, FEMA 347

2000

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Document describing three methods for elevating a home out of the flood zone.

Advanced Wall Framing

2000

U.S. Department of Energy,

Home Innovation Research Labs,

Southface Energy Institute

HIRL,

SEI,

DOE

Fact sheet describing advanced framing techniques that reduce the amount of lumber used in constructing wood-framed houses while providing more space for wall insulation.

Alaska Residential Building Manual, 7th Edition

2008

Deer Charlie,

et al.

University of Alaska,

Alaska Housing Finance Corporation

Manual describing best practices or home construction in Alaska and northern climates.

Boiler Inspections for Safety, Life and Efficiency

2008

Kleva Stephen

Contractor Magazine

Article explaining the importance of regular inspections of boiler systems in maintaining their safety, lifespan, and efficiency.

Building a 40% Energy Savings House in the Mixed Humid Climate

2008

Christian Jeffrey E,

Bonar Jacob

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Presentation about building highly efficient, affordable homes that will achieve 40% whole-house energy savings in mixed-humid climates.

Building America Research Benchmark Definition - Updated December 19, 2008

2008

Hendron Robert

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Document describing the Building America research benchmark for the residential building program.

Building Science Corporation (BSC) Building America Quality Control Checklist, GM-0802

2008

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Document with the Quality Control Checklist developed as both a guide to assist in the transition to high performance home building, and as a simplified tool to be used as part of any builder's on-site quality control procedures.

Building with Structural Insulated Panels

2000

Morley Michael

Taunton Press

An online learning management resource for the construction community.

Carbon Monoxide - Environmental Health Effects Research Series

1977

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

National Service Center for Environmental Publications

EPA,

NSCEP

Source for information about Carbon Monoxide including health effects and measures to reduce exposure.

Ceiling Fans - Tips for Maximizing Energy Savings

2008

Calwell Chris,

Horowitz Noah

Massachusetts Department of Energy,

Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

Home Energy Magazine,

State of Massachusetts

Article describing customer tip sheet and how ceiling fans are one of the most popular and generally well regarded of all home energy efficiency features.

Ceilings and Attics

2000

Southface Energy Institute,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

ORNL,

SEI

Information sheet with information about insulating and ventilating attics.

Closed Crawl Space Performance: Proof of Concept in the Production Builder Marketplace

2008

Dastur Cyrus,

Mauceri Maria,

Hannas Benjamin

Advanced Energy

Report aimed to quantify the impact of closed crawlspaces in new homes, and investigate modeling software to ensure accuracy of energy consumption predictions in these homes.

Concrete Floor Problems, BSI-003

2008

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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

Concrete Floors and Moisture, 2nd Edition

2008

Kanare Howard M

Portland Cement Association

Document discussing moisture considerations and testing techniques for concrete floors.

Cool Neighborhoods: The Measurement of Small Scale Heat Islands

2000

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Vieira Robin K

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC,

European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy,

ECEEE

Paper describing the effects of tree canopies on residential climates indicating tree cover to be beneficial to climate conditions

Defensible Space - Home Builder’s Guide to Construction in Wildfire Zones, FEMA 4

2008

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Technical fact sheet proving information on creating defensible space to reduce the risk of damage from fires to property.

Erosion and Sediment Control On Your Construction Site

2008

Community Development and Insfrastructure County of Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz County CDI

Report describing construction site erosion and sediment control practices recommended and required by a county planning department.

Evaluation of the NightCool Nocturnal Radiation Cooling Concept: Annual Performance Assessment in Scale Test Buildings Stage Gate 1B

2008

Parker Danny S,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report about an experimental evaluation conducted on a night sky cooling system designed to substantially reduce space cooling needs in homes in North American climates.

Expansion Tanks 101: Pressure and Air Vents

2000

Eatherton Mark

Contractor Magazine

Article containing background knowledge on expansion tanks.

Expansion Tanks 101: The Facts and Myths

2000

Eatherton Mark

Contractor Magazine

Article explaining common myths about expansion tanks and proper facts.

FEMA Anchor Fuel Tanks - Protecting your Property from Flooding

2008

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Factsheet for home and business owners describing ways to anchor fuel tanks to avoid displacement in floods.

FEMA Anchor Tall Bookcases and File Cabinets - Protecting Your Property from Earthquakes

2008

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Short guide from FEMA describing how to anchor tall bookcases and file cabinets during seismic events.

FEMA Build with Flood Damage Resistant Materials - Protecting Your Property from Flooding

2008

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Summary document describing flood resistant building materials and some tips for building flood resistant walls.

FEMA Flood Damage-Resistant Materials Requirements - for Buildings Located in Special Flood Hazard Areas in accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program, Technical Bulletin 2

2008

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Technical bulletin describing a set of standards for building materials able to withstand flood waters as needed with wet floodproofing.

FEMA Install Sewer Backflow Valves - Protecting Your Property from Flooding

2008

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Factsheet describing backflow valve benefits and tips.

FEMA Protecting Your Property from Earthquakes

2008

U.S. Department of Homeland Security,

Federal Emergency Management Agency,

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUD,

FEMA,

DHS

Brochure detailing how to latch and lock cabinets and drawers to prevent injury to residents of the home.

Fiberglass Duct Board - Fabrication Instructions

2008

Johns Manville

Information sheet providing detail about hand fabrication of a one-piece straight duct from a 48" x 120" x 1" thick (1.22 m x 3.05 m x 25 mm) sheet where the total inside duct dimensions equals 112" (2.84 m) or less.

Fixing Air Leakage in Connecticut Town Houses

2008

Moriarta Courtney

Home Energy Magazine,

National Property Inspections,

NPI

Journal article describing energy and cost savings potential from air sealing multifamily town homes.

Florida Field Guide to Low Impact Development - Bioswales/Vegetated Swales

2008

University of Florida IFAS Extension

Brochure-guide describing swales and their qualities, including objective, maintenance, and design considerations.

Gable End Retrofit Guide

2008

Florida Division of Emergency Management

Florida Disaster

Guide describing retrofit procedures for gable end roofs.

Gable-End Retrofits

2008

Reynolds Richard

Journal of Light Construction,

JLC

A builder's guide describing hurricane-resistant reinforcements for gable ends.

Geothermal (Ground-Source) Heat Pumps: Market Status, Barriers to Adoption, and Actions to Overcome Barriers

2008

Hughes Patrick J

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Report investigating the status of the geothermal heat pump (GHP) industry and technology in the United States, assembling GHP energy savings potential, identifying key barriers to application of GHPs, and identifying actions that could accelerate adoption of GHPs.

Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments

2008

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Report about indoor air quality related to indoor mold growth.

Home Builder's Guide to Construction in Wildfire Zones - Technical Fact Sheet Series, FEMA P-737

2008

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Report providing a collection of fact sheets describing guidance for constructing homes in wildfire zones.

How Energy Efficient are Modern Dishwashers?

2008

Hoak David,

Parker Danny S,

Hermelink Andreas H

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report about measurements of three recent vintage dishwashers of very different efficiencies showing that while they are substantially more efficient than older dishwashers.

Hurricane Mitigation Retrofits for Existing Site-Built Single Family Residential Structures, Florida Statutes Section 553.844

2008

Florida Building Code

FBC

Article presenting the 2008 update on the 2006 details on when required hurricane mitigation retrofits are required and the cost cap on required hurricane mitigation retrofits.

IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings under Construction

2008

Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association

SMACNA

Book providing project management guidance in maintaining satisfactory indoor air quality (IAQ) of occupied buildings undergoing renovation or construction.

Impacts of Shading and Glazing Combinations on Residential Energy Use in a Hot Dry Climate

2000

Farrar-Nagy Sara,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Partnership for Resource Conservation,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Study evaluating opportunities for reducing cooling energy use in a hot dry climate through the use of shading and window options.

Improving Comfort, Saving Energy with Large Circulator Fans

2008

Aynsley Richard

Big Ass Fans,

HPAC Engineering

Article describing how air speed affects thermal comfort and how fans can provide energy savings.

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.

Installing A Tubular Skylight: Step 2 - Proper Flashing Ensures A Long Life For The Skylight And The Roof

2008

Guertin Mike

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

Article describing the second step of a three-step process for the installation a tubular skylight, using peel-and-stick flashing tape instead of roof cement, and integrating the roof underlayment with the flashing.

Introducing the Market to High-performance Building on Hilton Head Island, RR-0703

2008

Rudd Armin,

Feldman H

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report about promoting energy efficiency for Hilton Head Island.

Keeping Warm during Winter Power Outages

2008

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences & Family and Consumer Sciences

University of Georgia

Webpage describing how to conserve heat or find alternative heat sources during a power outage to keep one room warm.

Moving Ducts Inside: Big Builders, Scientists Find Common Ground

2008

Lubliner Michael,

et al.

WSU Extension Energy Program,

Washington State Department of Community Trade and Economic Development

Conference paper making the case that moving ducts to conditioned space saves energy, is practical for production builders (when accompanied by careful pre-planning), and creates significant andmarketable energy savings for homebuyers.

Multi-Year Advanced Residential Building Systems Research - Revisions to Quality Management Products

2008

Home Innovation Research Labs

HIRL

Report discussing development of scopes of work and quality management for builders in mixed-humid climates.

NightCool: A Nocturnal Radiation Cooling Concept

2008

Parker Danny S,

Hermelink Andreas H,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report about an experimental evaluation has been conducted on a night sky cooling system designed to substantially reduce space cooling needs in homes in North American climates.

Openings in Foundation Walls and Walls of Enclosures - Below Elevated Buildings in Special Flood Hazard Areas in accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program Technical, Bulletin 1

2008

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Report providing guidance on protecting foundation walls and enclosures from flood damage.

Performance Assessment of Photovoltaic Attic Ventilator Fans

2000

Parker Danny S,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Pilot Evaluation of Energy Savings from Residential Energy Demand Feedback Devices

2008

Parker Danny S,

Hoak David,

Cummings Jamie E

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report briefly reviewing past research on the effects of occupant behavior on residential energy use and then covering a two year pilot evaluation of a low cost residential energy feedback system installed in twenty case study homes in Florida.