Library

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

Report describing approaches to using less wood in home building that minimize waste.

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.

Fact sheet describing advanced wall framing.

Article describing recessed lighting, which if installed incorrectly may contribute to air leakage and compromise building envelope efficiency.

Brochure describing the benefits of air-sealing for homeowners.

Article by the Canadian Government on attic ventilation and considerations for moisture and ice dams.

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

Fact sheet describing basement insulation considerations.

An online learning management resource for the construction community.

Information sheet containing images and descriptions of cantilevers.

Information sheet with information about insulating and ventilating attics.

Study investigating measured cooling energy performance in side-by-side identical homes with varying roof types, including cool roof technologies.

Attachment or installation of foundations, floors, roofs, insulation, utilities, and finishes to concrete masonry walls as well as on special tools and fasteners available for use with concrete masonry.

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

Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of finished and unfinished metal roofing systems on cooling energy performance in a test facility.

This study focuses on the design, construction, and performance of the interior chase approach as implemented by five different builders in Texas, North Carolina, and Florida.

Article from NAHB research center describing home building techniques for homes in hot climate zones.

Article containing background knowledge on expansion tanks.

Article explaining common myths about expansion tanks and proper facts.

Study reporting the results of comparative testing of the effect of various roof types on cooling energy performance in a test facility.

Report discussing the potential energy savings of new high-efficiency downlights, and the results of product testing to date.

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

Report describing ways to retrofit a home to make it more hurricane resistant.

Technical article presenting the results of an analysis on the effect of insect screens on window solar heat gain coefficients and U-values.

Guide for electrical systems design including installation guidance and best practices for flood-prone areas.

Guide for fuel systems design including installation guidance and formulas for calculating loads and buoyancy forces for specifying number, type and capacity of strapping for hold-downs in flood-prone areas.

Report aiming to "de-mystify" technology and economic considerations of residential PV systems.

Article describing moisture and ice dam issues in attics and how to air seal the attic floor.

Report describing a study using parametric computer simulations of 112 single-family and 63 multi-family residential building prototypes to quantify the contributions of building components such as roofs, walls, windows, infiltration, outside air, lighting, equipment, and people to the aggregate...

Guide on retrofitting insulation in cavities.

Report seeking to teach building contractors and building inspectors the correct methods for doing typical seismic retrofits that have been designed by an engineer or architect or described in a prescriptive standard.

Document describing correct construction of swales, designed to trap particulate pollutants (suspended solids and trace metals), promote infiltration, and reduce the flow velocity of storm water runoff.

Brochure describing insulation approaches for homes with slab-on-grade floors.

Brochure with information about how to select and install house wrap and other weather-resistive barriers.

Report focusing on the performance and durability of unvented-cathedralized attics in hot-humid climates with both tile and asphalt shingle roofing.

Report describing the use of attic ventilation to control moisture in cathedral roofs and avoid the formation of ice dams.

Report describing a field study of 31 homes to test envelope and duct leakage and fan flowrates, and to determine ventilation operation characteristics.

Brochure about how to install and use a whole-house fan.

Article explaining the importance of expansion tank knowledge.

Report detailing passive design strategies used at the Zion National Park Visitor Center, including evaporative cool towers.