Library

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

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.

Brochure describing the benefits of air-sealing for homeowners.

A report that evaluates the force it takes to crack stucco of various thicknesses.

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

Brochure intended to provide readers with a working knowledge of residential heating and cooling duct systems.

Report describing the recommended best practices to achieve energy savings without compromising health or safety.

Document providing a resource to help builders large and small build high-quality, energy-efficient homes that achieve 30% energy savings in space conditioning and water heating in the hot and humid climate.

Document illustrating some analysis concepts that are proven to be effective and reliable in analyzing the transient energy usage of advanced energy systems as well as of entire houses.

An online learning management resource for the construction community.

Information sheet with information about insulating and ventilating attics.

Part 2 of an article discussing how to maximize two-pipe steam systems for resident space heating.

Report investigating the nature, strength, and durability of connections between high performance dwellings and developments.

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.

Report outlining how conditioned crawlspaces perform better than vented crawlspaces in terms of safety, health, comfort, durability and energy consumption.

Study describing efforts and outcomes in developing color-pigmented roofing products with coatings to increase solar reflectance.

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

Article containing background knowledge on expansion tanks.

Article explaining common myths about expansion tanks and proper facts.

Report providing guidelines and procedures to determine whether damaged or potentially damaged buildings are safe for use after wind storms or floods, or if entry should be restricted or prohibited.

Article describing the effective R-values of various subslab insulation products, including foil bubble pack.

Results from a research program testing airtightness, implications of air leakage and contaminant reduction over the garage-to-house interface.

A report describing the development of a methodology to properly size heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment for concrete homes in the US and Canada.

Report presenting system design packages for cold and mixed-humid climates.

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

Article describing the effect metal roofs have on thermal performance in hot-humid climates.

Report showing installers how to attach ducts, pipes, and associated equipment to buildings to minimize earthquake damage.

Report that describes BSC's Houses That Work II (HTWII) climate-specific technical resource, beginning with an overall HTWII introduction and four sections explaining the four most important hygro-thermal climate regions: Hot-Humid, Mixed-Humid, Cold, and Hot-Dry/Mixed-Dry.

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.

Standards for requirements, performance, construction, workmanship and others for structural-use panels.

Fact sheet describing how to prepare for a natural disaster and assemble a disaster supply kit.

Table calculating friction losses of PVC pipe fittings.

Table calculating friction losses for PVC pipe by length.

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 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.

Description of California Senate Bill SB 1898, which requires the sale of new seismic gas shutoff devices sold in California to be certified by the State Architect.

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.

Report providing information based on research and case studies, to remodelers and consumers about opportunities to increase home energy performance.

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 outlining a case study about a building project in the hot-humid climate zone.

Report developed for Habitat for Humanity about lessons learned from demonstration retrofit projects undertaken by Habitat for Humanity affiliates in New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania; with building systems consulting and technical assistance provided by Steven Winter Associates.

Paper describing testing for the first of a series of six near net-zero-energy test houses, using the results to work towards the construction of a true net-zero-energy house.

Technical conference paper discussing real world experience with Trombe walls.