Library

Article describing ways builders can improve the hurricane resistance of the homes they construct, especially 1) strengthening the continuous load path, 2) upgrading the building envelope, and 3) improving the roof system performance.

Document describing advancement in factory built housing innovations.

Report describing a project whose goal was to determine the prevalence of residential comfort system faults with a focus on air conditioners and heat pumps, and on key faults that can occur during installation: (1) incorrect refrigerant charge level (undercharge or overcharge); (2) indoor coil...

Paper discussing innovative strategies for improving ventilation systems in high-rise apartment buildings, focusing on compartmentalization and controlling stack effect pressures to enhance indoor air quality and energy efficiency published in the Proceedings of the Eighth Conference on Building...

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.

Report (1) compares existing measurement methods, based on field testing in a wide range of buildings, (2) presents the development of two new methods to directly measure exterior and interior leakage of an attached unit, and compares to existing methods; and (3) experimentally evaluates the...

Document reporting results from a study done to evaluate effects of automotive emissions from attached garages on the indoor environment.

Report describing information for builders and retrofitters about eliminating hazards and coincidental energy losses that come from attached garages.

Research study discussing how housewraps restrict or permit the passage of water molecules based on size, but cannot control the direction in which the water vapor molecules move.

Document detailing how to build radon-resistant homes.

An online learning management resource for the construction community.

Information sheet with information about insulating and ventilating attics.

Document with information from a workshop addressing framing materials for residential buildings in California. A copy of the document can be requested at the resource link, and an online copy of the document can be found by searching for it on the California Energy Commission's Library Online...

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

Information sheet with construction details, pros and cons of insulated concrete forms.

A research paper exploring the installation and mounting of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on rooftops and the challenges faced by system designers and installers.

Study presenting generalized results regarding the effect of surface orientation on annual incident solar radiation for locations in the United States.

Presentation about results from an insulating concrete form energy efficiency study in Knoxville, TN.

Webpage showing the minimum efficiency levels and maximum sound levels for ENERGY STAR certified residential ventilating fans.

Article containing background knowledge on expansion tanks.

Article explaining common myths about expansion tanks and proper facts.

Fact sheet describing actions homeowners can take to safely cleanup their homes after a flood with links to additional resources from the EPA.

Report describing the use of fresh air ventilation systems to eliminate the formation of icicles and ice dams along the eaves of roofs.

Document providing guidance about building healthy homes using building science principles.

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

Article describing how the configuration of surrounding buildings affects the wind loads on a hip roof in a low-rise building.

Video course by the Lighting Controls Academy presenting an overview of the basic functionality of today’s lighting controls, benefits and the basic questions to ask when identifying an appropriate lighting control strategy

Document from IBHS explaining how to inspect homes for earthquake preparedness and retrofit solutions for homes that have suffered structural damage as a result of earthquakes.

A report presenting alternative approaches for reducing the costs of roof-mounted, grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems.

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

Report describing the testing of various siding materials for their ability to resist bullets from small firearms.

Technical paper covering the retrofit of unreinforced masonry buildings.

Guide on retrofitting insulation in cavities.

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.

Image depicting damage from termites in weatherboard cladding.

Report sumarizing a workshop to initiate a professional discussion about eventual benefits of the application of massive technologies in US buildings.

Article on thermal protectors in recessed light fixtures.

Report documenting the Transformative Efficiency and Automation in Modular Homes (TEAMH) project, which evaluates the integration of advanced building envelope technologies and automation-assisted modular construction to improve residential energy performance and construction efficiency.

Article explaining the importance of expansion tank knowledge.

Conference paper presented at the 8th International Conference on Thermal Performance of Exterior Envelopes of Whole Buildings describing moisture from basements and crawlspaces as a source of indoor humidity and providing recommendations for finishing below-grade spaces to limit potential indoor...

This guide is intended to provide state, local, and Tribal public health officials with information they need to be prepared for smoke events and, when wildfire smoke is present, to communicate health risks and take measures to protect the public.