Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 1 - 50 of 64 results:

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 Framing: Using Wood Efficiently from Optimizing Design to Minimizing the Dumpster, BA-0201

2002

Baczek Steven,

Yost Peter,

Finegan Stephanie

Building Science Corporation

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

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.

Advanced Wall Framing

2002

Southface Energy Institute,

et al.

NAHB,

SEI,

ORNL,

NREL

Fact sheet describing advanced wall framing.

Air Leakage in Recessed Lighting

2002

Van der Meer Bill

Pennsylvania Housing Research/Resource Center,

PHRC

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

Assessing the Impact of Thickness of the Performance of Stucco Cladding

2004

Brown William C,

Dietrich Mike,

Latimer Mark

American Society of Heating,

American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,

ASHRAE

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

Basement Insulation Systems, BA-0202

2002

Building Science Corporation

BSC

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

Basement Insulation Technology Fact Sheet

2002

Southface Energy Institute

SEI,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Fact sheet describing basement insulation considerations.

Better Duct Systems for Home Heating and Cooling; Building Technologies Program (Brochure)

2004

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NREL

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

Builder System Performance Package Targeting 30% - 40% Savings in Space Conditioning Energy Use: December 2002 - December 2003

2004

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

Steven Winter Associates

CARB,

NREL,

SWA

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

Builder's Guide to Hot-Dry & Mixed-Dry Climates

2004

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Builders and Buyers Handbook for Improving New Home Efficiency, Comfort, and Durability in the Hot and Humid Climate, Volume 1

2004

Baechler Michael C,

Love Pat M

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

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.

Building America Performance Analysis Procedures, Revision 1

2004

Hendron Robert,

et al.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

Partnership for Resource Conservation,

Mountain Energy Partnership,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

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.

Building with Structural Insulated Panels

2000

Morley Michael

Taunton Press

An online learning management resource for the construction community.

Cantilevers, Technical Bulletin F2

2002

Advanced Energy

Information sheet containing images and descriptions of cantilevers.

Ceilings and Attics

2000

Southface Energy Institute,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

ORNL,

SEI

Information sheet with information about insulating and ventilating attics.

Choosing Thermostatic Radiator Valves

2004

Gifford Henry

American Boiler Manufacturers Association

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

Community-Scale Evaluation Results, BA-0405

2004

Building Science Corporation

BSC

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

Comparative Evaluation of the Impact of Roofing Systems on Residential Cooling Energy Demand in Florida

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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

Conditioned Crawl Space Construction, Performance and Codes, BA-0401

2004

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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

Cool Colored Materials for Roofs

2004

Akbari Hashem,

et al.

California Energy Commission,

CEC,

Public Interest Energy Research Program,

PIER,

Laboratory Directed Research and Development,

LDRD,

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

LBNL

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

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

Cooling Related Performance of Finished and Unfinished Metal Roofing Systems

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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.

Design and Construction of Interior Duct System

2002

McIlvaine Janet E R,

Beal David,

Fairey Philip W

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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.

Energy Retrofitting Advanced Technologies in a Hot Climate, Henderson Nevada

2002

National Association of Home Builders

NAHB,

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

HUD,

Office of Policy Development and Research,

PDR

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

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.

Field Manual: Safety Evaluation of Buildings after Windstorms and Floods, ATC-45

2004

Applied Technology Council

ATC

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.

Flexible Roofing Facility: 2001 Summer Test Results

2002

Parker Danny S,

Sonne Jeffrey K,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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

Foil Bubble Pack: Subslab Insulation?

2004

Fulger Don

Home Energy

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

Garage Performance Testing

2004

Health Canada,

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

CMHC,

Environment Canada

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

High Hats, Swiss Cheese, and Fluorescent Lighting?

2002

McCullough Jeff J,

Gordon Kelly L

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

PNNL

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

HVAC Sizing Methodology for Insulated Concrete Homes

2004

Gajda John,

Marceau Medgar,

VanGeem Martha

Construction Technology Laboratories Inc.,

CTL Group,

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

HUD

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.

IBACOS Builder System Performance Packages: January 2003--December 2003

2004

Broniek John

Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,

IBACOS,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

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

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 Attic Thermal Performance

2004

Parker Danny S

Home Energy Magazine

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

Installing Seismic Restraints for Duct and Pipe, FEMA P-414

2004

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

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

Introduction to Buildings Systems Performance: Houses that Work II

2004

Building Science Corporation,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

BSC,

NREL

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.

Is Your Home Protected from Hurricane Disaster? A Homeowner’s Guide to Hurricane Retrofit

2002

Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety

IBHS

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

Performance Assessment of Photovoltaic Attic Ventilator Fans

2000

Parker Danny S,

Sherwin John S

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Performance Standard for Wood-Based Structural-Use Panels, Voluntary Product Standard PS 2-04

2004

National Institute of Standards and Technology

NIST

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

Preparing for Disaster, FEMA P-475

2004

Federal Emergency Management Agency,

American Red Cross

FEMA,

American Red Cross

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

PV Primer, BA-0212

2002

Building Science Corporation

BSC

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

PVC - Friction Loss in Fittings and Equivalent Length

2004

Engineering Toolbox

Table calculating friction losses of PVC pipe fittings.

PVC Pipes Schedule 40 - Friction Loss and Flow Velocities

2004

Engineering Toolbox

Table calculating friction losses for PVC pipe by length.

Reexamining Roof Ventilation

2000

Woods Tony

Home Energy,

National Association for State Community Services Programs,

NASCSP

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

Retrofitting Knob and Tube Wiring An Investigation into Codes, Assessment, Wiring Practices and Cost

2000

Gordon Jeffrey R,

Rose William B

Building Research Council,

School of Architecture University of Illinois,

Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs

Guide on retrofitting insulation in cavities.

Revised Builder’s Guide to Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

2004

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing,

National Association of Home Builders

HUD,

PATH,

NAHB Research Center

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.

Seismic Retrofit Training For Building Contractors and Inspectors Participant Handbook

2002

McCormick Timothy P

Woodward Clyde Federal Services and the Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance Partnership,

City of Los Angeles,

Structural Engineers Association of Southern California,

SEAOSC

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.

Seismic Safety: Gas Shutoff Devices, SB-1898

2004

California Legislative Information

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.