Library | Building America Solution Center

Showing 51 - 100 of 113 results:

Fire Network: Windows Vulnerabilities

2009

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

UCANR,

University of California Cooperative Extension

A report showing what happens when windows break as a result of temperature differences between the inside and outside of the home, as well as code standards for the State of California regarding window exposure to wildfires.

General PV Specification

2009

Aldrich Robb

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Brochure on specifications for PV systems.

General Solar Thermal Specification

2009

Aldrich Robb

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Brochure on specifications for solar thermal systems.

GREENGUARD Certification for Paints and Coatings

2009

GREENGUARD Environmental Institute

Standard describing GREENGUARD Emission Criteria for use with GREENGUARD Certification Program for Low Emitting Products.

Groundwater Control, Info-101

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Information sheet about groundwater control.

Guide to Good Leak Testing

2009

Institute of Refrigeration

IOR,

Carbon Trust

Guide describing refrigeration leaks, including common leak points, how to fix them, and how to prevent them.

Guidelines for Ventilating Attics and Cathedral Ceilings to Avoid Icings at Their Eaves

2001

Tobiasson Wayne N,

Buska James S,

Greatorex Alan R

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

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

Healthy and Affordable Housing: Practical Recommendations for Building, Renovating and Maintaining Housing

2001

Brennan Terry,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

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

Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades

2009

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

National Service Center for Environmental Publications

EPA,

NSCEP

Guidance for achieving safe and healthy indoor environments during home energy retrofits.

High Performance Builder Spotlight: NextGen Home, Las Vegas, Nevada

2009

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE

Case study of new home construction in the hot-dry and mixed-dry climate zones.

High-R Roofs Case Study Analysis, BA-1006

2009

Straube John,

Grin Aaron

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Report that considers a number of promising wall systems that can meet the requirement for better thermal control.

Impact Resistance of Advanced Framed Wall Systems with Insulating Sheathing as the Primary Sheathing, RR-0603

2009

Baker Peter,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Research study describing the impact resistance performance of advanced framed wall systems with insulating sheathing as the primary sheathing from wind blown debris.

Improving Ventilation in Existing or New Buildings with Central Roof Exhaust

2009

National Center for Healthy Housing

NCHH

Fact sheet providing information on how to identify issues and improve performance in central exhaust systems.

Indirect/Passive Air-Flow Systems

2009

Kang Bhujon,

Lutz-Carillo Sky

University of Texas

Report detailing natural ventilation and passive airflow systems.

Installation of Cavity Insulation, Info-501

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Article explaining installing cavity insulation.

Interference Effects on Wind Loads on Low-Rise Hip Roof Buildings

2001

Ahmad Shakeel,

Kumar Krishen

Aligarh Muslim University,

University of Roorkee

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

Interior Water Management, Info-306

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Article discussing indoor water management.

Investigating Solutions to Wind Washing Issues in 2-Story Florida Homes; Phase 1

2009

Cummings James B,

Withers Charles R,

LaHiff Ian L

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Research study describing field testing performed in 32 two-story Florida homes to characterize wind washing failures of the house air and thermal boundary.

IRC FAQ: Conditioned Attics, GM-0905

2009

Building Science Corporation

BSC

Report discussing how to create livable space in the attic that meets IRC code requirements by either creating a ventilated roof assembly, or and unvented attic assembly.

Is There a Downside to High-MERV Filters?

2009

Springer David

Home Energy Magazine

Information sheet about efficiency and health benefits of MERV filters.

Is Your Home Protected From Earthquake Disaster? A Homeowner’s Guide to Earthquake Retrofit

2001

Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety

IBHS

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.

Kickout Flashing: How to Flash Troublesome Roof-to-Wall Intersections

2009

Guertin Mike

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

Article showing steps for kick out flashing at roof-wall intersection.

Leak-Free Skylights: A Peel-And-Stick Membrane Under The Flashing Guarantees That The Skylight Won’t Leak—Ever

2009

Guertin Mike

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

Article describing a technique for installing a skylight and avoiding potential water leaks with the use of a peel-and-stick (or self-adhesive) membrane under the flashing.

Living with Fire: Homeowners' Firesafe Guide for Montana

2009

FireSafe Montana

Guide for homeowners describing actions they can take to modify their home and the surrounding site to create a survivable space to reduce the amount of damage a home would likely experience during a wildfire.

Local Officials Guide for Coastal Construction, FEMA P-762

2009

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Guide describing sound mitigation measures to lower building natural disaster vulnerability to assist local officials and community decision makers in coastal areas.

Manual B - Balancing and Testing Air and Hydronic Systems

2009

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

ACCA

Standard technical manual with information about HVAC balancing, testing air and hydronic systems.

Metal Roof Systems in High-Wind Regions - Hurricane Ike Recovery Advisory

2009

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

A Recovery Advisory guide reccomending practices for designing and installing metal roof systems that will enhance wind resistance in high-wind regions (i.e., greater than 90-miles per hour [mph] gust design wind speed).

Mitigation Assessment Team Report: Hurricane Ike in Texas and Louisiana, FEMA P-757

2009

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

FEMA report describing findings from an investigation of Hurricane Ike in Texas and Louisiana and residential construction recommendations based on those findings.

NightCool: Nocturnal Radiation Cooling Concept Long Term Performance Evaluation

2009

Parker Danny S,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report describing the experimentally evaluated potential of a novel residential night cooling concept.

Predrywall Standard - Auxiliary Standards of Professional Practice for Residential Predrywall Inspections

2009

America Society of Home Inspectors

ASHI

Article describing how to properly manage condensing HVAC equipment.

Preliminary Performance Evaluation of a Near Zero Energy Home in Callaway, Florida

2009

Martin Eric,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report reviewing the design and the first four months of energy performance of a near zero energy project home in Callaway, Florida during the second half of 2008.

Preliminary Performance Evaluation of a Near Zero Energy Home in Gainesville, Florida

2009

Hoak David,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

Report reviewing the design of a net zero energy home in Gainesville, Florida and then focusing on the first six months of energy performance of the project home during the second half of 2008.

Protecting Manufactured Homes from Floods and other Hazards: A Multi-Hazard Foundation and Installation Guide, FEMA P-85

2009

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Report addressing flood, wind and seismic hazards and recommends several multi-hazard resistant foundation designs of manufactured homes.

Recommended Residential Construction for Coastal Areas: Building on Strong and Safe Foundations, FEMA P-550

2009

Coulbourne Bill,

et al.

Federal Emergency Management Agency,

FEMA,

URS Corporation,

DK Low and Associates,

Greenhorne and O'Mara,

Dewberry and Davis

Report providing recommended designs and guidance for rebuilding homes destroyed by hurricanes in the Gulf Coast.

Reducing the Costs of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems: Proceedings of Solar Forum 2001

2001

Dunlop James P,

et al.

Florida Solar Energy Center,

FSEC

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

Residential Air Cleaners - A Summary of Available Information, Second Edition

2009

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA

Report providing information on mechanical air-cleaning devices for ventilation when conventional methods are not warranted.

Resistance of Exterior Walls to High Velocity Projectiles

2001

Kashuba Scott D,

Kuzik Mark D,

Hatzinikolas Michael A

Canadian Masonry Research Institute,

CMPA

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

Retrofit of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings: The State-of-the-Art

2001

Korany Yasser,

Drysdale Robert,

Chidiac Samir

Department of Civil Engineering,

McMaster University

Technical paper covering the retrofit of unreinforced masonry buildings.

Servicing High Efficiency Boilers Part 2

2009

Eatherton Mark

Contractor Magazine

Second part of an article series focusing on servicing high efficiency modcon boilers. This part focuses on paperwork and follow-up communication with the homeowner for scheduling annual maintenance.

Servicing High Efficiency Modcon Boilers

2009

Eatherton Mark

Contractor Magazine

Article describing the author's experiences in owning and servicing a modcon boiler.

Smart Vapor Barrier - CertainTeed Dryright-vs-Kraft-Faced Insulation

2009

Zhong Zhipeng

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Report describing a comparison of hydrothermal performances of DryRightTM fiberglass batts and kraft-faced fiberglass batts in a south facing wall assembly with a moisture storage cladding material.

Solar Domestic Water Heating - a Roof-Integrated Evaluation

2009

Aldrich Robb

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Report providing a synopsis of a project to evaluate the performance of a roof-integrated solar water heating system.

Solar Ready Buildings Planning Guide

2009

Lisell Lars,

Tetreault Tim,

Watson Andrea

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Report identifying the important aspects of building design and construction to enable installation of solar photovoltaic and heating systems at some time after the building is constructed.

Still Placing Ducts in the Attic? Consider Burying Them

2009

Zoeller William

Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings,

CARB,

Steven Winter Associates,

SWA

Information sheet about buried ducts.

Summary of Code Barriers: Summary of Code and Standard Barriers to the Implementation of High Performance Home Systems Designs

2009

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

NREL,

DOE

Document describing issues of wind pressure resistance in walls with exterior rigid foam sheathing installed directly over framing members.

Termite Damaged Weatherboard

2001

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

CSIRO

Image depicting damage from termites in weatherboard cladding.

The value of shade: Estimating the effect of urban trees on summertime electricity use

2009

Donovan Geoffrey H,

Butry David T

U.S. Department of Agriculture,

USDA,

USDA Forest Service,

National Institute of Standards and Technology,

NIST

Paper describing the effects of shade trees and their location on residential summertime electricity usage.

Thermal Mass and Its Effect on the Whole Building Energy Performance, Part I and II

2001

Kosny Jan

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

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

Thermal Protection in Recessed Luminaires

2001

Pierce Jim

Independent Alliance of the Electrical Industry,

IAEI

Article on thermal protectors in recessed light fixtures.

Tornado Protection - Selecting Refuge Areas in Buildings, FEMA P-431

2009

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA

Report presenting information that aids qualified architects and engineers in the identification of the best available refuge areas in existing buildings for sheltering in place during a tornado.