Library

2012 edition of code establishing a baseline for existing building retrofits to reach appropriate safety levels under new construction requirements covered in other ICC codes.

2012 edition of code establishing regulations involving life and property safety from fires and explosion hazards, including emergency planning, fire department access and water supply, automatic sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and hazardous materials planning and storage.

Report describing practices and considerationsfor more efficient water use in pools, spas, and fountains.

Code describing energy codes for energy-conserving and compliant designs in Florida.

The purpose of this standard is to establish minimum requirements to safeguard the public health, safety and general welfare relative to the design, construction and installation of storm shelters constructed for protection from high winds associated with tornadoes and hurricanes.

2015 edition of the code establishing regulations to safeguard life and property from the intrusion of wildland fire and to prevent structure fires from spreading to wildland fuels; regulates defensible space and provides ignition-resistant construction requirements to protect against fire exposure...

Report describing the results of a field study of five different ventilation system types in 29 homes in the Pacific Northwest.

Report describing testing and analysis on deep energy retrofits of existing single-family homes in the U.S.

Guide describing advanced framing, a system of construction framing techniques designed to optimize material usage and increase energy efficiency.

Report describing two retrofit duct sealing techniques - manually-applied sealants and injecting a spray sealant, that were implemented in several low-rise multi-unit buildings in North Carolina.

Case study about high humidity, mold and condensation on surfaces in S. Florida, and how building characteristics cause and amplify these problems.

This report describes research conducted to evaluate air transfer between the garage and living space in a single-family detached home constructed to the 2009 IECC by a production home builder in Maryland.

Case study examining the problem of unwanted air transfer from garage to living space and the effectiveness of garage exhaust ventilation or house supply ventilation to provide a solution to that.

Research report describing study of interior and exterior air sealing techniques to stop ice dams in five 1.5-story retrofit homes conducted by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team run by University of Minnesota.

Report outlining workflow and results of regression models on monthly and daily utility data (meter readings of electricity consumption), outlining a process for screening and gathering useful results from inverse models.

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

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

Information sheet about reservoir claddings.

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 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 marine climate.

Report provides a proposed set of guidelines for estimating the energy savings achieved by a package of retrofits or an extensive rehabilitation of an existing home.

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.

Report summarizing research results for the 30% energy savings level and demonstrates that lead builders can successfully provide 30% homes in the Marine Climate Region on a cost-neutral basis.

Report summarizing research results for the 30% energy savings level and demonstrates that lead builders can successfully provide 30% homes in the Hot-Dry / Mixed-Dry Climate Region on a cost-neutral basis.

Report providing a summary of key lessons learned from the first ten years of the Building America program and also included a summary of the future challenges that must be met to reach the programs long term performance goals.

Web report explaining how correct filter sizing is an issue that applies to all new and existing homes that use ducted HVAC systems.

Article describing correct ways to eliminate water damage by incorporating a sacrificial layer to foundation walls and footings.

This is a guide for establishing smoke-free policies in public housing and multifamily properties.

News article from SFGate explaining and giving figures on how chimney failure is the most common type of damage to homes during an earthquake.

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

Report on the stability of furring strips as a means for cladding attachment over walls with thick exterior rigid insulation.

Report describing retrofitting options and methodology for architects, developers, and property owners to use when making decisions about retrofits for common building types in NY.

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

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

Article about how mortar droppings during the installation of a brick veneer can clog the weep holes in the wall assembly causing moisture damage. The article also illustrates products that can be installed in the ventilated cavity to mitigate this problem.

Research report anayzing the results of a large retrofit project, turining an old school into near zero energy consumption apartments in Greenfield MA.

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

Report exploring alternative methods to find long-term solutions to energy loss in 1 ½-story homes to save energy, improve comfort, prevent frost buildup on the underside of the roof deck, and reduce the risk of ice dam formation/reformation.

This case study describes costs associated with the External Thermal and Moisture Management System developed by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership for retrofitting roofs with rigid foam over the roof deck, especially on one and a half-story homes.

Report describing the monitored long-term performance of two solar domestic water heating systems in northern climates.

Research study evaluating energy savings and cost effectiveness of installing low-emissivity (low-e) storm windows over existing windows in residential homes in all climate zones.

Report covering exterior energy retrofits of masonry buildings.

Report explaining the principles of seismic design to architects.

Website discusses differences between CFL and LED bulbs.

Report outlining the issues with using existing ducts with a new low-load HVAC system, which reduces throw at supply registers causing decreased mixing of supply and room air, leading to potential thermal comfort complaints.

Report identifying two barriers that limit the ability of builders to explore opportunities for higher levels of energy efficiency in housing: the use of duct system materials that inherently achieve airtightness and are right-sized for low-load houses, and, the ability to air seal fire separation...

Poster describing earthquake safety tips and protection measures to take at home.

This study evaluates the energy, humidity and indoor air quality implications of residential ventilation cooling in all US IECC climate zones.