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...

Article describing products that can enhance the efficiency and safety of clothes dryer vents.

Report providing builders in marine climates with guidance for building homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers.

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 advanced framing techniques, including discussion of cost and energy savings.

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.

Technical fact sheet describing ways to construct asphalt shingle roofs to be more resistant to high winds and hurricanes; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

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

Fact sheet describing recommended practices for installing brick veneer that will enhance wind resistance in high wind regions and examples of proper installations and brick veneer tie spacings; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Document providing background and approach for the prep work necessary prior to adding attic insulation - focusing on combustion safety, ventilation for indoor air quality, and attic ventilation for durability.

Article describing different kinds of water-resistant backer boards.

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 guidance to U.S. home builders who want to accept the challenge.

Report summarizing the guidelines for developing and reporting analytical results in a consistent and meaningful manner for all home energy uses.

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 investigating implementation of advanced framing in both production and prototype built homes built in a variety of climate regions across the USA.

Research study describing a number of promising foundation and basement insulation strategies that can meet the requirement for better thermal control in colder climates while enhancing moisture control, health, and comfort.

Report comparing a variety of roof insulating strategies to present their advantages and disadvantages according to several comparison criteria.

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

Document providing an example procedure for establishing acceptance-range criteria to assess results from software undergoing BESTEST-EX.

Article describing the control layers (air, thermal, and vapor barriers) needed to build homes successfully in very cold locations.

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

Report describing ventilation system design, including a central fan integrated supply (CFIS) system, made up of a 6-inch outdoor air intake duct connected to the return side of the air handler with a fan cycling control to make sure the fan runs a programmed minimum amount of time.

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.

Fact sheet providing guidance and best practices on the selection of building materials used for coastal construction, and discussing flood, wind, corrosion, decay resistance, and protection recommendations; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact...

Fact sheet describing the characteristics that make for a successful coastal residential building, including design and construction recommendations; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

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.

Installation manual describing proper installation practices, industry standards and the code requirements of roofing tiles.

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.