Library

Article describing five fundamental changes to building construction from the last 50 years and their modern construction consequences.

Standard providing a comprehensive approach to evaluating, selecting, specifying and installing flexible duct in HVAC systems.

Fact sheet describing the use of foundation walls in coastal buildings, including footing embedment, wall height, materials and workmanship, lateral support, flood openings and ventilation requirements, and interior grade elevations for crawlspaces; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide...

Fact sheet describing foundation design criteria, foundation types suitable for coastal environments, and addressing foundations for high-elevation coastal areas (e.g., bluff areas); also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Guides describing frost-protected shallow foundations as an alternative method for building an energy-efficient foundation for a house in a cold climate that uses less concrete and saves on labor.

Webpage from Washington State Department of Health describing how to use backup generators properly to not overload during a power outage.

Document that gives a step-by-step approach for designing attachments for cladding materials through foam sheathing.

Guide providing information on using exterior foam insulating sheathing in building wall assemblies to enhance thermal performance.

Brochure describing advanced framing techniques.

Brochure describing advanced framing techniques.

Information sheet about air barriers.

Brochure describing insulation and air-sealing details.

Document providing a roadmap to aid Habitat for Humanity affiliates in building high performing houses by using materials and techniques that are affordable, do not add any maintenance burden, and are volunteer friendly.

Report providing an introduction to current photovoltaic and solar thermal building practices.

Best Practices document providing an introduction to current photovoltaic and solar thermal building practices.

Report containing 37 fact sheets that provide technical guidance and recommendations concerning the construction of coastal residential buildings.

A guide that summarizes building materials and design considerations for increasing wildfire-resistivity of homes in areas that are prone to wildfires.

Fact sheet describing the function of housewrap, its attributes, and common problems associated with its use, including housewrap vs. building paper and housewrap installation; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Fact sheet describing effects of planning, siting, and design decisions on coastal home costs, including initial, operating, and long-term costs; risk determination; and the effect on costs of meeting and exceeding code and NFIP design and construction requirements; also published in FEMA P-499...

Report describing the hurricane retrofit guide with focus on walls and wooded framed walls.

Ignition resistant residential construction and landscaping guidelines from FireSafe Montana.

Report summarizing approaches to addressing duct leakage in hot humid climates.

Standard supporting indoor air quality performance by producers, purchasers and policy makers to improve the environmental performance of products and services.

The purpose for this document is to provide basic guidance on the use of proven installation techniques that can be used by installers to help ensure correct “dense pack” application of JM Spider® in drill & fill applications.

EPA’s 2008 Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule (as amended in 2010 and 2011), aims to protect the public from lead-based paint hazards associated with renovation, repair and painting activities.

Factsheet describing the concept of load paths and the important connections in a wind uplift load path; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Document presenting a cost effective method that was used by four builders in the Gainesville, FL area to construct interior ducts in over a dozen site built homes.

Fact sheet defining “lowest floor,” identifying common construction practices that are violations of NFIP regulations, and discussing benefits of exceeding the NFIP minimum building elevation requirements; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact...

If your kitchen has a powerful exhaust fan, it may be pulling air down your chimney or water-heater flue.

Fact sheet describing important roof-to-wall and wall-to-foundation connection details for masonry construction in coastal areas, including load paths, building materials, and reinforcement; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Fact sheet describing practices for minimizing water intrusion through roof vent systems, which can lead to interior damage and mold growth in high-wind regions, including soffit vents, ridge vents, gable end vents, off-ridge vents, gable rake vents, and turbines; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home...

Fact sheet describing how typical wall moisture barrier systems work, the moisture barrier system and common problems associated with them; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Document describing a hygrothermal modeling study, including all of the US climate zones, a range of interior humidity levels and numerous arrangements and types of insulation.

Brochure discussing specific practices for mitigating moisture and mold during the construction process.

Information sheet about mold mitigation.

Report describing the interactions, both positive and negative, between common green building practices and the robustness of residential buildings to withstand natural hazards.

Report discussing the benefits of modern evaporative cooling systems for use in hot dry climate zones.

Building science insight into crawlspaces.

Standard providing a procedure for determining fenestration attachment product U-factors.

Standard for determining fenestration attachment product SHGC and visible transmittance.

The Enhanced F-scale is a set of wind estimates (not measurements) based on damage which uses three-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a judgment of 8 levels of damage to the 28 indicators listed.

Fact sheet providing guidance on alternative building materials and techniques in coastal environments, including Engineered Wood Products, SIPs, ICFs, Prefabricated Shear Walls and Moment Frames, Sprayed Closed-Cell Foam Insulation, Advanced Wall Framing, and Modular Houses; also published in FEMA...

Report providing quick reference guide information to help a family prepare for hurricane season, including seven steps to a wind resistant home, a wind inspection checklist, and how to find a contractor.

Report highlighting the evaluation methods used and extent of wind washing found in a study analyzing wind washing in thirty-two two-story homes.

Report presenting the results of a study evaluating retrofit solutions for addressing the effects of wind washing on homes.

Standards for paints and coatings.

Paper examining the monitored performance of four newly constructed near zero energy homes in Florida.

Fact sheet describing basic information about pile design and installation, including pile types, sizes and lengths, layout, installation methods, bracing, field cutting, connections, and verifying capacities; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact...

Report briefly reviewing past research on the effects of occupant behavior on residential energy use and then covering a two year pilot evaluation of a low cost residential energy feedback system installed in twenty case study homes in Florida.

Document with information about the most practical methods to achieve whole-wall performance of R-30 or above.