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Library

Explore this extensive library of building science guidance including research reports from DOE’s Building America program as well as hundreds of other articles, fact sheets, webpages, and reference documents related to constructing and renovating homes.

Showing 1 - 50 of 175 results:

2009 International Building Code - IBC

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
International Code Council
·
Organization(s)
ICC
Description
2009 edition of code for commercial buildings that brings together all structural, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and electrical provisions for all buildings except detached one- and two-family residences and townhouses up to three stories.

2009 International Fuel Gas Code - IFGC

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
International Code Council
·
Organization(s)
ICC
Description
2009 edition of code establishing a baseline for the design and installation of fuel gas systems and gas fired appliances through performance requirements.

2009 International Residential Code - IRC

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
International Code Council
·
Organization(s)
ICC
Description
2009 edition of code for residential buildings that creates minimum regulations for one- and two-family dwellings of three stories or less, bringing together all building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and electrical provisions for one- and two-family residences.

2017 Florida Building Code – Building, Sixth Edition

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
International Code Council,
Florida Building Commission
·
Organization(s)
ICC,
FBC
Description
Florida building code including all the amendments and additions by Florida for the wind-borne debris regions and the high-velocity hurricane zone.

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Dry and Mixed-Dry Climates, Volume 9

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Baechler Michael C,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
ORNL,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
Report providing builders in the hot-dry and mixed-dry 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.

5 Ways to Protect Your Home From Wildfires

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
McGuigan Connor
·
Organization(s)
Sierra Club
Description
Article from the Sierra Club explaining 5 steps to take to ensure your home's resistance to wildfires, including site maintenance and roof construction guidelines.

A Plug-and-Play Duct System Evaluation

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Beach Robert,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Integrated Building and Construction Solutions,
IBACOS
Description
Report describing an air distribution system composed of a series of uniformly-sized ducts that terminate in rooms throughout the home and return to a central manifold, similar in fashion to a “home-run” cross-linked polyethylene plumbing system.

A Thermally Broken Steel Connection

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
West Chris
·
Organization(s)
Journal of Light Construction,
JLC
Description
Article describing methods for thermally isolating a garage in a Passive House-certified multifamily building.

ACCA Manual T - Air Distribution Basics

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
·
Organization(s)
ACCA
Description
Standard providing guidance on how to select, size, and locate the supply air diffusers, grilles and registers, and the return grilles.

AIA Disaster Assistance Handbook, Third Edition

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
American Institute of Architects
·
Organization(s)
AIA
Description
Report describing the experience gained from AIA’s Disaster Assistance Program with first-hand accounts of disaster response and recovery, case studies and other best practices, including approaches to designing buildings to be more adaptable to uncertainty.

An Overview of Building America Industrialized Housing Partnership (BAIHP) Activities in Hot-Humid Climates

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Chandra Subrato,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
University of Central Florida,
UCF
Description
Report summarizing systems research activities for new housing in hot-humid climates, including NightCool, interior duct systems in manufactured housing, ventilation and dehumidification, plug load reduction and solar and conventional hot water.

Are Your Multi-Family Buildings Accessible?

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Stratton Petter A
·
Organization(s)
Steven Winter Associates,
SWA
Description
Document highlighting federal accessibility laws which may apply to a housing development, and common mistakes made in the field which, if avoided, will help to ensure compliance.

ASCE Ground Snow Loads

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Wilkerson
·
Organization(s)
Medeek Design
Description
Webpage providing mapping tool for obtaining ground snow load, based on ASCE 7-10, for any location in the contiguous United States, with the exception of locations requiring a case study due to extreme local variations in ground snow loads. Fee required for some data.

Basement Insulation, Info 511

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Building Science Corporation
·
Organization(s)
BSC
Description
Information sheet describing techniques for insulating basements.

Benefits of Demand-Controlled Pumping

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Acker Larry,
Klein Gary
·
Organization(s)
Home Energy Magazine,
Taco Comfort
Description
Article describing how demand plumbing systems send cold water back to the water heater until hot water arrives at the sink, shower or other fixture where it is needed.

BPVC Code Cases: Boilers and Pressure Vessels, BPVC.CC.BPV-2017

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
·
Organization(s)
ASME
Description
Code establishing the rules of safety relating only to pressure integrity for the design, fabrication, and inspection of boilers and pressure vessels during construction which was published in the year 2017 and is available to order at the referenced link.

BSC Information - Pan Flashing for Exterior Wall Openings for All Climates, Sheet 302

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Burkett Lena,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
PNNL,
Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs,
CRA,
Colorado Code Consulting,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
NREL
Description
Webinar answering code-related questions on duct leakage tests, moisture levels in attics and crawlspaces, combustion equipment in conditioned attics, ventilation in multifamily buildings, and continuous insulation in residential construction.

Building Thermal Performance, Extreme Heat, and Climate Change

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Nahlik Matthew J.,
et al.
·
Organization(s)
American Society of Civil Engineers,
ASCE
Description
Article published by American Society of Civil Engineers on different building types and their effectiveness resisting extreme heat from a building envelope perspective.

Climate Research

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
·
Organization(s)
NOAA
Description
Website providing weather data.

Clothes Dryers

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
ENERGY STAR
·
Organization(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA,
ENERGY STAR
Description
ENERGY STAR clothes dryer buying guidance for consumers.

Comparison of the ENERGYGAUGE USA and BEopt Building Energy Simulation Programs

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
Parker Danny S,
Cummings Jamie E
·
Organization(s)
Florida Solar Energy Center,
FSEC,
U.S. Department of Energy,
DOE
Description
Two hourly energy simulation software, BEopt and Energy Gauge USA, were compared to ensure accuracy and evaluate agreement on the impact of various energy efficiency improvements.