Library

Fact sheet summarizing NFIP requirements, general guidelines, and recommendations concerning the construction and installation of decks, access stairs and elevators, swimming pools, and accessory buildings under or near coastal residential buildings; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s...

Fact sheet describing design and construction practices that reduce the likelihood of flood damage in the event that flood levels exceed the BFE, including illustrations of appropriate construction practices; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact...

Document providing design guidance and software tool information for forced-air HVAC systems.

Information about dense pack, cellulose insulation.

Information sheet with HVAC duct insulation, testing, maintenance and performance information.

Report providing an introduction to the NEHRP recommended seismic provisions for new buildings and other structures.

Presentation describing the history of ECM motors, an overview of ECM motor technology, and a lesson on the installation of ECM motors.

The objective of this research was to quantify the field performance of wood-frame walls clad with a variety of common claddings in a mixed-humid climate.

Fact sheet describing requirements and recommendations for enclosures and breakaway walls for their use below the BFE, including a diagram of a compliant wall system and examples of systems that have either resulted in increased damages or increased flood insurance premiums; also published in FEMA P...

A FAQ explaining the purpose of the Energy Independence and Security Act, a law which sets energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs.

Document providing a resource to help contractors renovate historic houses, while addressing issues such as building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort.

Paper describing the effects of tree shade on residential electricity consumption and energy savings in summer and winter.

Document presenting a simple starting point to determine the most cost-effective Energy Savings Measure Packages (ESMP) for existing homes to achieve 15% and 30% savings in 37 locations across the United States.

A standard providing minimum energy efficiency requirements for buildings that are not low-rise residential buildings.

ENERGY STAR factsheet describing the HVAC Quality Installation Program

EPA's market report about residential clothes dryers.

Research study evaluating operating conditions required to maintain uniform mixing, within high performance homes, under both heating and cooling conditions.

Report evaluating the accuracy of the regression technique used in 2006 by using the same least-squares regression analysis on data created from hourly energy simulation software.

Research study that utilizes EnergyPlus equipped with the moisture capacitance model to analyze the indoor relative humidity in three home types.

Report describing research testing results on roof truss to wall connections in light frame wood systems.

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

Report on the performance of range hood exhaust fans.

Expert meeting held to discuss simplified space conditioning systems in low load homes, including the relationship between advanced thermal enclosures, space conditioning systems and comfort.

Report presenting the process of a residential retrofit project for houses in the states of Florida and Alabama, including findings at the time of reporting and highlights of the first home to meet the target HERS Index of 70.

Webpage from Ready.gov explaining what qualifies as 'extreme heat', how to be safe during an extreme heat event, and how to prepare for extreme heat in homes

Article from Building Science Corporation on construction techniques for extreme heat conditions in Dubai and Las Vegas.

Information sheet about what length screws should be used, and how closely to space the screws when fastening furring strips to a foam-sheathed wall.

Guide providing homeowners tips on how to secure bookcases and other heavy furniture with brackets and child-proof drawer and cabinet locks.

Information sheet with an analysis of mini split heat pump systems.

Report describing a simple and general way to generate House Simulation Protocol (HSP)-consistent internal sensible and latent loads in unoccupied homes.

Map of the wind-borne debris region of Florida

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.

Report describing a project aimed at developing validated models and design tools for foundation heat exchangers.

Article describing a numerical model that can be used to size foundation heat exchanger (FHX) 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 Guthrie County REC with video and image links illustrating how to safely use backup generation during power outages.

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

Article describing issues with attic ventilation fans and why the state of Georgia residential code does not allow plug-in attic ventilation fans.

Factsheet describing the uses and benefits of ground-source heat pumps for affordable housing, assisted living, dorms and hotels.

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

Presentation about proper installation of flexible ducts.

Document providing supplemental information for code enforcement professionals about header hangers in bearing walls.

Article discussing the advantages of using heat pumps and/or hydronic forced air heat instead of furnaces in high-performance homes.

Brochure describing advanced framing techniques.

Brochure describing advanced framing techniques.

Information sheet about air barriers.