Library

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...

Installation tips and product suggestions for mounting hardware.

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

Ignition resistant residential construction and landscaping guidelines from FireSafe Montana.

Article describing excess flow valves installed on gas lines to shut-off natural gas flow to a home in the event that a gas line is severed due to an earthquake, natural disaster, earthquake, etc.

Website providing builders with information about meeting RESNET Grade 1 criteria when installing insulation.

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.

Information sheet providing links and resources for insulating basements in cold climates.

Report targeting the growing number of homes utilizing deep retrofit measures and new construction practices to realize sufficiently lower infiltration levels that require mechanical ventilation as prescribed by ASHRAE Standard 62.2.

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.”

Report describing the use of passive vents as a source of outdoor air in multifamily buildings.

Repor ourlining testing results from a 53 home monitored sample, long-term energy use of electric resistance clothes dryers.

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.

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.

Building science insight into crawlspaces.

Article describing a steel connector product for jack rafter connections.

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

Standard for determining fenestration attachment product SHGC and visible transmittance.

Newsletter providing news and information to members of the New Jersey National Guard.

Guide providing information on controlling attic ductwork sweating.

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.

A study on how fires spread through exterior building envelopes with discussion on how fires propagate in a rain screen cavity.

Report describing research on how to reduce energy used by residential homes by applying shallow and deep retrofits to an existing home.

Report describing single retrofit measures applied to shallow retrofitted homes that could be used to refine the deep retrofit package.

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.

Article outlining moisture accumulation in open cell spray polyurethane foam.

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

Webpage for home owners describing ways to prepare indoor and outdoor fuel tanks to avoid displacement during floods.

Fact sheet describing the special considerations that must be made when installing utility equipment, such as fuel, sewage, and water/sewage lines in a coastal home, and presenting recommendations for utility protection; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction...

Technical fact sheet describing the selection and installation of storm shutters and impact-resistant glazing and other types of opening protection in windborne debris regions; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Report presenting ways public housing authorities (PHAs) can develop packages of energy efficiency retrofit measures the PHAs can cost-effectively implement with their own staff in the normal course of housing operations at the time when units are refurbished between occupancies.

An example of a form a building codes department created to ensure builders are fully aware and have taken steps to provide drainage so that water doesn’t accumulate behind siding. This example is from the city of Newberg, Oregon.

Article describing key takeaways from two symposia held during Building Innovation 2016: The National Institute of Building Sciences Fourth Annual Conference and Expo, including that resilience can be affordable and cost-effective.