Library

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.

A website detailing initiatives on the east coast for the installation and use of high efficiency products.

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

A comprehensive list of all ENERGY STAR home performance programs.

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...

Article from Washington Post on passive cooling measures for homes during extreme heat.

Factsheet describing defensible space and wildfire risk reduction steps that homeowners can take to make their homes safer during a wildfire.

Webpage describing how to locate and manually shut off natural gas service at the meter.

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

Website providing comparison charts and reviews of hybrid inverters for solar power systems.

ICC-ES Evaluation Report reviewing proprietary steel shear wall panels developed by Simpson Strong-Tie Company to resist vertical and lateral loads in walls resulting from wind or earthquakes.

Ignition resistant residential construction and landscaping guidelines from FireSafe Montana.

Webpage detailing how to purchase and install the correct shut-off valve for homes in California, including differences between earthquake and excess flow valves and how to install each.

Site showing flame spread ratings and definitions for common building materials.

This document covers how broken windows can allow wind and rain inside the house and even lead to roof failure.

Report describing the performance, economics, space heating impacts, and user satisfaction of heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) in the upper Midwest, based on a field study and survey of participants in the MECA HPWH incentive program.

A guide for users and energy raters of insulated siding as home insulation.

Fact sheet describing the newly developed Ventilation-Integrated Comfort System (VICS) that reduces space requirements and eliminates costly ductwork for separate heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, all while enhancing performance, addressing the demand for energy-efficient homes, and...

List of acceptance criteria for the ICC.

Webpage describing benefits of adding battery storage to homes and an estimation tool.

Blog article citing the risks and downsides of attic ventilation fans from a building science perspective.

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.

Web page describing how to identify heat-related illness and how to prevent it.

Article from University of Arizona on keeping homes cool during extreme heat, both personal and system changes.

Article providing guidance for installing manufactured stone veneer, including information on rainscreens.

Website providing information about Knauf Insulation.

Guide describing landscaping tips for healthy and regionally-based gardens, including maintenance, mulching, water efficiency, and plant resources.

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.

Website describing the EPA Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule that establishes requirements to reduce lead exposure for firms and individuals performing renovations that might disturb painted surfaces in buildings and homes built pre 1978 that might be occupied by children.

A website explaining the measurement of light bulbs, measurable in lumens, & brightness levels that ENERGY STAR products produce.

A website explaining the basics of LED lightning, their lifespan, their use in general lighting applications, the amount of heat produced, and why you should choose ENERGY STAR certified LED products for your home.

A fact sheet providing information on ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs & how to find the right one to fit your lighting fixture.

A website exploring the use of lighting controls products like dimmers, motion sensors and timers to save energy in the home.

A website explaining basic lighting principles and terms & how they are applied to the home.

Test results used by multiple structural insulated panel manufacturers confirming a one-hour fire rating for specific SIP assemblies.

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.

News article describing the state of the residential battery storage market.

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...

A website explaining lumens & how to compare the amount of light that lightbulbs can produce when shopping for replacements.

Web article describing many ways homeowners, contractors, and builders can make homes more resistant to hurricanes, tornadoes, high winds, floods, and hail.

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

Webpage featuring hundreds of illustrations of masonry construction details for brick, congrete, stone, tile, stucco, etc.

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.”

Website providing medical information about malignant mesothelioma, a cancer related to asbestos exposure.

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...