Library

Article describing the difference between conditioned or unvented attics and unconditioned or vented attics.

Article describing the use of whole-house fans to provide cooling in the region surrounding Sacramento, CA.

Tool developed by LBNL to calculate potential savings from increasing wall and roof solar reflectance.

Report on experiments comparing the cooling and heating seasonal and peak demand performance of different variable-capacity air conditioning and heat pump units.

Report describing costs associated with non-residential electric vehicle charging, including multifamily properties.

Article describing the importance of air sealing, insulation, and roof ventilation in reducing the likelihood of ice dam formation on roofs in cold snowy climates.

Guidance document on deep energy retrofits.

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Design and Construction Process chapter provides detailed guidance for each process phase: pre-planning, planning, construction, test-out and post-occupancy.

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Lessons Learned chapter focuses on successful deep energy retrofit projects throughout the U.S.

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Occupant Behavior chapter discusses how to assess homeowner behavior patterns and use these patterns to enhance overall energy savings.

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Over Time, Phased Guidance chapter presents a phased approach to deep energy retrofits.

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Reducing costs and Increasing Cost-Effectiveness chapter provides suggestions for controlling deep retrofit costs, including both 'do's' and 'don'ts'.

Part of a larger LBNL report (Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center), the Source Energy and Carbon Decisions chapter helps users carefully assess the impacts of switching from gas to electricity for heating end-uses, using source energy and/or carbon emissions...

Report providing information on ways to incentivize funding of hazard mitigation programs.

Article describing the difference between swales and hugels (berms used to create soil from woody debris).

Information sheet with safety tips for home owners on proper maintenance of clothes dryers.

A quick guide from the California Division of the State Architect (DSA) explaining the three types of gas shutoff devices to stop the flow of natural gas into buildings in the event of an earthquake or rupture of the gas line.

Designer checklist covering hazards involving ground and surface water, rain and water vapor, HVAC and plumbing, sunlight, insects, decay, and natural hazards, and builder checklist covering all disaster resistance, sorted by building component.

Report on how airtighness changes as houses age.

Case study describing foundation wall moisture studies at a research facility in Minnesota run by Building America team NorthernSTAR.

Article presenting a numerical study of wind pressure on the low-rise hip-roof building by varying the roof pitch using computational fluid dynamics computer modeling and wind tunnel testing of hip roofs with different roof pitches: 15°, 20°, 30° and 40°.

Document explaining requirements and recommendations for defensible space, with a focus on sloped vegetation.

Report describing guidance for selecting an electric vehicle charger

Website from the U.S. Department of Energy providing consumers with information on saving energy and using renewable energy technologies.

Technical report evaluating the energy savings potential of radiative cooling technologies, particularly photonic 'selective emittance' materials.

Report describing the research gap in the connection between resilience and energy efficiency.

Handbook to help property owners understand the rules, procedures, standards, and criteria that apply to the environmental resource permit (ERP) program under Part IV of Chapter 373 of the Florida Statutes.

This report evaluates the performance of variable-capacity comfort systems, with a focus on inverter-driven, variable-capacity systems, as well as proposed system enhancements.

Report describing the methods and results of a field evaluation of the energy performance of cellular shade window coverings.

Report describing a research study of the performance of interior low-E storm windows in two test houses at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA.

Report that demonstrates the durability, constructability, and cost-effectiveness of the extended plate and beam (EP&B) wall system for new construction housing projects in compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code, addressing moisture risk management and high-performance envelope...

Report on high-R wall design called extended plate and beam that uses foam sheathing insulation with wall framing.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is interested in finding cost-effective solutions for deep energy retrofits (DERs) related to exterior wall insulation in a cold climate, with targets of 50% peak load reduction and 50% space conditioning energy savings.

Newsletter reviewing federal disaster policy, the research basis for resilience, and three models of building resilient communities.

Document discussing methods to bioengineer stabilization of shorelines using living and non-living plant materials in combination, known as the “Living Shorelines” concept.

Guide discussing the siting of residential and community safe rooms at appropriate elevations and locations.

ICC 500 provides the minimum requirements to safeguard public health, safety, and general welfare relative to the design, construction, and installation of storm shelters constructed for protection from high winds associated with tornadoes and hurricanes.

Document describing ASCE 24-14 Flood Resistant Design and Construction changes and highlights, on topics including siting, materials, performance, and utilities.

Report outlining how Smart ventilation controls (SVC) balance energy consumption, comfort, and IAQ by optimizing mechanical ventilation operation to reduce the heating and/or cooling loads, improve management of indoor moisture, and maintain IAQ equivalence according to ASHRAE 62.2.

Report of a field evaluation of four novel roof designs to see how each design would reduce space-conditioned energy use so that the knowledge gained could be applied to the design of new manufactured homes.

Report on field monitoring of inverter-driven ASHPs in cold-climate homes.

Report to understand the long-term moisture performance of unvented roof assemblies with fibrous insulation.

Report presenting the results from several demonstrations of a new method for sealing building envelop air leaks.

A guide to construction of wildfire resistant homes and communities.

Five step plan from the Tahoe Fire & Fuels team outlining how to create an effective defensible space for wildfire protection. Recommendations include siting for homes on slopes.

Link to all versions of ASCE/SEI 24, a standard describing the minimum requirements and expected performance for the siting and design and construction of buildings and structures in flood hazard areas that are subject to building code requirements.

Presentation explaining the fenestration elements of the Florida Building Code.

Animated video demonstrating the continuous load path of a hurricane on a house.

Checklist highlighting the requirement for metal structural connections and materials fasteners used to retrofit or construct FORTIFIED buildings less than 3,000 ft from saltwater to be suitably protected from corrosion.

Checklist describing requirements for roof sheathing along the gable end truss or rafter to achive a FORTIFIED Roof, including New Roof designations and exceptions.