Library

Free online tool for sizing central heat pump water heater systems.

A map describing the average temperature of shallow groundwater in Fahrenheit across the continental United States.

Technical report evaluating the effects of heat pump water heaters on heating and cooling energy usage in laboratory homes.

Report describing best practices for installing electric vehicle chargers.

Webpage describing embodied carbon through definition, significance to climate, and importance to policymaking.

A San Diego County standard highlighting the requirements for residential emergency vehicle turnarounds.

Powerpoint on attic ventilation developed as training material for the Weatherization Assistance Program.

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

Webpage for finding all the information you need to start shopping for ENERGY STAR certified products, including product details, rebates, and retailers near you.

Program criteria for residential exhaust fans used for ventilation.

Website providing information on preparing to stay or go, shelter-in-place procedures, and additional resources.

DOE-sponsored report describing the experimental setup and results of field studies on using interior cellular shading attachments to reduce solar heat gain in summer and reduce heat loss in winter.

DOE-sponsored report describing the experimental setup and results of field studies on using exterior fabric shading attachments to reduce solar heat gain, reduce glare, and improve comfort.

Technical report presenting the results of an evaluation of homes using high-efficiency mini-split heat pumps to supplement the primary heating and cooling systems.

Article describing benefits of ECM motors and how they can be installed as retrofit motors in HVAC equipment.

ENERGY STAR's Expert Home Improvements webpage.

Fact sheet describing the Extended Plate Wall (EPW) a system that incorporates a 2-inch layer of foam plastic insulative sheathing within the framing for top and bottom plates, streamlining air sealing, window and door installation, weather resistive barrier application, and cladding attachment for...

Webpage developed by OSHA to provide workers and employers useful, up-to-date information on fall protection.

DOE webpage that gives and overview of fans for cooling.

Webpage from LSU AgCenter answering frequently asked questions after gutting a flooded home, including mitigation strategies for future floods.

Website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

Website providing a compilation of guidance, case studies, tools, and training to assist local communities as they are in the midst of managing recovery post-disaster.

Document describing commonly used terms in the context of levees and what they mean.

Fact sheet describing the report FEMA P-804 Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential Buildings (2010) with a link to this report and gives an overview of FEMA funds for wind retrofit projects.

Website providing links to scalable guidance and tools about the importance of earthquake mitiation to the private sector, its owners, managers, and employees.

Website describing the national flood insurance program and how to purchase flood insurance.

A address searchable geographic information system for visualizing the flood hazard of an address and its surrounding area.

Activity sheets describing questions and preparedness action items for a variety of disasters including floods, fires, earthquakes, and winter weather.

Website of the Fenestration and glazing Industry Alliance.

Report on the field evaluation of whole-building approaches and estimation of the relative contributions of select technologies toward reducing energy use related to space conditioning in new manufactured homes.

Report describing the in situ performance evaluation of newly released heat pump water heaters (HPWHs), highlighting their energy and cost savings potential compared to conventional electric resistance water heaters and other alternatives, based on data collected from installations in Massachusetts...

Report describing research about a test implementation of an unvented tile roof assembly in a hot-humid climate.

Factsheet describing fire related terms such as noncombustible, fire resistant, fire retardant, flame spread, how they are applied, and related testing standards.

Fact sheet providing a reference for the different types of fire pumps and fire pump drivers.

Webpage from FireSafe Marin explaining the vulnerability of different deck setups and materials.

A webpage containing information provides links to state- and province- based coalitions dedicated to advocating for home fire sprinklers.

Article from CAL FIRE on fire-resistant landscaping to mitigate ignition of homes.

List of guidelines for plants and their fire resistance from FIRESafe Marin.

Updated wildfire risk assessment, community impacts, and building science measures following the disastrous 2020 wildfire season in the western U.S.

Website containing resources from the nonprofit FLASH, which "is the country’s leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from natural and manmade disasters."

Article discussing flow-through assemblies of walls.

Website describing the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)'s Fortified Home program which offers home builders standards and guidance for constructing and renovating homes for increased disaster resistance.

Calculator determining the appropriate design pressures for steep-slope roof coverings for roofers and evlauators.

Checklist providing specific information about the type of residential building eligible for designation consideration in the FORTIFIED Home program.

Webpage providing access to the training for building professionals to earn certification as FORTIFIED™ Home Evaluators and FORTIFIED-Wise credentials.

Website providing resources for roofers to construct high-wind, hurricane, and hail-resistant roofs from IBHS Fortified program.

Checklist providing information about the specific requirements of FORTIFIED Roof™ design and construction standard for re-roofing specific for high wind and hail resistance.

Checklist highlighting key concepts of wind design uplift pressures and design uplift pressure ratings for proper selection and installation of residential roof covering systems to comply with section R905.1 of the 2015 International Residential Code for a FORTIFIED Roof™–New Roof designation.

Checklist providing additional guidance and options for asphalt shingle installations at roof edges, intersections and valleys.