Library

Website providing a link for purchasing NFPA 1144, Standard for Reducing Structure Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire.

Standard describing methods for testing the airtightness of buildings and HVAC equipment.

Standard describing a simple, relatively cost-effective approach to evaluating the ability of a variety of materials to support microbial growth using a small chamber method. A preview of the standard is available at the link, with the full version available for purchase.

Standard covering the installation of fenestration products in new and existing construction, which was published in the year 2019, and is available for preview and purchase at the referenced link.

Standard specification covering the minimum performance and acceptance criteria for an air barrier (AB) material or system for framed walls of low-rise buildings with the service life of the building wall in mind.

Specification covering the standard requirements for application of full thickness Portland cement-based plaster for exterior (stucco) and interior work. This standard was produced in the year 2022, and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. There are also other versions of...

Specification covering the standard requirements for application of full thickness Portland cement-based plaster for exterior (stucco) and interior work. This standard was produced in the year 2023, and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. There are also other versions of...

Standard specification covering the properties of a cured single- or multicomponent cold-applied elastomeric joint sealant for sealing, caulking, or glazing operations on buildings, plazas, and decks for vehicular or pedestrian use, and types of construction other than highway and airfield pavements...

Test method that measures the capture efficiency of wall-mounted domestic range hoods under controlled conditions in a test chambers which available for preview and purchase at the link and was published in the year 2018.

ASTM standard test method for surface burning response of different building materials which was published in the year 2022 and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link.

ASTM standard test method for testing the surface burning response of different building materials which was published in the year 2023 and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link.

Website providing information on all types of pest management for multi-family housing.

Presentation on sustainable development including water conservation, passive solar, daylighting, natural ventilation, and land use.

Resource manual for builders, designers, architects, plumbers, and others interested in the WaterSense Labeled Homes Program providing an overview of the program, explains how to meet the program requirements, gives descriptions of water-saving technologies, and provides links to further resources.

A story about bees building a hive in the drainage plane behind the brick veneer siding. The bees entered the wall through unprotected drainage holes.

DOE-sponsored report describing the experimental design and results of testing the energy performance of Hunter Douglas double-cell cellular shades under various control schemes in the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Lab Homes.

Article from Texas A&M University and the University of Maryland analyzing why and how urban flooding happens and what can be done to mitigate damage.

Fact sheet poster describing a series of fact sheets and checklists for homeowners to share with contractors to help achieve cost-effective, energy-efficient retrofits for dozens of common home renovation projects.

Conference paper summarizing the relative performance of currently available Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWH) models, the energy implications of different installation locations (garage, basement, or conditioned space) and ducting configurations (exhaust ducting, full ducting, or no ducting), as well...

Article describing a field study that test ventilation performance in nine homes and found current ventilation was inadequate to remove PM2.5 and CO2 levels; however, a directly exhausting range hood can reduce peak PM2.5 concentrations by 75% or more.

Fact sheet poster describing a DOE tool that walks homeowners through a series of simple questions to produce a list of retrofit recommendations to improve the energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and durability of the homeowners’ home, while also lowering their carbon footprint.

Conference paper describing a proof of concept trial that demonstrated that external roller blinds can reduce heating loads in a room by 20%.

Fact sheet poster describing the energy efficiency and comfort benefits of thin triple-pane windows as compared to standard triple-pane and double-pane windows.

Webpage from the City of Fresno's Water Conservation Program describing household water conservation recommendations, including tips for maintaining evaporative coolers.

NAFA’s user guide for understanding ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 52.2-2012.

Article describing a method for flashing roof vent boots, describing how to flash the pipe, how to flash over and under the pan, and finish by shaping the shingles, as well as addressing potential water leakage by adding an additional seal with EPDM flashing tape with a butyl adhesive backing to the...

Website describing proper methods for installing vinyl siding on homes.

A San Diego County standard outlining the requirements for installing fire protection water tanks.

Webpage from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describing the EPA WaterSense program including the Mandatory Checklist for WaterSense Labeled Homes, information on how to get certified, and information on finding or becoming a WaterSense Home Certifying Organization.

Fact sheet outlining requirements for WaterSense labeled bathroom sink faucets, detailing their water-efficient features, compliance with flow rate standards, testing, construction, and verification.

Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense certified clothes washers that highlights the integrated water factor, integrated modified energy factor, top-loading vs. front-loading specifications, efficiency code standards, local requirements, faucet types and regulations for building...

Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense certified dishwashers that highlights water cycle specifications, efficiency code standards, water consumption level relation to criteria, the advantages of ENERGY STAR dishwashers, and the regulations for building and verifying a labeled...

Fact sheet describing protocols for detecting, addressing, and preventing water leaks in homes, covering pressure-loss testing, visual inspections, and specific leak tests for fixtures and appliances.

Fact sheet describing four different efficient hot water delivery (HWD) systems, the trunk-and branch, core, whole-house manifold, and recirculation, with emphasis on system schematics, piping materials, and regulations to design and verify the systems.

Fact sheet describing the requirements for EPA WaterSense certified kitchen faucets that highlights flow rate specifications, efficiency code standards, local requirements, faucet types and regulations for building and verifying a labeled faucet to ensure it meets the quality and water management...

Fact sheet describing water-efficient landscaping through informed landscape design and plant selection, outlining considerations for climate, soil, and maintenance, as well as emphasizing the benefits of native and drought-tolerant plants.

Fact sheet describing how to effectively build, implement, and verify leak detection and flow monitoring systems, detailing appropriate devices, installation procedures, and verification protocols.

Fact sheet describing the significance of managing service water pressure within recommended ranges through the installation of pressure-regulating valves (PRVs).

This fact sheet describes the requirements for WaterSense labeled showerheads in, highlighting their water-saving capabilities, adherence to flow rate criteria, independent performance certification, and how they're built, verified and in alignment with the conservation and water management goals of...

This fact sheet outlines the mandatory inclusion of WaterSense labeled toilets in homes, highlighting their water-efficient features, certified performance, and leak prevention; The sheet describes the requirements for these features, steps to build, and steps to verify a labeled toilet to insure...

Fact sheet describing the implementation of water metering and submetering measures in residential properties, particularly multifamily buildings, to enhance water efficiency, usage tracking, and compliance with relevant regulations; It outlines how to build and verify water meters and submeters to...

Fact sheet describing the importance and regulation of EPA WaterSense water softeners including the function of cation exchange water softeners, the importance of salt efficiency, the negative impact of hard water on household appliances, softeners that use demand-initiated regeneration with...

Web page explaining what a cool exterior wall is and how they work, as well as benefits to their use and links to research studies.

Web page explaining what a cool roof is and how they work, as well as benefits to their use and links to research studies.

EPA coronavirus Q&A discussing the role of HVAC filters in dealing with COVID-19.

Webpage describing the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and how to plan residential building to mitigate wildfire risks associated with building in the WUI.

Fact sheet providing recent statistics on wildfires in the U.S.

Article describing the growth of the wildland urban interface in the United States from 1990 to 2010, expanding from 30.8 to 43.4 million homes (a 41% increase), and growing from 581,000 to 770,000 kM2 (33% growth), an increase of 189,000 km2, an area that is larger than Washington State.

Study analyzing wind pressures on hip roofs where two hip roofs come together forming an L or T shaped roof or building.

Guide presents mitigation measures in a Mitigation Package which combined set of retrofit measures that must be implemented for a house to provide a defined level of protection; identifies three successive Mitigation Packages: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. Implementing the Mitigation Packages...