Library

Report with updated energy consumption data for 28 residential & commercial miscellaneous electric loads (MELs), including projections to 2040.

Safety brochure from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) describing the dangers to children of furniture tipping over if it is not securely anchored.

Website providing consumers with information about the risk to children from appliances and furniture tipping over and ways to anchor furniture and appliances to prevent this hazard.

Standard covering updates to the expected leakage rates for ductwork constructed to the SMACNA HVAC Duct Construction Standards—Metal & Flexible, duct leakage test procedures; includes recommendations on use of leakage testing, types of test apparatus, and test setup and sample leakage analysis.

A publication highlighting recommendations that contribute to improved overall performance in the structural shell and focus on good connection details to tie together exterior walls, roofs and floors.

Website homepage of APA – The Engineered Wood Association, a nonprofit trade association combining the research efforts of scientists and engineers, APA promotes new solutions and improved processes that benefit the entire industry.

Wall bracing calculator simplifying the design of residential structures that comply with 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018 or 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) wall bracing requirements.

Webpage describing different types of appliance thermometers, how they work, and how they should be used by homeowners.

Power Point PDF presentation on historical architecture in New Mexico

FSEC article looking into the percieved effectiveness of ceiling fans.

Report describing a field investigation of failure rates of whole-house mechanical ventilation systems installed in Florida homes.

Article describing air sealing and air barriers in buildings.

Report explaining how to develop, practice, and maintain emergency plans that reflect what must be done before, during, and after a disaster to protect people and their property.

Guidance from HUD, EPA, NIH, and FEMA for workers who deal directly with asbestos.

Webpage providing mapping tool for obtaining ground snow load, based on ASCE 7-10, for any location in the contiguous United States, with the exception of locations requiring a case study due to extreme local variations in ground snow loads. Fee required for some data.

Web-based mapping tool offering a fast, reliable way to look up key design parameters specified in Standard ASCE 7-10, 7-16, or 7-22 for a specific address or location which is free to use and can look up data for eight different environmental hazard types: wind, tornado, seismic, ice, rain, flood...

Technical report describing the thermal performance of 40 common building envelope details for mid- and high-rise buildings, including analyses to optimize energy efficiency and reduce thermal bridging.

Document describing recent discussions on indoor carbon dioxide (CO 2) levels.

Technical fact sheet describing ways to construct asphalt shingle roofs to be more resistant to high winds and hurricanes; also published in FEMA P-499 “Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series.”

Report describing the business case of hosting a Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging station in New York, including analysis of real-world data on equipment use, costs, revenue, and assumptions derived from industry reports and original research.

A report that evaluates the force it takes to crack stucco of various thicknesses.

The exhaust from residential combustion appliances contains air pollutants and high levels of moisture that must be conveyed to the outdoors to maintain acceptable indoor quality.

Technical report describing the evaluation of air management systems in a high-rise apartment building in Toronto, Ontario, focusing on air leakage, suite depressurization, and the performance of in-suite exhaust and corridor ventilation systems.

A basic guide walking through the various types of valves useful in mitigating the effects of earthquakes and other seismic events on natural gas pipelines for residential use.

View the APSP/ANSI Standards and codes below to get information about ANSI specifications for pools, spa and hot tubs.

Standard establishing test methods for determining air leakage in duct systems using fan pressurization in low-rise residential and commercial buildings.

Report describing information for builders and retrofitters about eliminating hazards and coincidental energy losses that come from attached garages.

Website developed by the Attachments Energy Rating Council to provide consumers with credible, relevant, and comparable information about window attachments and their performance.

Document providing background and approach for the prep work necessary prior to adding attic insulation - focusing on combustion safety, ventilation for indoor air quality, and attic ventilation for durability.

Articles describing attic and ceiling insulation, including mentions of baffles with protect insulation from wind washing.

Web page describing the benefits of attic fans, with rules for sizing fans and intake vents.

Blog article discussing pros and cons of attic ventilation fans.

Article by the Canadian Government on attic ventilation and considerations for moisture and ice dams.

NREL webpage of standard work specification of exterior and interior, attic floors, attic knee walls, and unique installations.

Webpage describing how to improve a variable capacity heat pump's efficiency by not programming a deep setback on the thermostat.

Report covering interior energy retrofits of masonry buildings.

Technical article describing issues and moisture concerns related to weatherization efforts.

Article describing the building science implications of insulating vented or unvented attics.

Article describing the research into insulating vented versus unvented attics.

SPFA website signup page to access SPFA documents.

Article describing different kinds of water-resistant backer boards.

Webpage from Suntegrity Solar describing different backup power generator options to prepare for future power outages.

Report describing approaches to insulating basements in homes built to meet Energy Star levels of performance of heat loss reduction.

Fact sheet describing basement insulation considerations.

Information sheet describing techniques for insulating basements.

Website providing comparison charts and reviews of battery energy storage systems for solar power systems.

Fact sheet providing information on building-scale and utility-scale battery storage for disaster resistance.

YouTube channel featuring 90+ videos to educate Bay Area homeowners and contractors about seismic retrofitting, including information for various home and construction types.

Information sheet from FEMA on preparation for extreme heat, including measures for keeping homes cool.