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Right – The insulation has been located to the exterior of the thermal mass in this wall section

Right – The insulation has been located to the exterior of the thermal mass in this wall section
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Right – This model home for the Solar Decathlon competition incorporates vertical trellises and retractable exterior blinds to control solar heat gain.

Right – This model home for the Solar Decathlon competition incorporates vertical trellises and retractable exterior blinds to control solar heat gain.
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Right: This house plan orients broad building surfaces away from the west and east, trees are used to shade the west and east, and large overhangs shade windows on the south wall

Right: This house plan orients broad building surfaces away from the west and east, trees are used to shade the west and east, and large overhangs shade windows on the south wall
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Safe Room Location Factors for New and Existing Homes

Safe Room Location Factors for New and Existing Homes
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Seismic Map of the 2018 International Residential Code adapted by FEMA to show Seismic Design Categories in color

Seismic Map of the 2018 International Residential Code adapted by FEMA to show Seismic Design Categories in color
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Sheer shades can provide very effective daylighting and glare control while maintaining a softened view to the outside

Sheer shades can provide very effective daylighting and glare control while maintaining a softened view to the outside
Presentation:

Site Supervisor Designation: Modules

Site Supervisor Designation: Modules
Video:

Structural Stability -- Letting the Fundamentals Guide Your Judgement

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Sun paths through the sky in winter, spring, summer, and fall show that a home receives the most sun from the south in the winter and from the east/west in the summer

Sun paths through the sky in winter, spring, summer, and fall show that a home receives the most sun from the south in the winter and from the east/west in the summer
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Tall annuals, like the sunflowers in this picture, can provide very effective shade in summer (left), provide a pleasant view from inside (right), and allow sun into the home in winter when the plants die back.

Tall annuals, like the sunflowers in this picture, can provide very effective shade in summer (left), provide a pleasant view from inside (right), and allow sun into the home in winter when the plants die back
Presentation:

Texas Floodplain Construction Training -Recorded Webinar

Texas Floodplain Construction Training -Recorded Webinar
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The 2-foot extended-width overhang on the left allows more wintertime solar heat gain to this west-facing window than the 2-foot side fin on the right (results shown for west-facing window, mid-winter, 36N latitude)

The 2-foot extended-width overhang on the left allows more wintertime solar heat gain to this west-facing window than the 2-foot side fin on the right (results shown for west-facing window, mid-winter, 36N latitude)
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The 2-foot overhang on the left performs better than the 2-foot vertical fin on the right for providing shade in the summer and solar heat gain in the winter (results shown for west-facing window, 2pm, 36N latitude).

The 2-foot overhang on the left performs better than the 2-foot vertical fin on the right for providing shade in the summer and solar heat gain in the winter (results shown for west-facing window, 2pm, 36N latitude).
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The 8-foot deck/overhang on the left provides better summer shading than the 2-foot extended-width overhang, which performs better than the 2-foot window-width overhang, which performs better than the 2-foot vertical fin (late summer, 36N latitude)

The 8-foot deck/overhang on the left provides better summer shading than the 2-foot extended-width overhang, which performs better than the 2-foot window-width overhang, which performs better than the 2-foot vertical fin (late summer, 36N latitude)
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The 8-foot-deep west-facing overhang on the left provides much better shading late in the day than the 2-foot-deep overhang on the right (results shown for west-facing window, late summer, 36N latitude).

The 8-foot-deep west-facing overhang on the left provides much better shading late in the day than the 2-foot-deep overhang on the right (results shown for west-facing window, late summer, 36N latitude).
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The design of this home incorporates multiple methods to reduce summertime solar gains including roll-down exterior blinds, wide exterior horizontal louvers, minimized east/west-facing windows, and vegetation.

The design of this home incorporates multiple methods to reduce summertime solar gains including roll-down exterior blinds, wide exterior horizontal louvers, minimized east/west-facing windows, and vegetation.
Presentation:

The Florida Building Code

The Florida Building Code
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The IR image on the right shows the sun is heating the southeast-facing wall of this concrete-block house to 36C (97F); this corner of the home would not be a good place for a cool room due to lack of shading and insulation

The IR image on the right shows the sun is heating the southeast-facing wall of this concrete-block house to 36C (97F); this corner of the home would not be a good place for a cool room due to lack of shading and insulation
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The Minimum Water Delivery Rates for Various Water Supply Amounts for Residential Fire Suppression Cisterns, as given in Table 4.6.1 in NFPA 1142

The Minimum Water Delivery Rates for Various Water Supply Amounts for Residential Fire Suppression Cisterns, as given in Table 4.6.1 in NFPA 1142
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The overhang on the left is much wider than the window, allowing it to provide better shade throughout the day than the overhang on the right, which is only the width of the window (results shown for south-facing window, late summer, 2pm, 36N latitude).

The overhang on the left is much wider than the window, allowing it to provide better shade throughout the day than the overhang on the right, which is only the width of the window (results shown for south-facing window, late summer, 2pm, 36N latitude).
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The overhang on the left is much wider than the window, allowing it to provide far better shade throughout the day than the overhang on the right, which is only the width of the window (results shown for south-facing window, late summer, 36N latitude).

The overhang on the left is much wider than the window, allowing it to provide far better shade throughout the day than the overhang on the right, which is only the width of the window (results shown for south-facing window, late summer, 36N latitude).
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The patio roof on this home provides full shade to large glass doors and windows, reducing the home's heat gains.

The patio roof on this home provides full shade to large glass doors and windows, reducing the home's heat gains.
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The Solar Radiation Data Manual for Buildings provides window overhang sizing guidance for 239 locations across the U.S.; this example is for Boulder, CO

The Solar Radiation Data Manual for Buildings provides window overhang sizing guidance for 239 locations across the U.S.; this example is for Boulder, CO
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The south face of this home has an overhanging second floor, a pergola, and a roof eave to provide effective window and door shading for both floors in the summer without blocking view, diffuse daylighting, breezes, or ingress/egress

The south face of this home has an overhanging second floor, a pergola, and a roof eave to provide effective window and door shading for both floors in the summer without blocking view, diffuse daylighting, breezes, or ingress/egress