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Webpage from U.S. Department of Energy describing using Earth-Sheltered home building techniques in hot climate zones.
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Paper describing the effects of tree shade on residential electricity consumption and energy savings in summer and winter.
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Paper describing landscaping influences on heat gain through shading, infiltration shielding, and microclimate creation for nearby buildings.
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Article describing tree health, environmental considerations, and details on how to preserve trees.
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Report about the fundamental concepts that must be understood at the planning or initial nspection of existing homes regarding surface and ground water management.
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Factsheet describing steps builders should take to reduce erosion and control sediment on construction sites during home construction.
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An example of wildland urban interface construction requirements for new buildings built in very high fire risk zones/areas.
Video
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Video from the University of Nevada - Reno explaining how a particular fire, the Washoe Drive Fire, was able to spread rapidly and affect homes and other structures through flying embers reaching roofs, vents, garages, and other openings.
Video
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Video from Home Innovation Research Labs providing recommendations for constructing foundations that direct water away from the structure, focusing on site grading, damp proofing, and foundation drainage.
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Wildfire guidance for homes located in the wildland urban interface, focused on site design and individual pieces of the home.
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Paper describing energy savings in space cooling from shading condenser units.
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A research paper exploring the design, installation, repair and maintenance of solar water and pool heating technologies.
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Article from the Sierra Club explaining 5 steps to take to ensure your home's resistance to wildfires, including site maintenance and roof construction guidelines.
Video
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Video from National Fire Protection Association highlighting 5 key areas that can ignite a structure, including site, openings, vents, and materials recommendations.
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Technical fact sheet proving information on creating defensible space to reduce the risk of damage from fires to property.
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Report describing construction site erosion and sediment control practices recommended and required by a county planning department.
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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.
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Paper describing a study on savings in peak power and cooling energy for homes with shade trees.
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Paper describing an experiment to quantify shade tree impacts on cooling-related electricity consumption, finding that there may be sizable benefits in hot regions.
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Website tool that can search for trees by name or characteristics and retrieve data describing tree attributes including site preferences and general characteristics and considerations.
Guide
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Guide describing the use of micro-irrigation systems to reduce water usage in residential landscaping.
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Document describing correct construction of swales, designed to trap particulate pollutants (suspended solids and trace metals), promote infiltration, and reduce the flow velocity of storm water runoff.
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Report providing architects, designers, and homeowners with information to make house plans useful for constructing a more wind resilient structure.
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Report presenting seismic design and construction guidance for one- and two-family houses for homebuilders, knowledgeable homeowners, and other non-engineers.
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Wildfire resistant home checklist from Murray Milne, a professor of architecture at UCLA, who outlines seven steps to take to improve a home's chance of survival during a wildfire.
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Guide for homeowners describing actions they can take to modify their home and the surrounding site to create a survivable space to reduce the amount of damage a home would likely experience during a wildfire.
Video
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Video presentation from the National Fire Protection Association with Dr. Jack Cohen, a fire science researcher with the USDA Forest Service, explaining steps to take to protect critical parts of a home from igniting due to flames and embers.
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An NFPA standards document that provides minimum requirements for the design, construction, installation, and maintenance of tanks and accessory equipment that supply water for private fire protection.
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Report for local governments, planners, emergency managers, developers, insurers, and property owners describing ways to improve the wildfire resistance of buildings, infrastructure and communities in the wildland urban interface.