Building Science Resource Library
The Building Science Resource Library contains all of FEMA’s hazard-specific guidance that focuses on creating hazard-resistant communities.
You can search for a document by its title, or filter the collection to browse by:
- Topic: High winds, flood, earthquake, etc.
- Document Type: Brochure, report, fact sheet, infographic, etc.
- Audience: Building professionals & engineers, individuals & homeowners, teachers & kids, etc.
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Every year, natural disasters and man-made hazard events cause fatalities and injuries and cost billions of dollars in property damage throughout the United States. The FEMA Building Science Branch (BSB) studies these hazards and provides technical services within FEMA, to the rest of the federal government, and to our private sector partners. With a focus on earthquake, wind, flood, and other natural and man-made hazards, BSB takes a lead role in developing state-of-the-art publications, guidance materials, tools, training, technical bulletins, and recovery advisories that incorporate the most up-to-date building codes, flood damage-resistant requirements, seismic design guidelines, and wind design requirements for new and existing buildings. To help create disaster-resilient communities, key BSB activities include deploying Mitigation Assessment Teams to conduct post-disaster engineering investigations for a wide range of hazard events. BSB is also one of four agencies that make up the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP).
Louisiana 2016 Flooding Fact Sheet
This document contains Flood Resistant Provisions of the 2015 editions of codes published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officers (IAPMO): the Uniform Mechanical Code; Uniform Plumbing Code, Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code and Uniform Solar Energy Code.
Flood Resistant Provisions of the 2015 International Codes
This publication presents a range of flood protection measures available as alternatives to traditional structural elevation for homeowners whose residences meet both of the following conditions:
1 - The residences are existing buildings. This publication is not intended to address construction of new buildings in floodprone areas as these structures should be sufficiently elevated and built in conformance with NFIP and local floodplain management regulations.
2 - The residences are not Substantially Damaged or Substantially Improved, meaning that the buildings have not sustained damage or undergone improvement (i.e., reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition) where the cost of the damage or improvement exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the building before the damage occurred or improvement began. As with new construction, Substantially Damaged or Substantially Improved structures must be re-built in conformance with NFIP and local floodplain management regulations.
2015 I-Code Summary of Changes from 2012 I-Codes
This paper summarizes the provisions of the I-Codes that are more detailed or that exceed the NFIP minimums.
This document contains a Plan Review Checklist for Flood Hazard Area Application Review and an Inspection Checklist for Flood Hazard Area Inspections in both A Zones and V Zones.
The Building Science Branch develops mitigation guidance that focuses on creating disaster-resilient communities. Our research-based guidance promotes best practices designed to create safer communities and reduce the loss of life and property. The Building Science Branch of the FEMA Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA) Risk Reduction Division works with industry groups, consulting experts, and State and local communities to provide state-ofthe- art technical hazard mitigation solutions for buildings. This annual report provides highlights of accomplishments related specifically to flood and wind mitigation, including publications, conference participation, and training and outreach efforts. These accomplishments demonstrate how FEMA and its partners are reducing disaster loss throughout the country. The accomplishments detailed in this report include those completed in fiscal year (FY) 2010 and the first quarter (Q1) of FY 2011.
This brochure presents a brief overview of the information in FEMA P-312, Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting using photographs and illustrations