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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This PowerPoint presentation is based on FEMA 396, Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of Hospital Buildings: Providing Protection to People and Buildings. Recognizing that seismic mitigation can be expensive and disruptive, the purpose of this workshop is to introduce you to an innovative approach to seismic mitigation called “incremental seismic rehabilitation.” The approach essentially identifies systematic “opportunities” to conduct mitigation activities. Students are introduced to earthquake hazards in health care settings and learn about methods that can be used to analyze and reduce risks of damage in hospitals and other medical buildings. By implementing sound, cost-effective mitigation measures, health care facilities can reduce or eliminate seismic risks and ensure that, in the event of an earthquake, they can remain in operation to serve their communities.
The 2015 NEHRP Provisions marks the ninth edition of this technical resource document since its first publication in 1985. FEMA is proud to sponsor this cycle of the NEHRP Provisions update, and to publish the new edition for use by national codes and standards organizations and the general public. The 2015 NEHRP Provisions are a new knowledge-based resource document intended to translate research results into engineering design practice. The new changes in the 2015 NEHRP Provisions have incorporated extensive results and findings from recent research projects, problem-focused studies, and post-earthquake investigation reports conducted by various professional organizations, research institutes, universities, material industries, and the NEHRP agencies. Similar to the previous edition, the 2015 NEHRP Provisions have adopted by reference the American Structural Engineers Association (ASCE) / Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) standard ASCE/SEI 7-10: Minimum Design Loads for New Buildings and Other Structures as the baseline.
These updated training and instructional materials supplement the design examples. FEMA P-1052 Part 1 includes Chapters 1–3. FEMA P-1052 CD is available for order from the FEMA Distribution Center, 1-800-480-2520.
The FEMA National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program: Accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2013
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The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), which was first authorized by Congress in 1977, coordinates the earthquake-related activities of the Federal Government. The goal of NEHRP is to mitigate earthquake losses in the United States through basic and directed research and implementation activities in the fields of earthquake science and engineering. Under NEHRP, FEMA is responsible for developing effective earthquake risk reduction tools and promoting their implementation, as well as supporting the development of disaster-resistant building codes and standards. FEMA's NEHRP activities are led by the FEMA Headquarters (HQ), Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, Risk Reduction Division, Building Science Branch, in strong partnership with other FEMA HQ Directorates, and in coordination with the FEMA Regions, the States, the earthquake consortia, and other public and private partners. This report describes selected FEMA NEHRP accomplishments (HQ and Regional), followed by highlights from the States and U.S. territories and organizations which received FEMA support for NEHRP activities. The accomplishments described in this report showcase how FEMA and its partners, working in collaboration, continued to make progress toward earthquake loss-reduction nationwide.
New guidance and tools, continued and expanded support by FEMA Regional and Headquarters staff for ShakeOut drills and the 2013 Building Safety Month, training in earthquake topics offered at the State and local level, and best practices and new and innovative projects undertaken by States and U.S. Territories and organizations.
This publication documents the broad range of non-structural mitigation activities undertaken nationwide in communities exposed to coastal flooding and erosion.
To aid in the reconstruction of the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, this manual presents an overview of the principal planning and design considerations for improving the performance of critical facilities during, and in the aftermath of, flooding and high-wind events. It provides design guidance and practical recommendations for protecting critical facilities and their occupants against these natural hazards. The focus is on the design for new construction, but this manual also addresses rehabilitation of existing critical facilities. It presents incremental approaches that can be implemented over time to decrease the vulnerability of buildings, but emphasizes the importance of incorporating the requirements for mitigation against flooding and high winds into the planning and design of critical facilities from the very beginning of the process.
The purpose of this document is to describe the interactions, both positive and negative, between common green building practices and the robustness of residential buildings to withstand natural hazards. Understanding these interactions will benefit users—particularly designers, builders, code officials, and homeowners—by providing a perspective that green building practices, while important on their own, must be part of a larger sustainable building design context that encompasses life safety, disaster resistance, and other related issues. Many hazard resistance issues are addressed in model building codes such as the International Residential Code (IRC). However, some of the building modifications introduced by green building practices create design, detailing, and installation challenges that are not covered by the IRC’s provisions. This document identifies specific areas in which special attention to a few small details will maintain or increase natural hazard resistance.