Resources for Commercial Builders on Disaster Recovery

On this page you'll find brief descriptions and links for commercial builders to learn more about national and regional resources, disaster preparedness, flood and mold cleanup, tools and training, and building design.

Research conducted by DOE and others has resulted in proven methods for building homes that are energy efficient and less vulnerable to hurricane and flood damage. These resources support the application of energy-efficient, cost-effective, and durable rebuilding strategies. Please view the Resources for State and Local Officials and Resources for Consumers for additional relevant information.

National Resources

National Association of Home Builders Disaster Resources — How to contribute to the recovery effort, help reestablish businesses, and help community rebuild and repair homes.

Sustainable Building Industry Council — Discusses the council's efforts in the fields of architecture, engineering, building systems and materials, product manufacturing, energy analysis, and "whole building" design.

U.S. Green Building Council — Describes council's work to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work.

ASHRAE, Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Office Buildings Achieving 30% energy savings over NASI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999 — Guide presents a simple approach to energy design for contractors and designers of office buildings up to 20,000 sq. ft.

Regional Resources

Southeast CHP Application Center — Provides application assistance, technology information, and educational support to facilitate decisions relating to combined heat and power systems in commercial buildings.

Gulf Coast CHP Application Center — Provides technical assistance and project support for the development, design, and implementation of combined heat and power technologies in commercial buildings.

Disaster Contractor's Network - Florida — Helps connect contractors and homeowners/business owners before, during, and after disasters strike.

Disaster Preparedness

The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) — Conducts research and advocates for improved construction, maintenance, and preparation practices to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters.

FEMA: Home Builder's Guide to Coastal Construction Technical Fact Sheet Series — Provides technical guidance and recommendations for constructing coastal residential buildings, including information on improving the performance of buildings subject to flood and wind forces in coastal environments.

FEMA Rebuild Smarter and Stronger — Tips for how to make your home or business property less susceptible to future losses.

Flood and Mold Clean Up

Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings — Presents guidelines for the remediation/cleanup of mold and moisture problems in schools and commercial buildings.

Flood Cleanup - Avoiding Indoor Air Quality Problems — Fact sheet discusses problems caused by microbial growth, as well as other potential effects of flooding, on long-term indoor air quality and the steps that can be taken to lessen these effects.

Flood Damage Assessment: Procedures for Cleaning Out a House or Building Following a Flood — Discusses flood water damage and recovery and provides basic clean-up procedures, including warnings on what to do before beginning clean-up efforts.

Checklist for Tornado/Hurricane Damaged Structure Inspection — Describes the damage signs that should be noted for a wood frame structure (exterior and interior), steel frame or load bearing walls, or concrete frame or slab.

Treatment of Flood-Damaged Older and Historic Buildings — Includes information on how to care for wet plaster, problems with foundations, treatment for saturated wood-framed walls and floors, exterior paint problems, cleaning out mud, and where to go for assistance.

Tools and Training

Software Tools and Training — Resources offered by the Building Technologies Program on energy efficiency technologies and practices.

BetterBricks — Tools to help commercial building professionals use energy efficiency strategies to achieve sustainable high performance buildings.

High Performance School Design — Online training for architects and engineers interested in designing and building high performance schools.

Building Media Inc.: Education — A resource for the building industry that provides construction education with e-learning software, distance training, Web site content, and interactive software and database management services.

Building Design

High Performance Commercial Buildings — Improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings in the United States, working with researchers at national laboratories as well as building owners, contractors, private sector engineers, architects, and others involved in commercial building construction to reduce the energy consumption of buildings while improving their quality, occupant comfort, and cost-effectiveness.

Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools — These energy design guidelines outline high performance school principles for the new or retrofit design of a K-12 school located in nine different climates zones. Schools can significantly reduce energy consumption and costs by incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans.

Additional Information

Answers to Questions About Substantially Damaged Buildings, FEMA-213/May 1991 — Answers many of the questions regarding FEMA regulations and policy on substantial improvement as it applies to damaged structures.

A Guide to Deconstruction: An Overview of Destruction with a Focus on Community Development Opportunities — U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's guide on the selective dismantling or removal of materials from buildings before or instead of some elements of demolition.