Engineering & Testing

Modular Housing Embarks on Energy Efficiency Benchmark Testing Program

August 4, 2014

America's largest builder of manufactured houses, Clayton Homes, has been selected by the Systems Building Research Alliance (SBRA) to build three homes for a 15-month energy performance test.

Lohse: Innovative Framing Changing the Conversation

August 4, 2014

This month, SBCA Marketing Chair Jess Lohse considers "innovative framing" and the potential it holds for the future of component manufacturing.

NIST Net-Zero Home Success Highlights Improvements in Thermal Envelope

July 21, 2014

Braving a harsh winter with snow-covered solar panels, the Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility in Washington DC has come up trumps in a year-long study of its energy harvesting capabilities.

Why Wind Load Provisions Are Complicated

July 14, 2014

The wind load provisions in ASCE 7 can seem overly complicated and confusing. One common criticism is that more than one method is permitted to compute the main wind force resisting system (MWFRS) loads for rigid low-rise buildings.

AWC’s Special Design Provisions for Wind & Seismic Recirculation Ballot Results

July 8, 2014

Following is a chronological summary of the correspondence between SBCA and AWC regarding its Special Design Provisions for Wind & Seismic (SDPWS) consensus standard.

SBCA Recommends Solution to AWC Regarding Shear Wall Design Values

July 8, 2014

Without transparent knowledge, SBCA argues the “at least the equivalent” language in the IBC wood shear panel with regard nominal unit shear capacity (NUSC) values has been, and can continue to be, used to severely limit competitive access to a market.

Is 'Building Resiliency' Becoming a Movement?

July 7, 2014

Mother Nature is teaming up with a collection of green building advocates and industry groups to propel a movement that home builders generally support but that they also fear could give rise to onerous new codes.

TPI Announces Public Review & Comment on TPI 2 Standard

June 30, 2014

The Truss Plate Institute (TPI) announced today the opening of a Public Review & Comment period for the draft BSR/TPI 2-201X “Standard for Testing Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses.”

Wood Cellulose Fibers Stronger than Steel?

June 23, 2014

A Swedish-German research team has successfully tested a new method for the production of ultra-strong cellulose fibres stronger than steel by weight.

SBC Industry Technical Icon Cramer Named UW-Madison Vice Provost

June 23, 2014

Steven M. Cramer, professor of civil and environmental engineering and associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering, has been named UW-Madison vice provost for teaching and learning.