Book excerpt: Based on information obtained from a review of the literature and from liaison with committees concerned with the development and revision of voluntary standards, it was found that there is a dearth of research information contributing directly to the development of test methods. Most of the research conducted on building components has been carried out either to observe the behavior of a sample of a particular type of construction or to evaluate the performance of a specimen against some performance requirements. However, helpful inferences can be made on the basis of some of the documentation, especially that contained in reports of full-scale tests on housing. An up-to-date status report of voluntary test standards activities (in the U.S.) was prepared through verbal and written communication with members of the technical subcommittees of ASTM Committee E-6 on Performance of Building Construction.