Provide building plans such that the conditioned air does not simply escape at regularly used building openings: front entrances with air locks, truck docks using vertical levelers, drive-in shelter types. “It’s important to first understand passive thermal loading of the building, layout and operations. Finally, a product that does not settle, is seamless and can resist mold and water, such as closed-cell spray polyurethane foam, can dramatically enhance energy efficiency and durability.”Īs John Koury, AIA, NCARB, architect, A M King, Charlotte, N.C., says, energy loss occurs largely at the building openings: personnel and utility doors, windows and thermal transmittance through materials. Therefore, U-value or effective R-value requirements should be met as they include thermal bridging in their calculations. The insulation should address thermal bridging. “Insulation shall be used in all exterior-facing surfaces including walls, roofs and even below grade. “Proper insulation thickness and application must be used,” he adds. Air and vapor barriers should be used to effectively control air intrusion and vapor diffusion between the indoor (conditioned) and the outdoor (unconditioned) spaces.” Walls and roof coverings shall protect the building from water penetration. “Windows and doors must be properly sealed. “If any component is neglected, it can negatively affect the performance of the entire building, regardless of the efficacy of the remaining components,” he says. Maxime Duzyk, director of building science and engineering for The Woodlands, Texas-based Huntsman Building Solutions, expands on this idea, saying that all of the components must be properly designed to effectively control water, air, vapor and thermal performance. At these transitions, if not designed and installed properly, you’re going to get air, you’re going to get water, you’re going to get moisture, and the mechanical systems of the building were not designed to accommodate the added demand that these leaks can create.” “A façade typically doesn’t leak in the middle of a window or wall,” he says, “it’s going to leak at a transition. This extends to understanding where the movement joints are designed to be, and how can you create energy-efficient movement joints, whether it be a reflection joint or an expansion joint. (Photo courtesy of Tuschall Engineering.)įor example, Smalley says it’s imperative to understand how the mechanical systems are going to be impacted by the different levels of opaque wall, versus the fenestration. “It’s really important that there’s an understanding of all the different parts of the building and how they work together.”įiberglass zee furring over fluid-applied weather barrier create an energy-efficient envelope at Malcolm X College in Chicago.
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Louis-based IWR North America, agrees, saying that the key to an effective, energy-efficient building and façade is collaboration during the design phase. Michael Smalley, director of preconstruction at St. Inc., Burr Ridge, Ill., says the balance comes into play with the coordination and detailing the interfacing of different materials to minimize air and water infiltration. Tuschall Sr., president of Tuschall Engineering Co. “This makes a truly energy-efficient structure.” “They all must work in concert, supporting each other, to create a seamless barrier between the interior of the building and the outside environment,” explains Ed Calvert, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, LFA, GRP, Senior Engineer, Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Wheeling, W.Va. To create an energy-efficient building envelope, all these components work to protect the interior structure of the building against the elements. Department of Energy (DOE), envelope technology accounts for approximately 30% of the primary energy consumed in residential and commercial buildings by determining levels of comfort, natural lighting, ventilation and how much energy is required to heat and cool the building. (Photo courtesy of Huntsman Building Solutions.)Īccording to Better Buildings, an initiative of the U.S.
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Closed-cell spray polyurethane foam is being applied to the exterior metal envelope.