Large Building Airtightness and Appropriate Air Barrier Strategies
Tall buildings require a robust air barrier design strategy to withstand higher air pressures from wind, stack effect, and mechanical systems.
Category: Building Compliance
DELTA®-MS Receives Declare Red List Free Status
Finally, a below-grade dimpled membrane that contributes to high-performance building compliance. Demonstrating market leadership in the growing movement towards product transparency and health in the built environment, DELTA®-MS is the first, and only, below-grade dimpled membrane to obtain a Red List Free Declare label with the Living Building Challenge (LBC) International Living Future […]
Building a Dry Basement: 3 Key Construction Considerations
Building above grade is tough enough, but below grade? It is the most difficult space to get right. Not only does a basement hold the building up; it must keep groundwater, soil gas, and water vapor out, while keeping heat in during the winter and out during the summer.
Construction Defects Laws
Construction quality is a hot issue, gaining national attention due to enormous class-action lawsuits brought against architects and contractors in states all across the U.S. The size and number of these lawsuits with their large payouts is crippling to the commercial construction industry in their states. Construction Defects Laws enacted in the 1990’s and 2000’s […]
Sheathing Membranes – Important Characteristics and Codes
In Part 1 of this two-part blog series, we looked at what sheathing membranes are and how they are used in exterior wall assemblies. To recap, these membranes typically consist of thin sheet materials placed on the exterior side of the sheathing board in exterior wall assemblies. The function of the membranes is to resist […]
Painlessly Complying with Code-Mandated Air Sealing
When I first started doing blower door tests 15 years ago, I was full of bravado, thinking I had a pretty tight house. I was using a good house wrap and taping the seams, and I was paying my insulation and drywall contractor extra to include “air-sealing measures.” I thought “No problem. I should be […]
Sheathing Membranes: Air Barrier Building Code Requirements
In a previous article, we discussed the North American building code requirements for sheathing membranes and their function as water-resistive barriers (WRB). This third and last article of the blog series will uncover the additional, critical role of sheathing membranes as air barriers. Sheathing membranes that act as air barriers are typically of the polymeric […]
Measuring Home Energy Efficiency: The HERS Index
An energy-efficient home not only cuts the cost of high energy bills, but reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore these types of homes are becoming increasingly popular as buyers look for ways to save both money and the environment. But it can be hard to know what makes a home energy-efficient and how to tell if […]
Berkeley Balcony Collapse: Builder Had History of Lawsuits
(Photo: Jeff Chiu/AP; Image via latimes.com) Balcony construction defects can be deadly, not just expensive. Witness the tragedy in Berkeley, CA, on Tuesday morning, June 16, 2015, when six people were killed and seven severely injured when a fifth floor balcony they were standing on collapsed. The balcony was found to be in violation of […]
Moisture Control in Construction Prevents Expensive Litigation in Court
Mold construction defects happen. As a natural element in the environment, mold exists virtually everywhere. Soy sauce, sake, blue cheese, and penicillin are all derived from mold-imbued substances. However, when mold grows unabated in contained areas, it can sicken people who are exposed to it. Mold can trigger allergic, irritating and sometimes toxic responses in […]
5 Things Holding Back Green Buildings
Sometimes it feels really good to complain, and there is just a bit to complain about when it comes to what’s holding back green construction. But all the complaining in the world won’t fix things; that’s why we’ve identified the five most frustrating parts of this aspect of the construction industry and how some states have dealt […]
The Growth of Green Home Building
The growing interest in green home building is evident on many fronts. Dodge Data and Analytics estimates that 84 percent of home builders will offer green construction options by 2018. In late 2015, the same firm estimated that green building volume will double every three years. Consensus on a National Green Building Standard The ICC 700 National Green […]
Building Envelope Code Changes and Builders
Because international building codes are regularly updated, it is always important to look at the recent changes to the International Residential Code and what it means to builders. Not surprisingly, the 2012 update of the International Residential Code (IRC) includes more demanding energy performance standards than the 2009 update. Also, it simply references many of […]
