A Builder’s First Time Using Peel and Stick House Wrap
Builder Emily Press used a peel and stick house wrap for the first time, and shares her experience with The Build Show’s Matt Risinger.
Tag: building envelope
Seven Ways to Improve Your Net Zero Energy Building Envelope
There are a number of things you can do when designing and constructing a building to improve building envelope energy efficiency. Here are seven of them. 1. Create a tight building envelope. It is important to create a tight building envelope around all six sides of a building (all four walls, the basement, and the […]
How to Control High-Risk Moisture Environments
The best way to protect high-risk moisture environments – for walls and roofs It does not get any riskier than constructing an enclosure over an indoor swimming pool. Except maybe an enclosure over a pressurized and humidified hospital. Or, how about an enclosure over a conditioned museum designed by a famous architect who is incapable […]
Why You Should Use Air and Moisture Barrier with Foam Sheathing
There are a number of reasons why you need an air and moisture barrier over foam sheathing. Airtight exterior wall systems are critical to maximizing energy efficiency and gaining LEED points. However, certain characteristics of foam sheathing conspire to compromise airtight construction. The solution? Use foam sheathing together with a high-performing, moisture-resistive air barrier. As building codes […]
The three fundamental issues with stucco – and how to solve them
Save the Stucco! Stucco has been around a very long time – since the time of the Sumerians about 4,500 years ago… give or take a century. Good luck finding a Sumerian today to ask about the finishing plaster coat they applied over brick that became stucco. You think after 4 or 5 millennia we […]
The Importance of UV-resistant Air and Moisture Barriers
From the process of evolution from single-cellular organisms to multi-system lifeforms, two things have remained consistent as being the most destructive forces on the planet: water and sunlight. Ironically, the two most destructive forces on Earth are also two essential elements that life needs to exist. On a cellular level, the UV radiation in sunlight […]
Prevent Harmful Moisture and Radiation from Entering Your Home
One of the problems with many interior vapor barriers, such as polyethylene, is that no matter how well the product is installed, it is almost impossible to prevent harmful moisture and radiation from entering your home. Every staple, seam, or penetration creates an opportunity for moisture to get past the vapor barrier and into the […]
The Purpose and Characteristics of a High Performance Air Barrier
Building tenants are understandably concerned over the quality of the interior space that they occupy. The comfort and integrity of the building will be enhanced if a high performance air barrier is incorporated in the building envelope. A good air barrier provides a separation between the conditioned interior space of the building and the uncontrolled […]
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 […]
A New Perspective on Building Envelopes for New Homes
So much is at stake in the process of designing and building a new home. Decisions during the design process will affect the fate of the home itself; that of the homeowners; and, on a certain level, that of the larger systems around us, such as the housing market, and global ecology. Maybe this sounds […]
Designing an Energy Efficient Building Envelope
In the early stages of the green building movement, lighting, mechanical, control system designs, and upgrades received the most attention. Over the last several years, however, the focus has shifted towards designing and specifying energy efficient building envelopes. Building construction and operation have an enormous impact on the environment in terms of energy usage, atmospheric […]
