Today’s buildings face increasing complexity due to multi-layer assemblies, multiple trades, limited field training, tight schedules, and higher performance expectations, all within cost-sensitive projects. In contrast, earlier buildings were simpler, relied on skilled apprenticeship models, and were designed to lower performance standards. Modern occupants demand precise environmental control, high indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and zero tolerance for condensation or mold. Achieving this depends on a well-designed and properly constructed building enclosure. While performance data guides material selection, poor detailing at transitions, terminations, and flashing can significantly undermine intended performance. This presentation reviews the evolution of building enclosure design with a focus on aluminum storefront glazing systems.

Learning Objectives:

1. Building Enclosure History and Design Principles: Participants of the session will review building construction practices of the past and present, specifically wall construction and interfacing with fenestration. Building Science principles will be overlaid to better understand the importance of proper interfacing.
2. Laboratory Certification Testing, Computer Modeling and Field Performance Testing: Expanding on the first learning objective; the presentation will further dive into building science principles by exploring product certification, modeling and testing of fenestration.
3. Constructability and Construction Sequencing: Participants will review how performance-based interfacing details impact constructability and construction sequencing.
4. Case Studies: Project examples will be reviewed, including wall opening details for window, storefront and curtain wall glazing assemblies.

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Adam Ugliuzza, PE, CPHC, Partner, Building Enclosures Group, Sustainable Building Partners

Adam brings 16 years of engineering experience focusing on building science and the building enclosure construction industry. Discipline expertise includes building enclosure consulting and commissioning services for new and existing construction, in addition to forensic investigations to determine root cause of building performance issues. He also brings industry leading expertise in large building whole building airtightness testing, which is at the forefront of high-performance building construction. Adam continues to work on projects across the United States and abroad providing professional building enclosure consultation in both the residential and commercial space for all types of construction, ranging from multi-family wood/timber framed buildings to high performance institutional/healthcare facilities to high-rise construction. Through this experience, Adam brings a unique approach to building enclosure consulting and testing, concentrating on enclosure interface coordination in design and construction phases of the project that overlays a holistic approach, critical to achieving high performance building construction; the goal to help ensure all the materials, systems, and assemblies are properly connected to provide continuous environmental control. His extensive testing knowledge allows him to be deliberate and methodical in his approach to interweaving functional testing to verify performance.