Top Air Barrier Details for Commercial Construction

While it’s relatively easy to determine whether a material or an assembly will perform as an air barrier, the interface between assemblies is where air barriers, and building envelopes in general, often fail. Of course there is plenty of science involved in detailing, but identifying where envelope details are needed, crafting a thoughtful detail that responds to those conditions while being mindful of constructability and budget concerns, and describing it in such a way that it is easily accomplished in the field is an art. This presentation will review some of the most important and locations from foundation to roof to prioritize when detailing typical commercial buildings – including some of the most overlooked areas of the building envelope – and review drawings and photos of the resulting details.

Learning Objectives:

1.  Identify locations in commercial building envelopes that should be prioritized in the detailing process
2.  Explore details that successfully manage water, air, and thermal control layers
3.  Investigate methods for evaluating constructability in details and assemblies
4.  Describe how finish material selection can affect detailing, and how to create standard details that can be adapted to varying conditions

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Chris Bubser, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Technical Architect, LHB Corp

Chris Bubser’s passion has always been detailing, a specialty he cultivated as a Builder, Architect, Virtual Design and Construction Coordinator, and Quality Manager on a variety of commercial and residential buildings around the Midwest. Chris has worked as a Senior Technical Architect at LHB since 2019, where he leverages his diverse background in all phases of design, construction contract administration, facility condition assessments, forensic analysis, and mentoring emerging professionals in the dark arts of detailing. He served on the Board of the Building Enclosure Council of Minnesota from 2014 to 2022, including two years as Chair.