These terms are often described as simple—so why is there so much confusion? This presentation explains what air barriers, vapor barriers, and water-resistive barriers are, and when a single material may serve more than one function. That overlap is often where misunderstandings arise. The session explores which barriers are critical, which may be less so, […]

Did you know that the ABAA has developed a set of educational construction details for the challenging roof-to-wall air barrier connection? These conceptual details have been developed by the Transitions, Terminations, and Flashings committee to act as a technical resource for the industry and we are excited to talk about them! A tremendous amount of […]

Building façades play a critical role in shaping energy performance, occupant comfort, durability, and architectural identity. This course explores how façade and cladding systems influence building efficiency through thermal control, daylighting, solar management, and material selection. Participants will examine performance-driven design strategies that balance aesthetics with measurable building outcomes, while also considering constructability, code compliance, […]

Poorly detailed and designed parapets can lead to significant building degradation if not monitored. To enhance the quality and longevity of this critical juncture, there are a few specific design criteria for parapet detailing we need to consider. The discussion regarding what to include should start during the design phase, as early decisions can significantly […]

Clear documentation can facilitate the coordination and leverage the unique expertise of each team member. We will highlight common oversights or omissions in design drawings, specifications, and construction of air barrier systems that may lead to issues on site, and we will discuss best practices for developing these documents to clearly show the design intent […]

The air barrier test of a recently completed for the University of Washington project measured at .056 cfm/sf for an envelope area of 85,250 sf. The successful test was a result of several people and processes, including preconstruction review of drawings, creating a standalone mock-up prior to the building, pre-installation meetings, regular inspections by the […]

The roof to wall intersection is the junction where building aesthetics meets structural performance, air and moisture management, energy efficiency, construction trade sequencing, and operational maintenance. At such a critical interface, proper parapet detailing, installation coordination, and execution are paramount. How do you achieve performance at the roof to wall interface without compromising the aesthetics […]

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 […]

In this course, we'll learn about the science behind thermal, air, and moisture control for steel stud construction. We'll interpret the code requirements for building envelope design and performance and discover how polyiso meets requirements and outperforms traditional methods for optimum control. We'll examine how professionals are looking to a better future and understand building […]

The presentation will review building enclosure assemblies that have experienced failures as well as building enclosure assembly designs that would have resulted in failures and the changes to the design that avoided the failures. Basic building science and physics will be reviewed. Live hygrothermal analyses will be run to show which building enclosure assemblies work […]

Air barrier requirements have been included in IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 for nearly two decades, but whole building airtightness testing has only recently become a code requirement in many jurisdictions. While both codes now require testing for certain building types, they provide multiple compliance paths and limited guidance on selecting the most appropriate testing method. […]

Over the course of 14 years, Walsh Construction Company has been on a journey of learning and discovery regarding effective strategies to create airtight building enclosures. We have learned from our mistakes, learned from our partners and learned that air tightness is not just about the enclosure, but is heavily tied into mechanical system interface […]