Akira Window Connection: Pathways to Thinner Exterior Walls Akira Window Connection – a market ready punched window installation method that nearly eliminates window transition thermal bridging. This innovation helps reduce wall thickness, embodied carbon emissions, construction cost, and meet performance-based energy targets. In partnership with Northern Facades and Cascadia Windows, we will discuss maximum window […]

Achieving a High-Performance Air Barrier System Air Barriers are an extremely important component of a high-performance building enclosure system. For the most part, these systems are non-maintainable components and repairs can typically only be made with the removal of the exterior cladding system. To ensure a performing system, proper design, detailing and ultimately the proper […]

Commissioning the Air Barrier The IECC 2021 requires air barrier commissioning and/or whole building air tests as part of the code compliancy pathways. The process is an essential step to ensure that the building enclosure assembly performs as intended and complies with the energy code. The presenter will detail the commissioning process as it relates […]

Building Envelope Solutions: Building Code Compliance for Fire, Air, Water, and Vapor This presentation discusses the key Building Code and Industry Standards for meeting fire, air, water, and vapor requirements in Residential and Commercial construction projects. The building envelope is an essential integrated system in new construction. When system components are incorrectly installed or if […]

POSTPONED Sink or Swim: Effective Natatorium Envelope Design Thru Case Study Participants will develop a comprehensive understanding of the potential risks involved in designing roof and wall assemblies over pools and other corrosive environments. The session will cover effective design strategies to mitigate moisture damage by managing air, temperature, and vapor control. Key roof assembly […]

This interactive panel discussion will address shop drawing submittals and their role in construction. The speaker panel will have representative from legal, architectural, installer, and general contractor backgrounds who will discuss responsibilities of each party, and what risks each party may be talking on, knowingly or unknowingly. The panel will also discuss best practices for […]

Testing the Boundaries: Quality Control Options for Air Barrier Installation Air barriers separate conditioned air from unconditioned air, improving energy efficiency and limiting the risk of unintended moisture migration via airflow that may result in condensation within wall assemblies. But, as with any system, the performance of the air barrier depends on the quality of […]

What the Heck Happened, A Case Study in a New Building's Stucco Gone Wrong A recently constructed charter elementary school had a huge problem. Their new stucco of about 8 years was extensively cracked and the window perimeters were leaking into the classrooms. This case study will address the steps of investigation which included forensic […]

BECx Fundamentals: What It Is and Why It Matters This session provides a summary of Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx), focusing on its role in delivering the building owner's vision by achieving a high-performing, durable building envelope. It explores the structured BECx process, outlining how BECx providers, contractors, architects, and owners collaborate to meet performance goals […]

We are excited to host a free virtual educational webinar in November, but need your help.  Our speaker, Adam Ugliuzza, will be hosting an open forum, focusing on curtainwall details in real-world applications.  Send project-specific issues with an example picture or detail by October 31 to lhardman@airbarrier.org (redact sensitive information).  The webinar will be interactive, and […]

 Pitfalls and Challenges to Avoid in NFPA 285 Engineering Judgements Engineering Analysis is a necessary tool to provide the fire protection and safety of our buildings. The exponential number of wall assembly combinations and detailing of enclosure assemblies in the built environment prevents the opportunity to confirm fire performance through direct testing. This is especially […]

Moisture Defects in Buildings - A Sick Building Pandemic Poor air quality caused by water damage and mold is contributing to increasing health burdens on occupants of buildings of every type, construction and age...including new construction. Understanding and applying building science fundamentals along with considerations uniquely related to region, site, structure type, materials and construction […]

When Codes are in Conflict: Building Science and Life Safety in Wood Framed Construction Over time, changes in building codes have begun to challenge designers to meet life safety, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency requirements on wood-framed, mid-rise multi-family projects. When NFPA 13 sprinkler requirements are driving the design of the roof assembly, the […]

Masonry Thru-Wall Flashing and Key Interface Details Explore the continuity of water and air control layers in relation to masonry thru-wall flashing at critical interface details, including: base-of-wall, window sill, openings heads, shelf angle, veneer material transitions, and top-of-wall. Learning Objectives:  Understand masonry thru-wall flashing function and options  Realize how masonry thru-wall flashing coordinates with […]

Design Principles for Rainscreen Wall Systems The topic will discuss thorough understanding of the various components that lead to failure in Building Enclosures and how to prevent it with Rainscreen system solutions. The importance of structural/Hygrothermal design of wall systems and air barriers, vapor and thermal control in the walls will be presented. Owner/user benefits […]

Top Air Barrier Details for Commercial Construction It’s often been said that architecture is the synthesis of art and science, but the art of crafting a thoughtful and successful detail is often something that has to be learned on the job or at the school of hard knocks. This presentation will build on building science […]

Introduction to Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) for the Building Enclosure This course provides a complete overview of spray polyurethane foam (SFP) technology and applications for residential and commercial buildings. It covers a brief history, types of products and installation equipment. A review of chemical safety and environmental impact is provided, along with SPF performance for […]

Blown Away - Unmasking the Secrets of Whole Building Airtightness Testing Whole building airtightness testing has been a code compliance option in the International Energy Conservation Code and ASHRAE 90.1 for some time. That compliance option was rarely used and only became mandatory as part of a building owners' requirements, or a specific state or […]

Building Envelope Case Study: From Initial Construction Through Occupancy Join me as I recount my building envelope journey with a large four-story CMU and masonry higher-educational building for a large university in the Midwest. We will start with the initial pre-bid constructability review and go through construction and turnover. We will review the air/vapor barrier, […]

If It’s Not Raining, Why Is My Roof Leaking? Roof leaks and moisture within wall assemblies are never good for building performance. The typical response is to search for a rain-related leak—until it becomes clear that it isn’t raining at all. Without rainfall, bulk water entry should not be occurring, yet moisture continues to appear […]

Peeling Back the Onion This presentation is an in-depth dive into a leak investigation at a high school Industrial Arts and Horticulture Building that snowballed into a remedial architecture project and then escalated further with discoveries that raised structural red flags and created an expansion to the original scope of work. While investigating water damage, […]

Designing Wall Systems for Specific Climate Zones Copying and pasting a wall or roof assembly that works in one part of our country into a project in another part of the country could be not just problematic, but potentially catastrophic. This presentation will use data and hygrothermal modeling to articulate what happens when tried and […]

Air Barrier Installation & Quality Control Fundamentals Join us for an informative presentation that emphasizes the importance of proper air barrier application in enhancing building performance. Properly installed air barriers are critical in preventing air leakage, which can lead to energy inefficiencies, moisture issues, and compromised indoor air quality. We will delve into best practices […]

Continuous Insulation Compared Within Eight Steel Stud Wall Assemblies Continuous Insulation, while required by the energy code, presents challenges integrating it with the overall wall-assembly’s design, performance and construction. This program at the intermediate to advanced level, comparatively studies eight steel-stud commercial wall assemblies with considerations including: Overview of the Assembly components, High-performance Net-Zero Energy, […]