Different approaches to constructing air barriers have varying implications for cost, constructability, complexity, and effectiveness. This presentation will describe the air barrier approach on three different projects, evaluating the impact on the cost and constructability of each approach as well as a description of the testing methods and resulting measurement of the air tightness of the buildings involved. Additional discussion regarding the areas of air leakage and lessons learned when employing various different approaches will inform the effectiveness of each approach.

The 2013 SeaBEC Symposium ”Zen and the Art of Building Enclosure Design” will bring together leading presenters focusing on building enclosure and whole building solutions. This will be an international event held here in the Northwest and presented in conjunction with the Portland Building Enclosure Council and British Columbia Building Envelope Council.

We believe this testing methodology is an innovative new approach of simulating the effect of wind-driven rain on the building enclosure to investigate water intrusion. The method builds on existing standards and utilizes readily available equipment to provide a cost effective, versatile, time-saving, and realistic means of replicating weather events to recreate leaks. In conducting hundreds of leak investigation tests, this technique has proven to recreate leaks quickly and without overloading the building’s water management systems.

NFPA 285 is the Standard Fire Test Method for Evaluation of Fire Propagation Characteristics of Exterior Non-Load-Bearing Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components. NFPA 285 assembly tests are required by the International Building Code (IBC) when exterior non-combustible walls contain combustible components. The scope of materials classified by the IBC requiring NFPA 285 testing is increasing. Combined with more stringent energy code requirements, the use of combustible materials is also growing in exterior walls.

This presentation will explain how this sealant adhesion and compatibility study was conceived and executed and will also provide conclusions about the observed reactions between many different substrates and sealants. This study was executed to determine the varying levels of adhesion between commonly specified sealants and substrates (including weather resistive barriers, self adhered membranes, liquid applied membranes and cladding components including brick, fiber cement cladding and various window materials.

Beginning with an overview of sustainably managed forests, life cycle analysis, and the carbon cycle of wood, this presentation introduces the current thinking on architectural and structural use of Cross Laminated Timber in buildings with a focus on high rise projects. Included will be a short history of CLT which began in Europe and a discussion of building enclosure strategies.

Recent years have seen an increased trend towards rainscreen cladding system. These systems typically consist of an exterior cladding, a drainage cavity and a back-up weather resistive barrier. Traditionally in rainscreen cladding designs, the joints in the exterior cladding are sealed to minimize the potential for water intrusion into the drainage cavity with the exceptions of weeps and pressure equalization vents which are generally sheltered from water ingress.

In the open joint rainscreen systems, the joints between the cladding elements are intentionally left open.

Today’s design and construction environment is expanding at an increasing rate with product offerings and new technologies leading the push that result in more complicated buildings. The selection and installation of air barrier systems is no stranger to this phenomenon. The technology of sheet applied and fluid applied air barrier systems have progressed at a rapid pace over the last 20 years with so many different product offerings, chemical compositions and installation methods that the choices can seem daunting.

Structural Monitoring Technology facilitates sustainable building practice by informing building consultants and owners of issues that could become long-term areas of concern. Leading-edge building monitoring technology is used in the investigation of building performance and is capable of monitoring:

Moisture Content Condensation Dew Point Hermo Profiling Vapor Pressure Differential Air Pressure Building Component Movement moisture content, condensation, dew point, thermo profiling, vapour pressure, differential air pressure and building component movement.

Most punched window selections are based on what the firm or team had on the last project, looks, and price. This course offers performance based selection criteria to add to the selection tools.