Using a fully adhered air barrier, whether sheet-applied or fluid-applied, is essential in creating a continuous barrier which will minimize air leakage. How well the membrane is bonded to the wall substrate will greatly affect the barrier’s performance. This adhesion is a critically important, yet often overlooked, factor in air barrier selection, and it impacts the building envelope’s performance from the day it is installed and throughout the life of the building.
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From a cladding perspective, a rainscreen assembly is a practical way to achieve a high-performing building envelope. The popularity of wood-plastic composites (WPCs) in envelopes has increased substantially year over year and, in some cases, has become the cladding of choice for architects thanks to the material’s performance characteristics, sustainable construction, durability, and life-cycle attributes.
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In the building industry’s ever increasing pursuit of tighter and more waterproof structures, is there a point at which a wall is built too tight? While a watertight assembly is vitally important for wall controlling issues such as mold growth and protecting IAQ, some building practices may be inadvertently making it easier for moisture-related issues to fester.
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Prior to the mid-20th century, building walls relied on their thickness and density to resist water penetration. Moisture would mainly deflect from the wall face or be absorbed and later evaporate from the mass wall.
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Hundreds of years ago, buildings were thought of much more simply—as shelter, meant to protect people from the elements. Today, that purpose holds, but the technology, practices, and materials that go into high-performing building enclosures have evolved to do more.
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