Tag Archives: Division 07

Rethinking building envelopes for climate-ready buildings

As climate change is anticipated, bringing with it an uncertain future, the construction industry needs to seriously consider the preparedness and the proven performance levels of buildings. It also needs to ensure the “large membrane” that separates the exterior environment from the interior environment, also known as the building envelope, is up to the task.

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Designing the overlooked transition between air barrier and fenestration

During the design phase, the process of selecting and specifying a curtain wall and/or storefront, in some cases is limited to aesthetics, structural considerations, thermal performance, and cost. Too often, the interface between the air and water barrier and fenestration are overlooked. The goal is to maintain continuity of the air and water barrier (AWB) assembly and its connections with the building components to ensure the building’s performance and long-term durability.

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Standardizing guidelines to specify IFRMs

The advent of intumescent fire-resistive materials (IFRMs), which are smooth in appearance, finally allowed for the expression of exposed steel in new and creative ways, and new material innovations continue to support this change. IFRMs allow designers to strip away the unnecessary elements that were common in construction in the last century and create new, simpler buildings.

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