- RR
Unvented roof systems can be safely used in many different climates. In cold climates, insulating sheathing must be added exterior to the roof sheathing to prevent condensation on the underside of… Read More
- RR
Wood moves. Drywall does not move. Interesting problem. The more you attach drywall to wood, the more cracks you have. Easy, attach the drywall to less wood, and, in a way, that allows the wood to… Read More
- RR
The primary function of a housewrap or building paper is rain penetration control. It is not air infiltration despite what the manufacturers say. The energy aspects of housewraps are vastly… Read More
- RR
The manufacturers of housewraps have for years promoted the fantasy that water vapor in wall assemblies only moves one way – from the inside out. So, therefore, walls should be designed to “breathe”… Read More
- RR
Brick is a reservoir cladding, meaning that it absorbs and stores water (rain) when it becomes wet. In some homes, with brick veneer cladding systems, mold contamination has occurred within exterior… Read More
- RR
This is a concise overview of the principles and steps to follow when dealing with water from the foundation to the roof.
- RR
This report provides transfer grille sizing information excerpted from “BA-0006: Discussion of the Use of Transfer Grilles to Facilitate Air Flow in Central Return Systems.” The goal is to prevent… Read More
- RR
Most of us are not aware of just how differently these two barriers work in building assemblies. This article makes the differences as clear as the polyethylene film that should (or more likely… Read More
- RR
Masonry walls are generally highly durable. However, when masonry walls are too wet during freezing spells, freeze-thaw damage can occur. This issue has particular relevance for energy efficiency… Read More
- RR
Thermal Metric Test Wall Construction and Installation
The Thermal Metric (TM) research project uses a novel hot box apparatus to investigate multiple factors that contribute to thermal performance… Read More
- RR
This report provides a summary of the Thermal Metric Project and results of Reference Wall testing. The Thermal Metric Project is a multi-year collaborative research project headed by Building… Read More
- RR
The Thermal Metric Hot Box Apparatus
For the purposes of the Thermal Metric (TM) research project a novel double-guarded hot box apparatus was designed and constructed (Figure 1). The apparatus is… Read More
- RR
The Thermal Metric (TM) project was initiated in 2007 to support good design and construction practices by improving the way thermal performance is measured. Ultimately, the project goal is to… Read More
- RR
Vancouver Test Hut Phases I-III Wall Assemblies
The Vancouver Test Hut is a 900 square foot field testing facility located in Coquitlam, BC, on the rooftop of the two story commercial office… Read More
- RR
Vancouver Test Hut Phase IV Wall Assemblies
The Vancouver Test Hut is a 900 square foot field testing facility located in Coquitlam, BC, on the rooftop of the two story commercial office building… Read More
- RR
The Vancouver Test Hut Facility
The Vancouver Test Hut is a 900 square foot field testing facility located in Coquitlam, BC, on the rooftop of the two story commercial office building occupied by… Read More
- RR
The Vancouver-area “leaky condo crisis” began to surface in the 1980s. An unusually large number of moisture-related problems, not only in condos but also in most building types, prompted extensive… Read More
- VID
- VID
- PA
This article is the fourth in a series on various building diagnostic tools and techniques to sleuth out problems in buildings.
- PA
Temperature and humidity meters are useful tools for building investigations, specifically to measure HVAC equipment performance.
- PA
A nuanced look at thermal imaging and how it can shed light on much more than heat loss.
- PA
Using diagnostic tools to find air leaks that make homes inefficient, uncomfortable, and are often the cause of moisture-related problems.
- PA
Double-stud walls insulated with cellulose or low-density spray foam can have high R-values; compared to approaches using exterior insulating sheathing, double-stud walls are typically less expensive… Read More
- PA
Three sprayfoam topics that might have you rethinking your decisions. This article was first published in Sprayfoam Professional, Spring 2014, pages 16-19.
- PA
One-third of the energy you buy probably leaks through holes in your house. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, October/November 2012, pages 45-49.
- PA
And then it contracted. And then expanded again. And it did this over and over again. A simple title “Foam Shrinks” has opened up a can of worms that need to be addressed.
- PA
What we learned from updating a 16-year-old deep-energy retrofit. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, February/March 2012, pages 55-59.
- PA
Over the past decade, Toronto's building boom has been dominated by tall glass condo towers. They've transformed the look of city skylines all over the world – especially here in Toronto, we've built… Read More
Cold
- PA
Understand when to vent your roof and when not to, and how to execute each approach successfully. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, Aug/Sept 2011, pages 68-72.
- PA
Windows and curtainwalls are ubiquitous building enclosure components. Like all parts of the building enclosure, they have to meet the fundamental functional requirements of support, control and… Read More
- PA
Electrically commutated motors (ECM) in air-handler fans promise improved efficiency. But does improved technology necessarily mean efficient HVAC systems? This article was first published in Home… Read More
- PA
Since there are large surface areas of interior gypsum wallboard in nearly all new houses, the effort centered around coatings that could be applied to those surfaces. This article was first… Read More
- PA
Most important, it was determined that small-scale differential scanning calorimetry can adequately predict (within 9%) the performance of PCM wallboard when installed in full-scale applications.… Read More
- PA
Adhered veneers, in which masonry units are directly attached to a substrate via mortar and ties without a drainage or ventilation gap, have become a very popular finish in residential and light… Read More
- PA
Evaluating the risks associated with insulating exterior masonry walls from the interior on a three-story school constructed in Toronto, Ontario in the late 1950s. Reprinted with permission from… Read More
Cold
- PA
Can a 150-year-old house approach zero energy use? Three case studies point the was from the 19th to the 21st century. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, April/May 2008, pages 51-57.
Cold
- PA
So-called double-façades (DF) or ventilated façades, environmental second skins, etc. have attracted great interest as modern building enclosures. The DF label actually covers a wide range of… Read More
- PA
Today’s houses make it easier for mold to find the food and water it needs to thrive. The cure is a quick cleanup and smarter choices in materials. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding,… Read More
- PA
By creating a path for air to move, structural vents are supposed to prevent the buildup of moisture in an attic. This article was first published in Builder Magazine, January 2006.
- PA
Smarter strategies can save money, speed construction, improve energy efficiency, and cut down on jobsite waste. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, October/November 2005, pages 50-55.
- PA
This article reports on field experience of unvented cathedralized (UC) attics in the U.S. Traditionally, in some regions of the country, slab on grade construction is a preferred mode of… Read More
- PA
Think $50 per square foot and $50 a month for utilities are unattainable? Government-sponsored research proves otherwise. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, June/July 2005, pages 56-61.
Cold
- PA
Top ten blunders that rot your house, waste your money, and make you sick. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding Magazine, April/May 2004, pages 52-56.
- PA
Brick veneers are essentially transparent to water. Wood clapboards, fiber cement siding, and vinyl siding also leak, each in its own special way. In the real world all claddings leak sooner or later… Read More
- PA
Outdoor air is added to a building via a controlled ventilation system. What isn't controlled is the air change created by wind effects, stack effects and pressure effects caused by the operation of… Read More
Hot-Humid
- PA
When designing a building’s envelope and its interaction with the mechanical system, temperature, humidity, rain, and the interior climate often are ignored. The focus for the building may be more on… Read More
Pagination
- Previous page
- Page 2
- Next page