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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

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

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

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

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

How water gets into a structure, why it doesn't leave, and how these architectural flaws become HVAC headaches. This two-part article was first published in HPAC Engineering, December 2001 and… Read More

Ventilation system intakes must be sufficiently separated away from potential contaminant sources, and locations of dust and debris. Mechanical sealed combustion equipment intake should also be… Read More

Typical penetrations through the primary components of the air barrier system include plumbing pipes and vents, electrical wires and conduits, electrical fixtures, other mechanical services, and, in… Read More

“Rain is the single most important factor to control in order to construct a durable structure.”    - Dr. Joseph LstiburekDrainage planes (also referred to as “water resistive barrier… Read More

Water managed foundation systems prevent the build-up of water against foundation walls, thereby eliminating hydrostatic pressure. No pressure, no force to push water through a hole.Groundwater… Read More