Over the course of 14 years, Walsh Construction Company has been on a journey of learning and discovery regarding effective strategies to create airtight building enclosures. We have learned from our mistakes, learned from our partners and learned that air tightness is not just about the enclosure, but is heavily tied into mechanical system interface with the enclosure. This presentation will detail our progression regarding we have learned about air barrier strategies, quality control and how to integrate mechanical systems into the enclosure for overall whole building air tightness. We will look at a number of case studies, including air barrier strategies, test results and lessons learned along the way.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand possible approaches to whole building air tightness.
2. Understand the relative performance of different air barrier approaches.
3. Understand the constructability of air barrier strategies.
4. Understand the influence of mechanical systems on overall whole building air tightness.

Martin Houston, AIA, LEED AP

Director of Learning & Development, Walsh Construction Company

 Marty Houston is the Director of Learning and Development at Walsh Construction Company, working to create a company wide training program that includes position-specific, soft skills and technical training for all employees within the organization. An architect licensed in three states, he previously served as the Quality Director at WCC, working with a team dedicated to creating durable and energy efficient projects for our clients.