Buildings are designed to separate indoor and outdoor environments, but differences between them create forces that challenge the building envelope. Key demands include managing liquid water, air, heat, and water vapor flows. While these concepts seem simple, their complexities often lead to confusion, such as distinguishing between air and vapor barriers. This presentation explores how […]

Akira Window Connection: Pathways to Thinner Exterior Walls Akira Window Connection – a market ready punched window installation method that nearly eliminates window transition thermal bridging. This innovation helps reduce wall thickness, embodied carbon emissions, construction cost, and meet performance-based energy targets. In partnership with Northern Facades and Cascadia Windows, we will discuss maximum window […]

Achieving a High-Performance Air Barrier System Air Barriers are an extremely important component of a high-performance building enclosure system. For the most part, these systems are non-maintainable components and repairs can typically only be made with the removal of the exterior cladding system. To ensure a performing system, proper design, detailing and ultimately the proper […]

Commissioning the Air Barrier The IECC 2021 requires air barrier commissioning and/or whole building air tests as part of the code compliancy pathways. The process is an essential step to ensure that the building enclosure assembly performs as intended and complies with the energy code. The presenter will detail the commissioning process as it relates […]

Building Envelope Solutions: Building Code Compliance for Fire, Air, Water, and Vapor This presentation discusses the key Building Code and Industry Standards for meeting fire, air, water, and vapor requirements in Residential and Commercial construction projects. The building envelope is an essential integrated system in new construction. When system components are incorrectly installed or if […]

Sink or Swim: Effective Natatorium Envelope Design Thru Case Study Participants will develop a comprehensive understanding of the potential risks involved in designing roof and wall assemblies over pools and other corrosive environments. The session will cover effective design strategies to mitigate moisture damage by managing air, temperature, and vapor control. Key roof assembly elements—such […]

This interactive panel discussion will address shop drawing submittals and their role in construction. The speaker panel will have representative from legal, architectural, installer, and general contractor backgrounds who will discuss responsibilities of each party, and what risks each party may be talking on, knowingly or unknowingly. The panel will also discuss best practices for […]

Testing the Boundaries: Quality Control Options for Air Barrier Installation Air barriers separate conditioned air from unconditioned air, improving energy efficiency and limiting the risk of unintended moisture migration via airflow that may result in condensation within wall assemblies. But, as with any system, the performance of the air barrier depends on the quality of […]

What the Hell Happened, A Case Study in a New Building's Stucco Gone Wrong A recently constructed charter elementary school had a huge problem. Their new stucco of about 8 years was extensively cracked and the window perimeters were leaking into the classrooms. This case study will address the steps of investigation which included forensic […]

We are excited to host a free virtual educational webinar in November, but need your help.  Our speaker, Adam Ugliuzza, will be hosting an open forum, focusing on curtainwall details in real-world applications.  Send project-specific issues with an example picture or detail by October 31 to lhardman@airbarrier.org (redact sensitive information).  The webinar will be interactive, and […]

Meeting Today's Construction Challenges with Prefabrication Prefabrication is believed by many to be the future of construction. It allows for more efficient use of the dwindling supply of skilled labor, tighter quality controls, and better conditions for assembly of complex building systems. BPL Enclosure and Mortenson will present a case study demonstrating how panelization and […]

Moisture Defects in Buildings - A Sick Building Pandemic Poor air quality caused by water damage and mold is contributing to increasing health burdens on occupants of buildings of every type, construction and age...including new construction. Understanding and applying building science fundamentals along with considerations uniquely related to region, site, structure type, materials and construction […]