Glossary Entries

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Air Barrier by Joseph W. Lstiburek — last modified 2007/05/21

Air barriers are systems of materials designed and constructed to...

Air Barrier System by Joseph W. Lstiburek — last modified 2007/05/22

An air barrier system is an assembly of materials that together . . .

Air Barrier; Performance Requirements by Joseph W. Lstiburek — last modified 2006/12/05

Air barrier systems typically are assembled from materials incorporated in . . .

Air Retarder by Joseph W. Lstiburek — last modified 2007/05/21

Materials and assemblies that do not meet the performance requirements of...

Air-impermeable by Joeseph W. Lstiburek — last modified 2007/05/21

A material or assembly having an air permeance equal to or less than...

Building Enclosure by Joseph W. Lstiburek — last modified 2007/05/22

A building enclosure is the component (typically comprised . . .

Commissioning by Joseph W. Lstiburek — last modified 2006/12/05

Prior to occupancy, testing and inspections should note any problems and they . . .

Conditioned Space by ASHRAE Standard 62.2 — last modified 2007/05/21

The part of the building that is designed to be thermally conditioned for the...

Diffusion by Joe Lstiburek — last modified 2006/06/11

The movement of individual molecules through a material...

Drainage Plane by Joseph W. Lstiburek — last modified 2007/05/21

Drainage planes are water repellent materials (building paper...

EIFS (external insulation finishing system) by Joseph W. Lstiburek — last modified 2006/12/05

A combination of insulation and stucco system cladding for . . .

Equivalent Leakage Area of a Building (EqLA or ELA) by Joe Lstiburek — last modified 2006/06/11

Quantitative expression of the airtightness of a building enclosure...

Expansion Joint by John Straube — last modified 2006/06/11

A structural separation between building elements . . .

Flashing by John Straube — last modified 2006/06/11

A waterproof material used to redirect or shed drained water, or occasionally to act as a capillary break . . .

Foundation, Water-managed by Joe Lstiburek — last modified 2006/06/11

Systems for at or below-grade enclosure assemblies...

Grade Beam by Joe Lstiburek — last modified 2006/06/11

A foundation wall that is cast at or just below the grade...

Habitable Space by ASHRAE Standard 62.2 — last modified 2007/05/21

Building space intended for continual human occupancy. Such space generally...

Housewrap by Joe Lstiburek — last modified 2006/06/11

Any of the numerous spun-fiber polyolefin rolled sheet goods...

Hydrophobic by Joseph W. Lstiburek — last modified 2006/12/05

Materials that do not change their permeability as a function of relative . . .

Hygroscopic by Building Science Corporation — last modified 2006/12/05

Materials that change their permeability characteristics as relative humidity . . .