http://www.buildingscience.com daily 1 2010-03-25T22:56:21Z http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-air-leaks-how-they-waste-energy-and-rot-houses One-third of the energy you buy probably leaks through holes in your house. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, pages 45-49, October/November 2012. No publisher John Straube guidance-Enclosure design principles airflow-Physics of Air Movement doc-PublishedArticle airflow-Airtightness/Air barrier airflow-Driving forces/stack effect 2013-04-05T17:39:56Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-foam-shrinks What we learned from updating a 16-year-old deep-energy retrofit. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, February/March 2012, pages 55-59. No publisher Joseph Lstiburek guidance-Enclosure design principles deep energy retrofit moisture-Physics of Moisture Control doc-PublishedArticle Retrofit 2013-02-27T02:06:06Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-throw-away-buildings Over the past decade, Toronto's building boom has been dominated by tall glass condo towers. No publisher John Straube enclosure-Wall assembly guidance-Enclosure design principles doc-PublishedArticle 2013-06-01T01:59:26Z BSC Article http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-crash-course-in-roof-venting 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. No publisher Joseph Lstiburek moisture-Roofs condensation thermal-Insulation airflow-Physics of Air Movement thermal-Convective/air movement guidance-Roof design moisture-Physics of Moisture Control doc-PublishedArticle comp-roofs thermal-Airspaces 2013-04-04T22:00:16Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-future-window-technology 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 finish (Straube & Burnett, 2005). Reprinted with permission from Journal of Building Enclosure Design, Winter 2010, pages 12 -15. No publisher John Straube enclosure-Wall assembly guidance-Windows comp-windows-doors resources-low-energy doc-PublishedArticle 2013-02-26T18:06:34Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-ecm-eficiency 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 Energy, May/June 2010. Reprinted with permission. No publisher Kohta Ueno guidance-Building systems/HVAC subsystems-HVAC-air handlers subsystems-HVAC doc-PublishedArticle 2013-04-05T17:44:52Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-measuring-impact-interior-insulation-solid-masonry-walls-cold-climate 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 Journal of Building Enclosure Design from Summer 2009, pages 11 - 17. No publisher Wilkinson/De Rose/Sullivan/Straube guidance-Enclosure design principles analysis-Testing climate-zone-cold doc-PublishedArticle 2013-04-05T18:36:31Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-adhered-veneers-inward-vapor-drives 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 commercial construction. Reprinted with permission from Journal of Building Enclosure Design, Summer 2009, pages 31 - 35. No publisher Straube/Schumacher/Smegal/Jablonka guidance-Enclosure design principles climate-Building design and climate doc-PublishedArticle 2013-04-05T18:34:24Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-139-deep-energy-retrofit-of-a-sears-roebuck-house-a-home-for-the-next-100-years The American Foursquare, a Sears, Roebuck & Co. kit home, was a staple of small American towns between 1908 and 1940. More than 100,000 of them were built in America. Homes built prior to 1980 make up 80% of the housing stock in the United States, and are responsible for a majority of the residential energy use in the country. All of the renovations used systems engineering principles to ensure good indoor air quality and longterm durability while providing deep energy reductions. This posting is permission of ASHRAE. Additional reproduction, distribution, or transmission in either print or digital form is not permitted without ASHRAE's prior written permission. No publisher Betsy Pettit, FAIA moisture-Diffusion/Vapor Pressure airflow-Indoor Air Quality deep energy retrofit moisture-Vapor Permeance ASHRAE doc-Digest resources-low-energy doc-PublishedArticle Retrofit 2013-03-03T02:56:58Z BSC Article http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-remodeling-for-energy-efficiency 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. No publisher Betsy Pettit, FAIA enclosure-Wall assembly guidance-Enclosure design principles guidance-Windows subsystems-HVAC high-performance resources-homeowner guidance-Wall design climate-Building design and climate thermal-Physics of Thermal Control climate-zone-cold enclosure-Foundation assembly Building America guidance-Roof design enclosure-Roof assembly doc-PublishedArticle zero-energy renovation Retrofit 2013-04-05T18:10:47Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-critical-review-double-facades-office-buildings-cool-humid-climates So-called double-façades (DF) or ventilated façades, environmental second skins, etc. have attracted great interest as modern building enclosures. Numerous examples have been built in Europe but only a few have been completed in North America. The DF label actually covers a wide range of different enclosure types. In most cases, a DF has three layers of glazing with ventilation and solar control devices between the outer two glazing layers, although some ventilate the space between the inner glazings. In most cases, the airflow through the glazing cavity is driven by natural buoyancy (hot air rises) aided by wind pressure differences, although some systems use small fans (often driven by photovoltaics). In hybrid systems, HVAC supply or exhaust air streams are directed through a glazing cavity before connecting with the outside. Reprinted with permission from Journal of Building Enclosure Design, 2007, pages 48-53. No publisher John Straube enclosure-Wall assembly guidance-Enclosure design principles doc-PublishedArticle guidance-Wall design climate-Building design and climate 2013-04-05T18:39:56Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-mold-explosion-why-now 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, December 2006/January 2007, pages 70-75. No publisher Joseph Lstiburek enclosure-Wall assembly guidance-Enclosure design principles moisture-Physics of Moisture Control resources-homeowner enclosure-Foundation assembly enclosure-Roof assembly doc-PublishedArticle climate-Building design and climate resources-mold 2013-04-05T17:51:14Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-eliminating-attic-vents 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. No publisher Armin Rudd guidance-Building systems/HVAC doc-PublishedArticle 2013-04-05T15:59:25Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-future-of-framing 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. No publisher Joseph Lstiburek advanced framing enclosure-Wall assembly type-low-rise guidance-Construction details efficiency enclosure-Roof assembly doc-PublishedArticle guidance-Enclosure design principles climate-Building design and climate 2013-04-05T18:26:29Z BSC File http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-small-house-built-right 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. No publisher Betsy Pettit, FAIA advanced framing guidance-Enclosure design principles affordability guidance-Construction details climate-zone-cold Building America doc-PublishedArticle resources-homeowner 2013-04-05T18:28:55Z BSC File