High performance building envelope7/19/2023 ![]() "The goal is to reduce the heating and cooling loads." "In a mixed climate, we depend on mechanical systems to provide a comfortable indoor environment most days of the year," Ro explains. The climate determines the strategy in designing the building envelope. "Once that is determined specifically, we have to respond to the very local environment on the site, such as the building's orientation, adjacent buildings near it, the temperature it's going to function in, etc." "Is it going to be hot and dry? Is it going to be cold and wet? Is it going to be wintery? Is there going to be huge rains?" he asks. While understanding the climate is a good starting point, Pastine says it's important to know how much a building is going to have to be insulated, and what kind of environment it's going to be in. In colder climates, the building envelope reduces the amount of energy needed to heat the building, while in hotter climates, it can reduce the amount of energy needed for cooling. Where a building is located plays a role in how the building envelope is designed. Then, in design development, you consider material selection, solar shading and daylighting strategies." "This means, starting in the schematic phase, you consider passive strategies that would affect performance-building orientation, solar exposure, climate. Next is airtightness, since undesired infiltration affects long-term durability through moisture control, HVAC sizing, energy efficiency and occupant comfort.Ī high-performance building envelope should employ sustainable strategies to provide a healthy and comfortable environment for the building occupant, adds Ruth Ro, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, associate principal at New York City-based Dattner Architects. In addition to good windows and fenestration design, Brian Court, AIA, partner, and Jim Hanford, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, principal, at Miller Hull Partnership, Seattle, say balancing heat loss, solar control, daylighting and glare is essential. The key is "Getting those two elements to function together to provide the best environment possible for the end user of the building," he says. For James Pastine, project manager and project designer at Crawford Architects, Kansas City, Mo., the essential elements of a high-performance building envelope are the combination of the building skin and the openings in it. The design of the building envelope can determine the amount of lighting, heating or cooling it will need. Creating a high-performance building envelope means each piece is designed to minimize the transfer of thermal energy, which in turn creates an energy-efficient or tight building. The building envelope acts as a thermal barrier, playing an important role in regulating interior temperatures and determining the amount of energy required for optimal thermal comfort. The building envelope is made up of many different components: roof, walls, windows, doors, etc.
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