Track: Fundamentals and Applications
Sponsor: 4.4 Building Materials and Building Envelope Performance, Residential Building Committee
Chair: Marcus Bianchi, Ph.D., P.E., Member, Owens Corning, Granville, OH
Many ASHRAE members have an interest in the building envelope as it has a direct and often significant impact on building energy use. However, building envelopes do more than control heat flow and air leakage; they also must control rain water and vapor movement. This seminar introduces the idea of the "perfect wall," extends that to the perfect envelope. The presentations discuss how these concepts can be applied to actual wall/roof/foundation assemblies, and considers how they may be incorporated in standards and codes.

1. The Perfect Wall
Joseph Lstiburek, P.Eng., Fellow ASHRAE, Building Science Corp, Westford, MA
This presentation introduces the "Perfect Wall" concept. Dr. Lstiburek reviews the building science principles (including control of heat, air and moisture) as they relate to envelope design. Dr. Lstiburek also discusses how these principles apply to different building materials and arrangements and through example and discussion, guides the audience to the perfect assembly arrangement.

2. Why Is the Building Envelope so Complicated?
Simon Pallin, Ph.D., Associate Member, ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN
This presentation discusses why building envelope design is complicated. Dr. Pallin reviews what influences the building envelope performance; what we know, and what is still uncertain. Dr. Pallin also discusses how industry professionals should make use of field tests, laboratory measurements and simulations combined, to better understand and anticipate the energy and moisture durability performances of existing and future buildings.

3. DOE Perspective of the Perfect Envelope: Building Science Advisor
Eric Werling, Member, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
This presentation discusses risks and challenges that make it difficult for builders to specify "perfect walls". Mr. Werling introduces a new DOE funded "expert system" to help builders and designers understand the moisture durability risks of wall designs in their specific climate. The "Building Science Advisor" was developed by ORNL with Building America program funding, and input from some of the best experts in the field.

Presented: Wednesday, January 24, 2018, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM
Run Time: 90 min.

This is a zip file that consists of PowerPoint slides synchronized with the audio-recording of the speaker (recorded presentation), PDF files of the slides, and audio only (mp3) for each presentation.