External Event: Building Enclosures for High Performance Buildings

When:
July 8, 2017 all-day
2017-07-08T00:00:00-07:00
2017-07-09T00:00:00-07:00
Where:
Townhall Meeting Room, City Hall
453 W 12th Ave
Vancouver, BC V5Y 1V4
Canada

The design and construction of high-performance buildings, driven by updated energy codes, and energy-efficient building programs including Passive House, is becoming increasingly popular across North America. As a result, the construction industry is starting to see many new and innovative enclosures being incorporated into the full spectrum of building types, ranging from single-family homes to taller wood frame and non-combustible high-rise buildings. Many of these buildings have been designed following Passive House design principles and are potentially pursuing Passive House certification. These thermally efficient, airtight, and durable building enclosure designs have evolved from existing North American practices with many new materials that have been introduced or imported into the local market in recent years. These materials include new air barrier systems, improved tapes and sealants, thermally efficient cladding supports, and unique fasteners, along with higher performing fenestration and insulation products. Many new prefabricated building enclosure systems have also been developed and successfully integrated into recent projects.

This full-day seminar will provide an in-depth overview of new and innovative high-performance building enclosures that are being designed and constructed for buildings across North America, ranging from single-family homes to large commercial buildings, with a focus on walls, roofs, and window systems. The seminar will start with an introduction of the requirements and design principles for Passive House building enclosure assemblies and details. Next, new research will be presented on the evaluation of exterior insulation cladding supports and details to minimize thermal bridging, along with the tested real-world performance of various new air barrier materials and systems. Durable, highly insulated roof and roof deck assemblies will be covered along with a review of roofing material selection and problematic detailing. Finally, high-performance glazing systems will be discussed, along with information on the selection of efficient and durable glazing products and window assemblies meeting North American and European standards. Numerous case studies will be presented to demonstrate how new and innovative building enclosures have been integrated into various projects ranging from mid-rise wood frame buildings and prefabricated Passive House buildings, to towering wood, concrete, and steel structures.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand building enclosure design fundamentals for high-performance and Passive House building enclosures, including the control of heat, air, water, and vapour.
  • Become familiar with many different higher R-value wall and roof designs and the various material selection and detailing considerations for each.
  • Understand and assess the merits of exterior insulation and alternate cladding attachment strategies for high R-value walls.
  • See how different prefabricated steel, concrete, and wood wall systems have been incorporated into building enclosure designs.
  • Recognize various different air barrier systems and materials, and understand how to detail different air barrier approaches.
  • Be aware of the strategies and solutions for large building airtightness testing.
  • Understand the technical properties for glass, insulating glazing units, and window frames for use in high-performance buildings.

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