Facilities CAMPUS SPACES
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED. The building envelope is a combination of the foundation, wall, and roof assemblies all working together to provide a safe and comfortable environment of the occupants while maintaining the structural integrity of the facility. The more tightly sealed your buildings are, the less energy loss you will have.
How to Achieve a Tight Building Envelope
A tight building envelope provides energy effi ciency and other benefi ts. Here is how to achieve a tight building envelope, along with what's trending
in the industry. BY ELLEN KOLLIE
"A TIGHT BUILDING
envelope provides a continuous thermal
barrier and air and water vapor barrier," says Thomas Kikta, AIA, LEED-AP BD+C, senior project manager with Chicago- based Legat Architects, and who specializes in identifying and repairing sources of moisture intrusion to make
facilities energy-effi cient, safe, and healthy. "If done well, a tight building envelope provides energy effi ciency by restricting the movement of air and passage of heat, and it eliminates mold issues by restricting the passage of water vapor." When it comes to campus facilities, administrators always want a tight build-
44 COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / JUNE 2012
ing envelope. This begs two questions: How can it be achieved, and how can it be done better on new facilities than it was on older ones? Here's how.
Achieving Tightness There are several things to focus on in
terms of creating an overall tight building envelope.
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