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HOW TO ACHIEVE A TIGHT BUILDING ENVELOPE appropriately to withstand maximum wind loads; building movement due to thermal, seismic, and moisture content changes; and creep. An air and vapor barrier transition assembly is designed to bridge continuously between window and/or wall openings and the adjacent air and vapor barrier materials. Comprised of materials such as pre-engineered, fi nished alumi- num and silicone materials, an air and vapor barrier transition assembly's design absorbs thermal movement and wind- loading stresses. Because these systems are not limited to just the window-wall interface, connections can be used at junc- tions between other assemblies within the building envelope where spanning of voids is commonplace, such as roof to wall, fl oor defl ection joints, expansion and control joints, or any other location where a degree of movement is anticipated. "The interface between the window and wall is a challenging spot to seal tightly and thoroughly to avoid air transfer," says Chad Dorgan, P.E., Ph.D., LEED-AP BD+C, CxAP, CCP, vice president of Quality and Sustainability for McCarthy Building Com- panies, Inc., a construction fi rm with 12 offi ces across the country. "Now, instead of using a bead of caulk in that gap, we make a boot around the window with…silicone, which is physically attached to the window and wall. The result is a cohesive enclosure with no gap to fi ll in." A second trend is that of warranties to guarantee the consistency of the building envelope's barrier layer. "This is one of the biggest things I've seen recently," says Kikta. "Suppliers are thinking compre- hensively about the building and how the pieces go together and, as a result, are manufacturing a complete warranted system. This is in comparison to the past, where the roofi ng supplier and the air barrier/insulation supplier were separate and each had its own warranty. It allows for a more effi cient facility, and that's pretty benefi cial, I think." "The main benefi t to a comprehensive warranted system," says Mike DuCharme, director of Product Marketing for Carlisle, PA-based Carlisle Syntec Systems, which manufactures roofi ng systems and more, "is one-stop shopping with a company that stands behind all the products. It helps to avoid problems. For example, if you did have moisture intrusion, you would have to pull the different suppliers together to determine where and what the problem is and how to resolve it. It could be as many as four to fi ve different suppliers: one for each sealing system. And there could be a lot of fi nger- pointing instead of problem solving." The third trend is advancements in PA RTITIONS For simple, effective space solutions, Hufcor is in a class all its own. Hufcor's complete line of operable partitions, folding doors and SMARTITION™ rotating walls can meet the requirements of any facility that needs acoustical separation and flexible space division. When you need innovative ways to put your school's space to work..... choose Hufcor. WORLD LEADER IN FLEXIBLE SPACE MANAGEMENT OPERABLE | VERTICAL LIFT | GLASSWALL | ACCORDION PARTITIONS 800-542-2371 ext. 214 | www.hufcor.com glass and glazing technologies that have greatly increased the overall performance of windows and doors. "Triple-pane glass utilizing combinations of Low-E coat- ings provides design fl exibility and high performance values," says Lance Premeau, LEED Green Associate, product and market manager with Wausau, WI-based Kolbe Windows & Doors, a custom window and door manufacturer. "A wide variety of glass coatings expand the options available to building designers, even to the point of maximizing envelope performance specifi c to an elevation or side of a building. Both window and door design has improved and evolved to perform in accordance with the most stringent testing criteria for air, water, and energy." A tight building envelope ensures that your facility is energy-effi cient, safe, and healthy. Achieving a tight building envelope begins with an appreciation for its value, says Baron, and that is followed by paying attention to the details. "If you fall short here," Kikta notes, "then anything you're doing on the rest of the building is money lost because you'll lose heat on the lost details." CPM 48 COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / JUNE 2012 WWW.PLANNING4EDUCATION.COM