Building Envelope
The building envelope protects us from the elements, enables comfort, and ultimately allows us to be at home in our houses, to be productive at the office, to learn in school, or to heal in the hospital.
A building envelope—also commonly called a "building enclosure," should:
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support comfort
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manage moisture
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not poison us or the planet
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allow us to breathe clean air
When possible, it should do all this while using resources effectively—durably, energy-efficiently, and with low embodied impacts.
Here you’ll find strategies for envelope design and material selection that help balance all these demands and more.
Building Envelope
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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The Challenge of Existing Homes: Retrofitting for Dramatic Energy Savings
Feature Article
Greenhouse gas emissions associated with residential energy use account for a fifth of all emissions in the U.S. Retrofitting existing houses to achieve a two- to three-fold reduction in energy use is necessary if we are to achieve the emissions reductions scientists say are required for avoiding catastrophic climate change. Here's a look at how it can be done.
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Passive Survivability: A New Design Criterion for Buildings
Feature Article
Buildings and their occupants are vulnerable to threats ranging from storms and rising sea levels to accidents and terrorism. In this feature article, EBN describes how to design and construct buildings to maintain livable conditions in the event of extended power outages or loss of heating fuel or water.
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How Six Affordable Housing Projects Got to Green
Feature Short
Stories of designers and developers who overcame the challenges of building affordable housing that is also green, sustainable, and healthy.
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The Secret Math Behind RMI’s New Headquarters
Feature Short
Designing for net-zero energy and carbon in the nation’s coldest climate is not just a physics problem. There’s also the chemistry.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Glare? Overheating? Dim Sun with Thermochromic Glazing
Product Review
Ravenbrick and Suntuitive offer glazing that tints under direct sunlight without electricity.
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Passive House Windows and Doors Continue to Wow
Product Review
Exciting new doors and windows featuring cork, composites, and low U-factors have come to U.S. markets.
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Faade Retrofit Puts An Efficient New Face on Old Buildings
Product Review
Schüco's ERC 50 Modernization Façade is a modular retrofit system that improves the looks and thermal performance of a building with minimal occupant disruption.
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Underfloor Air: Rising Above a Checkered Past
Product Review
With attention to building science, UFAD may offer greater comfort and better energy performance than other systems.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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No Home Safe from Installation Mistakes with Fiberglass Batts
News Brief
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2015 Energy Code Could Back Off on Envelope Requirements
News Analysis
Mechanical tradeoffs may once again give builders more flexibility to bring a building up to code.
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Tenants Drawing the Blinds in Their Glass Buildings
News Brief
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ASHRAE Drafts Energy Standard for Data Centers
News Brief
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Learning Resources
A wide range of education options, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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