Building Envelope
The building envelope, or building enclosure, protects us and the building interior from the elements and enables occupant comfort. The building envelope includes the cladding, air barrier, weather barrier, thermal insulation, and other components.
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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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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Spray-Applied Latex: A New Tool for Air-Sealing
Product Review
Owens Corning's EnergyComplete and Knauf's EcoSeal are a new breed of spray-applied synthetic latex sealants for use in place of caulk or SPF.
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Continuous Insulation Rainscreen System from Knight Wall Systems
Product Review
Knight Wall Systems' CI-Girt offers an all-in-one rainscreen and continuous insulation system that simplifies installation and can accommodate a number of cladding options.
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New Heat Mirror Glazing for Commercial Applications
Product Review
Southwall Technologies and Dow Corning have introduced a glazing system that will allow high-performance Heat Mirror glazings to be used in "structural sealant glazing" in commercial buildings.
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New Heat Mirror Glazing for Commercial Applications
Product Review
Southwall Technologies and Dow Corning have introduced a glazing system that will allow high-performance Heat Mirror glazings to be used in "structural sealant glazing" in commercial buildings.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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High Performance Enclosures
News Brief
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Window Retrofits, Not Replacements, Are Cost-Effective
News Brief
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EPA Takes Action on Spray-Foam Health Risks
News Analysis
EPA takes another look at spray foam after increasing consumer health complaints. The action plan leaves open questions about how far EPA will go to clamp down on these products, but it's safe to think of this as a shot across the bow from EPA for the SPF industry.
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Key Energy Data Hit Hard by Federal Budget Cuts
News Analysis
Followers of the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) have been rocked by two recent announcements about the state of the survey, a program of the Energy Information Administration (EIA) at the Department of Energy. The 2007 survey has been abandoned, and the 2011 survey is in question.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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