Whole-building pressurization testing is becoming standard practice for building projects. Many common energy conservation standards and model codes now exhibit requirements for enclosure airtightness, which are to be achieved through measured air leakage rates.
Energy-efficient building is one of the most important trends in construction today. As climate issues grow increasingly prevalent, construction firms face rising pressure to create more eco-friendly buildings.
The refrigeration machine of a mechanical system is that component that removes thermal energy (heat) from one location and transfers it to another location by inducing a cycle of heat exchange.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 205,000-square-foot Vandalia Tower in St. Paul, Minnesota, recently completed a significant renovation to meet the modern needs of its commercial, nonprofit and artistic tenants and the approval of the State Historic Preservation Officer and National Park Service.
In any building, drafts or air leaks can cause serious issues for efficiency, comfort, and safety. Achieving airtightness—resistance to unintentional airflows directed both in and out of a building—is essential for any architect or construction firm that wants to maximize building performance.
One of the ways the design, engineering and construction teams met the City of Vancouver’s new stringent energy requirements was by using structural thermal breaks to prevent thermal bridging at balconies, eyebrows, parapets and planter walls.
While the cause of the collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Fla. has yet to be determined, the question of safety, building codes, concrete and high-rise structures has been the topic of discussion as of late, and likely will be for some time to come.