A tight building envelope is increasingly getting the recognition it deserves for its energy efficiency contribution. In many cases, this recognition is coming in the form of increasingly stringent regulations and code specifications, signaling that both the government and the industry are more aware of the energy wasted through air leakage via leaky building envelopes.
While building high performance buildings requires some change, it’s not as difficult as one might think. High quality mechanicals, smart control strategies and efficient lighting strategies are all key pieces to this puzzle, but energy efficiency really starts with the building envelope. Creating a tight building envelope requires a system-wide approach and the integration of air tightness, R value, construction types, aesthetics, total U value and continuous insulation as well.