How does one avoid the same fate that a prominent tropical resort suffered when it experienced extensive mold damage due to wind-driven infiltration, resulting in $60 million in remediation and repairs to a $100 million, 1-year-old, high-rise hotel building? One way is by setting extremely high building envelope air barrier goals for a new oceanfront tropical resort ... or so its design team thought.
When new building code requirements require high performance and innovation incentives, such as those found in green building rating systems, significant confusion and some building failure will ensue. This is the current situation that designers and contractors are facing in wall system air barrier design and performance. Overly complex and problematic exterior wall systems due to a market-driven design emphasis on energy savings, high performance, and innovation inevitably lead to increased risk and liability in all climates, and concern about mold and moisture damage in hot/humid climates.