Those of us who work in building design every day understand that the structures we help create aren’t quite as inanimate as people may imagine. Fully formed by enclosure systems and filled with HVAC, electrical, plumbing and interior systems, they hum. When their occupants move in, they positively buzz.
Like a hive in nature, different elements of the building’s design and construction rely on each other. A masonry surface absorbs heat, changing the loads on climate control from season to season. An insulated wall regulates temperature, but regional and seasonal variations in vapor pressures drive moisture migration that an assembly must manage. In this highly interdependent system, every component has a part to play. Some are often an afterthought in design, but they shouldn’t be.