A building’s envelope is described as any component of a building that touches the outside air and repels the elements such as the roof, walls, doors and windows.

Extensive water damage from an aging roof threatened to destroy treasured artifacts housed at the McLean County Museum of History in Downtown Bloomington, Ill.

Severe weather has significantly changed the way we look at design and construction of our buildings—from commercial to residential. Weather has become more volatile as natural disasters have taken their toll on our architecture.

The Winter 2022 edition features two CEU articles to earn continuing education credits. These articles cover roofs for cold storage buildings and low-slope roofing air barriers and vapor retarders. 

Waterproofing is essential for many commercial buildings. Those in particularly wet or humid areas will especially benefit from it, but every structure — no matter where it is in the country — should be waterproofed.

Selection of a suitable waterproofing system can present a building project team with a baffling array of choices. With dozens of manufacturers and hundreds of products to choose from, there is a formidable amount of data to evaluate in order to make a thorough investigation. 

The type of cladding material chosen for a project not only affects the building’s overall aesthetic, it also plays a central role in how the rest of wall system should be designed to best protect the structure from the elements.

Commercial buildings deemed “mission critical” demand roofs that go beyond simply covering people, products and processes.

The exterior finish is comprised of glass, wood and metal, including IW Series metal rainscreen panels from CENTRIA.