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Posts tagged mechanical systems
Living Inside Anywhere: A Comprehensive Guide to Building Envelope Control Layers for Architects
Living Inside Anywhere: A Comprehensive Guide to Building Envelope Control Layers for Architects

The building enclosure, comprising the walls, roof, ceiling, and floor, serves as the fundamental separator between the outdoor and indoor environments. Far from being a static element, this enclosure is in a state of constant, dynamic regulation of heat, air, and moisture flow, influencing everything from the comfort and health of occupants to the long-term durability and energy efficiency of the structure. The aspiration for any building is to achieve a "high ideal" where these performance goals are met simultaneously, ensuring a comfortable, healthy, durable, low-maintenance, and energy-efficient interior space.

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Building EnclosurePositive EnergyBuilding enclosure, control layers, heat flow, air flow, moisture flow, bulk water control, gravity, wind-driven rain, capillary action, deflection, drainage, roofs, roof lines, tilted roofs, flat roofs, overhangs, site drainage, capillary breaks, drained assemblies, ventilated rain screen, flashing, water control layer materials, air control, mechanical systems, wind, stack effect, air leaks, air barrier systems, blower door test, duct leakage test, thermal control, radiation, windows, greenhouse effect, low-e coatings, exterior surface color, radiant barriers, convection, conduction, fluffy insulations, foam insulations, R-value, U-value, thermal bridging, continuous insulation, vapor control, moisture transport, perm rating, vapor barrier., Podcast
The Damp Deception: How a Well-Intentioned Code Change is Fostering Mold in New Homes
The Damp Deception: How a Well-Intentioned Code Change is Fostering Mold in New Homes

The promise of a new home often includes visions of a healthier, more energy-efficient living space. However, a subtle yet significant regulatory shift in U.S. building codes, particularly affecting hot-humid climate zones, may be inadvertently undermining this very promise. Before 2021, residential ventilation requirements were often loosely enforced; homes were typically required to have a ventilator, but the actual volume of air exchanged was not mandated to be measured. This frequently led to systems being ineffectively installed or even "sabotaged" by HVAC contractors, rendering them inoperable or improperly configured from the outset. Consequently, many homes, even in that period, did not achieve consistent fresh air exchange. Compounding this, most residential HVAC systems lacked any form of supplemental or dedicated dehumidification, a feature that building science experts have increasingly recognized as crucial, especially for high-performance homes in moisture-laden environments.

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HVAC, CodePositive EnergyHVAC systems, ventilation requirements, indoor air quality, humidity control, mold growth, building codes, energy efficiency, public health, economic impact, environmental impact, building science, moisture management., Indoor Air Quality, Mold, Moisture Management, mechanical systems, Dehumidification, dedicated dehumidification