The Role of the Building Envelope in Climate Control
The building envelope is, quite simply, the physical barrier between the inside and outside of a building. This includes walls, windows, roofs, doors and floors. It's responsible for structural support and climate control, such as managing moisture, airflow and temperature.
Building envelopes are often referred to as tight or loose. A loose envelope allows more airflow from the outside to enter the building, whereas a tight one seals out the air or controls how it comes in. Design plays a key role in determining the regulation of the interior climate.
Controlling the climate inside a building ultimately comes down to how well it's sealed. For comfort, the envelope should promote adequate ventilation while also protecting the interior from elements like wind and rain. It should be able to keep the indoor climate warmer in cold weather and cooler in the heat.
The best building envelopes are sensitive and responsive to the surrounding environment, making life indoors more comfortable and efficient. So, how can architects and design professionals create envelopes that improve climate control?
Durable Roofing
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A good roof should be able to withstand downpours, thunderstorms and hail. However, an extra rainy spring or heavy snowfall can increase the chance of a roof leak. Even the highest quality roofs require regular inspection and maintenance to perform at their highest potential. Designers can improve the roof's durability and strength by ensuring it is sealed properly from the very beginning.
Many roofs have spots where gutter, drains, HVAC units and other equipment protrude through the surface. A well-installed roof will have strong seals around the base of these openings to prevent leaks. If these seals are inadequate, water may very well saturate the roof and even damage the inside of the building.
Architects should also ensure roofs are designed to prevent pooling. Sloped rooftops are always best, but many commercial buildings have flat roofs that accumulate water easily. To offset this, designers should plan for strong drainage systems.
Strong Walls, Windows and Doors
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Water poses a serious threat to a building's envelope and interior climate, but wind can be just as dangerous. During strong winds, both horizontal and vertical forces can threaten a building's structural integrity. Windows and doors are vulnerable to breaking in these conditions if they are not completely sealed. In addition, all that wind rushing into a building can create enough pressure to tear the roof clean off.
To avoid the total collapse of a building, especially in hurricane-prone parts of the country, architects should use car-style impact glass for windows. They should also consider hurricane shutters to better seal off these openings in the envelope.
Regulated Temperatures
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As the global warming crisis worsens, temperatures are reaching all-time highs, forcing architects to come up with new ways to keep buildings cooler. One solution to this problem could be the adoption of the Passivhaus standard.
Developed in Germany, the Passivhaus or passive house standard is a voluntary way to improve energy efficiency in a building that also reduces the structure's carbon footprint. It results in extremely low-energy structures that require barely any energy to heat or cool the interior. These homes and buildings are well insulated and must have a tight envelope to provide optimal climate control.
The strategy of a passive house is to reuse free heat, generated by electrical and gas appliances, to warm the home. In warm weather, the system works in reverse by reusing heat from incoming air to warm outgoing cold air. Passive house architects also strategically implement solar shields, like trees or blinds, that limit the amount of sunlight falling on the envelope.
Even if the passive house is years away from becoming mainstream in the U.S., architects can still use similar techniques to improve building envelopes. From better seals to more efficient ventilation systems, there's much to learn from this energy-efficient standard.
Designing the Building Envelope With Limited Resources
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Of course, the ideal building would have an airtight envelope, stellar ventilation and incredible climate control. Unfortunately, the resources aren't always there to make that happen. It takes an experienced architect and a pretty penny to design a building with premium climate control, and most people don't have access to either one of those.
So, while the public waits for the ideal envelope to become widely accessible, architects and designers will continue to fine-tune the details. Even taking small steps in the right direction is better than taking no steps at all.
Author Bio: This post was written by Holly Welles. She is a real estate writer and the editor behind The Estate Update. She’s passionate about the ways in which the industry is changing and loves to stay on top of millennial market trends. You can find more of Holly's thoughts on Twitter @HollyAWelles.
