The integrity of the building envelope includes walls, doors, windows, vents and more that come into contact with the outside air and ground. Every building has an envelope, and the purpose is always the same: to help maintain a controlled atmosphere on the inside, with constant temperature and humidity levels.
Securing the building envelope eliminates problems
Building envelope integrity is the single biggest factor in heating and cooling costs, as well as comfort. Controlling air leakage alone can improve your heating and cooling costs by up to 40%! At the same time, comfort is improved by reducing radiant exchange and perimeter zone differentials.
Securing the building envelope can solve many kinds of problems, including:
- Lowering heating and cooling costs
- Improving comfort through better temperature control
- Reducing odours by better controlling air movement
- Preserving building cladding at points of air entry
- Controlling unwanted moisture, mold and condensation
The first step in securing the building envelope
The first step towards securing the building envelope is to eliminate areas of uncontrolled air leakage such as gaps around doors and windows, holes where utilities enter the building, gaps where walls meet the roof, as well as inadequate insulation and cladding. This will significantly reduce energy costs and also help guard against insect infestation and other environmental factors.
Other steps to improving building performance
There are many ways to improve building performance. Some solutions are simple, such as upgrading select HVAC equipment or deflecting solar radiation by painting flat roofs with a high-strength white elastomeric coating formulated specifically for this application.
Other solutions are more complex and can require one or more of the following:
Replacing or augmenting insulation
Refurbishing or replacing windows and doors
Reworking or replacing HVAC systems and components
Reducing water usage with new fixtures
Producing and consuming or selling solar-generated electricity
to learn more about improving building energy consumption.
No matter what your situation, All Angles can help improve building performance. If you would like to learn more, please get in touch
