Educational Programs

Summary of WRB water penetration testing requirements and recommendations for the fair treatment of WRB products based on one performance-based benchmark for water-penetration resistance of WRB assemblies.

The way we think about the health and safety of a building has changed. Building science leads the way in developing best practices and interventions that will result in the healthier buildings of tomorrow. This presentation provides a practical understanding of the topic and includes cost-effective, actionable guidance on how to design and construct healthy and resilient building envelopes in a post-COVID-19 pandemic world.

Building code requirements relating to NFPA 285 testing requirements and the use of the alternative materials provision of the code to extend those test results to similar wall assemblies of equal or better performance.

This presentation provides actionable guidelines to effectively consider, evaluate, and manage the balance of wetting and drying potential in common above-grade, light-frame wall assemblies in a broad range of climate conditions. This objective involves the appropriate use and integration of a wide variety of light-frame wall construction methods and materials including various cladding types, water-resistive barrier types, insulation types, and vapor retarder types or classes. 

To download the full presentation, choose a link below. 

This presentation, given by Jay Crandell, ABTG/ARES Consulting, and Amy Schmidt, DuPont, at the 2020 RESNET BUILDING Performance Conference, explores why walls should be a priority and the impact of ignoring energy efficiency, durability, comfort, and serviceability.

Continuous insulation is used on foundations, exterior walls, and roofs. Continuous insulation provides maximum thermal performance by minimizing thermal bridging.  It provides optimal assemblies that dry and also minimize seasonal moisture variations, creating a stable and durable environment for the building structure and interior.

Thermal bridging can significantly impact whole building energy use, condensation risk, and occupant comfort. This presentation contains an overview of the various types of thermal bridges and their impacts and a discussion of repetitive metal penetrations for cladding and component attachments.

This presentation, adapted from a presentation given by Jay Crandell P.E. at the 2018 ASHRAE Annual Conference, covers the basics of thermal bridging in wall assembly performance. It demonstrates methods of estimating the magnitude of the effect of thermal bridges using mathematical approaches to calculating assembly performance, and explains the pros and cons of various methods. 

This presentation to the ASHRAE 160 hygrothermal modeling committee explains why it is important to protect OSB and other moisture-sensitive sheathing materials from excessive seasonal moisture content cycling. Building codes and current hygrothermal modeling criteria do not completely address this problem. Appropriate use of exterior continuous insulation in coordination with interior vapor retarders offer the “driest” solutions.