Viable construction always begins with an efficient building envelope. The building envelope separates the interior of the building from the exterior and essentially consists of the parts of a building that keep weather elements and extreme temperatures out. This includes the roof, walls, and below-grade waterproofing of a building. However, a high-performance building envelope must meet certain requirements for sound, temperature-control, fire-resistant, and watertight needs. Here’s an overview of the parts that make up the building envelope.
Roof
A building’s roof is paramount and considered to be “the seal to an envelope” as it’s meant to keep the inside safe from outside elements.
Walls
The exterior walls of a building are called masonry walls and are often constructed of brick, stone, or concrete. However, if there are defects in the masonry walls, such as cracked mortar joints (the space between the bricks that is filled with grout) moisture can get in. If a white, powdery, or crystalline deposit of salt is spotted (called efflorescence) that also indicates moisture has seeped into the walls.
Below-Grade Waterproofing
Below-grade waterproofing is crucial to a solid foundation and the reliability of the entire building envelope. In order to prevent foundation leaks, the below-grade systems must be installed properly. Building envelope adhesives and sealants can also be used to assist with leaks.
For more information on building envelope systems, contact Castle Architectural Metals at (516) 842-7650 or [email protected].