Sustainable BuildingSolutions Test Facility
Designed in collaboration with the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) and with input from the building science community, this cutting-edge, technically advanced and fully automated laboratory will allow measurement of air leakage contributing to energy loss and sustainability of the built environment. Air barrier system components and integration techniques will be exposed to varying levels of differential air pressures, simulating wind loads, as well as water spray to determine their resistance to various environmental exposures.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 40% of the energy consumed to heat or cool a building is due to air leakage.
The integrity of the building enclosure – its compatibility and continuity throughout – is critical to:
- Control air and moisture infiltration/exfiltration
- Increase energy efficiency
- Improve overall operating performance
- Increase facility productive life
- Enhance indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort for a more productive work environment
- Reduce maintenance requirements and their financial impact
Connectivity: Key to Long-Term Performance
Air movement into a building through a wall assembly at gaps in transitions and terminations or penetrations in the building envelope also carries moisture vapor, which can lead to deterioration of structural components and the opportunity for mold and mildew. It is estimated that as much as 90% of all water intrusion problems may occur within the 1% of the total building exterior surface that contains the terminations and transition detailing
- Window-to-wall tie-ins
- Roof-to-wall tie-ins
- Foundation-to-wall tie-ins
Testing of these connection points between air/vapor building protection systems is a key focus of the Sustainable Building Solutions Test Facility as well as other building and design challenges facing the sustainability and performance of our built environment.