THE BUILDING ENVELOPE

The home’s envelope (enclosure) separates the living environment from the outside environment
in order to provide protection from the weather, intruders, pests, noise, and dirt, to control the
entry of sunlight, and, most important, to maintain comfort. The envelope of a home includes part
or all of the structure that holds up and forms the roof and that resists lateral loads from wind or
earthquakes. This dual role of the envelope is a blessing, because it is economical, and a curse,
because its two functions can conflict with each other. A durable and effective envelope is a key
element in a green home, because all that goes on within the home depends on its proper
functioning.

The envelope is subdivided into as follows:

 Foundations
 Walls and floors
 Wall cladding/exterior surfaces
 Roofs
 Insulation and air sealing
 Windows

Moisture Control Techniques

Careful attention to water movement (foundation drainage systems, house perimeter grading, and
flashing details) and vapor movement (air sealing details and vapor barrier systems) can go a long
way toward controlling moisture and possible mold problems in homes. The following is a list of
general techniques to help control moisture:

 Direct downspout discharge well away from the foundation.

 Grade away from the house a minimum of 6 inches in the first 10 feet.
 Footing drains should drain to daylight, a drywell, or a sump pump.
 Install a puncture-resistant polyethylene vapor retarder directly beneath a floor slab.
 Install a capillary moisture break between the top of the footing and the foundation wall (or under
a footing that is integral with the slab).
 Install a gravel bed below slab-on-grade floors.
 Avoid valleys and keep chimneys, dormers, and skylights away from valleys.
 Use substantial crickets where water might not flow easily off the roof

Framing techniques
Efficient framing techniques require fewer materials and generate less waste during construction.
Rough framing accounts for about 15% to 20% of the total cost of typical home construction.
Using proven techniques to reduce the amount of framing material can lower costs, better utilize
resources, and save labor.

Optimum value engineering (OVE). OVE or advanced framing uses engineering principles to
minimize material usage while meeting model building code structural performance
requirements. OVE techniques include the following:
 Increasing wall stud spacing to 24 inches on-center, rather than the standard 16 inches
 Spacing floor joists and roof rafters at 24 inches instead of 16 inches
 Using in-line framing when floor, wall, and roof framing members are in line with one another—
sometimes called “in-line” or “stack” framing (in this manner, loads are transferred directly from
one bearing member to the next, thus creating a direct load path and a more efficient structure)
  Designing homes on 2-foot modules, thereby reducing waste and installation labor, since most
panel products come in even-incremented dimensions such as 4 x 8
 Using two-stud corner framing instead of three studs, and replacing two- and three-stud backing
for drywall attachments at wall ‘T’ intersections with inexpensive drywall clips or scrap lumber
 Properly sizing headers, such as using doubled 2 x 4s, 6s, and 8s over smaller door and window
openings instead of doubled 2 x 10s
 Eliminating structural headers in nonloadbearing walls Substitute 2 x 6 for conventional 2 x 4
framing. 2 x 6 framing at 24" on center uses roughly the same amount of board-feet of lumber as
2 x 4 lumber at 16" on-center, while leaving a larger wall cavity for increased insulation levels.
Once framing crews have gained experience, these techniques can save money by using fewer
pieces and being faster to assemble.

Wall Cladding/Exterior Surfaces

Wall cladding (siding) needs to be installed and flashed to manage rainwater. Water typically
penetrates through the outer cladding, either by suction (capillary action) or at joints and cracks.
More commonly, the outer cladding sheds most of the water, but the real surface that must be
sealed from rain occurs at an inner layer that is separated from the outer cladding by an air space.
This technique is called “rainscreen” construction. Typical examples of walls that can be built
with a rainscreen include wood clapboard, vinyl siding, and EIFS.

Insulation and Air Sealing

 Fiber Glass Insulation.
Fiber glass insulation has natural fire resistance and generally has 20-25% recycled
content, including both post-industrial glass cullet and postconsumer recycled bottles.
Fiber glass is made from glass cullet and sand, which are widely available, rapidly
renewable resources, and uses minimal packaging. Fiber glass insulation is used in walls,
ceilings, and cavities in the form of batts, blankets, and loose fill.

Vapor Retarders
Humidity in the air can move through ordinary building materials by a process called vapor
diffusion. The strong emphasis on vapor diffusion as a source of moisture problems in wall,
attics, and cathedral ceilings has led to the almost universal requirement for a strongly effective
vapor retarder. Recently, this emphasis has been re-examined in light of condensation problems
in air-conditioned homes in hot–humid climates, where an interior vapor retarder contributes to
the moisture problems rather than solving them.
Air and water leakage, not diffusion, are the primary causes of moisture damage in walls and
attics. Once air leakage is controlled by air sealing and water leakage is controlled by proper
water management techniques, the vapor retarder can be chosen to suit a specific climate.

Air Infiltration Control

This is a brief overview of the many infiltration issues that arise when constructing an energy-
efficient house. Sealing the house carefully to reduce air infiltration is as necessary as adding insulation.
Consider the following:

 In cold climates, it is generally safe to wrap the inside of a home that is not air conditioned with
most types of “vapor retarders.”
 The preferred strategy for an air-conditioned home in a cold climate is to caulk every leakage
path and use a moderately effective vapor retarder, such as the kraft paper facing on batt
insulation or vapor retarder paint (primer).
  In hot and humid climates, it is essential to avoid any sort of vapor retarder on the inside surface
(including vinyl wallpaper) to reduce condensation so that when the wall or ceiling gets wet, it
can dry out to the air-conditioned interior.
 In all climates, make sure all wall cavities are well sealed to minimize air leakage, or fill the
cavity with sprayed-on insulation. When using damp-spray cellulose, take measurements to
ensure that it has dried out before applying interior finishes.
 Be certain to use sealants that are adequately flexible and can bridge the gap. Larger openings
should be sealed with rigid materials, using caulk or foam around the perimeter.
 Installing house wrap or building paper as air barriers over the exterior sheathing can reduce air
leakage and moisture penetration. Ensure proper installation by taping all seams and wrapping
and/or taping at penetrations such as windows, doors, vents, etc. Most of the largest leaks in
homes occur where framing (such as floor joists or wall studs) span from an area inside
conditioned space to an unconditioned or vented space, such as attic, garage, or roof.

Windows

How windows are installed and flashed is crucial to maintaining the moisture integrity of the
walls. Flashing around windows should carefully overlap the upper layer over the lower one in all cases.
Do not rely upon window flanges set in sealant to keep water out, and use flashing pans whenever
possible.