To keep interior spaces warm in the winter (and nice and cool in the summer), Building Teams report adopting more advanced approaches to envelope design and construction, whether for big-ticket cladding choices, window edge details, or meticulous mockup and installation practices. Fortunately, a confluence of product innovations, creative assemblies, and improved project delivery techniques are helping improve performance and reduce first costs and long-term energy use.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After reading this article, you should be able to:
- DESCRIBE the general principles of building siting, orientation, and overall design that contribute to energy efficiency and enclosure integrity.
- DISCUSS continuous insulation and the methods of selecting and applying thermal protections.
- LIST key systems and components for mitigating solar heat gain and unwanted glare.
- EXPLAIN how design and construction practices can affect enclosure performance.
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