The following thirteen-part series is presented by Joseph Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.Eng, who provides an overview of the science behind creating the perfect wall, courtesy of Green Building Solutions.
Each 1-2 minute video covers an aspect of building science as applied to the challenge of creating energy-efficient, sustainable wall assemblies made to withstand the climate zones found in North America.
- Part 1 - Intro to Building Science - What is a building, anyway? What does it do?
- Part 2 - 2nd Law of Thermodynamics - How do heat and air (pressure) flow in a building?
- Part 3 - Moisture Flow - How does moisture flow in a building?
- Part 4 - The Environment - From arctic to tropical, arid to damp, how does climate affect building science?
- Part 5 - Layers - What are the layers of a wall assembly and why are they each important?
- Part 6 - Physics - How would an ideal theoretical wall assembly in any climate zone be arranged according to physics?
- Part 7 - The Institutional Wall - What are the wall assembly features of the institutional wall, with a masonry structural system?
- Part 8 - The Commercial Wall - What are the wall assembly features of the commercial wall, with a steel framed structural system?
- Part 9 - The Commercial Wall (cont.) - Why is cavity insulation irrelevant for thermal protection in the commercial wall, but we may still want to use it?
- Part 10 - The Residential Wall - What are the wall assembly features of the residential wall, with a wood framed structural system?
- Part 11 - Flashing and Rain Drain - How is flashing important, and why is it shaped the way it is?
- Part 12 - Flashing Back in the Day - How was flashing used in older construction? Can continuous insulation be integrated with it?
- Part 13 - Draining Walls and Windows - In newer construction, how are punched openings flashed and why?
- Part 14 - Granite Cladding and Rain - What is the real purpose of the cladding with respect to the water control layer?