Air Sealing for New and Retrofit Buildings Pt. 1

The tightness of a building’s envelope to air infiltration is one of the key components to achieving Zero Net Energy. Instructor Terry Nordbye will use real world case studies to explain the importance of air sealing to prevent excessive air changes in new and retrofitted buildings.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain how air sealing is a key component to controlling moisture problems, reducing unwanted stack effects, and maintaining indoor thermal comfort.
• The ability to explain to clients why high quality air sealing should be part of their construction projects and especially critical for projects targeting zero net energy performance.
• Discuss the pros and cons of selecting different types of materials to serve as air barriers and learn the construction details and installation techniques that lead to airtight buildings that last.
• Describe ways to provide ventilation air to optimize indoor air quality.
• Summarize where and how buildings leak air.

Part 1 Agenda:

• Why make a building airtight?
• How buildings leak air
• Establishing the air tight boundary
• The nine rules of successful air sealing