Boulder Community Health’s West Medical Building, with its hybrid vacuum-insulated glass installation and two inches of continuous rigid insulation, and the Lubber Run Community Center, Arlington, Va.

The building envelope. At its simplest definition, it’s the exterior or shell of a building that repels the elements. At its most complex definition, it’s an engineering system that meshes elements ...

The building envelope, the barrier between the interior and exterior environments, plays a central role in enhancing energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and overall building performance. In both ...

The presence of moisture in building envelopes, whether from leakage or condensation, can have serious consequences. For example, moisture in insulation reduces its insulating capability, causing ...

Thermal bridges represent discontinuities in the insulation layer of building envelopes, where conductive materials enable an increased rate of heat transfer between the interior and exterior ...

The main role of architecture is to create structures that protect us from the environment and create spaces that are safe and comfortable for all types of needs and activities. By providing shelter, ...