Jonathan Smegal

RDH · Building Science Laboratories

Review of wind washing and convection of exterior insulation, both fibrous and rigid

Description Get 19 peer-reviewed papers on the latest advances in research and applications related to hygrothermal performance of building envelopes. Top experts and researchers present key information on progress in laboratory testing, field monitoring, modeling, and validation of the hygrothermal properties of thermal insulation. The book's five...

The wall system is a key component of an energy-efficient building. Incremental increases in building enclosure insulation levels have resulted in reduced heat loss and space heating loads. However, there are challenges that arise, including changes in the construction process and concerns about the long-term durability of these new assemblies. Of...

More rigorous energy codes and requirements for energy-efficient construction are spurring interest in new insulation products , specifically those that provide continuous exterior insulation. New exterior insulation products, especially those that have nontraditional forms, need to be evaluated not only for basic material properties such as R-valu...

The Passive House program is becoming increasingly well-known in North America. This program aims to produce a superior thermal enclosure such that the space conditioning systems may be minimized, if not appreciably eliminated. Many Passive House designs use double-stud or thick wall enclosures. By adding significant thicknesses of cavity insulatio...

Adhered veneers, in which masonry units are directly attached to a substrate via mortar and ties without a drainage or ventilation gap, have become a very popular finish in residential and light commercial construction. Typical applications apply masonry over a bed of lath-reinforced mortar over a drainage plane (often of building paper or felt). W...

Drainage is widely accepted as one of the most effective measures for reducing moisture damage due to rain penetration. As a result, a significant proportion of residential and commercial cladding systems employ drainage as a rain control mechanism. Although drainage is effective, some water is always retained in the drainage space, either as dropl...

There is an increasing market in liquid (or fluid) applied water management barriers for residential applications that could be used in place of tapes and other self-adhering membranes if applied correctly, especially around penetrations in the enclosure. This report discusses current best practices, recommends ways in which the best practices can...

Wood-framed pitched roofs have traditionally constructed with fibrous insulation laid on the ceiling plane, and the large volume above this insulation well ventilated with exterior air. However, there is a growing trend toward insulating the underside of the sloped roof deck so that the volume between the ceiling plane and the sloped roof plane can...