As you sit in your climate-controlled office, safe from the wind, rain, and other natural elements, are you saying to yourself, “What an amazing building envelope this is!” No? Well, maybe you should, because a well-designed envelope is essential for the energy efficiency, comfort, and durability of any building.
What is the Building Envelope?
The building envelope forms the primary barrier between you sitting inside your building and the rain pouring down outside. It includes the roof; walls; windows and doors; the foundation; and building penetrations that create holes in the building, such as ductwork and piping.
In general, the building envelope serves three purposes:
Thermal regulation – maintaining a comfortable interior temperature and humidity
Weather resistance – keeping out the wind, rain, and other natural elements
Moisture barrier – preventing water from seeping in
What Happens When a Building Envelope Fails?
A damaged or worn-out building envelope can lead to water leaks; mold, mildew, and rot; higher energy bills; and unhappy building occupants due to poor air quality and excessive noise. Fortunately, upgrading and renovating a building’s envelope can solve these problems and extend the building’s useful life. Let’s look at some examples of Ross Group renovation projects that did just that.
Building 1634 VOLAR Barracks Renovation
Ross Group recently completed a project to renovate a three-story, 57,230 sq. ft. barracks on Fort Johnson, LA. Originally built in the 1970s, the building was unsafe due to extensive mold and mildew that had spread throughout the facility’s interior. Ross Group installed a standing seam metal roof system that fully encloses the building's perimeter. The roof includes light gauge steel framing, R-30 rigid insulation, a vapor barrier, protection board, and metal decking. To prevent future mold and mildew growth, the exterior walls were modified to include a drainable exterior insulation finishing system (EIFS). The energy-efficient, light-weight design has a large drainage plane for incidental moisture, while a fluid-applied, roll-on air/vapor barrier was applied between the exterior sheathing and drainable EIFS. New entrance vestibules were also added to the exterior facade of each newly enclosed stairwell, creating an "air lock" entry with a set of outer and inner doors. New double-pane windows with a low solar emission glazing were also installed.
Altogether, these new exterior improvements sealed the building envelope and provided a high-efficiency air/vapor barrier that protects the building from Louisiana's extreme heat and humidity.
Fort Myers United States Courthouse and Federal Building.
Ross Group is currently working on another renovation project to replace the roof and windows of the Fort Myers United States Courthouse and Federal Building in southwest Florida. On September 28, 2022 Hurricane Ian made landfall on Florida’s west coast as a Category 4 storm. Before leaving the state, the storm killed 149 people and destroyed or damaged countless buildings. One of the damaged buildings was the courthouse and federal building.
Windows are essential for natural light and security, but they also represent potential weak points in the building envelope. A window assessment conducted after the hurricane found that the typical punch windows were experiencing water intrusion largely due to failure of the exterior glazing, while storefronts were missing exterior gaskets or the gaskets had shrunk. With both the window and storefront systems approximately 24 years old, these problems were going to continue to worsen. To eliminate the water intrusion and repair the building envelope, Ross Group is replacing the windows and storefronts with new systems that are both energy efficient and hurricane impact resistant. The work includes hundreds of windows, four large curtain wall systems, and storefront entry systems on the six different floors over 100 feet off the ground. The new window systems will include flashing and sealants and will be compatible with the wall drainage systems already in place in the building.
Replacing the roof will also help to seal the building envelope. Ross Group will remove and replace roofing in 11 separate roof areas, one area at a time.
These repairs to the building envelope will equip the Fort Myers United States Courthouse and Federal Building to continue serving the communities of southwest Florida for many decades.
Maintaining Your Building Envelope
Whether your building is new or newly renovated, taking a proactive approach to inspecting and maintaining your building envelope will help prevent small issues from turning into major problems. Areas you should regularly check include the following:
Are the roof and wall cladding systems shedding water away from the building?
Are seals and flashings around windows, doors, and other building penetrations intact and showing no signs of wear or degradation?
Are ventilation systems designed to control humidity in the building working properly?
Are drainage features clear and not clogged?
Signs that your building envelope needs attention include water damage on walls or ceilings, condensation on interior surfaces, drafts and uneven temperatures, and decaying building materials. If you are concerned about the health of your building envelope, reach out to Ross Group. Let’s work together to strengthen its durability, efficiency, and comfort - ensuring lasting performance for years to come.