The Building Envelope's Role in Energy Efficiency

Simply put, the building envelope is the layer that separates the interior of a building from the exterior environment. A building envelope is made up of many materials, including caulking, cladding, self-adhesive membranes, insulation and proper window and door treatments. It plays a crucial role in keeping you warm and dry, and determines how energy efficient a building is.

What Role Does Insulation Play in Energy Efficiency?

Insulation plays a key role in a building's energy efficiency, and can both improve comfort and save money. There are many options for types of insulation, including blanket, foam, and concrete block. Each type of insulation has certain advantages, and you should research what type would best suit your project.

A good building envelope, with the proper type of insulation will help to keep warm air in and cool air out during the winter - and the reverse in summer. This means that you will be able to heat or cool the inside of your building more efficiently and more consistently, as warmth or coolness will not be seeping out. It is extremely costly to heat or cool a large building, and the last thing you want to be doing is paying to control the temperature of your indoor space only to find out that a poor building envelope is putting all that money to waste.

A Building Envelope Also Protects Buildings

One of the worst things that can happen to a building in terms of cost and deterioration is water ingress. Water ingress occurs when water leaks into your building. This water might be from a rainfall or it could be caused by high humidity. When water enters a building and goes unnoticed or is not removed, it can cause the structure of a building to rot or deteriorate. A solid building envelope can help to prevent this expensive problem.

Your building envelope can save or cost you money. It starts with professional construction, ongoing maintenance and oversight. Hiring a building envelope professional in Vancouver can help you resolve minor issues before they become catastrophic. They can also help ensure your building is as energy efficient as possible.