This presentation examines how energy codes affect building professionals in the design and construction of new buildings and the redesign and renovation of existing buildings. With a focus on Washington State and Seattle building codes, the challenges with current building envelope practices and strategies to meet the new energy code requirements will be explored.
Participants will learn to:
- Calculate the overall R-valu\e of a wall assembly with thermal bridging through the building structural frame using tables in the energy code
- Quantify the effect of a continuous air-barrier on energy use for heating and cooling and on meeting energy code requirements
- Explain why the design of the building envelope should be the first priority in designing low-energy buildings based on recommendations from research and professional associations
- Describe the purpose of elimination parametric energy-modeling used in pre-design to give the design team the data to set and prioritize low-energy design strategies