If you want to protect your building, make it last longer, and offer it energy efficiency, a building envelope is just what you need. In this blog we discuss what it is and the benefits it offers. Let’s dig in!

What is a Building Envelope?

Also known as a seal of protection, a building envelope protects the things and people inside the structure it is applied on. You can think of it as a shell that protects the pearl inside, making for a much-needed protective barrier between the inside and the outside structure.

The building envelope offers great weather resistance. When you apply it, it will keep your building cool on the inside in summers, by keeping the hot air outside. In the winters, it will prevent indoor hot air from escaping outdoors. This helps boost the Energy Efficiency of your building. When the cooled or heated up air is retained inside, it means that you will have to use lesser money on heating and cooling devices.

Making up for around 30% of the total energy commercial and residential buildings consume, building envelope is engineered in a fashion that improves a number of factors of the building you apply it to. These factors include the energy required to cool and heat the building, ventilation, and lighting.

Because of building envelope being a recent invention, you won’t find it on older structures. This is why they are not as energy-efficient as new buildings.

The composition of a building envelope is simple: everything that separates the external environment from the internal environment, such as walls, floors, windows, doors, and the roof, may be considered the building envelope. The effectiveness of the envelope improves when gaps are properly sealed, windows have high efficiency, and walls have sufficient insulation.

The Types of Building Envelopes

There are two main types of building envelopes: loose or tight.

A loose envelope will encourage more natural ventilation so that outside air flows in without having to install mechanical appliances for it. You can create a loose building envelope by design, but sometimes poor construction also creates a loose envelope. The downside to this type of envelope is that you lose a greater amount of heat and air conditioning (leading to higher energy bills), the efficiency of other equipment inside the building would decrease, nearby contaminants may affect indoor air quality, and it may include unwanted moisture like mildew and mold.

On the other hand, a tight building envelope lets very few air leaks in, working hand in hand with energy-efficient windows, sealants, and insulation. Indoor environment control is the main purpose of creating a tight seal. You get to enjoy a superior level of comfort control, face lesser moisture problems, and increased energy efficiency. However, the downside to this is the increased need for mechanical ventilation as a tight building envelope allows even lesser natural ventilation than a loose one.

The Advantages of Building Envelopes

There are three basic benefits of building envelopes: to offer an aesthetically appealing finish to your building, provide superior climate control, and offer support to the structure.

1)    Offers Aesthetically Appealing Finish

Regardless of whether your building is industrial, residential, or commercial, it needs curbside appeal. This means that it must have a visually attractive exterior. Now, because the building envelope is the final layer when it is applied to the building, it needs to be made with an aesthetic mindset. Many building owners have specific requirements for building envelope finish, and it needs to be able to fulfill them.

2)    Provides Superior Climate Control

When you apply your building envelope, it also offers you better climate control. It will make sure that conditioned air (hot or cooled) stays indoors, preventing leakage. It also helps ensure outer air stays there, so that energy doesn’t get wasted through all this. However, the construction of your building envelope will depend heavily on the climate of your locality. For instance, a cold climate would demand a structure that prevents cold air from going indoors, to retain a hot temperature inside the building.

3)    Offers Support to The Structure

Because of the fact that the walls of the structure are considered part of the building envelope, it should be able to offer support to keep the building structurally balanced and safe. The weight of the structure must be supported by the foundation, and the walls must be able to bear the load. The foundation support and building exterior must comply with local building codes and regulations.

The bottom line is that the building envelope you design will play a major role in determining the energy efficiency, structural soundness, and interior climate control of your building. This is because the barrier materials, doors, windows, walls, and foundation work hand in hand to retain conditioned air and prevent hot or cold outside air from flowing in.

The flexibility and strength of the used materials will help make the building last longer by providing it better resistance against movement and moisture damage. When you have a sound building envelope, it will use lesser energy, boosting environmental sustainability, and helping building owners save money on their energy bills! So, what are you waiting for? Get your building envelopes from Raildek!