WOBO thanks the Building Science Corporation for the link to their latest article.
At the most basic level a building is an environmental separator – it keeps the outside out and the inside in. Why? Well, sometimes the outside sucks and we want to keep it from getting into the inside or into the thing that separates the inside from the outside. Sometimes the inside sucks and we want to keep it from getting into the thing that separates the inside from the outside. It can be cold and miserable outside. It can be hot and humid and miserable outside. Inside is also often an issue. There is a big difference between a warehouse and an indoor swimming pool or humidified pressurized hospital or art gallery–and the environmental separator you use matters.
Design Objectives
In order to function as an environmental separator, the elements, components, assemblies and sub-systems that comprise a building must meet the following objectives (Hutcheon):
- Control heat flow
- Control airflow
- Control water vapor flow
- Control rain
- Control ground water
- Control light and solar radiation
- Control noise and vibrations
- Control contaminants, environmental hazards and odors
- Control insects, rodents and vermin
- Control fire
- Provide strength and rigidity
- Be durable
- Be aesthetically pleasing
- Be economical
Not all are equal. The things that will kill you are more important than the things that irritate you. The things that kill you quickly are more important than the things that kill you slowly. The things that irritate you quickly are more important than things that irritate you slowly.
Read the entire article at buildingscience.com.