Air Barriers in Building Construction

New requirements in energy codes and expectations for better performance among many building owners underscore the importance of air barriers for commercial-building performance and code compliance. Use of spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) as a key component in air-barrier assemblies provides good performance characteristics and cost and construction advantages, as shown in this review of industry literature and new research by RSMeans Business Solutions

Air Barriers in Building Construction: Understanding Costs, Meeting Performance Standards and Exceeding Codes.
The case for closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) insulation air-barrier system in building envelopes.

WHITE PAPER SUMMARY: New requirements in energy codes and expectations for better performance among many building owners underscore the importance of air barriers for commercial-building performance and code compliance. Use of spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) as a key component in air-barrier assemblies provides good performance characteristics and cost and construction advantages, as shown in this review of industry literature and new research by RSMeans Business Solutions.

Why air barriers, and why now?

That’s a question being asked by many architects, contractors, engineers and building owner-developers, and the answers are varied. For one, the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and several state energy codes—Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Michigan, with more expected to follow—now require the use of air barriers. In addition, a growing number of municipal authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) and green-building trade groups are calling for their use. Some federal agencies and large owner and developer groups also require them. More important, energy efficiency and occupant comfort—two key ingredients of sustainable design—are driving the use of air barriers across market sectors. With today’s high cost of energy and concerns about Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), air barriers are one of several construction systems with a critical role to play.