As building designs progress with more and more advanced envelopes (enclosures), performance of various systems become paramount. Moisture movement, air leakage, and overall energy performance makes a smart building.
HYGROTHERMAL ANALYSIS
In addition to accounting for the thermal response of buildings and building components it is necessary to also understand the moisture conditions and the effects of humidity. Long-term exposure to high moisture conditions can cause damage in building components, and significant health problems result from mold growth on surfaces that are exposed to high moisture conditions.
The thermal and moisture conditions and transport in buildings and building components are coupled. It is well known that high moisture levels result in higher heat losses, and the temperature conditions in building components influence the moisture transport. Analysis of the coupling of heat and moisture is known as “hygrothermics.” https://wufi.de/en/software/what-is-wufi/
With today's codes requiring buildings to be more energy efficient, resulting in tighter (reduced air leakage) and compounded with the ever increasing options of available components, (i.e. WRB's, spray foam insulations, vapor barriers, etc) overall performance of our exterior (and interior) walls can easily be overlooked.
Besides the thermal properties of a buildings' envelope assembly and their impact on heating losses, the envelope's moisture management has to be considered, too. Reducing or preventing moisture movement through the buildings' envelope may result in moisture damages and increasing the risk for condensation, mold growth, and sick building syndrome.
Facade Support offers options for 'Hygrothermal Analysis' (utilizing WUFI Pro) for all or specific envelope assemblies. WUFI-ORNL/IBP is a tool for developing and optimizing building materials and components. Through computer simulation, characteristic's of each assembly component, such as a vapor barrier or exterior WRB, can be modified or replaced to confirm the overall performance of that envelope assembly.
ENERGY MODELING
Whole-Building Energy Modeling (BEM) is a multipurpose resource that is used in new building and retrofit design, code compliance, LEED and building green certification, qualification for tax credits and utility incentives, and real-time building control. Energy-modeling is the virtual or computerized simulation of a building or complex that focuses on energy consumption, utility bills and life cycle costs of various energy related items such as air conditioning, lights and hot water. To understand energy modeling, it's important to understand building simulation:
Building simulation is the process of using a computer to build a virtual replica of a building. In layman's terms, the building is built from its component parts on a computer and a simulation is performed by taking that building through the weather conditions of an entire year. In a way, building simulation is a way to quantitatively predict the future and thus has considerable value.
In accordance with ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED, FS provides Energy Modeling for building owners and architects for the purpose of analyzing the building envelope design, compare components, (such as aluminum framed windows vs. fiberglass frames) and to identify most cost effective building.