Building Envelope & Building Materials

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Provides a window of opportunity to pre-

Green Building vent being locked in a high carbon econ-
omy
The State has adopted the Philippine
agenda 21 framework which espous-
es________________, to fulfill human
Sustainable Development
needs while maintaining the quality of
the natural environment for current and
future generations.
An Act Mainstreaming Climate Change
into Government Policy Formulations,
Establishing the Framework Strategy
Section 2 RA 9729
and Program on Climate Change, Creat-
ing for this Purpose the Climate Change
Commission, and for other Purposes
Practice of increasing efficiency with
which buildings use resources such as
energy, water and materials
Green Buildings
While also reducing the buildings' impact
on human health and the environment.
Referral Code of the NBC; mandatory
Philippine Green Building Code
Signed in June 2015, effective January
2016
Seeks to improve the efficiency of build-
ing performance through a framework
of acceptable set of standards that will
enhance sound environmental and re-
source management that will counter the
harmful gases responsible for the ad-
GB Code
verse effects of climate change, through-
out the building's life including efficient
use of resources, site selection, planning
, design, construction, use, occupancy,
operation and maintenance, without sig-
nificant increase in cost.
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This____ is a set of regulations setting

minimum standards for compliance and
not intended to rate buildings.
• Is the physical barrier between the exte-
rior and interior environments enclosing
a structure.

Building Envelope
• Is comprised of a series of compo-
nents and systems that protect the inte-
rior space from the effects of the envi-
ronment like precipitation, wind, temper-
ature, humidity and ultraviolet radiation.
____Is comprised of the occupants, fur-
nishings, building materials, lighting, ma-
chinery, equipment, and the HVAC (heat-
ing, ventilation and air conditioning) sys-
tem.
Internal Environment

Improving the building envelope of hous-

es is one of the best
ways to get better energy efficiency.
1. SUPPORT
Building Envelope (3) Three Categories 2. CONTROL
3. FINISH
to ensure strength and rigidity; providing
SUPPORT structural support against internal and
external loads and forces.
to control the exchange of water, air, con-
CONTROL densation and heat between the interior
and exterior of the building.
this is for aesthetic purposes. To make
FINISH the building look attractive while still per-
forming support and control functions.
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are often characterized as either "tight"

Building envelopes
or "loose".
allows more of a natural air transfer to
occur, which improves indoor air quality
which can remove the need for mechan-
ical ventilation.

These types of building envelopes make

the building more drafty and uncomfort-
able, it also makes the building harder
LOOSE BUILDING ENVELOPE
to regulate temperature levels. This cre-
ates a higher chance of mold or mildew,
and higher quantities of heated or cooled
air are able to escape through leaks in
the loose building envelope. This will in-
crease energy bills along with negatively
impacting the environment by releasing
more greenhouse gases.
allows for a high level of control over
indoor air
TIGHT BUILDING ENVELOPE
quality, temperature, humidity levels, and
energy consumption.
also have a lower chance of producing
mold or mildew from
moisture infiltration, this can help prolong
the life of the building components. The
Tight envelopes
downside to a tighter building envelope
is it requires more extensive mechanical
ventilation systems because it limits how
much natural ventilation can occur.
1. Air Tightness and Moisture Protection
2. Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR)
(5) Energy Efficiency of Building Enve-
3. Natural Ventilation
lope
4. Building Envelope Color
5. Roof Insulation

Air Tightness and Moisture Protection

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• reducing air infiltration and exfiltration
•preventing outside air moisture infiltra-
tion
• Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
and WWR
Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR) • Windows withouts sunbreakers or over-
hangs
• Windows with sunbreakers
Natural Ventilation Use of operable windows
High solar reflectance of building enve-
Building Envelope Color
lope surface
5. Roof Insulation Reduction of heat transfer through the
is a measure of how well it functions in
relation to designated criteria such as
physical, social or environmental consid-
erations.

For example, a building's physical effi-

ciency might be evaluated by assessing
building's performance (or efficiency) parameters such as:

• heat loss
• energy use
• water use
• water tightness
• structural performance
• fire performance
• Sustainability
• Comfort
• Ecology
• Acoustics
Building Performance might be as- • Running Costs
sessed against criteria including: • Water tightness
• Layout
• Occupant satisfaction
• Accessibility
• Society
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(are the materials environmentally

friendly? How much energy is used to
heat/cool the building? How well does
the building
Sustainability
fabric retain heat (linked to insulation
levels and glazing performance)? Is the
building water efficient (does it include
grey-water recycling)?
can air temperatures, humidity and ven-
Comfort
tilation achieve a healthy environment?
is there a negative or positive impact on
Ecology
habitats?
does noise generated by activities in the
building adversely
Acoustics
affect neighboring buildings or spaces
and vice versa?
how much does it cost to run the build-
Running costs
ing?
are roofs and openings capable of keep-
Water tightness ing out rain and other sources of mois-
ture?
does the building optimize privacy, sun-
Layout light, views, occupant
circulation and so on?
are the occupants satisfied with the over-
Occupant satisfaction
all resolution of the design?
is the building easy to use by people with
Accessibility
disabilities? Is it safe and secure?
does the building integrate with and con-
Society
tribute to the local community?
• The way some buildings perform when
completed may not live up to the design-
ers' intentions. The difference between
anticipated and actual performance may
be significant and to the detriment of the
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occupiers, owners and environment.

• This is known as the_________ which,

Performance Gap
if significant may result in aspects of the
construction having to be redone and
can lead to legal proceedings.
is one of the principal aspects consid-
Aesthetics of a building
ered in architecture.
• shape
• size
• texture
• color
• balance
• unity
• movement
Appeal of a building covers the • emphasis
combined effects of a building's: • contrast
• symmetry
• proportion
• space
• alignment
• pattern
• decoration
• culture and context.
A building should be designed in or-
der to satisfy requirements regard-
safety, serviceability, durability, aesthet-
ing____________, but also, _______
ics,
assuring proper structural performance
through the entire service life.
There are diverse processes that affect 1. WEATHERING
the aesthetical performance of building 2.DECAY
elements through their service lives: 3. WATERLOGGING

is predominantly related to the superficial

level deterioration and its intensity de-
Weathering
pends on micro-climatic conditions. For
example, wood that is exposed to exte-
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Building Envelope & Building Materials
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rior weather conditions starts to change
its appearance within a few hours.
is a biotic degradation process affecting
both a material's
functionality and aesthetics. For exam-
ple, decay might have different kinetics
Decay
depending on the type of fungi causing
it, and consequently it can affect a ma-
terials' functionality and appearance in
diverse ways.
is a slow deterioration process in anaer-
obic conditions due to the activity of bac-
teria. Insect activity might also have sig-
Waterlogging
nificant influences on the outlook of bio-
materials, as well as on the material's
functionality and safety.
is the resistance to degradation of prod-
ucts, materials, buildings and other built
assets over time.
This can be a difficult property to assess
- whilst a tough
Durability
material may be hard to the touch but it
may also be non-
durable if it decomposes or is eroded
in a relatively short period of time. The
opposite can also be true.
durable (or non- A building as a complete entity may also
durable) be said to be_______
A building will be subjected not only to
daily wear and tear from users but also to
Weathering. the constant influence of climate - in par-
ticular rain, frost, sun and heat - forces
collectively referred to as ________.
as diminishing durability, weathering
forces can also result in a
__________ - usually a CHANGE FOR
THE WORSE - however, some materials
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can be affected beneficially: some stones
and
change of appearance brick types for example, as well as some
metals such as copper which develop a
patina.
When the building envelope system is
designed and constructed properly, very
few occupants pay attention. But when
the building envelope fails (and even the
aesthetic loss, corrosion, poor indoor air best-built projects do in time), everyone
quality, energy inefficiencies notices.
Those failures can include ________,
and, in some cases, life-threatening
structural failure and eventual litiga-
tion—a builder's worst nightmare.
1. Design deficiencies
2. Material failure
(4) Building Envelope Systems Fail
3. Poor workmanship
4. Acts of nature
• Architects occasionally specify materi-
als or design systems that are inappro-
priate for their intended use.

Design deficiencies • Issues also arise when subcontractors

try to reduce the weight, size, or amount
of building envelope components (alu-
minum, glass, sealants, flashing, etc.) re-
quired on a project.
• It's also common for properly specified
materials to fail to meet the published
performance levels.
Material failure
• Common examples include degrading
sealant adhesion, laminated glass de-
lamination, and metal fatigue.

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• During construction booms, the prob-

lem of poor workmanship is exasperat-
ed as a result of having many inexperi-
enced, unsupervised, and untrained per-
sonnel working on projects. It is common
to find building envelope components not
Poor workmanship
installed per the manufacturing specifi-
cations.

• Putting the right people in the right job

goes a long way toward proper installa-
tion and overall profitability.
• Even with flawless installations, bad
things can happen to good work when
environmental conditions exceed those
that
were anticipated during design. The ef-
fects of hurricane-force wind loads, dri-
ving rain, and extreme temperature fluc-
tuations can overload a properly de-
signed and constructed building enve-
Acts of nature
lope, causing damage to the system and
making it vulnerable to further deteriora-
tion or
failure.
• While failures of this type cannot be
stopped, many can be prevented through
routine inspection and maintenance to
identify small problems before they be-
come big ones.
refers to all the physical substances that
Materials are assembled to create the interior and
exterior of a building.
Particular materials carry specific con-
notations within cultures and regions.
Symbolism Terms such as natural or artificial, eter-
nal or ephemeral, austere or opulent, de-
scribe a few such associations. We often
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refer to the enduring qualities of stone, or
the ephemeral nature of glass or paper.
1. MATERIAL
COMPATIBILITY
(3) Primary areas that must be
WITH
evaluated in selecting appropriate mate-
CLIMATIC
rials and assemblies:
2. CULTURAL
3. AESTHETIC CONDITIONS
is one of the most important factors to
Climate consider in material and
assembly selection.
Material strength quantifies resistance to
Strength compression, tension, and other types of
loading on a given material.
After an initial material selection is made,
the dimensional thickness of each mate-
Mass and Thickness rial must be based on requirements for
durability, strength, and aesthetic consid-
erations.
Often a particular tactile density is de-
sired, ranging from heaviness to light-
Physical and Visual Density
ness in degrees of opacity, translucency,
or transparency.
Many materials may be finished to dif-
ferent textures, either during off-site pro-
Texture
duction or while finishing materials
on-site.
1. Troweled Finish
2. Broom Finish
3. Stamped Concrete Finish
4. Salt Finish
(8) TYPES OF CONCRETE FINISHES:
5. Exposed Aggregate Finish
6. Swirl Finish
7. Polished Finish
8. Colored Finish

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is the most common and popular finish of

concrete
used for major types of applications. After
Troweled Finish
the concrete is laid in the formwork and
leveled, the trowel is used to smooth and
fine-level the surface of concrete.
The broom finish of the concrete is rough
textured finished
Broom Finish obtained by dragging a broom on the
trowelled surface of the
concrete while the concrete is still fresh.
is obtained by pressing the required pat-
terns on the freshly levelled concrete.
This type of concrete finish after com-
Stamped Concrete Finish pletion of their construction looks similar
to stones such as slates or flagstones,
brick, tile or with proper skill they can look
similar to wood.
• The salt finish concrete surface is ob-
tained by inserting coarse rock salt crys-
tals using rollers on the freshly placed
concrete surface and washing it off with
streams of water after
Salt Finish
the concrete is set.

• This finish gives a decorative, rough

subtle texture and skid
resistance to plain or colored concrete.
The construction of exposed concrete
finish is to have leveled
Exposed Aggregate Finish concrete floor surface, distribute aggre-
gate evenly, and keep air voids to as
minimum as possible.
is used to polish the top
surface of the partially cured concrete.
Power Floater or Diamond Polisher
The equipment removes a concrete layer
whose thickness does not exceed a few
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millimeters at the top of the concrete. A
fine grade protection layer is applied to
provide the favored polished finish.
is one of the most exceptional types
of concrete finish that is generated by
Swirl Finish
smearing the concrete surface in a uni-
formly overlapping circular pattern.
on a concrete surface is achieved by a
mechanical process of grinding and pol-
Polished Finish ishing with the help of a penetrant chem-
ical to provide different texture with the
help of specialized tools and equipment.
The colored finish of the concrete is
accomplished through mix- added pig-
ments or post-cure staining to provide a
pleasing look to match the surrounding
environment. The colored finish on a con-
crete surface can be carried out by either
pigment or strains.
The pigmented colored concrete can be
accomplished by adding the pigments di-
Colored Finish
rectly to the concrete mix prior to pour-
ing.

The strained colored concrete can be ob-

tained by applying stains to concrete of
any age to obtain a more vibrant colored
finish. The application of stain is typically
followed up with the installation of a seal
over the concrete to protect the surface.
• Dyed Finish
• Engraved
Finish
The other finishes of the concrete are • Etched Finish
listed below: • Flashed Finish
• Marbleized
Finish
• Micro Topping or Over Lay
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1. Roof Slab - Trowel Finish

2. Swimming pools - Salt Finish
3. Commercial and Industrial flooring -
Trowel Finish
TYPE OF FINISH PREFERRED FOR
4. Porticos, driveways, and sidewalks-
DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION APPLI-
Stamped Finish
CATIONS
5. Museums, Auditorium, and Galleries -
Polished
Finish
6. Parks and Play areas - Colored Finish
Selection of a building color palette must
consider the surrounding context, as well
exterior and interior light qualities under
Color which the colors will be viewed. Colors
may be light absorptive or light reflective,
warm or cool, while the palette may be
monochromatic or polychromatic.
The tactile qualities of architecture are of
utmost importance,
especially those surfaces that building
inhabitants touch on a
regular basis, such as door hardware,
Temperature work surfaces, and floor
materials. Metal surfaces quickly register
temperature change,
while stone more slowly absorbs ambient
temperatures and
retains temperature much longer.
the individual elements themselves,
Material patterning must be designed at such as bricks or glass panes, and the
two scales: composition of these elements into larg-
er assemblies.
The methods of material fabrication
and assembly are a complex aspect of
Technique the construction process. Technique in-
cludes the fabrication process, the de-
tailing of how materials and systems are
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joined and erected, and the craft em-
ployed to execute the work.
refers to how a material was created,
processed, and assembled. Fabrication
techniques range from handcrafted to
Fabrication mass produced to prefabricated. Materi-
als carry traces of their making and as-
sembly that can be used to create sur-
face modulation and richness.
determine how individual material ele-
ments or systems are joined. Common
methods of joinery include various types
of mechanical fastening (nails, bolts, riv-
ets...), Welding, adhering, and so on.
Construction Detail Construction details should relate to the
overall architectural intentions of a build-
ing. Attention to detail is evident in a
well-resolved and finely executed build-
ing, such as the elegant assemblage of
wood and concrete systems in Figure 10.
The quality of design and construction
workmanship is crucial to the success
and longevity of a project. The employ-
Craft
ment of well- trained and experienced
trades people is the best way to assure
a high level of craft
The passing of time has an immense
impact on appearance and life span of
building materials. Thus, future weather-
Weathering
ing must be carefully considered during
material selection,
building detailing, and construction.
prevents the entry of moisture through
Vapor barrier
the wall

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