Obvious and Not-So-Obvious Reasons to Love Air Barriers

Air Barriers Energy Use

Course Description

The most obvious thing to love about air barriers is their contribution to energy efficiency: the better we are at separating the inside from the outside, the less energy we require to condition the interior space. But air barriers also make substantial, noticeable contributions to occupant comfort, including improved indoor air quality, acoustic control, and thermal comfort. This short presentation describes the advantages of air tightness, outlines how it is measured, and reviews the most critical design details to achieve the best results.

Course Instructor Christine Williamson

Course Length 14:10

Published 18 Aug 2022

Please complete the quiz below to earn 0.25 LU and receive a certificate of completion.

Keywords: Air barrier, air tightness, building science, energy efficiency, leaky buildings, indoor air quality, acoustics, comfort, enclosure design, detailing

About Building Science Fight Club

Christine Williamson - Assoc. AIA

Building Scientist | Instructor

Christine Williamson has spent her career in building science forensics, discovering why buildings fail and working with owners, architects, and builders to remedy the problems. She is the founder of the Instagram account @BuildingScienceFightClub, an educational project that teaches architects about building science and construction.