Building Digest

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

Here are some free and informative publications from NRC.

http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/pubs/cbd/index_e.html

[bjones5]

Thanks again Mario...........I found that one here 3 years ago, still nice to see good info passed around.

LOL......went to bookmark it, already had it.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by mkyriacou

Here are some free and informative publications from NRC.

http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/pubs/cbd/index_e.html

In 1977, this series actually changed my life in construction /energy efficiency after I started reading what was published until then. It lead me into the facts about buildings rather than the stuff I was hearing on the street or job sites from practitioners of the trades (they all had their own "correct" opinions, you know). Some the digests that state Things I quote regularly that most people scrunch up their faces at are found in #'s 9, 23, 40, 72, 175, 231.

An example from 175:

"Air leakage is now considered to be the prime cause of most condensation problems in walls and roof spaces. If, therefore, a building can be made tight against air leakage it may not need a vapour barrier, as defined. On the other hand, if there are openings that permit air to leak from the warm side to the cold side of the insulation, adding a vapour barrier (even of zero permeance) that does not seal off the openings will be useless."

It was stated by an NRC researcher and Joe Lstiburek in 1995 or so, that buildings in southern Canada do not need vapour barriers!!! Joe's preferred basement insulation wall system does not include a vapour barrier.

By the way, some of these "old guard" guys mentored Joe when he was working and studying in Canada.

[Erich Kelter]

Great link Mario.