Air Barriers - Building Science Equals Energy Efficiency
Laverne Dalgleish
Abstract:
People expect that a green building is an energy efficient building. As we move more and more to net
zero energy buildings, design professionals are looking at ways and means to reduce the energy used in
a building or home. Most buildings or homes in New York have some insulation installed and the NY
State Building Code spells out the minimum requirements for insulation. However, a new condition has
been added which is the requirement for an air barrier. The U.S. Department of Energy has stated for
years that an airtight building can save 30% to 40% of the energy used for heating and cooling a building.
This presentation covers the history of air barriers and why they are only now being seen as critical to
energy savings. It will also cover the state of the art research on air barriers and show what is being
done right here in New York. The presentation will also cover why air barriers are critical for a green
building that is durable and healthy.
Bio:
Laverne Dalgleish is a Principal in Building Professionals. Laverne is the current Executive Director of the
Air Barrier Association of America, Inc., and has been involved in energy efficient construction for over
30 years. Laverne has used this experience to design and develop site quality assurance programs for
the construction industry. He is a member of the NAHB National Green Building Standard Committee
for updating the standard. He works within many standard-developing organizations such as ISO,
ASHRAE, ASTM, ULC, CGSB, CSA and BPI to bring standards into the energy efficient industry. Laverne
has been the coordinator for the DOE/ORNL/SU/ABAA air barrier research project, the NRC Wall Energy
Rating project and the NRC/ABAA Wall Drainage project.