Building Envelope: The Skin of Sustainable Architecture
Understanding how building envelopes control energy flow, moisture, and indoor environmental quality
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Section 1 of 5What is a Building Envelope?
The building envelope is the physical barrier between a building's interior and the outdoor environment. It includes all the elements that separate conditioned indoor spaces from unconditioned outdoor spaces: walls, roofs, windows, doors, and foundations.
In sustainable building design, the envelope serves multiple critical functions: controlling heat transfer, managing moisture movement, providing structural support, and facilitating natural light and ventilation. A well-designed envelope can reduce building energy consumption by 30-50%.
Envelope Performance Impact
Buildings consume 40% of global energy and produce 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. Improving envelope performance is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce both energy use and carbon emissions.
Interactive Building Envelope Explorer
Building Envelope Layers
Click layers to peel back and explore
See how heat escapes and cool air leaks through a poorly insulated building envelope
Thermal Performance
R-13 to R-40+ wall insulation reduces heat transfer by 70-90%
Air Leakage
Sealed envelopes prevent 20-40% of unwanted air movement
Moisture Control
Proper vapor barriers prevent condensation and mold growth