Session

Decarbonization of the built environment is a nationwide goal; it has been adopted by many states and municipalities. In Massachusetts, it is mandated by law and the recently-adopted Stretch Energy Code and Specialized Opt-In Code require compliance with a series of absolute metrics.

As part of a whole-building design approach, building enclosure is a key lever with reducing operational carbon emissions. With early phase detailing, precise thermal modeling can be performed to set achievable envelope performance criteria and define critical design components. This leads to more rigorous conversations with construction partners and more certain cost outcomes.

In this session, we will explore recent thermal studies of panelized enclosure solutions for large-scale, high-rise buildings that meet Passive House performance criteria.

Learning objectives:

• Determine how operational carbon reduction is linked to the design of high-performance buildings.
• Define the risks of Performance Gap in buildings and how to avoid it.
• Understand how specific design aspects of building enclosure systems contribute to the clear field R-value of building enclosure.
• Discern the nuances of thermal finite analysis in two dimensions and three dimensions and understand when use of each is appropriate.