Innovative integrated weather barrier systems that combine structural oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing with an air- and water-resistive barrier not only result in a high-performance building envelope, but they also allow project teams to find efficiencies in design and construction. This course will discuss the components of integrated weather-resistive barrier (WRBs) sheathings, important design details you must be aware of to meet stringent building codes, and how these products can extend a building’s lifecycle and maximize its energy efficiency. We will also examine a new time and labor study that demonstrates how an integrated air- and water-resistive barrier sheathing system can be installed more efficiently than a typical building wrap over OSB sheathing and how this system results in a more energy-efficient structure.


Learning Objectives

  • Understand the different control layers that make up a building envelope and how the components, and their installation, affect building performance.
  • Describe traditional methods of achieving air and water control and the challenges they pose in achieving a high-performance building envelope.
  • Explore the installation and performance benefits of integrated air- and water-resistive barrier sheathing systems over traditional control layers.
  • Examine a blower door study that demonstrates how an integrated air- and water-resistive barrier sheathing system results in a more energy-efficient structure.

Pre-requisite: Basic knowledge of building design and construction.