Control of airflow is essential to several important performance aspects of the building system. Air carries moisture which impacts a material's long-term performance (serviceability) and structural integrity (durability), behavior in fire (smoke spread), indoor air quality (distribution of pollutants and microbial reservoirs) and thermal energy.

Typical case studies are presented to illustrate how each of the above characteristics is affected when unintended airflow occurs as a result of poor construction. In some cases, there was simply a lack of understanding of the consequences of ignoring potential leakage paths and the interaction of the mechanical conditioning systems with the building structure. Rehabilitation of a troubled building requires that these interactions be understood. In general, the approach to developing that understanding is not involved.

• envelope
• ventilation: airtightness, air leakage,
• wind induced pressure on building

1. Blame It on Star Trek: Solving IAQ Problems
2. Builder's guide: cold climates
3. Moisture Control Handbook: new low-rise, residential construction
4. Moisture control handbook: principles and practices for residential and small commercial buildings
5. Performance evaluation of exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS)
6. Pressure response of buildings
7. The fundamental flaw of EIFS
8. Understanding vapor barriers
9. Unventing attics in cold climates  

1. A more sustainable curtain wall system: Analytical modeling of the solar dynamic buffer zone (SDBZ) curtain wall
2. Quantifying and predicting performance of the solar dynamic buffer zone (SDBZ) curtain wall through experimentation and numerical modeling