DIDE255

Building Systems: Structures

Bachelor of Interior Design

 unit learning objectives

At the end of this unit, students will be able to

1. Describe the importance of building
drainage and how it affects the structure of a
building
2. Explain varying climate conditions and their
affect on the design of a building
3. Identify the components of a building
structure and their role in the longevity and
performance within a building
 lecture

Unit 4:
Drainage and
Damproofing
 Building Envelope

The building envelope is the outer “skin”

of the building that acts as a barrier or
separator between the exterior and
interior environments of a building.
It is comprised of the following:
• Foundation walls
• Basement floor
• Above-grade exterior walls
• Attic or ceiling
• Roof
[Link] • Openings including windows, doors,
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[Link] skylights
• Mechanical and electrical
penetrations.
 Environmental Separator

The durability of the building envelope

of wood-frame structures is directly
affected by four inter-related physical
processes of:
• Moisture
• Air
• Vapour
[Link]
[Link] • Heat moving through the various
assemblies
These processes act on the building
envelope in different ways and with
different intensities
OBC Climatic Data

In order to understand the

environmental stresses on
a building, you can refer to
the Ontario Building
Code’s Climatic Data.
Every city in Ontario has
design data that is to be
utilized when designing a
building envelope that will
be affected by climate,
soil, seismic conditions,
rainfall, and snow.
 Loads and Stresses

Every building has both

environmental and imposed
stresses placed on it.
These are referred to as Live
and Dead loads.
Live loads include the weight of
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people or goods in a building,
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anything that can be moved.
Dead Loads are permanent
static loads such as the weight
of the materials, walls, the
structure itself.
 Different Types of Loads

The loads on buildings affect the

structural integrity including:
Gravity type loads such as:
• Live Loads
• Dead Loads
Dynamic/Lateral loads such as:
• Wind/Uplift
• Seismic

[Link]
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 Review of Loads and Stresses

Structures also have

various stresses
that affect their
integrity over time.
Approved methods
of construction
review all these
[Link]
stresses to ensure
that the building
Compression: pushing performs well.
Tension: pulling
Deflection: push and pull
Shear: cutting or lateral movement
 Snow Loads (Dead Loads)

• When designing a new roof, designers must

understand different snow loads that occur in
various geographical regions within Ontario
• Utilizing the climatic data in the Ontario
Building Code, you can determine your snow
load.
• Snow loads must be not less than those calculated
using the following formula:
S = Cb ∙ Ss + Sr
where,
S = specified snow load,
Cb = basic snow load roof factor, whichis
0.45 where the entire width of a roof does
not exceed 4.3 m and 0.55 for all other
roofs,
Ss = 1-in-50 year ground snow load in kPa,
determined according to MMAH
Supplementary Standard SB-1, “Climatic
and Seismic Data”, and
Sr = associated 1-in-50 year rain load in
kPa, determined according to MMAH
[Link] Supplementary Standard SB-1, “Climatic and
pages/ice_dams.jpg
Seismic Data”.
• In no case shall the specified snow load be less than
1 kPa.
 Heat Transfer & Condensation Control

• All walls, ceilings, and floors separating heated

space from unheated space, must be provided
with thermal insulation to prevent moisture
condensation and to ensure comfortable
conditions for the occupants
• OBC Section 12 has all of the Environmental
requirements for buildings indicated.
• Wall, ceiling, and floor assemblies that
separate conditioned spaces from
unconditioned spaces or from the ground shall
be constructed so as to include an air barrier
system that will provide a continuous barrier to
air leakage
[Link]
content/uploads/2013/02/[Link]
• The continuity of the air barrier system must
extend throughout the basement.
• Thermally insulated wall, ceiling, and floor
assemblies shall be constructed with a vapour
barrier sufficient to prevent condensation in
the wall, floor, attic, or roof spaces.
 OBC Part 12 Resource Conservation

• The energy portion of the building

code is Part 12 which is split in to
two sections SB-10 for large
buildings and SB-12 for Housing
• Both sections address the thermal
envelope requirements
• Energy consumption is addressed
through performance requirements
for most systems including, heating,
cooling, ventilation, hot water
systems, and lighting in Volume 2,
SB-10
• Compliance can be shown through
meeting prescriptive measures or
Excerpt from SB-12 demonstrating RSI insulation values. an alternative simulated (reference
building) performance method.
 Building Envelope

[Link]

All components of the building envelope are susceptible to

protection from water penetration and air leakage to
ensure structural stability and longevity.
We will review all of these components and the measure
taken to design a watertight and airtight building.
 Air Barrier

Air leakage control is managed

through the materials, interfaces,
and joints of the building
envelope.
This provides occupant comfort,
minimizes heating and cooling
energy use, and limits the
potential for condensation.
Uncontrolled air leakage allows
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vs.-[Link] moisture to move through the
building envelope, which can also
result in severe deterioration of
the building envelope
assemblies.
 Air Barrier

The air barrier system can be located anywhere

in the assembly, however, in Canadian wood-
frame house construction, a combined air
barrier and vapour barrier is often provided.
When a combined system is provided, the air
and vapour barrier must be located on the
warm side of the insulation to minimize the
possibility of condensation in a wall or roof
cavity due to vapour diffusion.
When an air barrier membrane is placed
[Link]
/u3/shingle-style-wrb-install_0.png outside the insulation (for example,
housewrap), it must be permeable to vapour in
order for the assembly to dry towards the
exterior.
 Vapour Barrier

Vapour diffusion is controlled through

the materials that comprise the
building envelope limiting the potential
for condensation.
Water vapour diffusion through the
building envelope is a very slow and
uniform physical process.
As a result, the accumulation of
condensation-related moisture occurs
slowly and is less likely to lead to
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damage.
 Water Penetration

Water penetration control

prevents water from
entering the interior space
or building envelope
assemblies, causing
premature deterioration
of materials.
This is the most important
Ching, pg.29 function because water
potentially causes the
most rapid and destructive
deterioration of the
building envelope.
 Water Penetration Control

The building envelope plays an

important role in water
penetration control.
A wood-frame house controls
exterior precipitation by
• deflecting moisture away
from a wall,
• draining any moisture that
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penetrates the building
on_medium/public/[Link]?itok=wjPIIK2z envelope back to the
exterior, and
• allowing any accumulated
moisture to dry over time.
 Water Penetration Control

All walls are required to have a

primary and a secondary line of
defense against rain penetration.
The first plane of protection is
typically the cladding.
The second plane of protection
ordinarily consists of a sheathing
membrane or insulating sheathing,
flashing, sealants and other
materials.
Both must provide adequate
protection of the wall assembly
CMHC, Pg. 60
where penetrations have been
made for windows, doors,
ventilation ducts, piping, wiring,
electrical outlets, and at the
interface with other wall
assemblies.
 Basement Floors

Basement floors are usually

constructed on dry sites or have
sufficient drainage such that water
penetration control is not a primary
concern.
Polyethylene sheet damproofing is
normally placed over granular material
before the concrete slab is poured to
reduce the amount of moisture
entering the basement from below the
slab.
[Link]
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 Drainage: Wall Assemblies

Surfaces such as the back side of cladding or the

sheathing membrane within exterior wall assemblies
redirect any water that enters the envelope
downwards and out to the exterior.
Cladding such as wood siding, stucco, or brick veneer
provides a first plane of protection against
precipitation ingress in above-grade wall assemblies.
The sheathing membrane is installed typically over
the sheathing (OSB or Plywood) and should be
installed so that it intercepts any moisture that gets
behind the cladding and directs it outward over
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_Amerhart_Product_M/Images/Product/PERMBARRV flashings, at openings and changes in cladding
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materials, and at the base of walls.
 Walls Below Grade

Damproofing (usually a bituminous

coating) acts as the primary barrier (the
first plane of protection) against water
penetration from the exterior side of
the foundation wall.
The concrete foundation wall can be
considered a second plane of
protection.
[Link]
06/[Link] The use of a drainage composite
product can also provide improved
drainage at the exterior surface of the
wall.
 Foundation Drainage and Damproofing

The foundation of a building is an

important part of the drainage of a
building.
Below grade construction is susceptible to
water and moisture from the earth and
must be protected in order to perform
properly over time.
Damproofing and waterproofing of the
foundation wall are one component:
• Dampproofing is applied to a
foundation wall when subsoil
conditions indicate that hydrostatic
pressure from the groundwater table
will not occur
• When subject to hydrostatic
pressure from the groundwater
table, foundation walls should be
waterproofed
• Hydrostatic pressure is pressure
exerted from a fluid, due to the force
of gravity, such as ground water and
rainwater.
The subsoil drainage system includes
granular fill as well as weeping tiles that lie
Ching, pg.86 around the perimeter of the building.
 Weeping Tile

Weeping tiles are porous 4-inch pipes

used to discharge underground water.
Products are plastic pipes with weep
holes or small slits designed to
redirect water away from the home.
The plastic pipes are placed, holes
side up, into a trench around the
outside perimeter of the home or
inside under the basement floor.
[Link] As ground water rises, it flows
content/uploads/2016/12/int_ext_weeping_tile.jpg
through the holes into the pipe.
It then follows the pipe’s incline to
discharge away from the house or to a
sump pump where it is pumped away.
 Roof Waterproofing

On pitched roofs with slopes where the

rise and run are equal to or greater than
1:6, asphalt-saturated sheathing paper is
applied over the roof sheathing to provide
a secondary plane of protection to water
that may penetrate beyond the primary
plane of protection—the shingles, tiles, or
metal roofing.
Pitched roofs with slopes less than 1:6
require a waterproof membrane, usually
[Link]
consisting of one or more layers of
bituminous membrane or an EPDM
(ethylene propylene diene monomer)
rubber membrane.
The lower the pitch of the roof means
that it does not shed or drain water as
readily as a steeper pitch, and therefore
requires a more robust and completely
waterproof membrane.
 Heat Flow Control

Heat flow control through the materials

that comprise the building envelope
provides occupant comfort, minimizes
heating and cooling energy use, and
limits the potential for condensation.
The Ontario Building Code indicates
minimum insulation values in building
assemblies.
The building envelope must be
designed to ensure adequate
performance of the insulation by
preventing the decrease of the effective
thermal resistance due to air leakage,
convective loop heat flow, thermal
Ching, pg.261 bridging, or moisture.
The required levels of insulation are
determined by the number of heating-
degree days where the building is
located, which is found in the Climatic
Data.
 Thermal Insulation

The effectiveness of a building

assembly such as a wall or ceiling in
resisting the flow of heat is measured
as its thermal resistance or RSI-value in
metric units (R-value in imperial units)
There are various insulation types
including:
• Batt
[Link]
content/uploads/2019/11/Does-Rodent-Resistant- • Loose fill
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• Rigid
• Semi-Rigid
• Foamed in Place
 R Value and RSI

Heat is measured as its thermal

resistance in Canada as an RSI-
value in metric units (R-value is
imperial units).
The minimum RSI value is based on
location (zone).
The higher the number, the better
the insulator.
In the Ontario Building Code SB-12
prescribes the insulation values for
OBC, Volume 2, SB-12, Pg.106 housing.
Zone 1 is listed as zones with less than 5000 heating For instance, Table [Link]
degree days
indicates insulation R values for
Zone 2 is listed as zones with 5000 or more heating the various components of a home
degree days if you were designing an addition.
This information is found in the climatic data.
 Batt Insulation

Batt insulation consists of flexible, fibrous,

thermal insulation of glass or mineral wool,
made in various thicknesses and lengths and in
16″ or 24″ (406 or 610) widths to fit between
studs, joists, and rafters in light wood frame
construction.
Batt insulation is also a component in sound-
insulating construction (Ching, p. 263).
Most batt insulation is called “friction fit”
because it is made slightly wider than the
standard framing space and held in place by
friction.
Ching, p. 263
 Loose Fill Insulation

Loose-fill insulation is made of materials

such as cellulose fibre and mineral wool
fibre and is installed by pouring or blowing
it into spaces between the framing.
In attics, the loose fill extends above the
top of the ceiling joists to raise the
insulating level and reduce thermal
bridging caused by the framing members.
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Loose fill insulation in walls must be
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installed behind a membrane that permits
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visual inspection to ensure there are no
gaps or voids before the interior finish is
applied.
 Rigid Insulation

Rigid insulation is manufactured

in sheets or boards using
materials such as
polyisocyanurate and expanded
or extruded foamed plastic and is
usually applied to flat surfaces
such as walls.
Extruded polystyrene has low
moisture permeability and can be
used in damp conditions such as
on below-grade walls.
 Semi-Rigid Insulation

Semi-rigid insulation boards are

made of glass or mineral fibres
and are usually applied to flat
surfaces such as walls.
They are more flexible than rigid
insulation products and not as
easily damaged by impact or
bending.
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Some semi-rigid insulation has
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good drainage properties and can
be used on below-grade walls.
 Foamed in Place Insulation

Specially formulated polyurethane

and isocyanurate insulations can be
installed by spraying or injecting
under pressure.
The liquid sets into a rigid mass
within minutes of installation.
Some products develop heat or
expand during the curing process.
Ensure that the products being
[Link]
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installed are approved for use in
houses, and have a qualified
contractor perform the installation
under well-ventilated conditions.
 Summary

[Link]

It is important to understand the various components that contribute to

a building and its interaction with the environment.
Implementing the proper materials into a design will not only meet
codes and regulations, but also provide a building that will structurally
survive in the elements.
 readings

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

(2013). Canadian wood-frame house
construction. Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation. [Link]
content/uploads/CMHC-Canadian-Wood-
[Link]
• Chapter 5

Ching, F. D. K. (2019). Building construction

illustrated (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
• Chapter 1: Section 1.21