The addition of air curtains in the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), the new comprehensive high performance green building code, promises energy and construction cost savings for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings.
Specifying air curtains as energy-saving, cost-cutting alternatives to vestibules in 3,000-square-foot buildings and larger has been a recent trend among consulting engineers and architects. However, many times specifications are blocked by local jurisdictions that have adopted the International Energy Construction Code (IECC), which doesn't yet sight air curtains as vestibule alternatives.
Thus, the newly-enacted IgCC, which is scheduled for March 2012 publishing, now provides an approved overlay of green construction products to the base code IECC, which is overseen by the International Code Council, the Washington-based organization responsible for providing minimum safety, sustainability and affordability building codes and standards.
Recent proposals to the IgCC by the Air Movement and Control Association International (AMCA), Arlington Heights, Ill., helped establish air curtains as a vestibule alternative with the stipulation that they're tested in accordance with ANSI/AMCA Standard 220-05, "Laboratory Methods of Testing Air Curtains for Aerodynamics Performance Ratings."
Also helpful in the code modification effort were recent studies proving air curtains as 10% more energy-efficient than vestibules. The three-month research study “Air Curtains: A Proven Alternative to Vestibule Design” used second-party validation from research/validation consultant, Blue Ridge Numerics, Charlottesville, Va., with certified results from proven computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis.
Besides energy savings, vestibules, especially in retail settings, consume anywhere from 25 to 250 square feet of usable retail space and carry construction costs ranging from $3,750 to $37,500, based on an average of $150/square feet construction costs.
Meanwhile air curtain proponents will continue to present energy efficiency data to code committees, in hopes of instituting the vestibule alternative measure into the IECC. The next meeting on the subject is scheduled in January 2013.
Related Stories
Senior Living Design | Apr 24, 2024
Nation's largest Passive House senior living facility completed in Portland, Ore.
Construction of Parkview, a high-rise expansion of a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Portland, Ore., completed recently. The senior living facility is touted as the largest Passive House structure on the West Coast, and the largest Passive House senior living building in the country.
Hotel Facilities | Apr 24, 2024
The U.S. hotel construction market sees record highs in the first quarter of 2024
As seen in the Q1 2024 U.S. Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics (LE), at the end of the first quarter, there are 6,065 projects with 702,990 rooms in the pipeline. This new all-time high represents a 9% year-over-year (YOY) increase in projects and a 7% YOY increase in rooms compared to last year.
Architects | Apr 24, 2024
Shepley Bulfinch appoints new Board of Director: Evelyn Lee, FAIA
Shepley Bulfinch, a national architecture firm announced the appointment of new Board of Director member Evelyn Lee, FAIA as an outside director. With this new appointment, Lucia Quinn has stepped down from the firm’s Board, after serving many years as an outside board advisor and then as an outside director.
ProConnect Events | Apr 23, 2024
5 more ProConnect events scheduled for 2024, including all-new 'AEC Giants'
SGC Horizon present 7 ProConnect events in 2024.
75 Top Building Products | Apr 22, 2024
Enter today! BD+C's 75 Top Building Products for 2024
BD+C editors are now accepting submissions for the annual 75 Top Building Products awards. The winners will be featured in the November/December 2024 issue of Building Design+Construction.
Laboratories | Apr 22, 2024
Why lab designers should aim to ‘speak the language’ of scientists
Learning more about the scientific work being done in the lab gives designers of those spaces an edge, according to Adrian Walters, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal and Director of SMMA's Science & Technology team.
Resiliency | Apr 22, 2024
Controversy erupts in Florida over how homes are being rebuilt after Hurricane Ian
The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently sent a letter to officials in Lee County, Florida alleging that hundreds of homes were rebuilt in violation of the agency’s rules following Hurricane Ian. The letter provoked a sharp backlash as homeowners struggle to rebuild following the devastating 2022 storm that destroyed a large swath of the county.
Mass Timber | Apr 22, 2024
British Columbia changing building code to allow mass timber structures of up to 18 stories
The Canadian Province of British Columbia is updating its building code to expand the use of mass timber in building construction. The code will allow for encapsulated mass-timber construction (EMTC) buildings as tall as 18 stories for residential and office buildings, an increase from the previous 12-story limit.
Standards | Apr 22, 2024
Design guide offers details on rain loads and ponding on roofs
The American Institute of Steel Construction and the Steel Joist Institute recently released a comprehensive roof design guide addressing rain loads and ponding. Design Guide 40, Rain Loads and Ponding provides guidance for designing roof systems to avoid or resist water accumulation and any resulting instability.
Building Materials | Apr 22, 2024
Tacoma, Wash., investigating policy to reuse and recycle building materials
Tacoma, Wash., recently initiated a study to find ways to increase building material reuse through deconstruction and salvage. The city council unanimously voted to direct the city manager to investigate deconstruction options and estimate costs.
