I just wanted to keep you informed of some developments that have happened throughout the US with regards to air barriers. There has been continuous work to try and promote air barrier usage throughout the country, and it seems that this has been successful. It has recently been finalized that air barriers are now included in the new ASHRAE 90.1 – 2010: Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low Rise Buildings. This is a standard that is referenced in several codes and documents, and before this revision, had not included any requirements for air barriers. The previous version of this standard is also referenced in the LEED Manual, and the next goal is to try and work with the USGBC to adopt the 2010 version of ASHRAE 90.1 into their next revision.
Also, at the ICC (International Code Council) hearings last week, the IECC (International Energy Conservation Code) also now includes air barriers. Air barriers are now required in residential buildings (EC-13 proposal) and the continuous air barrier requirements (EC-147). Again, this code has been adopted by several States for their building codes.
What does this mean for us? With the inclusion of air barriers, this means that the majority of new buildings to be constructed in the US will now be required to have a continuous air barrier system.
This is excellent news for us!