The Ultimate Guide to Commercial Air and Water-Resistive Barriers

Continuity of air and water management from roof systems, vertical walls, and waterproofing terminations is critical for commercial buildings to achieve durable designs, energy-efficient performance, and to enable occupant health and comfort as part of holistic design solutions. The building enclosure serves to protect the structure, as well as interiors, from air and water intrusion resulting from rain, snow, wind and other phenomena of seasonal and regional weather. Professionally installed, continuous air and water-resistive barrier systems are engineered to minimize unwanted air and water intrusion in the building enclosure, in order to provide the structure with several significant benefits. An air and water-resistive barrier system provides a critical defense for controlling bulk water and air leakage.

Siplast® created this guide to help commercial architects, consultants, specifiers, contractors, and members of the building design community achieve a better understanding of key performance factors to consider when selecting and installing a commercial air and water-resistive barrier system. It addresses the critical importance of how this system integrates with other relevant components and systems to help prevent unwanted air infiltration, exfiltration, and intrusion through the building enclosure. The guide also provides a general overview for designing and installing an effective air and water-resistive barrier system with code compliance in mind.