Pushing the

A publication of the Ontario Envelope Council Canada Spring 2020

Blending with Building Science: Does Your Cellar Have Legs?

Canada Post Publications Agreement Number: 40609661

n n n TABLE OF CONTENTS Pushing the Envelope A publication of the Ontario Building Envelope Council Canada UP FRONT

Message from the President...... 9

Meet the OBEC Board of Directors...... 9

Pushing the Envelope Canada Are You Knowledgeable Enough to Become A Building Science Specialist?...... 10 A publication of the Ontario Building Envelope Council Building Science Specialist Exam Dates...... 11 Spring 2020

Published For: The Ontario Building Envelope Council FEATURES 2800 – 14th Ave. Suite 210 Blending Vintage Wine with Building Science: Reserve These Tannin-Techniques to Markham, ON L3R 0E4 Phone: 647-317-5754 Ensure Your Cellar’s Body Has Legs...... 13 Fax: 416-491-1670 [email protected] Lessons Learned from Self-Building a Super-Insulated ...... 17 www.obec.on.ca Does Your Meet Code?...... 21

©2020 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any Net Zero Carbon Might be Easier Than You Think...... 24 means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed Reconstruction of an Underground Parking Level Concrete Slab on Grade...... 26 in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Printed in Canada. Thin vs. Thick & When to PUMA in Underground Parking Structures...... 29

OBEC does not specifically endorse the editorial, ON THE COVER: products or services contained within this magazine.

These products and services are presented here Did this cover of your favourite building science Pushing the as an indication of the various possibilities in the publication have you craving your favourite glass

A publication of the Ontario Building Envelope Council Canada Marketplace. OBEC wishes to advise the reader of red? Industry expert Joe Lstiburek's article Spring 2020 that sound Building Science Practices should be details how to properly install a wine cellar—from Blending Vintage Wine applied to any and all product or service selections. the bigger envelope components, right down to with Building Science: Does Your Cellar Have Legs? OBEC does not make or imply any warranties as the smaller, but equally important factors, like to the suitability of any of these products or services temperature—to make sure your wine is properly for any specific situation. Furthermore, the opinions stored. Turn to page 13 to read and ensure your expressed in this magazine’s editorial content may wine cellar has legs! Canada Post Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 not necessarily reflect the opinions of OBEC.

Pushing the Envelope Canada 5

n n n TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pushing the Envelope Canada A publication of the Ontario Building Envelope Council NEWS AND VIEWS Spring 2020

Published By: Upcoming Events...... 31 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Return all undeliverable addresses to: BEC Roundup...... 33 309 Youville Street Winnipeg, MB R2H 2S9 Toll Free: 1-866-999-1299 Toll Free Fax: 1-866-244-2544 www.matrixgroupinc.net INDEX TO ADVERTISERS...... 34 Publications Agreement Number: 40609661

President & CEO Jack Andress

Operations Manager Shoshana Weinberg [email protected] MEET OUR EXPERTS Publisher Jessica Potter

Editor-in-Chief Shannon Savory JOE LSTIBUREK GRANT WALKIN [email protected] Joe Lstiburek, B.A.Sc., Grant Walkin, M.Sc., Senior Editor M.Eng., Ph.D., P.Eng., P.Eng., is a building Alexandra Kozub [email protected] is principal of Building envelope and struc-

Editors Science Corporation. tural glass engineer at Jenna Collignon, Kaitlin Vitt Turn to page 13 to Entuitive Corporation.

Finance/Administration read his article. Turn to page 17 to Lloyd Weinberg, Nathan Redekop read his article. [email protected]

Director of Circulation & Distribution Lloyd Weinberg [email protected]

Sales Manager – Winnipeg Neil Gottfred MEAGAN KIKUTA STEVEN

Sales Manager – Hamilton Meagan Kikuta, MURRAY Jeff Cash M.Eng., B..Sc., is Steven Murray, Sales Team Leader an architectural rep- P.Eng., is principal Colleen Bell resentative at Tremco and senior building Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Account Executives Roofing & Building envelope engineer at Albert Brydges, Andrew Lee, Bonnie Petrovsky (in memoriam), Brenda McPhee, Brian MacIntyre, Cheryl Maintenance. Turn to Morrison Hershfield. Klassen, Frank Kenyeres, Jim Hamilton, Jon Beroud, Julie page 21 to read her He is also a BSS In- Welsh, Marlyn Beek, Michael Coutu, Rob Gibson, Sandra Kirby, Tanina Di Piazza, Tenisha Myke article. structor. Turn to page 24 to read his article. Layout & Design Travis Bevan

Advertising Design James Robinson EMMA RUIXIAN MOHAMED

©2020 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents QIAN HUSSEIN may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without Emma Ruixian Qian Mohamed Hussein, the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group is an architectural P.Eng., BSS, is a build- Publishing Inc. Printed in Canada. technologist with ing science engineer OBEC does not specifically endorse the editorial, products or WZMH Architects. with Morrison Hersh- services contained within this magazine. These products and services are presented here as an indication of the various possibilities in the Turn to page 26 to field. Turn to page 29 Marketplace. OBEC wishes to advise the reader that sound Building read her article. to read his article. Science Practices should be applied to any and all product or service selections. OBEC does not make or imply any warranties as to the suitability of any of these products or services for any specific situation. Furthermore, the opinions expressed in this magazine’s editorial content may not necessarily reflect the opinions of OBEC.

Pushing the Envelope Canada 7

n n n UP FRONT Message from the President

professionals are aware of some particular We are blessed in our great envelopes’ roles in improving our ’ qualities, however, not many are familiar organization, the Ontario with the buildings’ envelope performance Building Envelope Council potentials and abilities to help and contribute to achieving buildings’ performance goals, (OBEC), with a fabulous board of both interior and exterior, and what’s in be- directors, amazing committees, OBEC President tween. Certain individuals know about these Ehab Naim Ibrahim, B.Arch., MRAIC, LEED® potentials but choose not to, or don’t find the and wonderful members AP, BSS®, CPHD proper platform, to be that positive about Research & Development Manager who pose great characters, Gamma North America them; they would rather stick to old building methodologies. We can change that. a wealth of knowledge, and tarting this presidential term, I feel As it has been stated, OBEC has been enthusiasm—among many exceedingly humbled, honoured, and bridging the gaps among the architectural, S grateful to serve with all of you. I want engineering, research, manufacturers, and other talents and gifts. to thank those who entrusted me for working construction communities. Finding and en- to keep the ship on course. We are blessed in gaging these professionals to serve can be does not meet code, and why it is crucial to our great organization, the Ontario Building extremely difficult, especially in our currently ensure it does. Envelope Council (OBEC), with a fabulous busy construction epoch. It makes it inevit- Steven Murray discusses the impact of board of directors, amazing committees, and ably essential to focus on necessary positive thermal bridging and how envelope transi- wonderful members who pose great char- changes right now, otherwise, we could be tions are amplified in low-energy buildings. acters, a wealth of knowledge, and enthusi- missing out on a one-of-a-kind chance to His article on page 24 explains why these asm—among many other talents and gifts. improve on the largest number of buildings transitions are particularly challenging to re- These all make OBEC’s fortune remarkably this country has ever seen in one province. In solve in retrofit conditions. priceless. this issue of Pushing the Envelope Canada, we On page 26, Emma Ruixian Qian discuss- It was not long ago when we celebrated have some fantastic, educational articles for es the changes needed for an existing high- Christmas and the start of the new year. I readers to enjoy. rise office building with moisture deterior- would like to start this new service period Ever thought about building your own ation problems caused by weeping tiles. with positivity. Therefore, I can’t help but personal wine cellar? Joe Lstiburek takes the Finally, on page 29, Mohamed Hussein ask myself and every one of you an essential time to offer his insight on the particulars of reviews the variations and differences when question, “how do we attract great minds and storing wine and building your own wine cel- it comes to concrete protection systems. He positive thinkers operating actively within our lar, in his article on page 13. also focuses on the advantages of using the industry into an era of Mind Change?” We Grant Walkin discusses the lessons he PUMA system. do so by focusing on the building envelope’s learned as he attempted to super-insulate I welcome your suggestions on attracting role in creating suitable spaces for human a 115-year-old, semi-detached . On more envelope enthusiasts, starting the talk use or occupancy. This will help determine page 17, he goes in-depth about the products about positive initiatives, and building a better the success of our role advocating and con- used to embrace a leading-edge approach to future for this vibrant, fast-growing construc- tributing to making buildings more resilient, energy performance. tion world. Thank you to all those authors and more comfortable, energy smart, and beauti- On page 21, Meagan Kikuta explores the contributors who took time to write for this ful. There is no doubt most construction myriad of problems one can have if your roof issue of Pushing the Envelope Canada. n

OBEC 2020 BOARD OF Past-President & Chair, Chair, Codes & Standards Chair, Building Science Specialist DIRECTORS Membership Committee Committee Certification Ian Miller, P.Eng., LEED® AP Michael Rekker, C.E.T., BSS Exams Committee President Pretium Engineering Inc. Tacoma Engineers Inc. Daniel Aleksov, P.Eng., BSS Ehab Naim Ibrahim, B.Arch., Pretium Engineering MRAIC, LEED® AP, BSS®, CPHD Secretary/Treasurer Chair, Communications Committee Gamma North America Negar Pakzadian, B.Eng., M.Arch., Meagan Kikuta, M.Eng., B.Arch.Sc. Chair, Technical Discussion Group MB.SC., BSS, CPHD Tremco Roofing Committee President-Elect & Chair, Education City of Pickering Brian L. Abbey, OAA, M.A.A.T.O., Committee Chair, Events Committee BSS, A. Sc.T. CSC., BCQ. Mila Aleksic, B.Arch.Sc., M. A. Sc. Chair, Awards & Scholarships Rob Quattrochiocchi ADTEK Building Consultants Technologies, George Brown Committee EllisDon College Gauss Wong, B.Eng., P.Eng., BSS OBEC STAFF Sense Engineering Operations Manager Denesha

Pushing the Envelope Canada 9 Are you knowledgeable enough to become a Building Science Specialist?

The BSS® (Building Science Specialist) designation provides members of the industry, including building designers, speciers, developers, contractors, and owners, with the condence that any designation holder has a high level of education and understanding in the eld of Building Science.

These individuals have written and passed an extensive set of exams covering: Do you think that you are knowledgeable enough to obtain the BSS destination? • Building Science Theory Exam • Building Envelope Systems Exam 90% of exam applicants got these questions • Materials Exam wrong: • Mechanical Systems Exam • Briey explain the function of a “Stack Joint”. In addition to obtaining a minimum 65% in each of the above four exams, the candidates must also have an engineering or architectural undergraduate or • Briey explain why the exterior of a below- graduate degree and at least 2000 hours of practical experience directly related grade cast-in-place concrete to the practice of building science. is often covered with bituminous coating. OR • Suggest a chemical admixture which would be logical to consider for an industrial oor Have an engineering or architectural diploma from a recognized college or slab (which will be enclosed inside a build- polytechnical institute and at least 5000 hours of practical experience directly related to the practice of building science. ing) being placed outdoors in July. Explain the purpose of the admixture and justify why On our website at https://bssb.ca/bss-exam/learning-objectives the BSSB it would likely be required in this particular provides a list of detailed learning objectives and reference material listing application. everything you need to know to self- for the exams. The exams are closed book. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are prepared to write each The BSS Designation is not a license to practice exam after reviewing the current Learning Objectives posted on this website. Building Science, it is a certication of a level of knowledge that those who obtain the designation We also provide a comprehensive list of courses that may help you prepare for are highly skilled in the practice of Building the exams, but these are provided for reference only. They can be found on our Science. website at https://bssb.ca/bss-exam/exam-courses. Many of these courses are part of a degree or certicate program only so you must contact the relevant institution to determine whether you are eligible to take the course. Note that the BSSB does not endorse any of these courses and does not certify that the content covered by the courses is the same as what is covered on the exam.

Building Science Specialist Board 2800-14th Ave., Suite 210 Do you have what it takes? Markham, ON L3R 0E4

Tel: 416-491-2886 Visit: www.bssb.ca www.BSSB.ca Are you knowledgeable enough to become a Building Science Specialist?

The BSS® (Building Science Specialist) designation provides members of the industry, including building designers, speciers, developers, contractors, and owners, with the condence that any designation holder has a high level of education and understanding in the eld of Building Science.

These individuals have written and passed an extensive set of exams covering: Do you think that you are knowledgeable enough to obtain the BSS destination? • Building Science Theory Exam • Building Envelope Systems Exam 90% of exam applicants got these questions • Materials Exam wrong: • Mechanical Systems Exam • Briey explain the function of a “Stack Joint”. In addition to obtaining a minimum 65% in each of the above four exams, the candidates must also have an engineering or architectural undergraduate or • Briey explain why the exterior of a below- graduate degree and at least 2000 hours of practical experience directly related grade cast-in-place concrete foundation wall to the practice of building science. is often covered with bituminous coating. OR • Suggest a chemical admixture which would be logical to consider for an industrial oor Have an engineering or architectural diploma from a recognized college or slab (which will be enclosed inside a build- polytechnical institute and at least 5000 hours of practical experience directly related to the practice of building science. ing) being placed outdoors in July. Explain the purpose of the admixture and justify why On our website at https://bssb.ca/bss-exam/learning-objectives the BSSB it would likely be required in this particular provides a list of detailed learning objectives and reference material listing application. everything you need to know to self-study for the exams. The exams are closed book. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are prepared to write each The BSS Designation is not a license to practice exam after reviewing the current Learning Objectives posted on this website. Building Science, it is a certication of a level of knowledge that those who obtain the designation We also provide a comprehensive list of courses that may help you prepare for are highly skilled in the practice of Building n n the exams, but these are provided for reference only. They can be found on our Science. n UP FRONT website at https://bssb.ca/bss-exam/exam-courses. Many of these courses are part of a degree or certicate program only so you must contact the relevant institution to determine whether you are eligible to take the course. Note that the BSSB does not endorse any of these courses and does not certify that the content covered by the courses is the same as what is covered on the exam.

BuildingBuilding Science Specialist Board Science Specialist 2800-14th Ave., Suite 210 Do you have what it takes? Markham, ON L3R 0E4

Tel: 416-491-2886 Visit: www.bssb.ca Examwww.BSSB.com Dates Building Envelope Systems Exam Materials Exam & Mechanical Systems Exam DATE: JUNE 26, 2020 DATE: OCTOBER 16, 2020 TIME: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. TIME: 1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. LOCATION: TO BE CONFIRMED. CHECK LOCATION: TO BE CONFIRMED. CHECK WWW.BSSB.CA FOR CURRENT DETAILS. WWW.BSSB.CA FOR CURRENT DETAILS.

Pushing the Envelope Canada 11

n n n FEATURE Blending Vintage Wine with Building Science: Reserve These Tannin-Techniques to Ensure Your A French Chateau’s cellar is the traditional place to store wine, as it remains at the Cellar’s Body accepted 55o F naturally. Has Legs By Joe Lstiburek, B.A.Sc., M.Eng., Ph.D., P.Eng., ASHRAE Fellow, Building Science Corporation

love wine. People think I must know something about the stuff because I I drink a lot of it. I don’t really know much, but I do know what I like: red, French, and with a . Most of the questions I get, I have no clue about, so I make up stuff—I am a consultant, after all. But I know how to store the stuff. Here is the magic formula for storing A professional at work in the wine cellar. wine: 55o F at 70 per cent relative . Where does that come from? Old French guys.1 That is not the temperature you should drink it at but the temperature and relative humidity you should store bottles at. Drink- ing temperatures are more difficult to pin down. There is no consensus; it varies by type of wine and which nation produces it.2 The colder you store wine, the longer it will last. So why not store it colder? We want it to age, which means we want chemical reac- tions to continue in the bottle for a long time. If it is too cold, these reactions don’t happen. There is a difference between “preserving” wine and “aging” wine. How did the French pick 55o F? Tradition, mostly. Wine was stored in cellars—that is why we call them wine cellars. If you have a need higher humidity conditions than bottles.

Pushing the Envelope Canada 13 FEATURE n n n

big, old-fashioned French Chateau handy, you will find the temperature in the cellar at about 55o F. What about relative humidity? Notice, earlier I said “bottles.” Most wine in the Chateaus starts out in barrels. Drinking out of the is complicated—you can’t move them easily to the dining so you need a guy with a “thingy” (yes, that’s the technic- al term) that extracts wine directly from the barrel into a waiting glass. The French, the innovators they are, figured bottles made from glass—small enough to carry—would be more convenient. Why not put wine into glass bottles straightaway? Not so fast. The barrels are made of wood, and the wine needs the wood to be able to taste like wine (read: good Figure 1: The typical indoor conditions in both summer and winter in North America. Vapour wine).3 The type of wood the barrel is made flow occurs into the wine cellar during the summer and out of the wine cellar during the winter. of is a big deal. is optimum. French oak is magnifique for , American oak is ideal for American wine, Slovenian oak is preferable for , etc. The barrels themselves are not imperme- able. Wood is not a vapour barrier, nor an alcohol barrier, nor an oxygen barrier. Water diffuses out, as does alcohol, while oxygen diffuses in this outward diffusion of water, and alcohol concentrates the flavours, whereas the diffusion inward of the oxygen governs the chemical reactions. For the wine-making process, it’s im- portant the vapour diffusion outward is con- trolled—slowed down, but not stopped. This is done by storing the barrels at a high rela- tive humidity. How high? Back to the French, again. A cellar in France has about 80 to 90 per cent relative humidity. You’re not going to find those conditions in a cellar in California unless you get help from an ASHRAE member. Even with help from an ASHRAE member, you’re not going to get conditions identical to France. You’ll get close, but it will not be the same. You’re going to get California conditions. Therefore, you’re going to get wine that taste differently. Now, let’s think about the consequences of temperature and relative humidity condi- tions relating to 55o F and 80 to 90 per cent relative humidity. Great for making wine and storing wine barrels—not so great for the space. Without fail, you’ll get all kinds of mould. Is this mould good or bad? The mould on the doesn’t seem to be a problem; it’s how the mould is cleaned that can be the Figure 2: Bi-directional vapour flow through semi-vapour impermeable extruded polystyrene. problem. Cleaning with bleach leads to some- Note the back ventilated interior lining and the absence of paper-based materials. thing called 2,4,6-trichloranisole (TCA). If

14 Spring 2020 • Ontario Building Envelope Council n n n FEATURE

TCA gets into wine, it becomes tainted. The relative humidity is just about the maximum construct a wine cellar if you don’t happen to French don’t worry about the mould on the we can maintain without damaging corks. It’s have one. walls in their wine cellars that store barrels. also a good humidity to keep the cork from Cheers! n They also never use chlorine in their drying out. What’s the rate of moisture entry for cleaning purposes—simply soap, water, into the cork on the wine side versus the rate Joe Lstiburek, B.A.Sc., M.Eng., Ph.D., and elbow grease. They tend to build these of evaporation on the outside-seal side? We P.Eng., ASHRAE Fellow, is a principal of cellars out of rocks and wood rather than have 100 per cent relative humidity on one Building Science Corporation. He is a forensic paper-faced gypsum board and engineered side and 70 per cent on the other. Seems to engineer who is recognized as the authority on lumber. It’s harder to get mould on rocks and work. How do we know? Watching lots of moisture-related building problems and indoor wood than what we use in North America. bottles for lots of years. air quality. In the U.S., particularly California, the What do 55o F and 70 per cent relative zeal to eliminate mould with chlorine led to humidity mean for wine cellars? Well, for AUTHOR’S MUSINGS tens of millions of dollars’ worth of tainted the French and their Chateaus, it means they 1. Yes, I know other folks also make good wine. I love to watch the French in Califor- must install dehumidifiers in their cellars if wine. However, it is much like asking nia, especially near food or a —their they want to store their wine in bottles with Canadians about hockey, even though heads would explode.4 We also put chlorine corks and paper labels. other folks play pretty good hockey. in water. It’s not a good idea to have chlorin- If you don’t happen to be French and They are the “experts.” ated water anywhere near a winery or a wine have a Chateau with a cellar and a dehumidi- 2. For example, ASHRAE legend Ollie cellar. fier, what do you do? You construct a wine Fanger carried around a gold therm- cellar using a psychometric chart and some ometer with him wherever he went to building science (see Figure 1 on page 14). The barrels are made of ensure the wine he drank was at pre- To make this work, I need an assem- cisely the correct temperature. bly that handles bi-directional vapour flow. wood, and the wine needs 3. Some wine manufactures do this part I prefer materials that are semi-vapour of the process in large stainless-steel impermeable and more-or-less homogenous. vessels they spike with wood chips. the wood to be able to taste That way, flow is slow in both directions, but isn’t eliminated in either direction. Figure 4. Memo to the French: the rest of us also like wine (read: good wine). 2 on page 14 provides a pretty easy way to think the folks in California are crazy.

What the French do worry about is mould in corks. This becomes more of a problem once we take the wine out of barrels and store them in bottles. Too much humidity, and we get mouldy corks. Too little humid- ity, and we get dry ones. With a dry cork, air can get into the bottle, and that will lead to spoilage and potential evaporation. That’s why wine is stored horizontally, so the wine keeps the cork wet on one side, maintaining the seal. Why not get rid of the cork and use some- thing that seals better for longer? The only reason we used cork in the first place is be- cause it was the only technology available at the time. It’s like the designated hitter rule in baseball: there will never be peace between the American League and the National League. The folks who want to get rid of the cork are American League-types—why use poor technology (e.g., corks), and why watch a lousy hitter (e.g., pitchers)? The folks who want to retain the cork are National League- types—purists and traditionalists. If we have cork-in wine bottles and want to store the wine, what do we do? Back to the answer at the beginning of this story: 55o F at 70 per cent relative humidity. The 70 per cent

Pushing the Envelope Canada 15 16 Spring 2020 • Ontario Building Envelope Council n n n FEATURE Lessons Learned from Self-Building a Super-Insulated House

By Grant Walkin, M.Sc., P.Eng., Building Envelope Specialist, Entuitive Corp.

Pre-renovation: the 1904, semi-detached east Toronto house. Post-renovation: the 1904, semi-detached east Toronto house, modernized!

he journey in pursuing my own, hands- the point of a high-performance house if it’s EPS (GPS) wrapped the exterior walls, and sev- on approach to complete a deep an ugly box destined for the landfill within a en-inch-thick EPS and GPS insulation wrapped T energy retrofit began in 2014, when I few decades?), and maximizing passive heat- the warm roof. Pine strapping (one-by-three) purchased a 1904 semi-detached home in the ing and passive cooling systems. At the time, on the walls and roof allowed the attachment east end of Toronto. My formal education is in going off fossil fuels wasn't a goal; today, how- of siding and roofing (see photo on page 19), civil engineering, but my real passion is build- ever, it most certainly is. and provided a vented rainscreen cavity. Long ing science; so, what better way to learn than screws secured the strapping to the framing at to get my hands dirty with my own self-build? PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS the walls and roof. I chose EPS and GPS foam Our first winter of 2014-2015 revealed Super insulation was one of my main focus- board insulations based on good insulative the house’s major energy inefficiencies: the es. An overview of the project’s thermal insula- properties, lower costs, and lower global warm- HVAC ducts were neither insulated nor air tive performance is shown in Figure 2 on page ing blowing agent potential (see Figure 3 on sealed, there was a large hole in the founda- 19 and is compared against code-built project page 19) and mineral wool batt insulation to fill tion wall for HVAC “fresh air,” and the walls and the original project prior to the deep walls and due to its excellent fireproof- were largely uninsulated—all aspects made energy retrofit. The figure also highlights how ing, soundproofing, and insulating properties. the house perfect for a deep energy retrofit. de-rate the effective R-value of walls, Spray foam insulation was decided against even with high-performance windows and a 20 based on its very high global warming blowing PROJECT GOALS per cent -to-wall ratio. agent potential, toxicity, and flammability. There Like any high-performance build should Continuous exterior insulation and batt are also concerns with its long-term airtightness aim to achieve, the goal was to improve the insulation used within stud cavities helped (one of its primary benefits). In considering other building’s durability, occupant comfort and achieve high performance. To provide an insulation materials, high material costs and health, and energy efficiencies. My goal was uninterrupted blanket of continuous insu- proper airtightness also played a part. Do your to improve the building with principals from lation, the existing roof overhangs were cut research to find the best fit for your project. the “pretty good house” movement. I fol- off. Thereafter, new eave overhangs were in- lowed the exterior insulation method outlined stalled for good water control and to maintain AIR BARRIER AND VAPOUR in the Mass Save Deep Energy Retrofit Builder architectural intent. New, high-performing RETARDER Guide by Building Science Corp. (see Figure windows were installed to maximize the over- The traditional poly vapour barrier was 1 on page 18) and the forum discussions at all building performance. More on this, later. designed out to prevent the risks associated www.greenbuildingadvisor.com. with a vapour sandwich caused by the vapour I also worked through smart efficient INSULATION SYSTEMS impermeable poly sheet on the interior and details to better understand the high-per- Four-inch-thick exterior insulation in foil-faced EPS on the exterior. These two formance systems and materials, building an two staggered lifts of expanded polystyrene impermeable surfaces could trap moisture architecturally aspiring green home (what’s (EPS) foam board and graphite-impregnated within the wall. If not allowed to dry, trapped

Pushing the Envelope Canada 17 FEATURE n n n

retarder if installed correctly. I used red tuck tape to tape the foil-faced insulation, which was an effective, low-cost solution at the time. However, it was later found to de-bond indis- criminately on the roof and walls to the foil facer, so I replaced the tape with a high-qual- ity, acrylic adhesive tape with outstanding re- sults. I guess you get what you pay for.

WINDOWS The windows were high-performance, Figure 1: A thermal insulative performance comparison between my self-build, a standard code triple glazed, double low-e coated, fiber- build, and pre-renovations. glass-framed windows. To deal with the thicker walls, factory installed interior jamb extensions moisture could lead to building failure. Mois- an even more resilient design would have been were fitted to allow the windows to align with ture could enter from the interior in the form to drop the foil facer on the exterior and pro- the exterior insulation plane, which maximizes of water vapour through an electrical recep- vide a smart vapour retarder on the interior thermal performance. The low-e coating and tacle or from liquid water penetration around behind a service cavity; out of harm's reach, glazing surface were customized on each win- a window. It’s a factor of when, not if there from electrical, , and other service dow elevation to maximize heat gain in will be moisture penetration. penetrations. At the building’s rear extension the winter and minimize it in the summer. The building’s vapour retarder was pro- and over the roof structure, the air barrier vided by latex paint on drywall using the air- was oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing MECHANICAL HEATING, tight drywall approach, a method approved with taped seams. Elsewhere, the air barrier VENTILATION, AND AIR by the Ontario Building Code. Disclaimer: this (and water control layer), was provided by the CONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEMS method is incredibly tricky to do correctly and foil-faced taped insulation seams. It’s best to High-performance heat recovery venti- should only be completed by experienced pro- provide the air barrier toward the building in- lators (HRVs) are critical for high-per- fessionals. A smart vapour retarder was used terior, which I did for the rear extension. The formance, air-tight buildings. The HVAC in the . Although a robust design, air barrier could also double as your vapour systems, or as I call them, the comfort

18 Spring 2020 • Ontario Building Envelope Council n n n FEATURE

Figure 2: Wall-to-roof interface detail; note the continuous control layers and the exterior insulation that wraps continuously from the roof to the wall. systems, are comprised of a combined knee wall to optimize space. For future ambience. It provides a resilient heat source that HRV and heat pump system. This spe- builds, I would prefer a standalone HRV operates without electricity during power outage cialized, all-in-one unit provides fresh air and heat pump, as each system has its own and is sized to heat the entire house in winter, if with HEPA filtration, heating, cooling, job. These combined systems could be needed. The incorporates a direct, co- and dehumidification, operating based on reserved for very small buildings, such as axial vent to draw and preheat combustion air sensors of temperature and humidity. The multi-unit residential buildings. from the exterior. This provides three benefits: unit, with a coefficient of performance A mid-efficiency (67 per cent) gas fire- 1. Sustains an air-tight building assembly; (COP) of four, lives in the conditioned place was selected for supplemental heat and 2. Maintains a pressure-equalized space, so not to draw in uncontrolled and uncondi- tioned exterior air; and 3. Improves efficiency. I installed a high efficiency (95 per cent) direct vent condensing tankless gas water heater. While these gas units are very efficient, there have been large leaps in electric-driven hot water technologies over the past decade. Heat pump water heaters have extremely high COP levels, with one manufacturer having a published COP of six!

CLOSING While this build did not pursue any high-performance certifications, it certainly Foil-faced insulation seams taped to provide a continuous water control layer, along with one- entailed a lot of high-performance systems by-three wood strapping over-top and screwed to the structure. Two inches of foil-faced EPS and is leaps ahead of the standard code min- insulation over five inches of GPS insulation with staggered seams over the roof structure were imum build. The hands-on experience taught then installed. me many lessons. For me, the project was a success, both in performance and architectur- al aesthetics. For others pursuing a high-per- formance project, the team’s experience and collaboration will be most critical for the suc- cess and cost of the build. n

Grant Walkin, M.Sc., P.Eng., is a building enve- lope and structural glass engineer at Entuitive Corp. in Toronto. He specializes in commercial, institu- Figure 3. Comparing foam board insulations: EPS, XPS, GPS, and polyisocyanurate. tional, and residential high-performance buildings.

Pushing the Envelope Canada 19 20 Spring 2020 • Ontario Building Envelope Council n n n FEATURE Does Your Roof Meet Code?

By Meagan Kikuta, M.Eng., Architectural Rep, Tremco Roofing

t is important to understand that, in exposed to simulated fire exposure tests. This insulation, vapour barrier, and cover board) addition to designing a roof for thermal article will focus on roofs for buildings that has not been tested, does not have a Class A, I and waterproofing performance, a roof fall under Part 3 of the OBC, and will address B, or C rating and is not exempt under the covering is responsible for providing exter- only the external fire performance of roofing provisions in Article 3.1.15.2, then it does not nal fire protection for both the roof assemblies. The classification and fire rating meet the minimum intention of the OBC and building below. A roof can be exposed of a roof is based on pre-tested assemblies and, therefore, is not compliant. These re- to several potential fire risks, including fire and not the performance of individual com- quirements apply to either new construction spreading from an adjacent building or hot ponents. If alternate roofing components are roofs, roof restoration, roof recovery, or roof works activities at the roof level, such as submitted or installed, the roof assembly may replacement projects. welding or torching. not classify for a rating. Not all roof membranes and assemblies DEFINING A CLASS A, B, OR C FIRE provide the same degree of fire protection, WHAT IS THE CURRENT OBC RATING though. It’s critical to understand how fire REQUIREMENT? There are three classifications a tested retardant a roof is when designing a build- The scope of this article will address only roof assembly can achieve (and a fourth of ing with combustible construction, if the roof the large and complex buildings that fall “unrated” if it has not been tested or if it has membrane is being exposed to high temper- under Part 3 of the OBC. Buildings that fall not met the minimum test requirements and atures, and if the type and occupancy of the under this classification can include schools, failed). See Table 1 on page 23. building is of a sensitive nature. hospitals, office buildings, large apartments, The classification of each roof assembly Our current Ontario Building Code (OBC) condos, shopping malls, theatres, and indus- indicates how well the roof system performed requires that a roof covering be tested to trial buildings. Under Part 3, there are two against exposure to different fire tests. Al- achieve a rating of either Class A, Class B, articles included in Subsection 3.1.15., Roof though the test and classification do not neces- Class C, or unrated (ranging from the high- Covering (see Figure 1 on page 22). sarily illustrate the exact performance of a roof est level of fire protection to the least). This When we interpret these two articles, we system under real-world fire conditions, they information provides a basis to compare can conclude that if your roof assembly (all do provide a basis for comparing roof covering how different roof systems perform when components including membrane, surfacing, materials under simulated fire exposure.

Pushing the Envelope Canada 21 FEATURE n n n

3.1.15.1. Roof Covering Classification (1) A roof covering classification shall be determined in conformance with CAN/ULC-S107, “Fire Tests of Roof Coverings”.

3.1.15.2. Roof Coverings (2) Except as provided by Sentences (2) and (3), every roof covering shall have a Class A, B or C classification as determined in accordance with Article 3.1.15.1. (3) A roof covering is not required to have a Class A, B or C classification for, (a) a tent, (b) an air-supported structure, or (c) a building of Group A, Division 2 occupancy not more than 2 storeys in building height and not more than 1 000 m2 in building area, provided the roof covering is underlaid with non-combustible material. (4) Combustible roof coverings on buildings within the scope of Article 3.2.2.43A. or 3.2.2.50A. shall have a Class A classification.

Figure 1: An excerpt from the Ontario Building Code.

CAN/ULC-S107 METHODOLOGY apart and continuing to flame or grow however, certain municipalities and insti-

Since the first edition was published after it has reached the ; tutions have mandated higher standards in in 1987, there have been relatively few • Sustained flaming of the underside of the their own regulations and by-laws. changes to the CAN/ULC-S107 Standard test deck; and As a designer, it is important to verify (which is also equivalent to the American • Flame spreads exceeding the maximum with local authorities if a more stringent fire standards ASTM E-108 and UL-790). The distance for Class A, B, or C ratings, or rating is required. It is equally important to intention of the standard is to demonstrate if the lateral spread of flame reaches the also consider the sensitivity of the occupants how easily a roof covering can be ignited by edges of the test deck. within the buildings and the type of activity direct flame or by burning brands landing the roof will be exposed to. As a building on the roof, the extent of the flame spread SELECTING A FIRE RATING owner or facilities manager, it may be pru- over the roof surface, and the tendency for Now that you understand how a rating is dent to review current design standards and flaming or glowing pieces of the roof cover- achieved and what each rating represents, establish a minimum fire rating requirement ing to break loose and be carried from the the next question to answer is “how do you for future new construction or re-roofing roof to other portions of the roof or onto know which rating to select for your build- projects. At a minimum, the roof should other structures. ing?” In an ideal society, all roofs would have a Class C rating—but you should al- Roofing systems are tested on the roof be constructed with a Class A fire rating; ways strive to design and install a Class A fire covering assembly, deck type, and deck in- however, sometimes project factors—such rated roof system. cline. Roof covering assemblies are selected as value engineering structural limita- by the designer or client, or are recommen- tions—can reduce the level of fire protection HOW TO VERIFY YOUR ROOF HAS A dations provided by the manufacturer. provided. RATING Sample decks are constructed in UL-ap- Other than the exceptions detailed in All tested roofing assemblies and rat- proved test facilities and mounted on a cali- Article 3.1.15.2, there are currently no guide- ings can be found online in a database brated test apparatus. lines provided in the OBC to assist with the hosted by UL/ULC at http://productspec. Any of the following items would consti- selection of a Class A, B, or C roof. It is the ul.com/details.php?ccn=TGFU. The data- tute a failure during testing: responsibility of the designer, the building base provides some generic assembly op- • Any portion of the roof covering blowing owner, or the facility management team tions, as well as tested assemblies from a off, exposure of the roof deck (for com- to select the most suitable fire rating. The list of different roofing manufacturers. The bustible roof decks only), or breaking Code sets a minimum design requirement; first, and most efficient, way to determine the fire rating would be to consult your basis-of-design manufacturer and request a letter indicating the roof assembly classi- fication and listing. Substitutions, including type of component or thickness, can only be granted by UL and may require addi- tional testing.

FUTURE THOUGHTS Roof systems contain relatively few com- ponents; however, the confusion arises with the sheer number of different manufacturers and different products available in the mar- ket. Because the classifications are based on test results of specific products, any type A sample ULC TGFU database entry. Source: UL Product Spec, 2019. of substitution can alter whether the roof

22 Spring 2020 • Ontario Building Envelope Council

n n n FEATURE

Classification Fire Exposure Rating Max. Flame Spread Class A • Effective against severe fire exposure 1,830 mm or 6 feet • High degree of fire protection to the roof deck

Class B • Effective against moderate fire exposure 2,440 mm or 8 feet • Moderate degree of fire protection to the roof deck

Class C • Effective against light fire exposure 3,960 mm or 13 feet • Measurable degree of fire protection to the roof deck

Table 1: A description of classification ratings.

system meets Code and whether it has a fire rating. Through my research, I have identi- fied some opportunities for stakeholders to simplify and streamline the Code compli- ance process. For the OBC, there is an opportunity to provide generalized guidelines that would set the minimum fire rating requirements based on the type of building and occu- pancy. For UL/ULC, there is an opportunity to increase the ease of searchability in their TGFU database by assigning a unique ref- erence number for tested and rated systems. This would allow designers and manufac- turers an easier way of quickly identifying or searching for an approved system. And finally, for manufacturers who are investing heavily into the testing and approval of vari- ous systems, there is an opportunity to create a standardized form, letter, or specification verbiage indicating the classification and ap- proved fire rating. n

Meagan Kikuta is a design professional rep- resentative for Tremco with 10 years' experience in the Building Science and Roofing industries. Meagan is currently serving her second term as the director of communications for the Ontario Building Envelope Council.

REFERENCES 1. Ontario Building Code (2017). 2. ULC Standards (2019), CAN/ULC S107: 2019 Standard Methods of Fire Tests of Roof Coverings. 3. UL LLC (2014), Class A, B, and C Roof Ratings, Helpful Hints for Achieving Code Compliance 4. UL Product Spec Library, 2019, TGFU Database. http://productspec.ul.com/ canada/document.php?id=TEVT7. GuideInfo

Pushing the Envelope Canada 23 FEATURE n n n Net Zer Carbon Might Be Easier Than You Think

By Steven Murray, P.Eng., Principal & Senior Building Envelope Engineer, Morrison Hershfield

chieving certification to the Canada Green Building Coun- cil’s (CAGBC) Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Standard can A seem like a daunting task, particularly on a retrofit project. The relative impact of thermal bridging and envelope transitions are amplified in low-energy buildings and can be particularly challenging to resolve in a retrofit scenario. As an example, the Thermal Energy Demand Intensity (TEDI) requirement for Passive House Institute (PHI) is so low compared to the actual usage of many existing buildings that the heating loads must be reduced by 95 per cent or more to meet the requirements. The good news is that Zero Carbon buildings aren’t quite that Humber Building N high-performance glass with a non-melted fresh snowfall demanding. on its surface. Images in spread courtesy of Steven Murray. The TEDI requirement in the Toronto area for Zero Carbon buildings is 30 kWh/m2 compared to just 15 kWh/m2 for PHI. Even so, how do you go about reducing heating demand by a factor of five, two-square-metres of cladding losses in an existing building. When or even 10, from an average building? The key issue is important for the new cladding reduces the main field heat flow by 80 per cent, us in the Ontario Building Envelope Council (OBEC) community, this same grade slab now represents 10-square-metres of cladding, since it all hinges on envelope performance. or nearly three full storey heights of wall above. Significant heating demand reduction was exactly the challenge It becomes clear how important it is for the envelope designer faced by Humber College’s Deep Energy Retrofit Project for the NX to develop high-performance details at slab edges, parapets, and Building. We started with the envelope design targets: window transitions. Just a handful of poorly performing details can • Really, really good glass and window frames; derail the overall performance of the whole building. On the bright • R-40-effective cladding and R-50-effective roofing; and side, we now have many tools at our disposal to guide us in achieving • An almost fanatical devotion to controlling thermal bridging (this the necessary performance such as the BC Hydro Building Envelope is where PHI is very demanding). Thermal Bridging Guide, which now has a library of around 400 mod- How do we achieve these in reality? The easy part is defining elled details, and Passive House Institute certification details related excellent glazing and a well-thermally broken cladding system. The to window transitions. hard part comes with controlling thermal bridging, so the critical de- Borrowing from the PHI approach and wrapping the insulation tails don’t allow much heat flow to reduce the overall performance. over the window frames is one example of virtually eliminating ther- When you improve the main field performance, the previous ther- mal bridging at window transitions, which can be a large quantity of mal bridges, which may have only represented 20 per cent to 30 per linear transmittance losses (see Figure 1 on page 25). However, the cent of the total heat flow, may now be responsible for more than real challenge is constructing transitions like this to stay true to the the entire main field heat losses. For example, a one-metre length of assumptions of the modeling and not introduce miscellaneous clips poorly insulated grade slab and foundation wall may be equivalent to and fastening elements. These may seem like minor components,

24 Spring 2020 • Ontario Building Envelope Council n n n FEATURE and may even be ignored by unsophisticated modelling, but minimiz- ing or eliminating these elements may determine whether the detail actually performs as intended. Even architectural details such as sun-shade elements, which are often an important feature of high-performance buildings, can be designed into the cladding to take advantage of thermally broken cladding supports. This can prevent the introduction of heat losses that undermine the other value of these elements, like solar heat gain control. This integration may create challenges, so a robust shop drawing and mock-up process involving multiple trades is essential to achieve the required performance. These are not unique challenges, but the impact can be amplified in low-energy buildings, so their im- portance is also amplified. The wonderful benefit of achieving a truly high-performance en- velope is it allows the mechanical designers to do things that used to seem impossible, like designing a building where the biggest energy loads are directly related to the actual use of the building— and plug loads. At Humber College Building NX, the design team reached a counter-intuitive “a-ha” moment, where they realized that slightly more high-performance glass was an energy benefit since the daylighting benefit could reduce lighting loads and, therefore, the overall building energy use. Starting with a great envelope pro- vided the design team and building owner with benefits we hadn’t anticipated. I fully expect there are more of these pleasant surprises waiting for us as the industry keeps advancing and that low carbon retrofits will become the norm, as owners recognize the major financial bene- Figure 1: Humber College Building NX window transition thermal fits of operating low-energy buildings. n modeling demonstrates the impact of thermal bridging control.

Steven Murray, P.Eng., is a principal and senior building envelope engineer at Morrison Hershfield and a BSSO instructor from program founding to 2016. He has experience in the rehabilitation and retrofit of existing buildings and has also developed expertise with six-storey timber framed and mass timber buildings, and the unique envelope challenges they entail.

A mock-up of sun-shade elements supported on a thermally broken cladding support system.

Pushing the Envelope Canada 25 FEATURE n n n Reconstruction of an Underground Parking Concrete Slab on Grade

The parking garage before the weeping tile system was replaced. Photos in this spread courtesy of Emma Ruixian Qian.

By Emma Ruixian Qian, Architectural Technologist, WZMH Architects

great deal of research has been sand layer beneath the concrete slab became by upward moisture migration and evapo- done to analyze the age-old prob- a reservoir for water, which created hydro- ration. Water is the solvent and vehicle for A lem of deterioration of underground static pressure. As a result, there was no way transporting the soluble salts to the surface. parking garage concrete slabs on grade. The for the water to drain or evaporate proper- Efflorescence can form a thick layer on the symptoms of a weeping tile drainage prob- ly. It is well-known that moisture will always surface that can completely hide the con- lem can often be elusive and difficult to un- move from a high relative humidity environ- crete’s colour, create unsightly white patch- cover, as they are located underneath the ment to a space of low relative humidity. So, es, and degrade the slab strength. concrete slab and buried in soil. Many issues the only direction the moisture could move Deterioration can be found anywhere on go undetected for years, only becoming obvi- from below the concrete slab was up onto the the concrete slab, especially around cracks. ous when the concrete slab develops efflor- surface, which inevitably led to water damage Cracks at concrete joints are easily caused by escence or when mould and other microbial and deterioration of the slab. higher water pressure, sealant, and vapour contamination problems appear. By knowing barrier damaging. Once cracked, the concrete and understanding the source of water and ISSUES AND PROBLEMS can be separated at the joints and water or its movement mechanism, effective solutions Water moisture can cause a variety of moisture may enter. A hairline crack can grow can be developed to eliminate or slow down problems, like efflorescence, the white, into a bigger problem, resulting in floor slab moisture movement. crystalline substance that can occur on the failures, mould growth, efflorescence, and In this case study, we were called to surfaces of unsealed concrete. These de- other microbial contamination problems. address the issues in an old underground posits often contain compounds such as Due to concrete’s porosity and permea- parking garage. The old, clay weeping tile calcium, sodium, and potassium hydroxides bility, water can migrate through the mate- drainage system had stopped working and or carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides, and rial as a result of hydrostatic pressure, cap- caused water problems. The blocked drain- sulfates of calcium and magnesium. These illary action, and the water vapour pressure age system was a major concern that had to substances typically originate as soluble gradient. The penetration or water can be be addressed immediately. Once weeping compounds within the concrete that are accompanied by the leaching of chemi- pipes were blocked, the water table rose; the transported and deposited on the surface cals from the underside footing soil or the

26 Spring 2020 • Ontario Building Envelope Council n n n FEATURE

The previous metal drain here is corroded, which left standing water on Another sign of water damage and deterioration is efflorescence, an the surface. often-white powdery substance that appears on the slab's surface. materials used in the concrete mix. As the While they are made of green materials, • It has high tensile strength and high com- water and chemicals permeate the concrete, these pipes can have serious drawbacks pressive strength, allowing the pipes to it can begin to disintegrate, and the rebar that make them inappropriate for many endure abuse from extreme environments. within the slab or steel core within applications. Modern PVC pipe, on the concrete cladding can start to corrode. As other hand, has many advantages, includ- CONCRETE SLABS this happens, the steel expands and cre- ing the following: Concrete slabs can crack due to many ates tensile stresses that can cause internal • It is much easier to make holes in and factors, including construction movement, cracking, spalling, or delamination of con- is also quite malleable. The pipes also shrinkage before and / or after hardening, crete. One problem may be caused by nu- connect easily and securely to one excessive loading, settlement, freeze / thaw merous factors. another; cycles, structural defects, fluctuations in • It is lightweight, making it easy to trans- temperature, earthquakes, and more. Some RECONSTRUCTING CONCRETE port; and cracks are preventable; others aren’t. But SLAB AND WEEPING TILES After a site inspection, it became clear the existing clay weeping tile drainage system was unsuitable for the existing building sys- tem. We selected a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tile to replace the existing clay weeping tile, and kept as many of the existing weeping holes as possible within the concrete founda- tion wall to maintain the structure’s strength and reduce reconstruction labour. We used high-performance, galvanized steel in the trench system to allow for easy draining, should the system become clogged, and we installed drains throughout the slab to allow water to drain more easily.

NEW PVC WEEPING TILE Many of the earliest plumbing systems were comprised of clay sewer pipes, which still hold up against the test of time—if they remain unplugged and uncracked.

Pushing the Envelope Canada 27 FEATURE n n n all cracks can become problems. To prevent HIGH-PERFORMANCE VAPOUR gas from rising into the building. This will initial cracks, the concrete itself must be BARRIER then contribute to an energy-efficient build; mixed properly. If the water-to-cement ratio If a concrete slab is properly water- it will mean less work for your ventilation is too high, the slab will be too porous, lead- proofed, it will reduce the occurrence of wa- system and a better moisture-protected ing to issues with bleed water, plastic shrink- ter-related problems. The longer it remains and thermal-protected building overall—a age cracking, and primary efflorescence, properly waterproofed, the longer the slab reason most green building codes include increasing the chance cracks may occur. will maintain its integrity, and the longer high-performance vapour barriers in their Once a slab has cracked, moisture may en- you will go without water damage, which specifications. Presently, there is no cost-ef- ter and cause corrosion along the concrete is why installing proper vapour barriers is fective way to protect the building from en- reinforcement, so, in this case, we used an essential. croaching moisture; however, over time, if epoxy-coated rebar to protect against cor- Once a good vapour barrier is installed you do the job properly the first time, it will roding. Additionally, if a concrete slab is beneath the concrete slab, it will help stop save you money over the long-term. properly waterproofed, it will better main- water from rising and will prevent any other The installation detail at the joint is also tain its integrity. volatile organic compound contaminated very important for proper protection, as these gaps allow moisture to seep in more readily than the solid slab. The vapour bar- rier must be looped at the joint to allow for the movement of concrete, while still sealing the gap at the bottom of the joint, ensuring no moisture gets into it. This typical detail also is applied around the re-finishing con- crete-steel column and at other construction joints.

SAND MAT AND CRUSHED STONE A sand mat layer must be installed below the vapour barrier to prevent the sand from becoming a water reservoir. This also provides a smooth surface, upon which the concrete slab and vapour bar- rier can be installed. Water drains faster through gravel than it does through most types of soil, so if you have a layer of grav- el atop the earth, with the weeping tile in- stalled within this layer, it will provide a pathway for water to flow easily away from underneath the slab. With this new drainage system and slab assembly, the risk of creating a water reser- voir was eliminated, even if the groundwater table rises at any time during reconstruction. If any problems do occur, like cracks in the slab, or tears in the vapour barrier, there won’t be a water reservoir present to cause water damage. Even so, don’t ignore these issues if they arise! The new, dependable drainage sys- tem will provide long-lasting control of the ground water and water table, relief on the hydrostatic pressure, and retarding water moisture transmission, which will go a long way toward preventing moisture problems in the parking garage. n

Emma Ruixian Qian is an architectural technologist at WZMH Architects in Toronto. She specializes in the building envelope.

28 Spring 2020 • Ontario Building Envelope Council n n n FEATURE Thin vs. Thick & When to PUMA in Underground Parking Structures

By Mohamed Hussein, P.Eng., BSS, Building Science Engineer, Morrison Hershfield Ltd.

he terminology “waterproofingfrequent repair programs and reduced struc- The bottom waterproofing layer is a membranes” is common in our in- tural capacity. hot-applied, rubberized asphalt installed T dustry. There are several types of in two layers, utilizing a reinforcing poly- waterproofing membranes with different VEHICULAR TRAFFIC TOPPING ester fabric or “fleece.” The membrane physical properties and applications. Today, SYSTEMS is applied in two lifts, with a total thick- we’re focusing on waterproofing membranes Traffic toppings must withstand physical ness of approximately three millimetres in underground parking garages, specifically damage caused by vehicle traffic. It’s essen- (120 mils). The top traffic layer in this on intermediate slabs between of a tial the system has performance character- system is typically a hot-applied, mastic parking garage. Most of these structures are istics to resist dead loading, shearing forces, asphalt pavement. While hot, it resembles composed of cast-in-place concrete slabs. In and abrasion from vehicles. Vehicular top- what you could call a “black milkshake.” these intermediate garage slabs, the water- ping systems for suspended concrete slabs While cold, it resembles typical asphalt proofing membrane is exposed to vehicular found in parking garages come in two basic pavement without the coarse stone ag- traffic, hence the term “traffic topping.” types: gregate. It’s usually applied in a thickness • Thin systems: These are typically elas- that ranges between 10 millimetres and PROTECTING THE CONCRETE tomeric, cold-applied systems. They are 20 millimetres (400 to 800 mils). When The basic function of a waterproofing commonly, but not always, made with finished, this system is up to 20 times traffic topping system is to protect the under- polyurethanes. They consist of a base thicker than a thin system. lying structure from water penetration, which layer, which adheres to the concrete can cause the embedded steel to corrode. surface, and one or more “wear” coats. COMPARING THE TWO SYSTEMS Protecting intermediate garage slabs from In these systems, the base coat layer has How do these two systems compare when water ingress is required in order to com- a minimum thickness, typically between it comes to issues such as bridging cracks, ply with the relevant standard CSA S413-14 0.65 millimetres to 1.0 millimetres (25 traffic forces, chemical fluid leaks, and cost Parking Structures. In Canada’s cold climate, to 40 mils), and the topcoats are each and maintenance? There are many things the traffic topping system serves to protect between 0.3 and 0.4 millimetres (12 to to watch for and take into consideration, against water ingress and migration of de- 15 mils) thick, depending on the manu- including: icing products. These chemicals typically facturer’s requirements. Fine aggregates • Bridging cracks: The loss of moisture contain chlorides that are prone to corroding are broadcast into both the wear and top from fresh concrete results in a reduction materials. Once this chloride contamination coats to add durability to the membrane in volume, which leads to drying shrink- reaches a certain concentration, corrosion and provide a slip-resistant surface. This is age cracks. Water contaminated with can continue to form, even in areas without applied in 90 per cent of parking garages. salt reaches the reinforcing steel through active water ingress. This ongoing corro- • Thick systems: These are the legacy cracks in the concrete. The waterproof- sion and subsequent delamination lead to systems initially used for waterproofing. ing membrane must be able to bridge the

Pushing the Envelope Canada 29 FEATURE n n n

formed cracks. The thick system is gener- install than elastomeric systems. It has the Polyurethane Methacrylate (PUMA) ally superior at bridging concrete cracks also become more difficult to find quali- formula was produced. PUMA technology because of the rubberized membrane fied tradespeople to install these products. allows the flexibility of polyurethanes in the thickness. The thin system can effective- Both systems require regular mainten- base layer, while the top-wearing surface ly bridge minor cracks (less than 1.6 milli- ance. Thin systems are easy to inspect to boasts the toughness of the MMA resins. metres), but the thinner depth means identify defective areas. Localized repair it doesn’t perform as well when dealing is as simple as removing and re-applying BENEFITS OF PUMA with wider cracks or those with active a new membrane with minimal tools and Thanks to the fast-cure resin, it needs movement. equipment. Thick systems also need to only 45 minutes to an hour to cure between • Vehicular traffic forces: Withstanding be regularly inspected for tire shears and coats. This minimizes disruption and closure forces exerted by vehicle tires is a key damage from vehicle chemical leaks. The times, so building owners and property man- performance criterion for traffic topping waterproofing membrane is concealed, agers can quickly repair and reopen their systems. Parking garages often have high making it difficult to identify defects or parking garages. The combination of poly- traffic volumes, sharp turns, and steep water entry points. urethane flexibility with methacrylate tough- ramps; the thin system will wear sooner Comprehensive repairs are required for ness means manufacturers can offer up to in these areas. Thick systems don’t wear both systems at some point over their life- 20-year warranties, while standard urethanes in the same way. Instead, mastic asphalt time. This is often a good time to switch from are typically warrantied at five years. is susceptible to shearing when wheels are thick to thin systems for simplified future Primarily, PUMA systems are chemically turned as a car stops—the damage occurs maintenance. cured, meaning they are cold-weather-toler- when the wheels are turned and the car ant and can be applied in temperatures as is stationary. It tends to deform and cor- CHOOSING THE BETTER SYSTEM low as -7o C. Additionally, it has high chem- rugate. Both systems have pros and cons; ical resistance when exposed to petroleum • Vehicle chemical fluid leaks: Vehicles however, the industry is moving toward products. can be prone to leaking chemicals, like thin systems. Is thin the better choice? These systems are currently a significant oil, gasoline, and coolant. These chem- Maybe—but this system still has its draw- cost premium to standard polyurethane. In icals will accumulate, and, in the case of backs, like durability and curing time. Re- some applications, the shorter disruption and the thick system, will soften the traffic pairs tend to be required every five years, reduced labour costs may offset the higher topping. Thin systems tend to have more particularly with high traffic volumes, and costs. PUMA can be applied at the garage chemical resistance to oil and chemicals. it takes the full system three to four days to entrance, sharp turns, and high-volume • Colour and illumination: The colour of cure in each area. traffic aisles, where a standard polyurethane the traffic topping is incredibly import- system would be sufficient at the parking ant. The black colour of thick systems HISTORY OF PUMA stalls and in low-traffic areas. This way, we is light-absorbing and reduces lighting Over 30 years ago, methyl methacryl- get the high-performing system where we levels. In comparison, elastomeric thin ate (MMA) waterproofing was developed need it at a reduced cost. systems are available in lighter colours in Europe. The rapid curing system wasn’t The inherent qualities of PUMA chem- that better reflect light. I have seen many temperature-sensitive and featured ex- istry make it ideal for projects with tight dark garages where the garage appeared treme durability, tenacious adhesion, and timeframes and stringent performance brighter once a lighter traffic topping superior abrasion resistance. However, requirements. n was applied. In general, thick systems it was too hard and brittle. It lacked the will require a higher lighting density per flexibility and elasticity required in parking Mohamed Hussein, P.Eng., BSS, is a build- square foot. garage waterproofing applications. From ing science engineer at Morrison Hershfield. He • Cost, maintenance, and repairs: Asphalt- here, the idea of adding polyurethane into is a licensed engineer in the province of Ontario ic membranes can be more expensive to the synthetic MMA resin was tested, and and a certified Building Science Specialist.

30 Spring 2020 • Ontario Building Envelope Council n n n NEWS AND VIEWS

PASSIVE HOUSE CANADA CONFERENCE Upcoming Events November 18 to 20, 2020 Victoria, British Columbia CANADIAN EVENTS MANITOBA BUILDING EXPO The Passive House Canada Conference brings October 27, 2020 together building professionals, manufacturers, THE CANADIAN FEDERATION Winnipeg, Manitoba and suppliers, who, today, deliver the buildings OF CONSTRUCTION SAFETY Over 100 companies exhibited at the 2019 to be mandated by future building codes. Partici- ASSOCIATIONS’ ANNUAL GENERAL Trade Show, and this year promises to be bigger pants can take part in engaging and interactive MEETING and better! This is the premier showcase for all sessions that will further enhance their knowledge June 15 to 16, 2020 the latest products and technologies for commer- of the standard and how it supports the local city’s Regina, Saskatchewan cial and institutional buildings and is a terrific mandate to reduce emissions. Those new to the The CFCSA works as an umbrella organiz- learning and networking opportunity for industry standard will find opportunities to network and ation for provincial and territorial Construction professionals. You will not want to miss it! Attend learn from other Passive House enthusiasts. Safety Associations with a shared interest in the Expo trade show free-of-charge to network https://conference.passivehousecanada.com promoting awareness of construction health and with industry experts and get all the latest product safety, improving information sharing, and collab- news and trends. THE BUILDINGS SHOW oratively producing workplace health and safety http://bomamanitoba.ca December 2 to 4, 2020 training standards / information resources. Attend Toronto, Ontario the AGM for the latest news and updates. BUILDEX ALBERTA The Buildings Show provides an unforgettable https://cfcsa.ca/meetings.php November 4 to 5, 2020 experience as North America’s largest event for Calgary, Alberta products, services, educational programming, and THE 4TH ANNUAL FIRST NATIONS BUILDEX Alberta is the forum connecting professional networking. HOUSING & INFRASTRUCTURE WEST the province’s holistic building industry. The https://www.thebuildingsshow.com/en/home.html FORUM largest event of its kind in Alberta, BUILDEX June 24 to 26, 2020 brings together an ecosystem of professional com- BUILDEX VANCOUVER Vancouver, British Columbia munities to learn, network, and be inspired by the February 10 to 11, 2021 The 4th Annual First Nations Housing & latest trends, innovations, and challenges from an Vancouver, British Columbia Infrastructure West Forum will highlight the industry in transformation. BUILDEX Vancouver is western Canada’s latest funding announcements and financing https://www.buildexalberta.com/en/home.html largest forum connecting the holistic building opportunities for both housing and infrastructure industry, uniting tradition and innovation to shape needs. The forum will discuss how communities the spaces of tomorrow. It brings together talent are bridging the gap between on- and off-reserve from across the industry to interact, learn, and housing and offer networking with industry lead- discover the newest innovations of a market in ers in energy, construction, and design to identify constant transformation. the latest technologies that will support commun- http://www.thesafetyconference.ca ities for generations to come. https://www.canadianinstitute.com/ first-nations-housing-infrastructure-west

BOMEX CONFERENCE September 22 to 24, 2020 Vancouver, British Columbia BOMEX 2020 is the 30th Annual Building Excellence Summit, where attendees can learn from highly engaging speakers, attend lead- ing-edge educational sessions, network with in- dustry professionals, and celebrate at the National Awards Gala. http://bomacanada.ca/bomex

**All events are up-to-date as of printing but may be changed without warning due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Please check each event’s website for the latest details available.

Pushing the Envelope Canada 31 BUILD YOUR

REACHThe Fall 2020 issue of Pushing the Envelope Canada will be at THE BUILDINGS SHOW December 2 to 4, 2020 | Toronto, Ontario WITH OVER 30,000 ATTENDEES, THE BUILDINGS SHOW PROVIDES AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE AS NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST EVENT FOR PRODUCTS, SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING.

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CONTACT [email protected] OR CALL (866) 999-1299 TO SECURE YOUR SPOT TODAY. n n n NEWS AND VIEWS BEC Roundup

BCBEC PRESENTS BUILDING SMART USING AN construction, and related standards address the issue of fire spreading INTEGRATED DESIGN PROCESS from building to building. On April 8, BCBEC and BC Housing presented a seminar that Geoff Mikolayenko is currently the City of Winnipeg’s Adminis- discussed the new Integrated Design Process (IDP), which is a col- trator of Commercial Inspections. He is responsible for the overall laborative design approach that is intended to optimize performance, direction and leadership of the Commercial Building Inspection ser- cost, occupant comfort, and resilience of a residential building. It in- vices, encompassing construction methods, bylaw compliance, and volves engaging the builder and their team of designers, mechanical correction of dangerous conditions involving electrical, mechanical, contractor, and energy advisor at the conceptual design stage. plumbing, building, fire, and life safety systems. Dr. John Frye has The seminar discussed in depth the structure of IDP, the applica- spent the last 26 years with the City of Winnipeg Building Inspections tions to various building types, and also had case studies and experien- Department before he retired in 2000. He has held several senior pos- ces from across BC and beyond. The guest speakers included Andrew itions in the Building Inspection Department. Oding, Vice President of Building Science of Building Knowledge Canada Inc.; Gilles Lesage, President of Total Home Solutions; Mark BECOR PRESENTS RENOVATION AND RESTORATION Bernhardt, President of Bernhardt Contracting Ltd.; and Einar Hal- OF HISTORIC MASONRY BUILDINGS big, Principal of E3 Eco Group. Whether new or old, masonry is one of a designer’s most favoured building envelope solutions. For BECOR’s 2020 full-day session on ABEC DISCUSSES THE MACKIMMIE TOWER March 11, BECOR and CSC presented a seminar on Renovation and RETROFIT CASE STUDY Restoration of Historic Masonry Buildings. Many old favourites were At their February Luncheon, on February 26, the two presenters, discussed, alongside new developments in this technology. John Souleles and Adam Stoker, discussed the various developments Leaders both nationally and locally spoke about a variety of sub- and project drivers along with the unique design and construction jects in this field, including repurposing, redesigning, and renovating processes employed in this low carbon deep retrofit project. existing masonry; humidity and temperature conditions that have a Both presenters shared a technical review of the active double- negative impact on masonry; affordable alternatives; and more. skin façade system that provides an exemplary interior environment, and a 90 per cent reduction in energy consumption. John Souleles is a QBEC EXPECTS A GREAT GROUP OF CONFERENECES project manager and design architect with DIALOG and is currently Are you ready to be launched into the heat of the future? Join working with the University of Calgary on the MacKimmie Complex QBEC at their conferences on April 29 and May 14 where they, in project. Adam Stoker has more than 15 years of experience working collaboration with FORMES Magazine and the School of Advanced with energy efficiency and sustainable buildings. Technology (l’École de technologie supérieure, ÉTS), will be discuss- The MacKimmie Complex project is a new standalone facility and ing the latest scientific and technological developments in building existing building retrofit, which is set to accommodate academic ex- science. cellence while striving for Net Zero Carbon. This project is one of Topics planned include optimizing the building envelope for 16 projects participating in the CaGBC Zero Carbon Building Pilot Quebec’s new energy efficiency regulations and the requirements of Program. the National Building Code concerning fire safety of exterior walls and combustible insulation. MBEC EXPLORES THE FACTORS OF CLADDING Practitioners, researchers, and experts will have the oppor- REQUIREMENTS tunity to discuss issues related to the design, construction, and On March 26, the Manitoba Building Envelope Council hosted operation of buildings, with an emphasis on building envelopes. a presentation on Cladding and the Manitoba Building Code. Geoff Architects, technologists serving in architectural offices, as well Mikolayenko, Eng. L., C.E.T., and Dr. John Frye lead the conversa- as other stakeholders in the construction industry are invited to tion on how spatial separation, building height and non-combustible attend this two-day conference. n

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34 Spring 2020 • Ontario Building Envelope Council