Building Envelope
Technology Solution: Building Envelope
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The building envelope, which includes the walls, windows, roof, and foundation, forms the primary thermal barrier between the interior and exterior environments. With envelope technologies accounting for approximately 30% of the primary energy consumed in residential and commercial buildings, it plays a key role in determining levels of comfort, natural lighting, ventilation, and how much energy is required to heat and cool a building. Members of the Envelope Technologies Solutions Team collaborate with DOE's national laboratories to deploy high performance envelope design solutions for space conditioning load reduction and to facilitate the construction of durable and high performing envelope technologies. |
Alliance Activities
Participate in expert-led technology teams, test out an implementation model, join a technology campaign, or take part in a technology challenge or demonstration.
Events Calendar
Better Buildings partners participate in webinars, peer-exchange calls, meetings, and industry workshops and conferences. Browse upcoming events and opportunities to participate by month.
Partner List
Through the Better Buildings Alliance, over 200 public and private sector organizations across the country are working together to share and replicate positive gains in energy efficiency.
Featured Solutions
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Windows Resources Toolkits Recent advances in window technologies for both reductions in conduction loses and solar gains can help in tremendous energy savings in commercial buildings.
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Walls Resources Toolkits Exterior walls are the major components of the building envelope. By being a barrier between the interior and the exterior environments, walls need to have features that minimize the energy losses while maintaining durability.
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Roofs Resources Toolkits Roofs are another source of building energy loss, but roofing design and materials can help to reduce the amount of cooling required in certain climates by reflecting solar heat rather than absorbing it.
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This webinar was the inaugural meeting of the new Building Envelope Tech Team. |
Priorities
Meet the Technology Expert
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Melissa Voss Lapsa leads the Better Building Alliance’s Envelope Technologies Solutions Team. As the Director of Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Melissa brings 22 years’ experience at conducting market research, policy analysis, and behavioral research. She also leads ORNL’s Sustainable Campus Initiative, whose goal is to integrate energy and resource efficiency, cutting-edge technologies, operational and business processes, and institutional behavior to achieve sustainability at work, home, and in the community.
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