Building science is the discipline that aims to understand how buildings function. It involves the building enclosure, habiliments (the equipment and “stuff” that goes into the enclosure) and occupants.
Modern building science has a high profile because of the frequency of new construction performance problems. Many of these are due to innovative departures from traditional design practices based on successful past precedents.
Energy Efficiency
The building industry is one of the biggest energy consumers in the world. Building scientists are responsible for developing methods that increase energy efficiency, reduce waste and utilize renewable energy sources. This is a critical goal given the uncertainty in availability of fossil fuels and concern about greenhouse gas accumulation.
A large part of modern building science is based on systems thinking. This approach looks at the whole building and its components as an integrated assembly of interacting elements that are designed to carry out cooperatively a predetermined function. Building science is a relatively new field that grew out of the need to understand why buildings work or fail, and to find a way to prevent failures by focusing on the system rather than individual components.
Architects, builders and other construction professionals are required to have a deep understanding of building science in order to effectively design, build and maintain buildings. It is also important to have this background in order to explain building behavior to clients and contractors.
Western’s students take courses in building science, and are exposed to the latest research tools used to assess and improve building performance. Our students gain practical experience working on community projects and living laboratories in Western’s state of the art facilities. These opportunities are a valuable component of the education our graduates receive, and provide them with an edge in the job market.
Materials
While there has been great progress in understanding the purely structural functions of buildings, there has been much less development in dealing with the whole building as an integrated system. This is because a whole host of disciplines must be involved to take into account the wide range of interactions between components. This means that building science draws on almost all of the sciences: from school core subjects such as physics, chemistry and instrumentation, to higher education subjects including architecture and interior design; engineering (civil, structural, electrical, mechanical and geotechnical), acoustics and materials.
It also draws on the social sciences – how people interact with their environment; and on the biology and health sciences (particularly with regard to indoor air quality, mold growth and other consequences of moisture). And then there’s construction: the techniques and tools used to construct buildings, how those are arranged and how jobs are sequenced to get them done quickly and efficiently.
There are a lot of resources available for those interested in learning more about the field of Building science. Many universities and colleges offer courses in it, while government departments, product manufacturers and other organizations focus on research or disseminate information to builders and technical minded consumers. The US Department of Energy’s Building America Solutions Center, for example, funnels research into building materials and construction techniques that can make buildings more efficient.
Airflow
Airflow is one of the most important issues in building science. It can affect occupant comfort, durability and energy efficiency. It is also critical in maintaining and restoring existing buildings.
Often, the design of a building will have a large impact on the flow of air within and around it. This can be accomplished with a variety of strategies, from simple holes to complex ventilation systems. Building scientists use their knowledge of engineering, physics, architecture and chemistry to understand the physical behavior of the building as a system and how the different components interact.
As a general rule, air always moves from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure. This means that, without an effective barrier, outside air will always try to enter a home, and inside air will always try to escape it. In order to limit the impact of this natural tendency, building scientists must consider the pressure effects when locating openings in a structure. They will then design the openings in a way that takes advantage of this principle.
As the field of building science continues to evolve, its principles are becoming increasingly important to architects, engineers, manufacturers and others who design, build or use buildings. They can help to improve building performance and sustainability, and prevent or fix problems that might arise in the future.
Moisture
Moisture can be involved in all kinds of building problems, from structural deterioration to unhealthy microbial growth and chemical reactions. Understanding moisture is critical for designing and constructing buildings that are durable, healthy and energy efficient.
Moisture in a building comes from many sources, including rainwater and groundwater, plumbing, construction materials, water use, and indoor air humidity (Lstiburek, 2001). The type of moisture problem depends on the source. Rainwater or groundwater will usually result in liquid water problems, construction materials may result in both liquid-water and water-vapor problems, and water use results in both liquid-water and water vapor problems.
Most indoor water vapor in buildings is produced by activities like cooking, bathing, and drying clothes. Some residential buildings have very high interior moisture levels due to nearly continuous simmering of food and extensive indoor drying of laundry. The resulting indoor humidity is often higher than the outdoor ambient humidity and can support microbial growth and other harmful conditions.
Most moisture problems arise when building materials stay wet long enough for microbial growth or physical deterioration to occur. The microbial growth that occurs is mostly related to environmental bacteria, but some of it is also related to molds. Molds can cause a variety of health problems in people, including allergic and asthmatic reactions and more serious diseases such as cancer and birth defects.