Educare of West DuPage – Exterior Wall Construction
Executive Construction eliminated a potentially damaging wall condensation issue before it happened.
Challenge
During construction of the Educare building, Executive Construction noted condensation in the wall cavity. Educare’s exterior wall was designed for an insulation effectiveness value of R30, and the wall construction called for 1½” of rigid foam insulation, which acted as its own vapor barrier. New energy codes have greatly increased R-values of exterior walls, and design of these wall systems are critical to the overall building performance.
Technical Review of Exterior Wall of Educare of West Dupage. Prepared by Hollingsworth Architects, LLC.
Original Wall Design
Revised Wall Design
Executive Action
Executive Construction hired an exterior wall consultant to perform a condensation analysis. After consulting with the architect, the wall construction was changed to eliminate the interior vapor and revised the batt insulation to closed-cell polyurethane.
Results
The change in the wall design was made with no impact on the schedule. The building has been occupied through several winter seasons with no further issues.
