Benefits of GBS Air Sealing Measures: The utilization of building envelope air sealing and weatherization measures significantly contributes to increased energy efficiency, extended building life and durability, and enhanced occupant health and safety.
Energy Savings: The United States Department of Energy estimates that buildings account for over 40% of America’s total energy consumption and over 70% of the electricity used in the United States.
Cost Reductions: The National Institute of Standards and Technology estimates that the annual heating and cooling energy cost savings from improving building envelope airtightness in commercial buildings ranges up to 36% with the greatest savings occurring in colder climates.
Optimize Energy Savings: Improvements to the building envelope remain one of the most reliable and effective methods available to increase an existing building’s energy efficiency with project paybacks between two to ten years.
Reduce building maintenance costs: air sealing extends a building’s life cycle by controlling uncontrolled air movement and moisture migration throughout the building envelope.
Downsize HVAC system: many building mechanical engineers are forced to oversize heating and cooling system requirements to compensate for major energy losses occurring in buildings that are not properly air sealed or insulated, adding unnecessarily to energy bill expenditures. There is a growing consensus by the majority of building scientists that reducing the heating and cooling load of a building is the first and most essential step to consider before the design of any HVAC system.
Health and Safety: Building envelope air sealing treatments improve health and safety concerns related to uncontrolled air movement throughout a building.
Enhance comfort, productivity and satisfaction: Building envelope improvements address the interrelationship between indoor air quality, safety, durability and energy efficiency as it pertains to the most vital and expensive part of the operation of any building: its human occupants.
Homeland Security: there now exists a homeland security interest as regards bioterrorism and educational institutions. Air sealing of buildings incorporates many of the homeland security and EPA guidelines for protecting the air quality of building occupants.
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