E – 1628 Coastal Construction: The Building Envelope

This course provides guidance on the design of building envelopes in a coastal environment. The building envelope comprises exterior doors, windows, skylights, exterior wall coverings, soffits, roof systems, and attic vents. In buildings elevated on open foundations, the floor is also considered as a part of the envelope.

High winds are the predominant natural hazard in the coastal environment that can cause damage to the building envelope. Other natural hazards also exist in some localities such as wind-driven rain, salt-laden air, seismic events, hail, and wildfire. The vulnerability of the building envelope to these hazards are discussed with recommendations for mitigating them provided.