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Interim Report TASK 2B Community Consultation on Wall Construction Methods RR-233

Cornick, S.M.; Rousseau, M.Z. June 2007

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PERD 079 PROJECT ENGINEERED BUILDING ENVELOPE TO ACCOMMODATE HIGH PERFORMANCE INSULATION WITH OUTDOOR/INDOOR CLIMATE EXTREMES Interim Report TASK 2B- Community Consultation on Wall Construction Methods Report 44 B1239.4

S. M. Cornick M. Z. Rousseau Institute for Research in Construction National Research Council Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

June 2007

Disclaimer
This report presents the notes of public meetings. The views reported are those expressed by the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Institute of Research in Construction of the National Research Council Canada.

Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank everyone in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut who participated in the community consultations and shared generously their time and their knowledge. Thanks to the following persons and agencies that assisted the authors with the logistics of reaching out to the community of building envelope interested individuals. Mr. Allyn Lyon and Mr. Juergen Korn, Yukon Housing Corporation Whitehorse Mr. Doug MacLean, Energy Solutions Centre Whitehorse Mr. Bill Wyness Public Works Services NWT Government Yellowknife Mr. Marshall Wilson, NT Housing Corporation Yellowknife Mr. Kojo Kumi, Nunavut Housing Corporation Arviat The authors also wish to acknowledge the contribution of fellow co-workers on this project as well as the contribution of partners, making this project possible. National Research Council Canada Institute for Research in Construction (NRC-IRC) William Lei Marianne Manning Wahid Maref Mike Nicholls Nady Said Mike Swinton Fitsum Tariku Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Barry Craig Don Fugler Bill Semple National Resources Canada (NRCan) Anil Parehk Charles Zaloum Program for Energy Research and Development (PERD) administered by NRCan

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Content
This document is the collection of community consultation notes summarizing input received during 3 consultation sessions conducted in Whitehorse YK, Yellowknife NT and Arviat NU in February 2007, as part of PERD 079 project. Consultation Notes in Yellowknife NT Feb. 06, 2007 Consultation Notes Whitehorse Yukon Feb. 08, 2007 Consultation Notes Arviat Nunavut Feb. 12, 2007 Agenda page 5 page 11 page 17 page 25

Context
The NRC-IRC objective for these consultations was to establish a dialogue with northern communities on their needs and constraints related to housing projects, as well as their experience with the applicability and performance of different construction methods for exterior walls in an arctic context. Steve Cornick and Madeleine Rousseau, NRC-IRC researchers in the Building Envelope and Structure Program in Ottawa conducted these community consultation sessions, reaching about 50 participants representing the local housing and building industry. Participants included architects, engineers, building officials, energy consultants, builders and developers, building owners and managers in public, aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities.

Outcome
This exchange improved the researchers appreciation of the extreme and unique conditions prevailing North of 60 and how these conditions affect the process of design and construction of housing projects. This community input was valuable for capturing certain desirable features for the viability of wall systems in this climatic region, the characteristics of wall systems in common use and the level of interest in other approaches. This series of consultations and NRC-IRC presence in arctic regions constituted an important step for the selection of promising wall assemblies for evaluation in PERD 079 project. A separate report will summarize the common elements of the consultation and the wall assemblies proposed for evaluation. It will also include this record of the consultations.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Yellowknife NT Feb. 6, 2007

Community Consultation on High Performance Wall Assemblies for Extreme Climates PERD 079 Task 2B
Tuesday, February 6th, 2007 8:15 12:00 Chateau Nova, Yellowknife Northwest Territories Participants: Name Wayne Guy Bill Wyness Kerry Parks Mike Buchanan Marshall Wilson David Klingbeil Eric Boettger Steve Cornick Madeleine Rousseau

Organization Guy architects GNWT/PWS Arctic Energy Alliance NWT Housing Corporation Buildings North Consultant Ltd National Research Council Canada Institute for Research in Construction Ottawa

Opening Remarks, Welcome and Introductions M. Rousseau welcomed everyone to this consultation meeting and thanked everyone for accepting the invitation for this half-day consultation. Special thanks of appreciation went to Mr. Bill Wyness at Public Works & Services Government of the Northwest Territories and Mr. Marshall Wilson at the NWT Housing Corporation for assisting NRC in the planning of the session. A round of introductions followed. Objectives and Agenda M. Rousseau presented the objective of the consultation and reviewed the agenda. Objective: for NRC to benefit from the experience of northern building communities regarding requirements and performance of building envelopes and other factors of prime importance (e.g. transportation, ease of construction, qualifications of workers, etc). For the building community to have the opportunity to propose wall assemblies that could be included in an evaluation spanning several aspects of performance (energy, moisture control, and environment impact). Agenda: M. Rousseau suggested that the sequence of topics on the tentative agenda be changed and that the Inuvik field survey be presented at the end of the half-day. This was agreed to. Description of the Project M. Rousseau presented the PERD 079 project and the deliverables (PowerPoint presentation). This brought about several questions and comments from the participants: The Test Protocol. Specifically whether or not the testing would involve two or three complete climate cycles or whether accelerated tests would be conducted, as well if the effects of wind and insolation would be included. S. Cornick reported that to date accelerated tests were planned as part of the test protocol and that solar and wind effects were included in the protocol. A draft protocol exists and can be sent to those interested; some feedback would be appreciated.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Yellowknife NT Feb. 6, 2007

It was also reported that solar driven moisture was a major climatic consideration affecting performance. B. Wyness reported that temperatures inside the wall cavity could reach 35C. This is especially problematic in the transition season in the spring. The southwest exposure, i.e. the sunny side of the building especially on the dark surfaces tends to show damage first. A further review of the testing program suggested more focus on swing seasons. B. Wyness suggested that thermal IR camera scans be used to see the leaks in the wall specimens during testing, as visual imaging of problem areas are excellent tools to convey information to the building industry. He uses it in a before/after mode to demonstrate to contractors the problems on public buildings and to do quality control on the repair jobs, and it has worked very well (see paper at http://www.buildingenvelopeforum.com/pdf/barriertesting.pdf). S. Cornick will investigate the possibly of getting IR images in the tight confines of IRC Envelope Environment Exposure Facility. There was a discussion regarding the nature of the performance measurements hygrothermal performance and deterioration for example; instantaneous performance versus long-term performance. To date the performance measures had not been addressed in the PERD 079 project. Wall specimens should include penetrations, e.g. a duct, a window or a floor as these are the weak, more complex areas of the enclosure where performance typically tends to be compromised. For this reason M. Wilson indicated that the current approach at Northwest Housing Corporation is to minimize the placement of penetrations in exterior walls, however some may be unavoidable. E. Boettger asked if there is a facility to test a whole house in a climate chamber. Some discussion was held on building a new facility for whole house testing. M. Rousseau suggested a need for some more field monitoring and the need for some funding to carry out the field monitoring. E. Boettger suggested that since the housing corporations are constantly building, finding suitable candidate buildings would not be a problem. B. Wyness advised to be careful that testing of wall assemblies in the laboratory may not translate into similar performance on the ground. Interpretation of laboratory results may need clear caveats about extrapolation to the field. B. Wyness asked if vinyl clad gypsum interior finishes trailer finishes air/vapour on the inside face were considered for the experimental study. It was noted that these finishes can get damaged but are accessible for repairs. M. Rousseau responded that the composition of the test specimen was open for discussion at this stage, and there was nothing at first sight that would preclude its inclusion if this was foreseen as a viable approach for NT Housing. Issues of Priority in Housing in Northwest Territories Innovative Technologies with Limited Feedback on Performance It was reported that many innovative technologies have been used in the North but there is not necessarily a step to evaluate the performance in service of these buildings. PWNT has moved in that direction with thermal scans of building before and after repairs. Thermal scans of 176 buildings were done and results show that details are not executed right. As well retention of knowhow and construction skills in the North can be a challenge, considering the turnover of personnel and the limited resources available for post-occupancy evaluation. Examples discussed were metal sandwich panels, insulation core panel walls, panelized construction and SIPs.

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It was also noted that there was not enough feedback on the performance and post occupation evaluation of these projects and sharing of experiences. B. Wyness suggested that a working group or Building Envelope Forum on northern (arctic) issues be constituted to cater to the practitioners in regions with protracted deep cold. This would contribute to facilitating technology transfer and sharing expertise and experience. Most of the work and meetings could be done remotely (online) if possible. Face-to-face communication and Forums were also reported to be valuable and could not be replaced totally by Internet communication. It was suggested that a meeting of the working group/forum be held bi-annually in association possibly with the Project Management Conference (PMC) held every two years in Yellowknife (upcoming conference will be in Nov. 2007). Keep It Simple Approach Simplicity of construction methods and technologies & processes, simplicity of repairs and easy access for repairs were reported as key elements of a recipe for long service life of buildings. For public buildings, there may be expertise locally for repairs, but in housing, there may not be expertise locally and timeframe for getting support may be long. So simple technologies, simple serviceability that could allow house occupants to do simple repairs and fixes can make a large difference. Construction Processes Construction processes also emerged as a key element for viability of the building envelope. It was suggested that the complexity of assembly, the sequencing of construction and trades are the Achilles heel of the building however good the design. It was also mentioned that panelized walls seemed to be promising for the future. B. Wyness suggested that wood-frame stud walls might be appropriate conceptually and practically for the North. A better alternative for the North would be to separate the structure from the envelope, the skin (along the lines of commercial construction), especially for performance and serviceability, as the exterior skin could have replaceable components. Reduction of thermal bridging, simple sequencing of trades (minimize cross-trading), the ability to close up and heat the building quickly; minimizing penetrations (to doors and windows, chimney, electrical, mechanical and plumbing services) have considerable benefits for long service life of the envelope. As well transportation considerations, e.g. delivery costs, size of the shipment (i.e. volume, packing) affect the selection of the construction methods as well as the selection of the building materials to build with. Modular construction may be an asset when one considers the difficulty to find contractors and skilled trades and the fact that getting lots of trades in perfect sequence just has not worked out. In panelized systems, jointing and detailing become even more a critical consideration for performance. Other Mentions Climate change. Permafrost is melting and buildings are starting to move more than before. Noise from fans and other mechanical equipment, pumps for tanks etc, is an issue, as these types of noise are not well tolerated.

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Data on material properties at very cold temperatures will be especially interesting when protracted deep cold spells are followed by a sudden change. S. Cornick will review the ASHRAE research proposals on materials properties (for TC 4.4) as well as discussing with NRC-IRC material researchers. Testing both materials properties/system performance. A more holistic way of designing building is in order rather than examining items on a single isolated basis. M. Wilson suggested that sometimes waste water systems determine the form of the design. Mechanical systems are problematic for buildings and houses. A combination of leading edge/trailing edge/ passive sustainable technology should be considered. Review, Discussion and Prioritization of Wall Assemblies of Interest M. Rousseau presented a variety of different wall construction methods (PowerPoint presentation based on Task 2 of project led by NRC Dr. N. Said; Dr. Saids report is available on NRC website at http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/bes/hmpe/north60pubs_e.html ). Each wall construction method was presented and discussed by the participants in terms of current usage, benefits and disadvantages. Single Stud Walls Single Stud with Insulation in Stud Cavity Only In the arctic, thermal bridging at studs and other structural elements compromise the viability of this simple approach. It was reported that IR scans are not necessary because all the thermal bridging at studs and rim joists are clearly visible in cold weather. Panelized systems consisting of single stud with the stud cavity filled with polyurethane have not been used but their use on their own would not address the issue of thermal bridging. Single Stud Wall with Interior Insulating Sheathing This wall construction method is typical of Northwest Territories Housing Corporation (NTHC) projects. This method has been used for about 20 years in NT. Nunavut Housing Corporation (NHC) has adopted a similar construction method for the exterior walls, with the exception that NTHC uses an OSB sheathing board and a regular strength siding while NHC has eliminated the OSB sheathing by using a structural siding. M. Wilson gave M. Rousseau a set of drawings describing four-plex and five-plex housing projects. Other differences between NT and Nunavut housing construction have to do with the roofs and the crawl spaces. In some parts of NT (what is the boundary?) roofs can be ventilated attic space while in NU compact unventilated roof spaces prevail. This is due to the windy conditions in the eastern arctic. In NT locations without permafrost conditions, crawl space may be cool (unheated, with insulated preserved wood foundation walls). Single Stud Wall with Exterior Insulating Sheathing Comments indicated a reluctance to use exterior sheathing of foam plastic insulation. These materials were reported to shrink at very cold temperature with resulting gaps at joints. As well their vapour permeance was considered a significant impediment to a desirable level of breathability towards the exterior. The PERSIST concept which consists of maintaining the stud space free of insulation materials while integrating an airtight membrane and an insulating blanket on the exterior of a sheathing board has not been used in houses. However B. Wyness reported that the concept has been applied in Public Works buildings, in which case up to 8 in. of polyurethane foam was used to combine the insulating and airtightness characteristics required. It was reported that a Federal building in Iqaluit

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had a PERSIST system but the wall/window interfaces were not sealed properly and this led to performance problems. Double-stud Walls Comments were along the lines that this type of construction method demanded several layers, with the possible problems discussed earlier with cross-trading and complexity; however it offered flexibility in achieving higher R-values. It was suggested that it might be possible to go 2x8 construction but it was pointed out that this is going in the reverse of using the materials effectively and efficiently. Using dimensional lumber in 2x8 studs was not an effective way of increasing the level of insulation. SIP Walls Systems NT housing reported that they had used SIPs for roofing applications above the tree line, built around 2000 and it was time to examine their performance. A SIP panel house was built in the 1980s (on a pad and wedges, adjustable to compensate for movement, as there will always be movement even on piles). G. Wayne reported using SIPs for commercial applications and a double S lock jointing system can work better; however tolerances can be a problem. The joints of the zero lock system had some room for a bead of sealant to be field applied in the groove of the joint because the tongue did not fill all the space in the groove. In essence a prefabricated wall system needs to be forgiving and not require tight tolerances. Metal sandwich panels were used in Rankin Inlet and Cambridge. These used post and beam construction and metal skin panels (freezer panels) built around 1981 or 1982 based on CMHC research. Rigid insulation core panel walls and panelized construction was used in Alaska Cold Climate Housing Research Center. A participant reported the difficulties about jointing and extending the quality etc through all the elements of the construction. Metal foam core sandwich panels have been used in the Inuvik hospital built about 5 years ago and IR scans have indicated that junctions and interfaces with other components (e.g. roof, windows, foundation) were problematic. Representatives of NTHC were not inclined to use EPS/XPS foam board stock in extreme climates because of its coefficient of expansion and its low vapour permeance. Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF) walls ICF technology was not much discussed. General Discussion Questions were raised as to whether or not the right buildings are being built. Is the goal to build buildings to last 2 generations/30 to 40 years and are we attempting to solve social problems with physical characteristics? There was a suggestion that buildings that do not last too long should be built throwaway buildings of simple technologies that can be maintained easily. Findings on a Field Survey in Inuvik NT There was no time to discuss the survey results for Inuvik. The presentation will be circulated to the participants afterwards (Editors note: this was done shortly after the session). Closing of Session The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 LST with S. Cornick and M Rousseaus words of appreciation for the valuable input received in this session.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Whitehorse Yukon Feb. 8, 2007

Community Consultation on High Performance Wall Assemblies for Extreme Climates PERD 079 Task 2B
Thursday, February 8th, 2007 8:15 12:15 Westmark Whitehorse Hotel & Conference Centre, Conf. Room V Whitehorse YT Participants: Name Mike Barnes Jose Belisle John Berg John Clunies-Ross Mrs. Clunies-Ross Steve Cornick Stan Dueck Thor Flender Bert Goodvin Juergen Korn Doug MacLean Nick Marnik Charles McLaren Donna Mercier Craig Olsen Mary Ellen Read Madeleine Rousseau Tod Smarch Theo Stad Brad Taylor Doug Thorseth Sharon Walsh Wayne Wilkins Colin Young

Organization Canada Structural National Research Council Canada- IRAP FSC A&E Dixon Timber Ltd. Dixon Timber Ltd. National Research Council Canada-IRC YT Building Safety Sinclair & Associates Teslin Tlingit Council Yukon Housing Corp. Energy Solutions Centre City of Whitehorse Charles McLaren Architect Ltd. Yukon Cold Climate Innovation Center Olsen's Resource Consulting Kobayashi & Zedda Architects National Research Council Canada-IRC Teslin Tlingit Theo's Construction and Home Testing 33698 Yukon Inc. City of Whitehorse Kareway Homes Frost Buster Energy Consulting YTG PMA

Opening Remarks, Welcome and Introductions M. Rousseau welcomed everyone to this consultation meeting and thanked everyone for accepting the invitation for this half-day consultation. Special thanks of appreciation went to Mr. Allyn Lyon at the Yukon Housing Corporation for assisting NRC in the planning and logistics associated with the event. A round of introductions followed.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Whitehorse Yukon Feb. 8, 2007

Objectives and Agenda

M. Rousseau presented the objective of the consultation and reviewed the agenda. Objective: for NRC to benefit from the experience of northern building communities regarding requirements and performance of building envelopes and other factors of prime importance (e.g. transportation, ease of construction, qualifications of workers, etc). For the building community, to have the opportunity to propose wall assemblies that could be included in an evaluation spanning several aspects of performance (energy, moisture control and environment impact) Agenda: M. Rousseau suggested that the sequence of topics on the tentative agenda be changed, to have the field survey discussion at the end of the session. Interest in presenting field survey results in Carmacks YT was confirmed and was scheduled for the end of the half-day.

Description of the Project

S. Cornick presented the NRC PERD-079 project and the deliverables (PowerPoint presentation). The floor was then opened for questions and clarifications. D. MacLean asked about the use of mineral wool in the NT and NU in the stud space. He had heard that it has some advantages over glass fibre insulation, in some types of installations.

Issues of Priority in Housing in Yukon

Participants provided the following comments: It was reported that typical Yukon contractors are cost-conscious and are very conservative in their selection of construction methods. Local builders usually select traditional stick frame methods (2X6 framing). There has been a change in approach by the Yukon government, as part of the new Climate Change Strategy, to require all new public buildings to be built to LEED standards or equivalent. The changes are being carried through to residential construction. There was a question regarding NRCan Commercial Building Incentive Program (CBIP) and what happens with respect to LEED. There was some concern about the breathability of the wall structure specifically the ability of the wall to dry out. One participant commented that Whitehorse has a somewhat forgiving climate being not too cold and dry. (Editors note: It was unclear if this comment applied to the rest of the territory as well.) There was also some discussion about electrical penetrations and sheathing boards that were vapour tight. A breathable sheathing was yet to be found. Yukon Housing Corporation (YHC) builds to R2000 or GreenHome standards, and common practice is to use R20 glass fiber batts between 2X6 and interior 2X3 strapping to get another R8. M. Rousseau asked as to the number of R2000 certified builders. Apparently there are not many certified R2000 builders in the Territory.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Whitehorse Yukon Feb. 8, 2007

Review, Discussion and Prioritization of Wall Assemblies of Interest

M. Rousseau presented a variety of different wall construction methods (PowerPoint presentation based on Task 2 of project led by NRC Dr. Nady Said; Dr. Saids report is available on NRC website at http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/bes/hmpe/north60pubs_e.html). Each wall construction method was presented and discussed by the participants in terms of current usage, benefits and disadvantages. Single Stud Walls Single Stud with Insulation in Stud Cavity Only The single stud wall with insulation in the stud cavity only is used in Whitehorse. In projects built by theYukon Housing Corporation however it is not used as this method does not minimize thermal bridging and is too restrictive on the thermal resistance achievable with common insulation materials (i.e. glass fibre batt) in the stud cavity. Polystyrene core panelized single stud wall systems have been tried for different applications especially commercial and retail applications. Some participants reported using panelized wall construction for housing and they indicated that it did not seem to be cost effective. When asked about the use of post and beam construction and separating the structure from the envelope, the contractors voiced some reluctance and indicated that they were mostly happy with the 2x6 wrap and strap approach using glass fibre batts. Single stud wall with interior insulating sheathing J. Korn mentioned that in Yukon a common type of residential construction consists of: a 2x6 framing with the stud cavity filled with glass fibre insulation (R20), combined with 2x3 horizontal strapping on the interior side of the polyethylene air/vapour barrier, creating another cavity filled with fibrous insulation (R8) the wrap and strap approach. On the exterior of the stud cavity, OSB panels (7/16 in.) are installed horizontally, with a small horizontal gap between panels, followed by a housewrap and an exterior siding. Mostly vinyl sidings are used in the Territory; custom or higher priced homes may use wood hardboard or fibre cement hardboard siding. A special detail on the interior vis--vis the bottom and top plates aims at minimizing thermal bridges. Polyicynene foam (open cell sprayed polyurethane foam) is often used in the rim-joist space and sometimes in the stud cavity. EPS rigid foam can also be used on the exterior of the rim joist. Foam is also typically sprayed into the rough opening between the window and the wall. Horizontal strapping was discussed with the objective to keep the trades from introducing some perforations in the air and vapour barriers. The thermal bridging at double bottom plates was also mentioned. A wall section drawn by a contractor showed the use of 25 mm rigid insulation at base and top of the inside strapped cavity to minimize thermal bridging at the base and at the top of the wall. It was noted that even with 2x3 strapping some dusting on the interior finishes has been observed (indicating some thermal bridging). During extreme cold conditions it was noted that in some instances there was condensation due to vapour transfer in the 2x3 strapped cavity however the moisture accumulation would disappear after the extreme cold event. Damage was usually noted to occur where the vapour barrier/air barrier has been perforated locally, in a corner for example. In these cases ice accumulation was observed to occur.

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Blown-in cellulose fibre insulation is quite common in housing applications, mainly in attics. It tends not to be used in walls due to concerns over settling effects. Wind effects have caused scouring of loose-laid attic insulation. Some participants felt that cellulose fibre insulation however could work well with interior strapping in walls. A comparison of the change in R-value of cellulose vs. glass fibre would be useful. A participant indicated that a benefit of cellulose over glass fibre could be that cellulose could soak up liquid water on the surface and redistribute it. Sprayed polyurethane Foam (closed cell) insulation is used occasionally to fill stud cavities but not for housing. Polyicynene insulation (open cell sprayed polyurethane foam) is used around the rim joints and some time in the wall cavities. In the far north (Old Crow for example) polyicynene insulation, cellulose fibre and polyurethane foam (PUF) should be considered due to reduced shipping costs; however the lack of availability of the trades impedes the use of some of these products. Issues discussed included the effectiveness of the products as an air barrier, the quality of workmanship and the need to create access (rafter systems instead of trusses in the roof). It was reported that in custom homes, one practice was to drill holes (around 1 to 1.5 in) in the top plate for promoting drying of the stud cavity. There was some uncertainty whether this was permitted in Part 9 of the NBCC 1 for fire stopping reasons. One participant indicated that this type of venting was not permitted in non Part 9 buildings. Yukon territory is a high seismic zone and sheathing board is required for bracing. Wind bracing and housewrap alone would not be sufficient and would not provide adequate sound separation. One participant reported that many houses have been built with only wind bracing and housewrap. Single Stud Wall with Exterior Insulating Sheathing Rarely will insulation be placed on the exterior of the stud cavity in new construction. This technique is more often adopted in retrofit of existing housing. D. MacLean has been looking for tested and/or tried solutions for retrofit practices to give to homeowners. The idea would be to provide them with a variety of cost effective options. The use of foam plastic boards on the exterior is not typical. Most participants were concerned about the limited vapour breathability on the exterior of the wall assembly. Shipping costs were discussed. Board stock insulation such as extruded polystyrene (XPS) is not used due to the bulkiness and transportation costs. The shipping charge for such products is by volume rather than weight and these types of insulations were reported not to be cost effective to ship, even if road transportation is available. The choice of siding also affects the costs. Mineral wool products were deemed to have a potential for exterior and below grade uses. It was suggested that the Nunavut Housing Corporation does not use glass fibre insulation any more because of the risk of mould growth, glass fibre particles and the availability of alternative products with better fire retardant characteristics. When asked whether the PERSIST wall construction method being used in Alberta and the REMOTE system, tested by the Cold Climate Housing Research Center (Fairbanks, AK) were used for housing, the response was that it was deemed too expensive (at least the PERSIST system). It was suggested that PERSIST system was a response to a change in building regulations regarding air barrier systems. It was also viewed as an Alberta import to the arctic. PERSIST might be more
1

The Yukon Territory adopts the NBCC as the local building code.

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cost effective for residential non-Part 9 buildings. For the far north the use of rigid foam is problematic because of the transportability issue but other types of insulation though more cheaply transported might be disadvantaged by higher installation costs if the necessary trained labour is not locally available. There is also a practical limit to the amount of insulation that can be installed in attics near the exterior walls. Without a high heel truss or a rafter plate between the rafters and ceiling joists, adding any insulation can restrict the attic venting from the soffits, and not allow for a 2.5 in. clearance between the insulation and roof sheathing. Yukon is a high seismic zone and bracing (for wind as well) tends to limit the options for high R-value systems. Generally the current wall construction method with 2X6 filled with insulation and interior insulating sheathing seem to perform well. However when noise from the exterior is problematic, XPS insulation is sometimes used on the outside. This is not done frequently however because of transportation costs, difficulty with the sequencing of trades, and the increased time to close up the envelope. (Editors note: Construction methods permitting quick closing up of the outer shell of buildings were a common theme of all three consultations. With these methods, the construction can continue on the interior of the buildings independently of weather conditions. ) Double-stud Walls M. Rousseau asked the participants how they consider achieving an R40 level of insulation if it became a necessity? There was no discussion on this issue as it was suggested that this is beyond the effective value of the insulation. In other words it was more beneficial at this point to look for other energy saving measures (greater savings could be achieved elsewhere). However, it was noted that some houses in Whitehorse have walls with R40 insulation or greater, and more are being considered. There is interest in obtaining information on the most economic construction approaches for high R insulated walls. Double walls would be a solution to the problem of achieving R-values of 40 and above. When asked if double walls had been tried the discussion focused on technical issues such as: how is the cavity fire blocked and how is convection in the cavity handled? One contractor reported that he had built one house with a double-wall construction method and it was so much work that he would never do again; it was not cost effective. He was quoted as saying, I built two houses! It was suggested that for double-stud walls it was Homeowner vs. Builder True Believer vs. Payback. The KIS (Keep it simple) principle was recommended. Avoidance of too many layers of materials and complex trade sequencing is best. Minimizing transportation costs and cost of waste disposal was recommended (same comment as in Yellowknife session). When asked about the option of using panelized double-stud wall assemblies, one participant reported that this type of systems was for true believers. Summer overheating of super insulated tight homes was a concern. Possible mitigating solutions might be more massive floors and cellulose insulation. More mass in the building could mitigate summer overheating as well as retaining heat in the winter. One difficulty however is that short summer nights do not permit the rejection of stored daytime heat.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Whitehorse Yukon Feb. 8, 2007

SIP Walls Systems Participants discussed the pros and cons of Structural Insulated Panel systems (SIPs). These could have the benefit of speed of construction but the continuity at joints can be a problem. SIPs might work perhaps in combination with some other components to form a complete wall assembly. SIPs might be effectively transported especially since the structure and insulation are combined and might make a cost effective argument when used with extra insulation. Concerns included damage during transportation and handling, storage conditions and the tendency of plumbers and electricians to cut holes in the panels. Insect damage was also mentioned in relation to XPS insulation. Participants reported that insects did not appear to be a problem with mineral fibre insulation. Insulating Concrete Formwork systems (ICF) Some participants reported that R-values of up to 50 could be achievable with 4 in. of XPS, 6 in. of concrete, and 4 in. of XPS. Four ICF homes have been built in the Whitehorse area. ICFs are becoming more cost competitive (as cost of lumber increases) provided the concrete pour can be completed in a single day. Issues discussed were the availability of suitable aggregate and workmanship, especially the vibration of the concrete and the need for bracing for seismic loads. (Editors note: It should be noted that almost all communities in the Yukon have all weather road access with the exception of Old Crow.) General Discussion The use of infrared (IR) cameras is not widespread. Yukon Energy Corp. is equipped with an IR camera but the equipment is not readily available to others. About 1900 energy audits have been done. This represents about 20% of the housing stock. The energy audits are commonly done after the vapour barrier has been installed to check for leaks in the AB/VB system. Key elements drawn for the review of the different wall construction methods: There was little positive experience with double-stud wall systems and little enthusiasm for such type of system. There was a general concern to reduce the number of extra layers in wall systems, the number and sequencing of different trades, and the complexity of wall designs. Workmanship is always a concern. Participants raised several technical issues for investigation, which could help them make better-informed decisions on performance of wall systems and housing in general.

Concerns were expressed that water could accumulate on the inside face of XPS insulation and this moist environment could promote mould and rot (plastic foam tends to be installed on the exterior in retrofit situations); this is a concern in wet climates but how about in cold climates? Generally exterior XPS insulation seems to work and reduce condensation but how will it dry? A related issue is cold walls and mould growth as seen in the Carmacks field study. The issue of air leakage especially around the bottom plate; this was an issue also noted during the Yellowknife consultation. Junctions between the exterior walls and the floor and the roof are a concern. The performance of polyicynene insulation (open cell sprayed polyurethane foam). It is easy to transport, flexible enough to accommodate to different designs and easy to install.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Whitehorse Yukon Feb. 8, 2007

The performance of different insulation materials used in a single stud framing construction methods. Use of mineral fibre single stud wall technology, a common wall system in Nunavut. The performance of single part PUF for junctions and interface between components. The cost-benefits of different energy retrofit measures for older housing stock. The need for effective ventilation systems in the North. The need for a comparison of insulation systems; cost, performance, moisture management, durability.

General building related issues were further discussed. Specifically what the target service life should be for housing. It was agreed that with general maintenance the expected service life should be indefinite, however maintenance budgets tend to be minimal. Attic ventilation was also discussed. Some participants reported cases of bathroom fan ducts pulling away from their point of exit outside, resulting in the evacuation of moisture into the attic space rather than to the exterior. It was suggested that poor handling of interior moisture into the attic space and improperly ventilated attics were the primary cause of mould and rot. The service life of new housing can be as short as 10 years. It was mentioned that in the Yukon there is much more frequent reuse and renovation than in other places, not surprising given transportation costs. Renovations typically occur after less than 20 years. Some participants raised the question of the increasing insurance costs and an example was given of the cost of fixing SIPs walls vs. the cost of a crew to fix a log wall. There have not been a lot of unventilated roofs installed in the Yukon because of workmanship issues: the details have not been properly considered or taken care of. Metal roofs were reported to be problematic with respect to condensation. There have been instances of sopping wet insulation in brand new homes with metal roofs. The solution recommended by the manufacturer had been to install a spun bonded polyolefin membrane underneath the metal roofing to drain the condensate from underneath the metal sheeting(it was not readily adopted because of the cost and the concern over the safety of walking on the roof with the fabric in place). There were also seasonal effects due to temperature and pressure differences especially during the spring season. There were also northsouth effects due to radiation and heat reflection. Having said this, the majority of metals roofs did not seem to be a problem if properly installed but tended not to be used because of high labour costs and avalanches off the roof.

Findings on a Field Survey in Carmacks YT

M. Rousseau presented the results of the survey of the Carmacks houses (PowerPoint presentation). A discussion with T. Stad, the EGH auditor for the Carmacks houses monitored, indicated that the owners of the houses had had wood stove installed (7 out of 8 houses monitored); they had shut down the oil furnace to take advantage of low cost wood. This was a likely cause of the problems found in the Carmacks houses, namely poor air and heat distribution coupled with poor envelope performance.

Closing of the Session

The consultation ended after noon with S. Cornick and M. Rousseaus words of appreciation for the valuable input received in this session.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Arviat Nunavut Feb. 12, 2007

Community Consultation on High Performance Wall Assemblies for Extreme Climates PERD 079 Task 2B
Monday, February 12th, 2007 8:50 - 12:00 Executive Boardroom Katimavik Suites Arviat, Arviat NU Participants: Name Michael Aloscious Sam Alagalak Michael Dragnea Graham Gavin Dorothy Gibbons Kojo Kumi Don Moors Patsy Owlijoot Lisa Senra Abraham Tagalik Charlie Malla Mike Illnik Alex Ishalook Bob Leonard Steve Cornick Madeleine Rousseau

Organization

Nunavut Housing Corp. Headquarters Arviat

Arviat Housing Association Nunavut Housing Corp. Kivalliq District Office, Arviat Leonard & Associates Ltd. National Research Council Canada Institute for Research in Construction Ottawa

Opening Remarks, Welcome and Introductions M. Rousseau welcomed everyone to this consultation meeting and thanked everyone for accepting the invitation for this half-day consultation. Special thanks of appreciation went to K. Kumi for assisting NRC in the planning and logistics associated with the event. A round of introductions followed. Objectives and Agenda M. Rousseau presented the objective of the consultation and reviewed the agenda. Objective: for NRC to benefit from the experience of northern building communities regarding requirements and performance of building envelopes and other factors of prime importance (e.g. transportation, ease of construction, qualifications of workers, etc). For the building community, to have the opportunity to propose wall assemblies that could be included in an evaluation spanning several aspects of performance (energy, moisture control and environment impact) Agenda: M. Rousseau suggested that the sequence of topics on the tentative agenda be changed in light of the way similar consultations in Yukon and NT worked best within the timeframe available. Interest in presenting field surveys results in NT was confirmed and was scheduled for the end of the half-day.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Arviat Nunavut Feb. 12, 2007

Description of the Project M. Rousseau and S. Cornick presented the project and the deliverables (PowerPoint presentation). This brought about several questions and comments from the participants: The Scope of the Project. A few comments/questions were asked about the scope for the project, as the building envelope of a house also includes floors, roofs and windows and similar types of assemblies tend to be used for all components. The importance of foundation design for permafrost was also raised. M. Rousseau pointed out that the current project deals only with walls, and that IRC could envision extending the project to include other parts of the building envelope once this project is completed. S. Cornick added that years ago NRC used to have a research group studying construction on permafrost but it was not in place anymore. However all issues raised will be taken back to IRC for further discussion. The question about the importance of doing a cost/benefit analysis for the most viable technologies was raised. Up North many constraints such as transportation costs, complexity of assembly, short construction season come into the equation for the assessment of the viability of a construction method. The Test Protocol. K. Kumi asked about the length of the proposed test. S. Cornick responded that according to a draft test protocol, the proposed test duration is 42 days. There was some discussion concerning wind pressures and pressure difference across the wall. Again this was addressed in the draft protocol currently under review. The Test Specimens. There was a general concern about whether the test specimens could replicate the typical quality construction found locally in practice. M. Rousseau presented the concept that deficiencies will be introduced in the test specimens at a given stage of their testing to increase the air leakage through these. Most new house construction undertaken by the Nunavut Housing Corporation were reported to have good workmanship as evidenced by all the new houses meeting the 1.5 air changes/hour @ 50 Pa fan test at the construction stage. All new construction is subjected to blower door testing. However it is not known to what degree the air tightness of houses changes over time during service life, or how much of that change has to do with the movement of the walls. For instance it is not uncommon for door weather stripping to fail within a month. There is a plan afoot to visit and perform blower door tests on older houses aged 10 years or more. Innovative Technologies and Retention of Local Skills and Know-how. Many different construction methods had been tried in Nunavut over the years, many demo housing units built, but there was a notable lack of continuity and insufficient documentation on the results of these innovative approaches as turnover of personnel is high and no field monitoring of the performance gets done or shared with the community. There was a suggestion that local resources could be used for gathering information and monitoring performance. There was some discussion on the storage of information especially regarding the performance and monitoring of buildings. (Editors note: Would it possible to train people at Arctic College, there is a branch in Arviat for example.) There is little transfer of technology and knowledge amongst the various territories and arctic regions. This is not due to a lack of will but rather to a lack of formal and informal structures to allow for communication between people having similar goals and activities etc. For example it was reported that the counterparts in Nunavik (Northern Quebec) are keen to find out about activities in Nunavut especially among the Inuit. K. Kumi mentioned the benefits of conferences focussed on northern issues, such as the Cold Regions Conferences. The last one was held in Anchorage Alaska in 2001. The EkoNorth Forum was held in Whitehorse Yukon in 2004. However the Project Management Conference held in Yellowknife every two years is not focused on housing.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Arviat Nunavut Feb. 12, 2007

S. Cornick presented the concept of setting a Internet-based Portal for sharing information on-line. The Yukon Cold Climate Innovation Centre (YCCIC) (http://www.yukoncoldtech.com/) located in Whitehorse has shown an interest in setting up this Portal when S. Cornick and M. Rousseau conducted the consultation there the previous week. (Editors note: Is this a possible topic for a future Northern Envelope Forum or for a future PMC conference and could this work be done using the Northern Portal potentially hosted by YCCIC? Also would it possible to extend or use the work of PERD 091 GIS-Based MMS 2 to the North?) Face-to-face exchange was also considered very valuable and there was some discussion about setting up a regular event specific for the Northern regions. Issues of Priority in Housing in Nunavut There is a serious need for new housing construction in Nunavut and overcrowding in homes is a problem. About 725 houses will be built over the next three years in Nunavut. Even with this new construction, the needs for new housing will remain. Some general construction issues were discussed. These were related to construction process, cost, service penetration in the building envelope and foundations (in random order). With respect to construction process, there is a general problem with the shipping of building materials. This issue was discussed more fully near the end of the consultation and is described below. Shipping costs feature largely in decisions made regarding building construction. For example semi-rigid mineral fibre insulation tends to be used instead of rigid foam insulation types since semirigid insulation can be compacted considerably during transportation whereas rigid foam board stock such as extruded polystyrene insulation takes up much more volume and can break, therefore board stock insulation is much more expensive and less practical to ship. Perforations of elements of the building envelope was reported to be a major issue in Nunavut. Cutting holes for services; vents through the walls and roof of super insulated buildings are problematic, so their occurrence is minimized. Foundations are also problematic. Some participants indicated that all types of foundations in the North move, even the space frame foundations used under multiplex units (provision must be made underneath the house for services). These differential displacements can cause the formation of cracks in the walls, ceiling and joints and provide air leakage paths. Other participants reported that with a spaceframe foundation, the entire building tilts in response to any settlement under any frame support so no stresses are transferred to the building envelope. M. Dragnea expressed a concern about the importance of a rigid support for the air barrier system (in Nunavut new housing, the housewrap is the designated the air barrier, and the poly located between a layer of R21.5 and and a layer of R7 semi-rigid mineral fibre board is the designated vapour barrier- both membranes are sealed to other components to be continuous). The concern has to do with whether possible flapping and deflection of the flexible air barrier membrane under wind loads can have adverse effects on the durability of the seal (typically adhesive tape) at the joints. M. Rousseau mentioned that several housewrap membranes manufacturers have obtained an evaluation report by the NRC Canadian Construction Materials Centre (CCMC) for their air permeance, which qualifies the membrane as an air barrier material, but the system with its joints and junctions to other components has not been evaluated. Another concern had to do with the performance and durability of adhesive construction tape in very cold climates, which has not been studied.

Maintenance management systems

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Arviat Nunavut Feb. 12, 2007

Review, Discussion and Prioritization of Wall Assemblies of Interest M. Rousseau presented the different wall construction methods found in the literature (Task 2 of project led by NRC Dr. N. Said; report available on NRC website at http://irc.nrccnrc.gc.ca/bes/hmpe/north60pubs_e.html ). Each wall construction method was presented and discussed by the group in terms of current usage, benefits and disadvantages. Single Stud Walls Single Stud with Insulation in Stud Cavity Only The single stud wall without any insulating sheathing is not used in Nunavut as this method does not minimize thermal bridging and is too restrictive on the thermal resistance achievable with common insulation materials prevalent in Nunavut housing (i.e. mineral fiber semi-rigid insulation and previously glass fibre batt). Single Stud Wall with Interior Insulating Sheathing The most common wall construction method adopted by the Nunavut Housing Corporation and used for residential construction in Nunavut housing is the single wall referred to as wrap and strap type construction method (shown below). A thermal resistance for the wall insulation of R27 is typically specified and achieved with this construction method. This design has performed very well in the field and has been deemed quite successful.

There was a question about what kind of windows and doors are generally used most windows in new construction are now triple glazed.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Arviat Nunavut Feb. 12, 2007

Single Stud Wall with Exterior Insulating Sheathing Typical practice in Nunavut consists of enclosing the building as quickly as possible so that construction can proceed indoors. Consequently having extra layers on the exterior of the stud walls has not been adopted as it can delay the closing up of the exterior part of the shell. The use of foam plastic board stock as exterior insulating sheathing has not been adopted in Nunavut because of higher freight cost and higher risk of damage (i.e. breakage) during shipping and handling. Low vapour permeance of these products and lower drying potential have been reported as an impediment. There was a brief discussion regarding the use of insulation on the exterior of the envelope. Exterior insulation tends to be used mostly in commercial construction, and retrofits, but not in new house construction. The PERSIST concept has been applied in Nunavut and in Arviat specifically on projects designed by architects mandated by the government, for housing government employees deployed in regions (called staff housing). These units consisted of 2x4 steel framing with no insulation in the stud cavity, and 2 layers of extruded polystyrene insulation on the exterior. The strapping and the insulation were staggered. The housing units in Arviat were reported to be performing satisfactorily. Some tenants of these units reported wear and deterioration of the units as well cold air infiltration at floor levels and it is suspected that interfaces were imperfect. The cost of this system however was said to be prohibitive. Double-stud Walls and Panelized Wall Systems Two main issues were raised namely, the costs and the complexity of such construction methods. Double-stud wall constructions use more materials and the costs associated with the purchase of materials and their shipping are much higher than current methods. The complexity of the walls and their detailing present challenges related to the construction process: training and availability of the trades as well as the speed of erection to ensure a quick close up of the buildings. An example citied was one double-stud wall house built in Arviat where the exterior stud wall was the load-bearing wall, and it was reported that it took too long to build. With respect to costs or Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA), M. Dragnea indicated that there has been some analysis about optimum levels of insulation. Energy modeling studies carried out by the Nunavut Housing Corp. suggested that after R40 or R38 the longer contribution in terms of cost/benefit of going from R40 to R60 would be around 0.2%. Targeting other energy uses may prove more cost effective than increasing the levels of insulation. There may however be other reasons for increasing the levels of insulation, health and safety for example, but other solutions may also be appropriate. It was suggested that 12 in. thick walls for example would be too much for cost reasons as well as practical considerations such as constructability and loss of living space. The cost of storing materials, not only in the North but storing materials for shipping in the South, would also be higher. Storage costs should not be too high to allow builders to make some profit 3 . The benefits and drawbacks of panelized systems were discussed and several factors make the use of panelized systems less attractive in the North, such as costs of shipping, the need for tight construction tolerances on site, the risk of damage to the panels during transportation and the training and reduced need for local labour.
3

There are a number of ways in which buildings are procured for the Housing Corporation. In one case the government builds and owns the housing units, which they lease out. In another mode private developers build the housing units and lease them to the government.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Arviat Nunavut Feb. 12, 2007

Some participants reported that the preparation of the CMHC-Nunavut Housing Corporation E2 4 project identified issues regarding panelized construction: 1) although panelized systems exhibit superior insulation and sound attenuation (from outside) qualities, the issue of maximizing local employment in construction worked against using this system 2) it was not clear what the costbenefit analysis is for the system and this may be addressed in the final costing analysis of the E2 house 3) there was an issue of ensuring that, in the assembly of the SIPs systems problems would not occur over the long term where the panels join together. It was mentioned that there is reluctance in the North to use solutions that involve exterior insulation, based on field experience. However for the E2 project the shipping of the panels, specifically SIPs panels, will be investigated; in that case SIPs in combination with 2x2 wood strapping will be explored. The SIP panels would be used for their structural loading capacity with the strapped insulated cavity and poly providing an additional level of protection against air leakage at the joints. Design tolerances on panelized systems are tight and this can cause problems on site. As well, panels can be damaged and create construction difficulties on site. It was noted that the high school in Arviat was built using prefabricated metal sandwich panels and that there was some difficulty during construction due to the fact that many of the panels were racked or twisted, either during manufacture or shipping. Many of the panels had to be cut square and this additional step required a tremendous amount of extra labour. For creation of local employment, construction systems that encourage the use of local labour tend to have strong benefits for the community.

K. Kumi reported that there was a model Sustainable Northern Housing Design project in Thompson MB built by Manitoba Housing. The building construction is prefabricated: in order to provide a higher quality product, the design of the shell of the home is based on a prefabricated Structurally Insulated Panel (SIP) system and a Trodetic foundation system.

It was mentioned that NHC used the Sustainable Northern Housing Design in a pilot project in Iqaluit. The building is completed and occupied. The SIPs are loadbearing. There were reported problems with adhesives and sound attenuation. The problem was traced back to poor workmanship. The SIP manufacturer staff at the site was not familiar with cold weather construction (Note: the Thompson MB project was built in the summer while the Iqaluit project was built in late fall/early winter). It was felt that currently panelized construction and SIPs required a level of tolerances that may not be achievable in practice. There was also a concern regarding the Sound Transmission Class requirements and whether the amount of insulation was sufficient to meet codes. Another demonstration project using standoff walls, locally called super granny house was mentioned. This was an experimental home built in the 80s with 12 in. thick walls; there was no feedback on the performance to date. This was another instance of the lack of consistent review of any feedback on performances and maintenance of demonstration houses as well as regular houses. This is an issue common to all the consultations held so far.

The E2 project is a CMHC- NHC demonstration project to build one house that requires 50% less energy that the minimum requirements set in the Model National Energy Code for Houses.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Arviat Nunavut Feb. 12, 2007

Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF) Walls The benefits of ICF construction were recognized, specifically superior heat, air and moisture performance. There was a moderate amount of interest especially if the costs could be more competitive (shipping the materials, workmanship, and labour issues). Two following main concerns were expressed regarding ICF construction: the availability of suitable aggregates and the speed of erection (to ensure a quick close up of the building). It was noted that is cheaper to ship lumber and steel framing elements than rigid polystyrene insulation. General Discussion K. Kumi provided an overview of the construction scheduling process of building housing units for Nunavut Housing Corporation, which now runs on a two-year cycle. By November senior management decides how many units will be built and in what communities. NHC headquarters begins to prepare a design/plan based on the direction from senior management. By February the design work is substantially complete. Materials take-off, ordering and purchasing is complete by the end of March. Materials are shipped and arrive in the late fall and get stored on land until the following spring when construction starts. This cycle enables construction to begin in spring with close up targeted for the fall and to finish the units for occupation by the following spring. The extended construction schedule also gives a chance to plan and to train people. When the projects are on a one-year cycle, the drive for a quick close up of the envelope is very high. It was noted that shipping is quicker out of Churchill MB for all the Kivalliq communities and Arviat in particular (early shipping season) but now everything is shipped out of Montreal all Government of Nunavut Departments and Agencies must use the services under the GN Sealift contract and not so much because of cost reasons. It was reported that it costs approximately $60,000 to ship a 4-plex to Repulse Bay NU. Participants emphasized the importance of getting feedback on the results of the project especially from a practical perspective. Too often different parties consult the community on a variety of subjects but the good is not returned into the community. There was also a request to investigate roofs, ceilings, and floors and penetrations in the envelope such as floor/wall connections. The participants were asked about the circumstances for the switch from glass fibre batts to semi-rigid mineral fibre insulation. The topic had been discussed with CMHC personnel and the reasons given were: -Allows the construction to accommodate a two-week close up time. -Better R-value, water penetration and fire performance -2x6 stud cavity filled with semi-rigid mineral fibre insulation should provide R 22 vs. R20 with glass fibre batts -Semi-rigid insulation allows for the removal of plywood (or OSB) sheathing as part of the wall because of its fire resistance properties. The siding is a structural siding. The participants would like that the current NHC typical wall construction method be included in the project testing program. It was also reported that more funding for air tightness testing is needed.

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Task 2B Community Consultation in Arviat Nunavut Feb. 12, 2007

Due to the de-centralized nature of the building construction, operation and maintenance of buildings over the territory, a need was expressed for 1) remote monitoring systems, and 2) more reliable controls. Findings on NRC Field Survey in Inuvik NT M. Rousseau presented the findings of the field survey of the indoor conditions of relative humidity and temperature in Inuvik NT in Nov-Dec. 2005 (Powerpoint presentation). Participants were surprised by the characteristics of these houses, as these were deemed very different than for the stock of newer construction in Nunavut. As mentioned before, new houses in Nunavut meet the 1.5 ACH at 50 Pa during construction and 5 occupants per house in Arviat is a minimum occupancy load. Consequently it is expected that a similar survey carried out in Nunavut could yield very different results and would be a valuable exercise. Regarding field monitoring S. Cornick proposed to send NHC the temperature and relative humidity sensors used for three other field surveys in the project for deployment in Nunavut houses. M. Dragnea was positively disposed to this suggestion. Closing the Session The consultation ended about noon with S. Cornick and M. Rousseaus words of appreciation for the valuable input received in this session. Action items: 1. Send a number of RH and T sensors for deployment in Nunavut houses (to the attention of the NHC Manager, Design and Development at the NHC) (S. Cornick) 2. Circulate to K. Kumi the proposal for a Northern information on-line Portal being planned with the Yukon Cold Climate Innovative Center (S. Cornick) 3. Distribute notes and Powerpoint presentations on this consultation to all participants for review and feedback (M. Rousseau)

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Agenda
The National Research Council Canada (NRC), in collaboration with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Natural Resources Canada is conducting a four-year study to develop energy-efficient and durable building envelope assemblies for extreme northern and coastal northern outdoor climate and extreme indoor climates. This project is now at the stage of consulting the communities on the selection of promising wall assemblies for evaluation by NRC researchers in 2007-2008, from the point of view of heat and moisture flow controls under challenging indoor and outdoor conditions. An analysis of the impact on energy and on the environment will be performed as well.

DATE:

February 2007

LOCATIONS: Yellowknife NT, Whitehorse YT and Arviat NU TIME: From 8AM to noon

OBJECTIVE: for NRC to benefit from the experience of northern building communities regarding requirements and performance of building envelopes, and other factors of prime importance (e.g. transportation, ease of construction, qualifications of workers, etc). For the building community to have the opportunity to propose wall assemblies that could be included in an evaluation spanning several aspects of performance (energy, moisture control, and environment impact) AGENDA: 8h15 : Opening remarks, welcome and introduction, Description of the project Result of a field surveys (optional) Issues of priority in housing Review, discussion and prioritization of wall assemblies of interest for evaluation 11h45 : Wrap up, action items and follow-up NRC-IRC personnel leading the session: Mr. Steve Cornick and Ms. Madeleine Rousseau, researchers in NRC-IRCs Building Envelope and Structure Program. The NRC-IRC personnel will be available for further discussion, visits after the session, etc

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