Comments on: Building Envelope or Building Enclosure: Which Is the Better Term?

By: Blake

Blake — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:30:44 +0000

My opinion is that the word,
My opinion is that the word, envelope, is so common and over used, like green roof versus vegetative roof.

Reliable Webster has a great definition for both: Envelope: "a set of performance limits (as of aircraft [or building]) that may not be safely exceeded"

Enclosure: "the act or action of enclosing." We all know the building is at a minimum, six sided effort.

As an architect responsible for the design and construction effort I had rather think of this as a conscientious, active, design effort.

I will stick with NIBS and use enclosure if none other than it makes people think like this discussion.

By: Steve Larson

Steve Larson — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:54:08 +0000

Very good point, Stan. I was
Very good point, Stan. I was pretty amazed to read the RESNET interpretation of a simple word that has had the meaning they came up with for 400 years. I was in a class once where the instructor was reading to the class off the very plainly written slide on the screen and kept using the word ‘may’ every time she came to the word ‘shall’. When I questioned her about her word exchange, she told me they were interchangeable…NOT. When I pointed out the difference in the two words in question, she got very irate and told me in no uncertain terms that I was wrong and she was right. I shall keep using ‘envelope’ until someone tells me not to, and actually has some negative consequences for me if I don’t follow their orders. I’m with Walt, it really doesn’t matter in this instance. 😉

By: Stan Kuhn

Stan Kuhn — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 04:27:00 +0000

Send the problem to RESNET;
Send the problem to RESNET; they'll have several deliberations. solicit input from the world, have more deliberations, etc., etc. and finally determine the winner.

They just did a wonderful job defining the word "Shall". :^))

By: Debbie

Debbie — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:16:24 +0000

building envelope is the term
building envelope is the term we used in all the classes I've been to.

lets not make it confusing like the hvac companies who want to disreguard everything you say when you say supply box instead of supply boot. or lock tie instead of pundit...

pick one..envelope enclosure ..and move on.

By: David Butler

David Butler — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:31:56 +0000

I'm with WS and JP.
I'm with WS and JP. Terminology is important when the wrong term could lead to confusion. But this is hardly the case here.

By: mike eliason

mike eliason — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:20:09 +0000

in germany, they call it a
in germany, they call it a huelle, which translates to shell/envelope/wrapper. and in the PH community, thermal envelope seems to reign supreme.

By: Bill Smith

Bill Smith — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:26:57 +0000

Paul, I can't believe you are
Paul, I can't believe you are dissing a perfectly ridiculous disagreement. Why shouldn't we consume our waking hours talking about the value of words rather than actually getting the details right in the field?
In the hope of settling this once and for all, and for those few who remember "Rumpole of the Bailey", I would like to propose the term "That which keeps the outside out". No doubt about what we are trying to accomplish and you don't have to worry about whether it is what the postman delivers or what is inside that delivery.
There's a song about this too, now that I think of it. Props to first to figure out the tune:

Outside out,
Inside in,
Got a place
To drink my gin...

By: Paul Raymer

Paul Raymer — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:46:06 +0000

Just stop it! In teaching
Just stop it! In teaching this stuff there are so many terms, so much information that it is already overwhelming for people getting into this! What we need to do is agree on what the terms are and what they apply to. If we can't even agree on the terms, how on earth are we going to agree on the use of undiluted CO or COAF or the area of the kitchen or the height of the building? The terms should be the simple part! Let's put up a poll of terms and then agree on the results so we can teach consistently. . . . Please.

By: David Eakin

David Eakin — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:41:57 +0000

Either term implies one thing
Either term implies one thing – a “boundary”. I believe this is where the true hair splitting occurs. Is this “layer” a boundary for outside air penetration (like wind), rain penetration, moisture movement, interior air movement, heat flow? Each object above is currently “bounded” by differing and varied means hence the discussion fodder. I think we might be better served if we start referring to the specific parts of the construction rather than the generic terms (e.g., is the roof a “boundary” or the interior ceiling? – answer: both). I believe it is this use of the generic terms that causes such turmoil among those who truly think about and strive to improve the several “boundary” layers in construction.

By: John Poole

John Poole — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:22:53 +0000

While all sciences require
While all sciences require some standard nomenclature, real scientists don't take working terms too literally, IMHO, and readily understand what's being referred to from the context, whenever terms get used interchangeably.

Like, for example, "measure" versus "unit" versus "metric". Does anyone really care about, and is anyone really willing to argue over, the subtle differences in meaning of these words? Of course not. The real practitioners know which one is meant, from the context in which its being used, and are comfortable about using them relatively freely.

Anyone who frets too much about ascribing infinitely precise and immutable definitions to terms is really wasting their time. Next thing you know, we'll be arguing about the real existence or non-existence of the Platonic archetypes that "building envelope" and "building enclosure" are projections of. Or something like that...

:-D

~ John