Tag Archives: Specification

The air/vapour barrier must die

The terms “air barrier” and “vapour retarder” (or “vapour barrier”) are perhaps some of the most poorly understood concepts in the construction industry. A general lack of understanding of the functions of these materials has resulted in simplistic rules-of- thumb. It is crucial the industry agrees on terminology that communicates the specific functions and purpose of these materials to avoid confusion and costly errors.

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North American steel specification updated to incorporate research advancements

Last month, the 2016 edition of the North American Specification for the Design of Cold-formed Steel Structural Members was published. This specification was the result of work by both the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) Committee on Specifications for the Design of Cold-formed Steel Structural Members and the CSA Group Technical Committee on Cold-formed Steel Members.

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ISO helping to ‘green’ civil engineering

A new International Organization for Standardization/Technical Specification (ISO/TS) aims to streamline how environmental impacts of civil engineering projects are reported. ISO/TS 21929-2, Sustainability in Building Construction–Sustainability Indicators Part 2: Framework for the Development of Indicators for Civil Engineering Works establishes a core list of aspects and impacts for assessing sustainability performance of civil engineering works.

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