2017 Product Guide: Building Envelope

The most basic requirement of a house is to provide shelter for its inhabitants, and the newest products in the building envelope category meet that demand in both function and design. These innovations are making homes more resilient to air, vapor, and water with advancements in insulation, siding, and roofing. Products like GAF’s roof-integrated solar system are also giving homeowners the opportunity to produce as much energy as they consume.

Of course, Americans want their homes to look as good as they perform and manufacturers are stepping up the curb appeal, even for products that were previously thought of as purely functional. Larger windows, stunning garage doors in a range of architectural styles, and wood- and stone-look exterior siding and finishes are trending. Resiliency is top of mind, too, and buyers are seeking out products like NanaWall’s SL73 folding doors, which marry hurricane-resistance with a sleek, modern look. Read on for hand-picked products that can make your houses efficient, durable, and beautiful.

LP SmartSide
Smartside trim and siding products offer the natural look of wood with the durability of an engineered product. New 16-foot siding lengths decrease seams by up to 33%, according to the company. The impact-resistant product is treated with the company’s SmartGuard manufacturing process using waxes, overlays, resins, and zinc borate to protect against fungal decay and termites, and is backed by a 5/50-year limited warranty. LP sources its wood via practices certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

Demilec Heatlok XT HFO
This Texas-Based manufacturer hits it out of the park with its new Heatlok XT HFO spray foam insulation, which decreases spray foam’s impact on the environment compared with other formulations. The product is the first to use a hydrofluoroolefin blowing agent, a chemical made by Honeywell called Solstice. Made of more than 20% recycled plastic and renewable oils, Heatlok XT HFO has a global warming potential (GWP) of 1, says the firm, whereas hydrofluorocarbon agents used in other products have a GWP of 1,000.

DaVinci EcoBlend Roofscapes
The company has added four new options to its EcoBlend line, which is approved by the Cool Roof Rating Council to reflect sunlight and heat away from homes, thus requiring less air conditioning to cool the home. Offered in polymer slate and shake roofing tiles, new color blends include Tahoe-­EcoBlend, Mountain-EcoBlend, Brownstone-­EcoBlend, and Slate Gray-EcoBlend, with variations of light to dark shades available in each. The new color blends meet EnergyStar and Title 24 requirements for California.

Clopay Reserve Collection Modern Series
With an eye on two trends dominating the market—mid-century design and natural wood finishes—the company offers up its newest selection of garage doors: the Reserve Collection Modern Series. The latest line, with three base styles that can be customized, pairs a natural element with a sleek, architectural design. With an R-value of 5.9, these contemporary doors come with four-layer polystyrene insulation and are available in Western red cedar, redwood, fir, or meranti. They can be factory-stained or primed for painting. Sizes range from 6 feet to 18 feet wide and 6½ to 8 feet high.

IKO Cambridge IR ArmourZone
The firm has expanded its ArmourZone feature—a tear-resistant, reinforced woven band providing resistance to winds up to 130 mph—to its Cambridge IR shingles. They feature a resilient, heavyweight fiberglass mat, which is fortified with an extra-thick layer of modified asphalt, giving the shingle additional elasticity. ArmourZone technology provides fastening strength over a greater surface area of the shingle, helping to resist nail heads from pulling through the shingle in high winds.

GAF DecoTech
The Decotech roof-integrated Solar System is a new idea in solar power that provides a low-profile alternative to rack-mounted panels. Instead, the system is integrated directly into the roofing. It incorporates a robust flashing and counterflashing shield to reduce the risk of leaks and animal intrusion, while relying on a black gloss finish to create a monochromatic profile that helps blend the panels into the roof for a sleek look. All wires are also hidden under the panels.

Kingspan Kooltherm
Kingspan manufactures its Kooltherm insulation with a blowing agent that features zero ozone depletion potential and low global warming potential. The Kooltherm line offers a K8 Cavity Board, K10 FM Soffit Board, K12 Framing Board and K15 Rainscreen Board. The K10 FM Soffit Board, seen here, has a glass tissue based facing on its front and a low emissivity composite foil on its back for structural ceilings. It is resistant to the passage of water vapor and unaffected by air infiltration.

NanaWall SL73
Home buyers love large windows and doors, but it’s important that these expansive panels of glass are weather resistant. The NanaWall SL73 folding door system is safe for hurricane zones, including one of the most vulnerable markets, Miami-Dade County, Fla. To meet that rating, NanaWall offers two sill options for the SL73—a high-performance sill to protect against flooding and a low-profile saddle sill for a sleek design in locations without flood concerns. The system can also be customized with multiple color options in heights up to 10 feet, and can include up to two swing doors with inward and outward openings.

Simpson Door Co. Water Barrier Coating
The company has expanded use of its water-barrier technology to contemporary, flush doors for flexibility in design. Customers can now have a solid wood door, with the traditional wood finish on the interior and a more modern, sleek finish on the exterior. The new water-barrier technology can be used on any type of wood and with varying styles with different shapes, designs, and windows with standard raised or flush Shaker moldings. The barrier combines a moisture-resistant, medium-density overlay with a thermoset acrylic latex topcoat on the door’s exterior. The surface can be painted any color for a custom finish, giving homeowners more choice.

Flir C3
With a 3-inch touchscreen, the C3 is a pocket-sized device that provides thermal imaging technology on the go. Measuring 3 inches by 5 inches and weighing under a third of a pound, the C3 provides a detailed look at hidden electrical, plumbing, or moisture issues. The unit includes Wi-Fi connectivity to streamline image transfer while featuring higher thermal sensitivity and measurement capability for accurate temperature readings. The device also includes a new picture-in-picture function.

Typar HouseWrap DW
Typar’sHouseWrap DW has an integrated drainage plane that uses a layer of multi-directional polypropylene fibers to divert water from exterior wall cavities and drain it away from the assembly, allowing the system to divert more bulk water than traditional housewraps, according to the company. The wrap protects against damage, such as mold and rot, caused by trapped water and meets current code requirements per ASTM E2273. The integrated system reduces labor, because it can be installed without strips and extra pieces.

Fortifiber Weathersmart
Weathersmart drainable offers a drainage solution that channels liquid away from the wall assembly at more than 95% efficiency, a performance greater than any residential code in the country, according to the company. The material is made from spunbonded polypropylene fabric with a non-perforated breathable polymer layer, and is embossed for drainage efficiency. It is made in the U.S. and protected by a 15-year limited warranty. Rolls of 125 feet are available in 5-, 9-, and 10-foot widths.

Sierra Pacific Windows H3 FeelSafe
The manufacturer has designed a window to withstand even the toughest coastal storms. Meeting Zone III ratings, the new H3 FeelSafe windows marry the best of two other Sierra Pacific lines: H3’s high-tech design and FeelSafe’s impact-rated strength. Combining these aspects while maintaining a reasonable price has earned Sierra Pacific recognition for innovation. Featuring the company’s patented Fusion Technology, these windows integrate extruded aluminum, vinyl, and solid wood into a structurally sound product. Design choices include a continuous head and sill with varying color, hardware, and SDL bars.

BASF MaxFlash
As a replacement for flashing tape, the company offers a new type of flashing membrane. MAXFlash is a one-component elastomeric material that is best used as a flexible waterproof flashing membrane at rough openings. Other uses include preparing sheathing joints for subsequent application of air/water-resistive barrier membranes or water-­resistive gypsum sheathing. Applied in a zig-zag motion, contractors simply use a putty knife to apply the material evenly across the surface.

Liquid Nails FUZE*IT
The greenguard-certified FUZE*IT adhesive is a hybrid-polymer blend that bonds to nearly all materials in any weather conditions and on wet, dry, or even frozen surfaces. The product features what the manufacturer calls an instant-grab technology, but still allows for repositioning during dry time. The low-VOC formula can be applied in temperatures ranging from zero to 140 degrees F and performs in temperatures from -40 to 300 degrees F.