A confluence of conditions

Occupants of a recently completed building reported localized peeling of wallcoverings from partition walls (primarily coinciding with the brick cladding/exterior curtain wall interface), as well as condensation on many interior surfaces during the cooling season.
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Aging (not so) gracefully

At a three-story office building built in the 1980s, interior water leakage routinely occurred on the second floor. Typically observed during wind-driven rain, it resulted in wetting of interior finishes and subsequent mold growth.
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Has time run out for glazed brick?

Glazed brick has had a love/hate relationship with the real estate, design, and construction community for well over a century. In 2011, the New York Times ran an article in the real estate section stating that during the middle of the last century, “glazed brick was supposed to make...

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Tip of the iceberg

Evidence of water leakage was reported in a recently constructed three-story building located in a moderate climate, including staining observed at a few locations on interior finishes.
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Considering IRA with brick masonry

Apart from aesthetics, when brick is selected for new construction, test data provided by the manufacturer is often reviewed for strength, saturation coefficients, and perhaps efflorescence. Unfortunately, another important characteristic—the initial rate of absorption (IRA)—sometimes receives little attention.
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Mixed-up systems

The control and management of rainwater on and within a curtain wall assembly is critical for long-term performance and durability. Water-control strategies—most commonly drainage or barrier (exclusion)—can vary by system type and glazing technique.
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Moisture in inside-out building enclosures

In modern buildings, there tends to be moderate tolerance for design/construction errors affecting thermal performance, air leakage, and moisture migration. This is primarily due to the typically low interior moisture levels found in these types of projects and seasonal variation in exterior conditions.
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