Understanding Concealed Spaces in NFPA 13
Concealed spaces are often overlooked during early design, but they can play an important role in the overall fire-protection strategy of a building. In sprinklered buildings, hidden voids such as ceiling plenums, attics, interstitial cavities, utility chases, and underfloor spaces must be carefully evaluated to determine whether sprinkler protection is required.
4 min read
Air Barriers Under the 2021 IECC. What Changed and How Projects Demonstrate Compliance
Air leakage has long been one of the most significant—and least visible—sources of energy loss in buildings. Even well-insulated assemblies can underperform when uncontrolled air movement bypasses the thermal barrier, carrying heat and moisture through gaps and discontinuities.
5 min read
Parapets
Parapets at exterior walls serve a simple but critical purpose: they preserve the continuity of fire separation where a rated wall meets the roof. Without this vertical extension, flames, radiant heat, and hot gases can readily bypass the wall by traveling across the roof membrane, undermining the very separation the wall was intended to provide. For this reason, the International Building Code (IBC) requires that exterior walls intersecting the roof be extended upward as par
5 min read