Development of Installation Techniques for Structural Panel Connections and Window/Door Interfaces

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Greenstone (Brandon Plant) is the exclusive Canadian manufacturer of the Greenstone Insulated Composite Envelope (ICE). This structural panel building technology is used in wall, foundation, roof, floor and high-rise infill applications. Greenstone's insulated composite envelope is an engineered combination of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and galvanized steel, two well-known and accepted building materials. This combination results in a much lighter and stronger building envelope, with connection details that minimize and attempt to eliminate thermal bridging, making it a highly efficient construction alternative. Greenstone's building envelope technology simplifies the construction process by addressing engineering, framing, thermal compliance, and air and water barriers, all in one-step.****Greenstone's panel technology has been used globally for over 35 years, with proven testing data through fire, structural and thermal analysis. However, testing of the panel joints and the window/wall interfaces has been limited; resistance to air and water infiltration at these points is critical in cold and mixed climate zones with regards to the building envelopes' durability and its energy efficiency. Greenstone would like to partner with Red River College's (RRC) Building Envelope Technology Access Centre (BETAC) team in order to conduct ASTM Standard Testing protocols within an Air/Water/Structural (AWS) Chamber in order to validate and refine the installation techniques at these critical joints and junctions. BETAC will provide expertise and assist Greenstone with identifying compatible materials for sealing panel connections as well as window/door to panel interfaces. The project team will also evaluate the variations of rain screen materials that can be attached to the exterior of the panel system and provide recommendations on the most cost effective solution.****BETAC's research team will conduct the proposed tests at RRC's Centre for Applied Research in Sustainable Infrastructure (CARSI) laboratory, where the AWS Test Chamber is located. The AWS Chamber is specifically designed to simulate wind-driven rain on a test wall assembly. Greenstone Brandon Plant represents an established Small-Medium Enterprise (SME) in Manitoba with an enthusiastic and progressive commitment to research activities. The company has the capacity to implement and further advance the results of this project. The College team is looking forward to testing and developing the most robust installation techniques for the companies' building envelope system, which in turn will be useful in future teaching and research engagements when considering panelized building construction techniques and materials.**