Insulation & High Performance Barriers
Insulation is well known as an effective way of reducing heating costs and thereby electricity consumption. The insulation of the roof was significantly upgraded and a light grey colour asphalt material used for the final surface, reducing the energy absorbed from the sun during the summer months.
The entire library is wrapped in a high performance barrier membrane, in this case called Blueskin, which stops rain, air, and vapor from entering the space. This is a critical, but many times unnoticed, part of the energy efficiency strategy. Care was taken to ensure no gaps or holes were introduced into the membrane which is made of rubberized asphalt with a blue polyethylene film.
