The home is expected to provide us shelter. Indeed, the home functions as a shield against the rain, sun, snow, and wind. In fact, our homes are our solace so they must be comfortable and warm. They should become a place that we will all love to go home to and find solitude in. But apart from all these things, the basic must come at handthe home should be entirely durable and sturdy. They say there is no place like home so we better make the best out of our own homes! These factors and requirements may be met if only all the elements comprising the home will work hand in hand. The inside and outside environments, the entirety of the building shell itself, the occupants, and the mechanical system must all together function as one united factors.
The building envelope is said to be the shell of the entire house that shields us from weather elements. The things that comprise it are the windows, doors, above-grade walls, the roof, the floor, and the basement walls. The building envelope must be capable of providing the structural support for all of the roofs and walls, shield the overall structure from complete deterioration, permit the flow of natural lighting in the interior, and must serve as the medium of getting in and out of the structure. Furthermore, the building envelope should mark a line between the indoor and outdoor environment plus the weather that exists outside of the structure.
