Building envelope assembly including moisture transportation feature

Abstract

A building envelope assembly includes a first structural frame supporting a first interior layer, a second structural frame parallel with the first structural frame supporting a second interior layer and an exterior sheathing layer opposite the second interior layer, and a flexible sheet disposed within the assembly and configured to transport moisture from between the first structural frame and the second structural frame to a location outside of the assembly. A drain assembly is configured to transport moisture from the flexible sheet. A seal is attached to the flexible sheet and configured to prevent ingress of water toward the first and second structural frames.

1 . A building envelope assembly comprising:
 a first structural frame supporting a first interior layer;   a second structural frame parallel with the first structural frame supporting a second interior layer and an exterior sheathing layer opposite the second interior layer;   a flexible sheet disposed within the building envelope assembly and configured to transport moisture from between the first structural frame and the second structural frame to a location outside of the assembly;   a drain assembly configured to transport moisture from the flexible sheet; and   a seal attached to the flexible sheet and configured to prevent ingress of water, water vapor, and air toward the first and second structural frames.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first structural frame comprises an exterior layer opposite the first interior layer. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first structural frame is an existing wall structure and the second structural frame is adjoined to the first structural frame at the first exterior layer. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a rough opening formed in the exterior sheathing layer and the second interior layer wherein the drain assembly is disposed at a base of the rough opening; and   wherein the flexible sheet is disposed between a bottom of the drain assembly and a component set into the rough opening and configured to passively transport moisture from out of the assembly to an exterior of the exterior sheathing layer, and the seal is configured to prevent ingress of bulk water, water vapor, and air from the exterior of the exterior sheathing layer into the rough opening.   
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the drain assembly comprises a rigid tray comprising a bottom plate spaced apart from a top plate, the flexible sheet disposed between the bottom plate and the top plate, the top plate forming at least one opening communicating with the flexible sheet, and the seal comprising:
 a first seal attached between the flexible sheet and the top plate that is configured to enable moisture to be wicked through the flexible sheet to an exterior of the assembly; and   a bulk seal attached between the bottom plate and the opening formed in the exterior wall assembly that is configured to prevent the ingress of water, water vapor, and air toward the wall frame.   
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the rigid tray comprises opposing ends extending between opposing sides of the rough opening, the opposing ends of the rigid tray fluidly sealed to the flexible sheet. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a moisture transport spacer disposed between the wall frame and the exterior wall layer, the moisture transport spacer comprising a profiled film that forms a substantial barrier to the passage of air and moisture vapor through the moisture transport spacer;   wherein the profiled film comprises an array of outwardly projecting protrusions that are configured to transport moisture along the moisture transport spacer to the flexible sheet.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheet comprises a profiled sheet comprising an array of protrusions formed to project away from at least one major surface of the sheet. 
     
     
         9 . A structural insulated panel assembly comprising:
 a first flexible sheet including a first face and a second face opposing the first face;   a first rigid insulation layer including opposing first and second sides, wherein the first side is fixedly adhered to the first face of the flexible sheet;   a second rigid insulation layer including opposing first and second sides, wherein the first side is fixedly adhered to the second face of the flexible sheet;   a first structural sheathing layer fixedly adhered to the second face of the first rigid insulation layer;   a second structural sheathing layer fixedly adhered to the second face of the second rigid insulation layer; and   a vapor permeable water resistive barrier attached to the second structural sheathing layer opposite the second rigid insulation.   
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible sheet comprises a rubber membrane laminated between the first and second rigid insulation layers. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 9 , comprising a second flexible sheet, wherein the uni-directional dimples of the first and second flexible sheets are aligned and oriented to project away from each other in a unified manner to form longitudinal channels, and a first and second moisture wicking layer are disposed along grooves of the dimple sheets. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the assembly comprises a plate attached to a perimeter edge of each of the first and second rigid insulation layers, wherein the plate is perpendicular to the grooves and the uni-directional dimples. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the assembly comprises the plate attached to the second rigid insulation layer has a thickness equal to a combined thickness of the plate attached to the first rigid insulation layer and a moisture wicking drain assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the assembly further comprises the flexible sheet disposed within a drain assembly and extending into a trough. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the assembly is non-vertical and wherein the moisture transport spacer is configured to direct a flow of moisture between an interior surface and an exterior surface to the flexible sheet disposed with one end at an intersection of the moisture transport spacer and a vertically aligned rigid tray and the other end in a trough. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the rigid tray includes moveable joints at one end. 
     
     
         17 . A non-vertical building envelope assembly comprising:
 a non-vertical structural frame supporting an interior layer and an exterior layer, the exterior layer providing moisture resistance from the exterior of the exterior layer to the structural frame;   a moisture transport spacer disposed between the exterior layer and the structural frame, the moisture transport spacer comprising a film that forms a substantial barrier to the passage of air and moisture through the moisture transport spacer; and   a drain assembly disposed at a lower edge of the moisture transport spacer, the drain assembly comprising:
 a bottom plate comprising a first flexible joint such that the bottom plate is extending in a first direction between the structural frame and the moisture transport system and in a second direction toward the interior layer, 
 a top plate spaced apart from the bottom plate, the top plate comprising second flexible joint between a first section extending in a third direction providing an abutment to the lower edge and a second section extending in the second direction, and 
 a moisture wicking transport sheet disposed between the bottom plate and the top plate, the moisture wicking transport sheet communicating with the moisture transport spacer and configured to passively transport moisture from out of the non-vertical building envelope assembly to a trough disposed at an interior of the interior layer. 
   
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the assembly is a roof. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the exterior layer comprises roofing felt, roof deck sheathing and insulation. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 17 , comprising insulative layers on opposing sides of the moisture transport spacer. 
     
     
         21 . A method of transporting moisture out of a building envelope assembly comprising:
 cutting a slotted openings in a bottom portion of an existing wall assembly between wall framing studs, wherein the slots are above a base plate of a first structural frame;   inserting a drain assembly into the slotted openings, the drain assembly comprising a top cap spaced apart from a bottom cap and a moisture wicking sheet disposed between the top cap and the bottom cap,   coupling a channel to an end of the drain assembly positioned at the wall framing stud;   attaching a flexible sheet to an exterior surface of the existing wall assembly terminating between upper legs of the top plate and bottom plate, and within the coupling channel, and fluidly communicating with the moisture wicking sheet of the drain assembly;   erecting a second structural frame parallel with the first structural frame, wherein the flexible sheet is disposed between the first and second structural frames;   extending the moisture wicking sheet into a trough disposed at a bottom of the building envelope assembly;   directing moisture out the building envelope assembly via capillary action.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising removing an exterior sheathing layer from the existing building envelope assembly prior to attaching the flexible sheet. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , comprising replacing an existing insulation in the building envelope with an insulation of greater thermal resistance. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising mechanically removing moisture from the building envelope assembly. 
     
     
         25 . A building envelope assembly comprising:
 a first structural frame supporting a first interior layer;   a second structural frame parallel with the first structural frame supporting a second interior layer and an exterior sheathing layer opposite the second interior layer;   a flexible sheet disposed within the building envelope assembly and configured to transport moisture from between the first structural frame and the second structural frame to a location outside of the assembly; and   a seal attached to the flexible sheet and configured to prevent ingress of water, water vapor, and air toward the first and second structural frames.   
     
     
         26 . The assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the assembly is non-vertical.