Carleton opens building envelope research centre

Carleton University has opened the Centre for Advanced Building Envelope Research (CABER). CABER is a state-of-the-art facility equipped for research on materials and design strategies for retrofitting homes to conserve energy. CABER researchers will study the movement of heat, air, and moisture through materials and wall systems and develop new approaches to building envelope construction and retrofits. The facility includes a “two-storey guarded hot box” for research on retrofit wall assembly performance, as well as a two-storey pressurized spray rack that will be used to assess how structures interact with the outdoors and to assess moisture resilience. CABER will support knowledge mobilization; provide training opportunities; and collaborate with industry, government, and academia to foster solutions to building problems.