Construction Progress: Week of May 6

Electricians came in this week and began running wires. Conduit for the vapor compression panels are also being prepared this week. The conduit was put in place in the exterior walls before the insulation was sprayed in (this is the blue conduit you can see from the exterior). It is surprising to see that the conduit was run through the walls as apposed to above the panels in a drop ceiling. The reasoning behind this placement is uncertain. It would seem more logical to run the conduit on the interior of the building to ensure the maximum amount of insulation and the minimum amount of air transfer between the interior and exterior. Aesthetically, running the conduit in the wall assembly may be more pleasing; however, one also must consider the adverse affect this decision will have on the performance of the building’s envelope. For more information about the insulation used in the building envelope see “Construction Techniques: Spray Foam Insulation.”