Among other things, there is shown embodiments of an enclosure such as a portable building with features focusing on overall improvement in energy usage. Wall, roof and floor configurations are disclosed that provide significant energy savings. Methods are also disclosed for preparing such features and/or refitting existing portable buildings for such energy savings.

The present invention relates to a below grade, blind side, improved dual waterproofing membrane assembly incorporating a secondary membrane comprising of a bentonite sheet waterproofing layer, and a primary membrane comprising of a sheet membrane having an adhesive to fully bond to a concrete/shotcrete. The invention encompasses a dual layer or dual membrane system that acts as a barrier, and prevents, and blocks water and moisture, from passing from one side of the structure to the other side. The dual barrier layer system can be used along a wall, a floor, a ceiling, or along any structure which requires water or moisture proofing. The invention can be used between a concrete or shotcrete layer and the surrounding earth, such as, along an area that has a high water table, or a constant hydrostatic pressure, or high ground moisture, that may creep into a foundation or a wall.

The invention relates to a waterproofing composition with high resistance to different weather conditions and improved insulating and anti-impact properties and which is easy to apply and more durable, and to materials based on same. The composition comprises acrylic resins, water, polymeric particulates and additives.

A drainable house wrap and method of making same includes a flexible weather-resistant sheet layer, and a plurality of raised spacers coupled to the sheet layer, wherein each spacer comprises at least a first strand overlapping a second strand, and wherein the plurality of raised spacers form at least one drainage path for the drainable house wrap.

A set of structurally insulated panels and method of building construction, the set of panels having an indexing system that allows for any one panel to be easily attached to any other panel via indexing pins placed in pre-arranged openings. The indexing system enables essentially any number of panels to be assembled in essentially any reasonable manner to construct a building structure.

In at least one embodiment, a building material comprising a porous membrane having a moderate to high water vapor permeability and high liquid water penetration resistance is disclosed. The building material may be used in building applications, including as or as part of a building wrap, a rain screen, a roofing underlayment, a flashing, a sound proofing material, or an insulation material. The porous membrane may include at least one thermoplastic polymer, at least one filler, and at least one processing oil. The porous membrane may be flat or may have ribs. The porous membrane may include at least one scrim component.

The panel includes a water resistant barrier layer secured atop its outward facing surface. The water resistant barrier layer includes a skid resistant surface. The panels are made of lignocellulosic material. The water resistant and skid resistant surface may include indicia for aligning strips of tape or for aligning fasteners. A method for manufacturing the water resistant building panels is also disclosed and includes the steps of feeding paper onto a forming belt, depositing lignocellulosic material and the binding agent onto the forming belt so as to form a lignocellulosic mat, applying heat and pressure so as to impart the skid resistant surface on the paper, and cutting panels to predetermined sizes.

An apparatus for sealing a hole or a shape in a surface may be disclosed. According to an exemplary embodiment, a soft material may be provided containing an interior hole, an exterior surface, a top lip, and an outer area. In an exemplary embodiment, a bottom lip may be further incorporated. In another exemplary embodiment, a rough surface may be imprinted onto the pipe seal apparatus. The rough surface may be imprinted into the interior portion of the body and the exterior portion of the body and the top lip, or both. An adhesive pipe sealant may be used along the rough surface. The rough surface may have a higher overall surface area for the adhesive to bond to, creating a stronger bond and preventing delamination.

The pliable building membrane 1 is a non-flammable inorganic fabric 2 defining a first planar side 4 and a second opposite planar side 5. A halocarbon polymer in the form of a fluorocarbon polymer 3 is impregnated into the first planar side 4. The halocarbon polymer may be polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorin plastic, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene and/or a tetrafluoroethylene perfluoro propylene co-polymer, for example. Various embodiments have differing ratios of halocarbon polymer to non-flammable fabric and this influences its vapour permeability. A suitable minimum target vapour permeability is approximately 0.15 μg/N.Math.s. An embodiment having a 1:1 ratio has a vapour permeability of approximately 1 μg/N.Math.s, which is well suited for use as a sarking-type material. The non-flammable fabric 2 may be a satin-weave fiberglass fabric or other non-flammable fabrics, such as basalt fibre fabric, or carbon fibre fabric, for example.

A fastener sleeve is described, including a collating sleeve body and a plurality of cylindrical sheaths in the collating sleeve body, each cylindrical sheath engageable with a fastener. A sheathing panel is also described, including at least one barrier overlay secured to a panel, a plurality of fasteners engaged in the barrier overlay and the panel, a plurality of sealing cylindrical sheaths surrounding a portion of each fastener and positioned between the fastener and the barrier overlay, such that the sheathing panel has at least one of the following properties: a water vapor transmission rate of at least 7.0 grams/m.sup.2/24 hours at 73° F. and 50% relative humidity (RH), a water vapor permeance of at least 1.3 perms at 73° F. and 50% RH, or an air infiltration rate of less than 0.2 L/s-m.sup.2 at 75 pascals. A method of engaging the fasteners with the panel is also provided.