Sloped Glazing: Problems and Solutions

This seminar presents typical challenges and solutions associated with sloped glazing and skylights.The seminar presents a history of development of sloped glazing, different classifications, including the one developed by the author on basis of the air barrier location, types of internal and external drainage of sloped glazing, structural challenges typical sources of failures, applicable construction testing procedures, code compliance, maintenance access to the sloped glazing, safety standards, challenges involved in obsolete code interpretation as related to the modern glazing, analyses of frequently misunderstood details, examples of correct details, and energy ramifications of sloped glazing.

Case examples will include typical cases of leakage, condensation and icing, thermal simulations of skylight, as well as a structural collapse of a monumental sloped glazing. Many designers and builders treat sloped glazing as it were a tilted curtain wall. However, this proved to be one of the most challenging assemblies, seldom fully understood by their own manufacturers, fabricators, and installers, as well as building enclosure consultants. This may be well illustrated by the fact that rain water leakage of sloped glazing is as unique as it is widespread: it’s unique among other leakage cases because the source and location of a leak may often be obvious; however, it still requires a thorough expertise to understand the mechanism and devise a fix. It’s widespread because many glazings were designed and built wrong from the start, and botched glazings have often successfully resisted multiple investigations and repair attempts. This seminar focuses on areas typically overlooked by architects and engineers in process of building envelope design. The topics are chosen on basis of observations derived from both forensic investigations of failed assemblies and peer reviews of architectural documentation.