The testing of multi-layer building envelopes was performed using an environmental chamber following the ASTM C1363 and ISO 8990 standards. However, performing such tests in accordance with the standards by an accredited laboratory can be extremely costly, and many laboratories have waiting lists of several months. This is a significant cost for researchers and building material testing companies in the construction industry. Therefore, the goal of this study was to design, construct, and test a portable environmental chamber for building envelopes to validate the accuracy and the efficiency of the built environmental chamber to measure the thermal performance (i.e., R-value) of wall panels at extreme climate conditions (i.e., −20 °C and 80 °C). The results indicated that the built environmental chamber is capable of maintaining the steady state temperature inside the chamber during the hot climate condition test of 65 °C (150 °F) within ±0.5 °C and during the cold climate condition test of −16 °C (3 °F) within ±1 °C, meeting the requirement of the ASTM C1363-19 standard. The results also indicated that the built environmental chamber is capable of measuring the R-value of building envelopes under hot climate conditions with an accuracy of ±0.73 ft²·°F h/BTU (±0.129 m² °C/W) and under cold climate conditions with an accuracy of ±1.02 ft² °C·h/BTU (±0.180 m² °C/W). This university-based testing program allows companies to test several building envelopes at a relatively low cost and minimum wait duration. Additionally, such an environmental chamber can be used for the accurate evaluation of innovative designs to determine promising designs and to refine wall specimen prototypes for manufactured materials.

Buildings located in extreme cold climates encounter challenges (e.g., heat loss, condensation, and frozen utilities), especially within their wall envelopes. These challenges also play a pivotal role in occupant health, comfort, and the structural integrity of the building. While the existing literature has primarily focused on thermal performance, this study underscores the importance of evaluating hygrothermal performance within wall envelopes, given the existence of mold growth even in cases of high thermal resistance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the hygrothermal performance of an adaptable house wall (AHW) panel that incorporates composite infill panels paired with vacuum-insulated panels to endure harsh cold conditions in Alaska. Therefore, three steps were proposed to: (1) collect the material and thermal properties of the AHW; (2) model the hygrothermal performance of the AHW in WUFI^® PRO v6.7 software; and (3) analyze the results. The results revealed a moderate risk of mold growth in the inner plywood layer of the AHW, whereas the outer plywood layer showed zero risk, indicating an acceptable condition. The findings aid decisionmakers in recognizing potential mold-related issues in building walls before advancing to the construction phase.

Field productivity of building trades is the focus of prefabricated construction practitioners as a path to greater profitability and competitiveness in the marketplace. Construction firms are struggling to meet the demand of the marketplace due to shortages of skilled workers and flat to declining productivity. Human capital and productivity challenges are affecting the ability to both acquire new work and complete the work under contract. This study focuses on the development of an innovative model that defines a process for the design, project site preconstruction planning phase, and fabrication of interior prefabricated wall components that improves onsite productivity. The developed model was tested and implemented in a case study of a single project comprised of four identical buildings located on a singular jobsite while utilizing both traditional and model approaches. The results verify that the productivity model developed in this study is capable of reducing on-site labor hours and, therefore, improving field productivity compared to traditional methods. The application of the model saved between 7–23% man-hours compared to the traditional methods and beat the estimate by 17%. Practitioners and researchers are both incentivized to explore, develop, and implement novel methodologies to address the human capital shortage that is facing the construction industry.