During a building’s lifetime there could possibly be some moisture penetration. Therefore the envelope must not only be effective at limiting water penetration, but also be able to cope with unexpected water entry.

New Zealand lies across the path of the prevailing westerlies known as the ‘Roaring Forties’, so rain is often accompanied by wind. Most of our settlements are concentrated near the coast with changeable weather patterns, high levels of humidity and strong winds, often accompanied by rain.

A specified full rigid air-barrier system such as Ecoply Barrier provides a more robust cavity and prevents the insulation bulging, which would increase the chance of moisture bridging from the cladding to the framing line.

The Ecoply Barrier system is a 7mm thick structural plywood panel that is coated on the face and edges using an advanced polyester powder-coating process. It provides a weathertight rigid air-barrier for drained and vented cavity systems outside the building frame, effectively replacing traditional building wrap in the cavity while providing structural bracing and forming a strong secondary line of defence against moisture penetration into the building envelope – the primary line of defence being the exterior wall cladding.

Ecoply Barrier is installed quickly – just fasten the panels and tape the seams – and could save two to four weeks off the total house-build time by allowing a faster building close-in.

Builders no longer have to worry about installing traditional wall underlay or building paper on a windy day or having to return for re-work due to unforeseen rips or tears. Ecoply Barrier lets you say goodbye to flexible underlay forever.