Trace the air barrier material and its documented air-permeance basis through the wall section, then follow it into penetrations, transitions to adjacent air barrier work, and the specified mock-up or field test method. Resolve interruptions by location rather than assuming a typical detail applies everywhere.
Assemble the review package
Gather wall sections, air barrier continuity details at openings, roof-to-wall and foundation transitions, the mechanical penetration schedule, and the issued air barrier specification. Include the insulation and cladding attachment details where they connect to the air barrier layer. This guide is scoped to the building air barrier system; identify the separate specification governing any self-adhering, fluid-applied, or spray-foam air barrier product used to build it.
WBDG publishes UFGS 07 27 10: Building Air Barrier System as a public guide-specification reference (accessed September 27, 2026). Use your project’s issued specification and amendments for the actual comparison; the guide specification does not automatically govern your project. The checklist below is an original suggested review workflow, not a reproduction of the UFGS requirements.
Eight checks to run against the issued set
Use one record per location or system. The CSV contains the same eight prompts plus fields for source revisions, observed evidence, the review owner, the decision, and closure references.
| Check | Sources to compare | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Material and permeance basis | Wall section layer + air barrier material clauses | Does the identified air barrier material match the specified product, and is its stated air-permeance value tied to the same test method the specification requires? |
| Continuity through the typical wall | Wall section + air barrier detail | Can the air barrier be traced as one continuous layer through the typical wall assembly, or does the section show a gap the detail does not resolve? |
| Openings and transitions | Window and door details + air barrier tie-in clauses | Are the air barrier’s connections to window, door, and storefront perimeters detailed, rather than left to a general sealant note? |
| Roof and foundation transitions | Roof-to-wall and foundation details + air barrier continuity clauses | Does the documented package show how the wall air barrier connects to the roof membrane above and the foundation air barrier below? |
| Penetrations | Mechanical and electrical penetration schedule + sealing clauses | Are penetrations through the air barrier identified with a specified sealing method, rather than assumed to be resolved by the general wall note? |
| Compatibility of adjacent materials | Product data + insulation and cladding attachment details | Is there a documented compatibility basis between the air barrier and the insulation, fasteners, and cladding attachments shown at the same location? |
| Mock-up and field verification | Specification testing clauses + project test plan | Does the project identify where the specified construction mock-up or field air-leakage test will occur, and who reviews the result before the area is covered? |
| Whole-building leakage basis | Energy or commissioning documents + specified whole-building test method | If a whole-building air-leakage target is referenced, does it identify the same test method and scope as the air barrier specification, rather than an unrelated figure? |
Worked example: a barrier that stops at the storefront
Illustrative example: a typical wall section shows the air barrier applied continuously across the exterior sheathing, and the specification states its required air-permeance basis. A storefront perimeter detail on an adjacent sheet shows only a sealant joint at the frame, without identifying how the wall air barrier connects to the storefront system’s own air seal.
Pair the wall section and storefront detail in one question, and ask the design team to show the specific tie-in material and sequence at that perimeter. Check insulation and cladding attachment locations near the same joint so that resolving the air barrier does not leave a separate compatibility question open.
Avoid a false conflict
A continuous line on a typical section does not confirm continuity at every real junction, and a general sealant note does not by itself describe an air barrier tie-in. Confirm the actual detail and specified material at each penetration or transition before calling the assembly complete.
When requirements disagree, follow the project’s document-control and clarification process. Do not assume that drawings always override specifications, or the reverse. Identify the exact sources and request an authorized decision.
Close the issue across the affected documents
Record the location or tag, drawing and specification references, issue dates, observed difference, and the decision needed. Assign an owner and keep the item open until the response identifies the governing requirement. Check the revised drawings and specification references together; a response email alone may leave the issued package inconsistent.
For the overall process, use the guide to drawing and specification conflicts. Mark an inapplicable checklist row with a reason, and distinguish a verified correction from a question that still needs design information.
Where Groundbook fits
Groundbook’s drawing and specification review helps investigate potential disagreements in the documents you supply. Include the relevant specification sections and drawing references, then verify the cited evidence with the responsible reviewers before acting on a finding.