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Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA)
The Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) is a national, not-for-profit trade association that consists of a wide cross-section of stakeholders in the building enclosure industry. Their membership includes manufacturers, architects, engineers, trade contractors, researchers, testing and audit agencies, consultants and building owners.
ABAA is the national voice of the air barrier industry and has raised the level of quality in the industry through a Quality Assurance Program and offers premier training, certification, product evaluations, contractor accreditation and site quality control audits.
ABAA is active in the areas of research, education, standards development, building codes and technical resources for the air barrier industry. ABAA is focused on leading the industry into the future progressively and professionally.
QAP calculator
The ABAA QAP Calculator is a budgeting tool that estimates the cost of including the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) Quality Assurance Program (QAP) on a construction project.
Here's what it does:
- You enter:
- Total project cost
- Total air barrier wall area (square footage)
- The calculator determines:
- How many ABAA field audits are required based on the air barrier square footage.
- The estimated project registration fee.
- The total estimated QAP cost.
- What percentage of the overall project cost the QAP represents.
ABAA Building Enclosure Conference: Call for abstracts
Deadline for submissions is October 24, 2025
The 2026 conference will have a track dedicated to emerging professionals seeking to create a solid foundation in Building Science and Building Enclosure. As part of this track, we seek abstracts that would be considered at a foundational level that would appeal to a wide range of stakeholders such as architects, consultants, contractors and manufacturers that are either beginning their career or have less than 5 years of experience or education.
The key learning topics for the emerging professional track that we are seeking abstracts for are based around the job task analysis and key knowledge areas of the Certified Air Barrier Specialist (CABS) credential. Please note that topic overviews and learning objectives should align with the knowledge criteria for CABS. A copy of the knowledge areas can be found in Appendix A.
Quality Assurance Program
The ABAA Site Quality Assurance Program manages risks that may occur during the installation of air and water resistive barriers. The program has been designed to result in properly installed air and water resistive barriers, to improve the performance of a building, reduce energy costs and reduce moisture damage. The program contributes not only to keeping a project on schedule but also on budget, by educating trade contractors and installers on proper installation processes so it’s done right the first time and reduces the need for callbacks.
Learn more about our Quality Assurance Program.
Education
ABAA offers a series of AIA-accredited courses designed to offer continuing education to architects, engineers, building consultants and other industry members on air barrier considerations ranging from introductory seminars to advanced details.
Learn more about ABAA education offerings.
Explore upcoming ABAA courses.
Membership
Members of the Air Barrier Association of America are at the forefront of advocating for quality and longevity of building installation, energy efficiency, and healthier communities. We invite you to join us in this mission by becoming a Contractor Member.
When you join ABAA as a member, you will benefit from:
- Technical Field Support
- Installation Resources
- Certification and Accreditation Programs
- Business Growth Resources
Latest Webinars
NFPA 285 and Weather Resistive Barriers - Implications for Wall Design
Use of combustible building materials in wall assemblies increases the risk of fire in the built environment. The relationship between the weather barrier and NFPA285 compliance is often misunderstood. This course will cover the basics of the NFPA 285 test standard and the building code sections relevant to weather resistive ...
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Connecting the Dots: Air Barrier Connections
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and this principle is equally applicable to air barriers. For an air barrier to function effectively, it must be continuous. This is why the design process is often described by the adage, "the pencil must not leave the paper." This ...
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Elevating Enclosure Performance: Optimizing Continuous Insulation for Thermal Efficiency, Durability and Safety
This webinar explores how strategic continuous insulation (CI) choices can alleviate pressures on building enclosures and elevate building envelope performance, sustainability, durability and life safety. Attendees will gain insights into NFPA 285 compliance, the role of CI in rainscreen systems and key considerations behind insulation material selection. The course highlights ...
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Latest Videos
The Weekly Blend - Episode 160
Join us every Friday to learn the latest news in the roofing, metal and coatings industry.
The 160th episode of The Weekly Blend is live! Join The Coffee Shops’ COO Karen Edwards and Multimedia Manager Megan Ellsworth for the latest episode of this Coffee Shop original web series.
This week, Karen discusses ...
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