EIFS “encapsulates the structure with an energy-ef- ficient thermal blanket that reduces air infiltration and thermal bridging, thereby stabilizing the structure’s in- terior environment,” the EIFS Council website reports. EIFS is stringently tested for adhesive bond, impact resistance, moisture and vapor transmission and flame resistance, and provides greater thermal performance than most traditional exterior claddings given its con- tinuous insulation (CI) orientation. Garbin said the EIFS Council has also released its much-anticipated EIFS Practice Manual. “This unique, educational and promotional tool rep- resents the most comprehensive and up to-date user guide for EIFS industry professionals currently available We provide a full line of residential, architectural and institutional brick, stone and stucco. From new home construction projects and landscaping design to commercial construction, architectural projects, and institutional/industrial buildings, we have all the products and services to fulfill your needs. HAMILTON: 1549 Rymal Road East, Hamilton, ON L8W 3N2 905-387-1948 (tel) 905-387-3297 (fax) LONDON: 5735 Colonel Talbot Road, London, ON N6P 1J2 519-652-2799 (tel) 519-652-1528 (fax) WATERLOO: 57 Schaefer Street, Waterloo, ON N2L 4C4 519-884-0861 (tel) 519-884-8813 (fax) FONTHILL: 2560 Hwy 20 East, Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 905-892-2694 (tel) 905-892-6970 (fax) 38 – Winter 2014 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report in the EIFS marketplace,” he says. “We are confident that the details and illustrations section of the manual clearly establishes a new quality benchmark as far as building industry publications are concerned.” The EIFS Council of Canada developed the practice manual to clearly and authoritatively explain the appro- priate use of EIFS as a leading exterior cladding of choice, Garbin said. “Specifically, the manual delivers a thorough under- standing of EIFS in a format that is highly useful to property owners, architects, building designers and specifiers, building code officials, building inspectors, EIFS manufacturers, EIFS distributors and EIFS con- tractors. It includes recommendations for EIFS design and installation best practices that promote satisfac- tory performance and durability and is a complement to the ULC S716 series of standards and clear insight into the technical requirements fundamental to those standards. It is also a comprehensive visual and written framework for functional construction details and specifications that illustrate EIFS acceptable design and construction practices.” The EIFS Council continues its Quality Assurance Program (EQI) roll-out. “Our QAP program is the first of its kind in the North American cladding space and continues to be well received by architects and owners alike,” says Garbin. “A number of EQI projects have been tendered and awarded and are now in various stages of progress at this time.” Garbin says the industry recognized the require- ment for a more skilled and certified trade network across the country to meet the anticipated EIFS market share growth, while ensuring a consistent installed product deliverable coast-to-coast. “The stars are aligned for this industry like never be- fore in its long history in Canada,” Garbin says. “With the new energy codes requiring significant thermal performance enhancements, while at the same time reducing thermal bridging, the continuous insulation philosophy is finally becoming entrenched in our codes. EIFS has been preaching this building science philosophy for over 40 years in North America and the building codes are finally on side with this thinking.”