Environmental Conditions & Context

Identify the environmental, site, and contextual conditions that define the stresses a house must manage, anchoring decisions in actual exposure rather than generic best practice.

Builds on: P1 (desired performance outcomes)  ·  Leads to: P3 (loads), P4 (failure mechanisms)  ·  Cross-series: A2 Land, Zoning & Yield

P/A bridge: Site exposure constraints (drainage, wildfire setbacks, solar orientation, snow storage) directly reduce buildable yield.

Core Concepts

• Conditions define the problem space. Can identify key climate/site stressors for the local context.
• Climate averages aren't enough; exposure matters. Can include site/drainage/wind/solar/smoke context in decisions.
• Strategies must be condition-specific. Can avoid one-size-fits-all assemblies and explain context fit.

Stressors to Consider

PF: Climate (B1), Weather (B2), Water/Hydrology (B3), Air Quality (B5), Regulation (B8)

Exposure Checklist

For each project, evaluate: west-facing walls (wind-driven rain + UV), north roof valleys (snow drift + ice), walkout basements (grade/drainage), foothills/WUI edges (wildfire/smoke), alley-loaded infill (access + drainage). Regulation is also a condition: adopted energy code, wildfire interface rules, utility requirements, and inspection practice define the design problem alongside climate.

Where Things Go Wrong