What aspect of construction must the construction documents detail regarding the wall design?

The requirement for construction documents to detail the exterior wall envelope is crucial because the wall envelope serves as the boundary between the interior conditioned space of a building and the exterior environment. It plays a vital role in energy performance, moisture control, and structural integrity. The exterior wall envelope must be designed to address factors such as weather resistance, thermal insulation, air barriers, and water intrusion to ensure the building's longevity and comfort for occupants.

While material specifications, energy efficiency, and type of insulation are also important aspects of wall design and can be captured within the overall design, the exterior wall envelope encompasses all these elements and ensures comprehensive performance criteria are met. This includes coordinating materials, construction methods, and the overall interaction with other building systems, making it essential that this aspect is clearly defined within the construction documents.