Building Envelope Assessment
Building Envelope Assessment
A building envelope is simply the separation between the exterior and interior environments. Whether it is moisture, heat, cold, physical impact, or security, the building envelope (much like your body’s skin) is often the first and last defense against destructive exterior environmental intrusion. The health of a building and in turn its occupants, depends largely on the strength and resilience of the exterior envelope and specifically its ability to repel moisture. This ability is particularly important today with the evolving myriad of materials available to enclose a building. The challenge occurs in the proper execution and detailing of the eventual interaction of building components and materials. These typical components include metal panels and roofing, brick, natural and synthetic stone, terra cotta, EIFS, stucco, curtain wall systems, fenestration, polymer roofing membranes, etc.
CPS provides building envelope assessments including on-site inspections during construction. If not involved during the construction process, CPS provides forensic building envelope assessments to identify sources of problems that arise after construction is completed. Additionally, in conjunction with our property condition assessment services, CPS provides building envelope surveys to inform our clients regarding the existing conditions and useful life of their current buildings or potential real estate purchases.
A thorough review of the construction documents is the first step in a CPS building envelope assessment, whether inspecting a system during construction or after a defect has been identified. Owners and architects often utilize CPS’s services in developing a defect prevention plan that involves the review of design details for critical building material and component interfaces (potential failure point) while the design is being developed. CPS evaluates the conditions, reports on findings, provides remedial recommendations, prepares budgets and cost estimates of the various systems, develops an implementation plan, and then oversees the corrective work through to successful completion.
CPS can provide any or all of the following:
- Provide design peer review services
- Facilitate a project quality control/defect prevention plan
- Perform on-site investigation of existing and contemporaneous conditions
- Analyze system component design details and identifying areas of concern
- Identify the source of performance failures
- Recommend remedial measures
- Develop an implementation plan including scope, schedule, and budget
- Manage the remedial implementation process