Blog - Copeland Building Envelope Consulting

The Thermal Envelope Certificate Is Not a Substitute for Stretch Code–Compliant Design

January 8, 2026January 8, 2026Matt

Under the Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code, the thermal envelope certificate is often misunderstood. It’s often treated as an administrative requirement to be addressed at the end of a project—something to be obtained after design and construction decisions have already been made. In reality, the certificate is intended to document compliance with the Stretch Code’s envelope performance requirements, not to create that compliance.

Importantly, the thermal envelope certificate cannot make a non-compliant wall assembly compliant. If the building envelope does not meet the required performance thresholds, no amount of documentation at the end of the project will resolve that gap.

Hands On: Exploratory Openings, Mock-ups, and Training

October 13, 2025October 13, 2025Matt

Building envelope systems work, or don’t, because of physical real-world details. Air and water don’t care how it’s drawn—the only thing that matters is how it actually is.

Exploratory Openings

When it comes to diagnosing what’s wrong with a building that’s not working right (if it’s leaking, for example) one of the best tools we have are exploratory openings. Sometimes called “probes”, this is essentially disassembling some parts of the building so we can see what’s under the surface.

Seeing the Forest: Getting the Big Picture on the 10th Edition MA Commercial Stretch Code

October 10, 2025January 8, 2026Carmen Prantil

Anyone manage to get the 10th Ed. Massachusetts Energy Code on their reading list this summer? It’s a real page-turner. (So we made you the SparkNotes).

Which Code Do I Follow?

In Massachusetts, the energy code isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s a tiered system with 3 different levels, each having increasingly aggressive requirements.

The cost of deferred maintenance

September 29, 2025September 29, 2025Matt

In a reality where funding is scarce and resources are limited, how can you best allocate those dollars to care for your most valuable assets?

Status quo: deferred maintenance

Much of the time, proactive maintenance is viewed as a cost. Those inspections and routine repairs are perceived as money out the door. This widely-held perception has led to deferred maintenance becoming the norm for many facilities.

Deferred maintenance is the practice of postponing maintenance activities such as repairs… in order to save costs, meet budget funding levels, or realign available budget monies. The failure to perform needed repairs could lead to asset deterioration and ultimately asset impairment. Generally, a policy of continued deferred maintenance may result in higher costs, asset failure, and in some cases, health and safety implications. (Wikipedia, emphasis added)

What if, instead, we could better tell the story of how investments in proactive maintenance are not costs but actually grow the bottom line?

Live Webinar: Understanding & Designing for Moisture Movement

September 24, 2025October 3, 2025Matt

Update: Watch the webinar on-demand here.

Join CopelandBEC’s Matt Copeland and GAF’s Jennifer Keegan in this live webinar today, September 24, 2025.

Learning Objectives

Differentiate between how moisture moves through airflow and how it moves by way of diffusion through materials and assemblies.
Explain the code-mandated responsibilities regarding building envelope details.
Develop strategies for meeting standard of care obligations related to including details in your design documents.
Cover the new whole building airtightness testing requirements and how to be prepared for them on your next project.

A quick intro video is below and you can register here.