masonry Archives

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.

Spring Forward with Building Envelope Maintenance

April 29, 2025August 30, 2025Autumn Dean

Spring is a time of renewal: baby birds, tulips, and… building envelope condition assessments? After months of snow loads, wind-driven rain, ice dams, and freeze-thaw cycles, our buildings in northern climates need some TLC. The spring months offer a window of opportunity to inspect and address roof, wall, window, and foundation issues before they escalate. Early detection and repair can extend the lifespan of building components, enhance energy efficiency, and maintain occupant comfort and safety.

Non-Profit Building Envelope Assessment

November 11, 2024November 6, 2024Carmen Prantil

Boston, Massachusetts

2023

CopelandBEC provided pro bono building envelope investigation services to assist a local non-profit organization with evaluating widespread deferred maintenance items as well as ongoing water leakage at two of the organization’s Boston facilities.

Our visual review of existing conditions revealed lack of effective water management by the flashing at the top of the brick veneer, which contributed to deterioration of exterior finishes and wood windows, as well as water leakage into the office spaces below. We also identified issues such as corrosion of the metal lintels above the windows and adjacent brick spalling.

corroded metal lintels and adjacent brick spalling

The results of this investigation demonstrate how apparently minor deferred maintenance items can compound over time and result in much larger, and costlier, problems. Check out our recent post on the benefits of proactive maintenance planning to learn more.

This is Why Facade Inspections are Essential

April 24, 2024October 3, 2024Carmen Prantil

CopelandBEC recently conducted a facade inspection at a Boston high rise hotel to assist the property management group comply with the Boston facade inspection ordinance. Sometimes these inspections are routine and confirm that everything is as it should be.

This was not one of those times.

Cutting Corners Cost 40x More Than Doing It Right

January 29, 2024January 29, 2024Carmen Prantil

Budget will always be a factor. But while looking to save money is often a priority, there can be a right way and a wrong way to approach it. The decisions made upfront during design can have a lasting impact on the value and quality of the finished building.

CopelandBEC recently worked on a single-family residence where this lesson was learned the hard way.