Copeland Building Envelope Consulting
We solve building envelope problems.
Passive House projects are at the forefront of a transition in the AEC industry, as high performance building standards are becoming increasingly popular.
In this post by CopelandBEC consultants Gert Guldentops and Autumn Dean, you will get a crash course introduction to Passive House.
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While kick-out flashing has been required by code for over a decade, CopelandBEC frequently sees instances of incorrect installation or, worse yet, omission altogether. We recently worked on a condominium community where the latter yielded costly consequences.
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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.
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.
Our epic 3,000 word building envelope self-help guide has just been updated! With links to dozens of free resources and a down-to-earth explanation of building science first principles we hope it’s your first stop for solving building envelope problems on your own.
There are a few key principles that can guide you to the answer of almost any building envelope question. Think of these principles as a an algorithm—a map—that will guide you to the right destination.
Still have questions? Give us a shout.
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.
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