A 2007 study found that out of 17,000 construction defect claims examined, 69% were due to moisture related defects in the building enclosure systems.
(July 2008 ASHRAE Journal)

BECx Program

With a growing body of evidence suggesting that errors and omissions in the design and construction of enclosure systems and interfaces is responsible for upwards of 80% of construction-related claims, in addition to the increased emphasis on “green”, sustainable, and LEED certified projects, it is clear why a Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx) program is increasingly warranted on new construction projects.

BECx is a quality oriented process for achieving, verifying, and documenting that the performance of the enclosure systems meet defined objectives and criteria and ensures that designers, contractors, and operations and maintenance personnel are fully accountable for the quality of their work.  Our focus is the performance and durability of the building enclosure systems with regards to the transfer of water, vapor, air, and heat across the specified enclosure boundaries while maintaining focus of our clients project’s goals and budgetary constraints.

• Exterior Moisture Barrier.
• Air Barrier
• Thermal Barrier
• Vapor Barrier

Pie specifically tailors our BECx program to the client and their specific needs and expectations. We pride ourselves in providing our clients with one of the highest quality professional services in the industry.

Experience

• Pie has provided building enclosure consulting services on over $3.0 Billion worth of new construction projects since 2002.
• 99% of our new construction clients are repeat cliental or referral based.
• Pie has provided building enclosure consulting services on a variety of department of defense, federal, institutional, commercial, religious, medical, resort and mixed-use facilities across the United States.

Design Phase

• Establish the client's BECx objectives and convey those objectives to the design team, including BECx specifications and testing protocols.
• Consult at pre-design review meetings on the overall building enclosure systems including material selections, detailing, and specifications.
• Conduct peer review(s) of the construction drawings and specifications relating to the building enclosure systems for continuity, constructability, clarity, and omissions.
• Perform software analysis of hygrothermal performance of wall systems and identify thermal bridges by 2-D heat transfer simulation.
• Redline drawings and/or provide a written report to the client.

Pre-Construction Phase

• Participation in pre-construction meetings with the project team.
• Building enclosure materials and systems submittal reviews.
• Customized PowerPoint® seminar prepared specifically for the project team. Seminar will identify areas that require additional oversight and sub-trade coordination and provide real-world examples of enclosure failures and proper construction methods on similar systems/assemblies.

Construction Phase

• Periodic on-site quality assurance observations of construction to ensure compliance with client BECx objectives, design intent, and industry guidelines.
• Interactive photographic-based reporting provided to the client and the contractor to monitor progress and quality of work, including both compliance and areas of concern, and recommend corrective action.
• Mock-up and interim building performance testing (air, water and thermal)

Building Performance Testing

• Exterior water penetration testing to verify performance of as-built systems in accordance with recognized ASTM and AAMA protocols.
• Fan pressurization testing to identify areas of air infiltration/exfiltration through the enclosure and/or provide normalized air-leakage rates and infrared and smoke diagnostics in accordance with ASTM protocols.
• Infrared thermography scans to identify areas of thermal bridges or insufficient insulation in accordance with ASTM protocols.

Project Closeout Services

• Project close out reporting to outline BECx objectives, accomplishments, compliance, and performance testing (can qualify for LEED ID credit).
• Preparation of manual outlining recommended operations, maintenance and replacement schedules.
• Post-occupancy monitoring and verification to ensure objectives are met in building service