The building envelope wraps the building structure and separates the interior and exterior environments.
The building structure begins at the footings and Foundation walls below grade. Often buildings have parking garages beneath them, which are treated separately from the structure. The building’s structure often consists of columns or walls that support floor systems – these support the vertical loads in a building such as people equipment or furnishings. Buildings experience sideways lateral loads as well and these are supported by the shear (solid concrete, most often) walls and floors, go in industrial buildings they can be cross braces.
The building envelope then consists of the exterior wall systems, including windows and doors, and the roof.
Exterior wall systems are often bricks or metal or glass cladding. Brick walls require regular repairs to address cracked mortar joints and failed bricks over time in order to limit the possibility of water penetration. Bricks most often require repairs due to movements caused by temperature changes or excessive exposure to water.
Metal panel systems are often included as part of a window system such as with curtain walls. It is important to maintain the seals between the panel components. This most often takes the form of caulking repairs.
Sealants or caulking are applied around the building between dissimilar materials. They form part of the exterior skin of the building. However there are also systems in place to limit water penetration in the event of a caulking failure. Most often these are through wall flashing or two-stage sealant systems. Sealants require replacement on a regular cycle.
Stucco is a common form of exterior cladding because it provides additional exterior insulation and is versatile. It is critical that the systems are properly installed and include a drainage plane. Regular maintenance including sealants and re-coating to address micro-cracking that occurs over time is necessary. Re-coating projects also offer the opportunity to improve the building appearance, and combined with other exterior projects can significantly improve the overall appearance of the property.
It is important to plan exterior wall projects in conjunction with one another in order to take advantage of the access availability. These projects are significant projects in the context of the reserve fund plan. Proper planning and phasing can minimize the financial impact.
