Façade Engineering

Building on our early-stage design involvement, we refine the façade details for incorporation into the contract documents. We also leverage our building enclosure knowledge to coordinate interface details for a holistic execution of the façade construction. Our graphics capabilities allow us to support projects in many levels of detail; we can deliver early-stage concept design, detailed design and structural calculations, and shop drawings.

The variety of materials available for facades as well as their manufacturing techniques are ever increasing. In addition to more traditional materials, these include:

• Specialty Glass products
• Ceramic Materials
• Finishes on diverse substrates
• Fiber Composites
• Composite and laminate materials
• Timber façade components
• Insulation

Materials are exposed to the elements during their entire service life so must be durable as well as aesthetically pleasing; their cradle-to-cradle carbon impact is also an important consideration. We assess performance characteristics through life cycle assessments, hygrothermal modeling, and performance verification through physical testing in our laboratory.

We can support projects with added complexity such as blast resistance, high wind and/or debris impact, specialty infill panels such as formed glass or fiber composite components, integrated dynamic shading or lighting systems.

We prepare specifications specific to façade systems and their performance, adequate for each stage of the design. We assist with early contractor engagement, preparation of tender documentation and tender evaluation. Employed by owners, developers and architects as well as general and specialist façade contractors, we have a highly collaborative approach and are experienced in various procurement methods, such as:

• Traditional Design Bid Build with reference design
• Design assist with early façade contractor involvement
• Design-Build
• Lean Project Delivery

Our practical and analytical expertise in all aspects pertinent to building enclosures allow us to vet novel solutions for the various performance aspects during the procurement process.

The movement and storage of heat, air, and moisture through the building enclosure greatly impacts energy use, durability, and comfort. With recent and future energy code revisions trending towards ever stringent performance targets, and the rapid development of new building technologies and façade systems, our team is prepared to help the industry and our project partners in navigating real challenges.

Applied analytics recognizes the value that emerges from combining a practical understanding of construction technologies with building science theory.

Whether it is new construction, forensic investigation, or preservation and rehabilitation, our approach to analytics begins with clear problem definitions to empower our teams to identify and to deploy the most appropriate techniques to answer question(s) that matter. Some of the techniques and processes which differentiate us include laboratory facilities, field research sites across North America, and our leading-edge multi-dimensional hygrothermal and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) capabilities.

Some examples of the questions we regularly assist our project partners with include:

• What R-value is my wall (roof, floor, etc.,) assembly and what does it need to be?
• What is the impact of thermal bridging be on my façade?
• What is the U-value, SGHC, VT of my window?
• How can thermal bridge mitigation be used to decrease cost and embodied carbon?
• What impact will my façade system choices have on energy use, window-to-wall ratio, cost, or carbon?
• What glass should I specify?
• What impact will shading have on thermal comfort, glare, and energy use?
• Where might there be a risk of condensation in my façade?
• What is the risk of freeze-thaw, organic growth, corrosion, and the overall durability of my existing façade undergoing a retrofit?
• Will my façade provide a healthy and comfortable environment?

Our approach is equally useful in addressing more complex situations requiring tailored tools and processes to understand the problem, answer the relevant question(s), and communicate solutions. We frequently use tools such as THERM, WINDOW, HEAT3, Siemens Nx, Solidworks, WUFI, WUFI2D, WUFI Plus, CONTAM, and monitoring sensors from SMT and Onset.

Check out the following case studies for some of the work our team has delivered:

• BC Housing IEQ Study (Indoor Environmental Quality of Social Housing Buildings in British Columbia – Resources – RDH Building Science)
• CSA Z5010

Curtain wall systems have become ever more complex to improve their performance and address occupancy comfort and aesthetic design challenges. High levels of prefabrication and customization and increasing level of globalization are expanding the notion of what is possible but create more complex supply chains and increase technical risks.

Our teams have extensive experience in high performance curtain wall design and a wide variety of North American and International systems. Our collaborative design approach allows us to address all performance aspects pertinent to the curtain wall and its integration with other building assemblies and systems – from structural considerations, solar and thermal performance, to material selection and production challenges.

The building enclosure is key opportunity to explore unconventional materials and creative structural concepts. Free of primary load paths, designers can increase transparency, express lightness and use a wide selection of materials. Our team has extensive experience with developing specialty façade solutions, such as:

• Structural glass walls and glass structures
• Long span steel and glass facades
• Structural timber facades
• Tension stayed glazed facades
• Tensioned and pneumatic skins for facades and roofs
• Fabric structures

We utilize material-specific structural design and provide solutions that are visually exciting, strong, robust and durable. Our staff have been involved in award-winning structural glass projects.

Getting a product or system idea from a sketch on a napkin to installation on hundreds of buildings is an intimidating task. Refining or altering an existing product for use on a new type of building or in a new climate may only be slightly easier. We can help you on each step of the process; from developing the idea, to production, buildability review, compatibility verification with other materials and systems, market acceptability, and code compliance.

Our services include consultation, laboratory research, outdoor exposure testing, computer modeling, installation manual development, and hands-on training for trades.

System Development:

Our teams have extensive experience in designing custom high performance glazed aluminum systems and prefabricated wall systems. We are aware of the time sensitive nature of manufacturing. In addition to providing engineering input on environmental separation related performance (heat, air, and water performance), system design includes optimizing extrusion profiles and connections to better realize a wide range of conditions, including anticipated future load requirements. Our collaborative design approach allows us to optimize designs to save time, money and material.

Release Dies for Fabrication:

Building off our systems design drawings, we coordinate with component manufacturers and prepare die drawings for manufacturing.

• QA/QC: Custom, new and unique façade systems can allow a high degree of prefabrication and can lead to improved fabrication quality. The size of orders for larger buildings allows national or international procurement. We work with many specialist fabricators around the world and advise design teams on fabricator capabilities and help to develop design solutions. This industry knowledge facilitates access to a range of suppliers and negotiation of competitive proposals.
• Laboratory and Field Testing: Our laboratory and field testing services are used to support innovative and creative designs for new and existing building projects prior to committing to a design. We specify and witness laboratory and fabricator facility testing to confirm performance. We also define mock-up protocols for visual inspection and compliance performance testing prior to fabrication.
• Fabrication: Our team has years of experience visiting manufacturing facilities, both in North America and internationally. We provide plant reviews to reduce risk to the project and troubleshoot when fabrication issues arise. Our involvement at the fabrication stage is a natural link to site installation and offers the opportunity to course-correct before the façade system is crated and shipped to the construction site.
• Site Installation: Our review of site installation focuses on the façade elements beyond our building enclosure reviews. We work collaboratively with façade installers to verify that the systems are erected per the contract.

Our review of site installation focuses on the façade elements beyond our building enclosure reviews. We work collaboratively with façade installers to verify that the systems are erected per the contract documents and per the performance mock-ups.