ABSTRACT

Over the past ten years, significant numbers of low-rise multi-unit wood frame residential buildings in coastal British Columbia have been plagued with envelope performance problems. The problems have included water penetration, damage to cladding systems and rotting and decay of wood components. The City of Vancouver, the National Standing Committee on Small Buildings and other industry groups have responded to the problem in various ways, and stakeholders have established the Building Envelope Research Consortium (BERC) to monitor this issue.

The objective of this 1996 CMHC study was to examine the relationship between the building envelope problems and their potential causes. The findings would be used to help identify key aspects of the design, construction and operations and maintenance processes leading to the problems, and to provide a focus for the efforts to resolve these.