Building envelope
The physical separation between the conditioned interior and the outdoors, comprising the roof, walls, windows, doors, floors and foundation.
What is Building envelope?
What is Building envelope?
The building envelope is the boundary that controls heat, air and moisture movement. Nearly every recurring problem an inspector documents — ice dams, condensation on windows, mould in a closet on an exterior wall, high energy bills, a damp crawl space — traces back to a defect in the envelope's insulation, air sealing, drainage plane or vapour control. Thinking in envelope terms helps explain findings to clients as a system rather than a list: insufficient attic insulation combined with unsealed ceiling penetrations produces both ice dams and elevated bills, and treating either symptom alone will not resolve the cause.