Our goal is to understand the owner's and designer's aspirations for the project and work with them in the selection/development of the building enclosure assemblies. It has been our experience that changes during later stages of the project are more difficult to make and more expensive. A small amount of building science input during the design concept phase of the project can identify opportunities for cost effective solutions, and successful integration of the buildng enclosure with other building systems. To do so, we consider:

• Environmental loads, i.e., the interior and exterior climate, and how these loads vary due to site exposure including topography and building height and form.
• Energy performance targets and trade-off opportunities.
• Life cycle expectations and maintenance and replacement of components of differing life cycles.
• Constructability and sequencing.
• Building structural system and structural attachment of cladding, glazing, and roofing components.
• The integration of all the enclosure systems.

Ultimately, the building enclosure assemblies must function together to separate the interior from the exterior environments, essentially controlling the movement of heat, air, and moisture. Selecting the right assemblies at the concept stage is key to carrying through the construction documents and ultimately through construction.