Diagnostics of Building Envelope Failures

and their Rehabilitation

BLDG 484 / BLDG 6671

Building pathology —
principles & methodology
13 January, 2025

Lecturer: Dr. Michael A. Lacasse, P. Eng.

Overview
▪ Course overview
▪ Summary, Objectives and Expected Outcomes
▪ Overview of lectures
▪ Reference Texts & Reports
▪ Expectations / Requirements of Students
▪ Introduction to Building Pathology
▪ Principles of Building Diagnostics
▪ Group Project
▪ Assignment 1
2
Course Summary
• The building envelope functions as a barrier for separating the
outdoor climate from a building’s indoor environment.
• Deficiencies or defects of the building envelope reduce the
long-term performance (durability) of the envelope itself.
• This may lead to:
• Costly repairs
• A compromise in thermal performance of the building
resulting in increased operating costs
• The health and well-being of building occupants being
affected by changes in thermal, acoustical, visual comfort.
• Ensuring building envelope performance, through proper
maintenance and repair, is an essential element towards
achieving high performance buildings
3
Course objectives
• The course is intended to develop in students a thorough
understanding of the practical and technical factors that should be
considered for effective diagnosis of building defects and the
rehabilitation of building envelopes

• It will focus on identifying the causes of building envelope

deficiencies and how to develop strategies to remedy deficiencies
that provide effective and durable solutions.

• Students will be expected to undertake their own building

inspections

4
Intended learning outcomes
At the end of this course, students should be able to:
• Identify failure mechanisms and recognize typical envelope failures
• Determine and apply the most appropriate investigation techniques
to carry out an effective field assessment in identifying causes of
building failures
• Propose effective rehabilitation solutions supported by test results
and analytical analyses
• Be familiar with relevant building codes, standards and test
procedure regarding building envelope performance
• Recognize typical envelope failures, diagnosed using both
analytical and test methods, and recommend repair actions
• Prepare a technical report that includes a condition assessment,
rehabilitation program, cost analysis and maintenance plan 5
Overview of lectures

The topics to be covered include:

• Causes and mechanisms of envelope failures
• Building envelope diagnostic procedures and techniques
• Preventive measures and strategies to remedy defects
• Building assessment protocols and rehabilitation
guidelines
• Building envelope design and detailing principles
• Relevant building codes and standards
• Case studies
6
Overview of lectures

Primary Topics
Introduction to Building Pathology
Principles of building diagnostics
Failure modes & deterioration mechanisms of various building products
Common failures in walls, cladding, roofs and fenestration assemblies
Condition assessment protocols
Investigation techniques
Durability and service life assessment
7
Invited Lectures
Invited Lectures / Winter 2024
Dr. John Wells, Principal, Crosier Kilgour & Partners
Mr. David Kayll, President, Frontenac Building Science

Dr. John Wells Mr. David Kayll 8

List of Reference Texts
There is no required text book for the course | recommended
texts include:
James Douglas and Bill Ransom (2013): Understanding Building Failures, 4th
Edition, March 2013, by Routledge, 326 Pages
ISBN13: 978–0–415–50878–0
James Douglas: Building Surveys and Reports, 4th Edition, 2011, Wiley
Professional Development (P&T)
ISBN 978-1-4051-9761-8
David S. Watt (2009) Building Pathology: Principles and Practice, 2nd Edition,
May 2009, Wiley-Blackwell, 316 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-444-31403-8
Barry A. Richardson, Defects And Deterioration In Buildings,
2nd Edition, Taylor & Francis; 2002.
ISBN 0-419-25210-X 9
Additional Texts
Patrick Loughran (2003). Falling glass: problems and solutions in
contemporary architecture. NA 4140 L68 2003.
Patrick Loughran (2007). Failed Stone: problems and solutions with concrete
and masonry. NA 4119 L68, also available as E-book.
Addleson, L., (1989), Building Failures: A Guide to Diagnosis, Remedy and
Prevention, Second edition, Butterworth, London, UK. TH441A35+ 1989
Failure Mechanisms in Building Construction, (1997). Edited by David H.
Nicastro, ASCE Press,
Harris, S. Y., (2007), Building Pathology – Deterioration, Diagnostic and
Intervention, 2nd edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, US. TH441H295

10
Reports
• V. P. De Freitas (2013). A state-of-the-art report on building
pathology. CIB-W086 Building Pathology. CIB
• Protocols for building condition assessment / Institute for Research
in Construction, (1993), National Research Council Canada, Ottawa,
Canada. TH439P76 1993
• Building Envelope Rehabilitation: Consultant’s Guide, (2001).
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Ottawa, Canada.
TH4816B84 2001

11
Expectations / Requirements of Students

A student’s performance will be assessed using the following elements:

Student’s performance on

Participation
. / pop-up quizzes 5%
Individual assignments 25%
Group project: Report and presentation 35%
In-class test 35%
TOTAL: 100%

12
Questions?
Lecturer Information
Michael A. Lacasse, Ph.D., P.Eng.
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 613-668-3232
Principal means of communication is by email
Scheduled student counseling hours: By appointment

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Overview
▪ Course overview
▪ Summary, Objectives and Expected Outcomes
▪ Overview of lectures
▪ Reference Texts & Reports
▪ Expectations / Requirements of Students
▪ Introduction to Building Pathology
▪ Principles of Building Diagnostics
▪ Discussion
14
Building pathology

▪ Systematic study, or treatment of, building defects,

their causes (aetiology), consequences and remedies
(or therapy) (CIB, 1993)
CIB: International Council for Research and Innovation in
Building and Construction

Aetiology - Investigation or attribution of cause or reason for

something, often expressed in terms of historical context

15
Building pathology

▪ Involves a generalised and comprehensive approach

to understanding how various mechanisms of
degradation affect materials and environmental
conditions within a building

▪ Broad in scope, covering investigative process from

initial manifestations of defects through to
rectification and monitoring - prevention is also a
prime objective when undertaking building pathology

16
Distinction between defect and failure

Defect:
▪ Shortfall in performance occurring any time in life of product or
building element in which it occurs
▪ Departure from design requirements where requirements are not,
themselves, “flawed”
▪ Interpreted as a fault in a material, component or element of a
building

Douglas J and B. Ransom (2013)

17
Distinction between defect and failure
Douglas J and B. Ransom (2013)
Defect - May be described as something that:
• Does not meet client expectations
• Falls below accepted prescribed standard
• Less acceptable than it ought to be, bearing in mind
state-of-the-art and economic reality, or
• Result of an error
Failure -
• Termination of a product or element’s ability to perform its
intended function; consequence of a defect / fault
18
Distinction between defect and failure
Failure:
▪ Termination of a product or element’s ability to perform its
intended function; consequence of a defect / fault

Douglas J and B. Ransom (2013)

failure Courtesy of Prof. Fazio defect 19

 Distinction between defect and failure
Courtesy of Prof. Fazio

defect
Precast concrete or jointed stone masonry coping 20
Aesthetic failure: soiling & staining

21
Failures of materials

Corrosion Wood decay 22

System failure: carbonation of concrete
Carbonation:
Process whereby CO2 in air diffuses
into concrete, dissolves in pore
solution, then reacts with Ca(OH)2
hydroxides, converting them to
carbonates (CaCO3)

Consequent drop in pH to < 9 Carbonation induced

corrosion of edge beam

23
Types of failures
Douglas J and B. Ransom (2013)

24
Types of failures
Douglas J and B. Ransom (2013)

25
Failures in construction

▪ Majority of building defects are preventable

▪ Reoccurrence usually caused by non-application of basic
knowledge – rather than – lack of such knowledge
▪ Underlying cause of many building problems / failures -
Lack of care
▪ Initial cost of buildings is high – however –
it is even more costly and awkward to rectify a failure than
it is to prevent it from occurring in the first place,
e.g. consider movement joints in exterior walls

26
Failures in construction
▪ Building defects & failures account for a large proportion
of construction expenditures
▪ Frequency, severity of building failures  (CIB, 2003)
▪ Fragmentation of construction industry
▪ Contractors, trades (small to medium-size firms), professionals
(architects & engineers); separation of design & manufacturing
process;
▪ Lack of education and training on existing buildings
▪ Nature of buildings: unique, small number of “production”, longer
service life (feedback long/difficult), lack of monitored performance
data, and other causes
▪ Pressure to reduce costs, build rapidly, untested innovation coupled
with poor communication 27
Human sources of building defects

Main categories of errors (CIB, 1993)

• Pre-design errors: e.g. poor or inadequate design brief
• Design errors: e.g. unusual or awkward details leading to
defects or failures
• Construction errors: e.g. poor workmanship, such as
misplacing reinforcement in concrete
• Maintenance errors: e.g. lack of regular cleaning
of roof gutters

Douglas J and B. Ransom (2007)

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Moisture damage

➔
➔
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Algo Centre Mall Collapse
▪ Retail hub for Elliot Lake, Ontario
▪ Two-story structure, commissioned for construction
in 1979 and completed in 1980
▪ Prominent complex feature:
roof top parking deck

Photographer: Dale Burns, 23/06/2012, Courtesy of Elliot Lake Inquiry30

Algo Centre Mall Collapse
▪ Over service life of mall, occupied units within mall reported water leakage
▪ Precast concrete slabs form roof top parking deck upon steel frame

Tarps in store Water damage in storefront

31
Photographer: Dale Burns, 23/06/2012, Courtesy of Elliot Lake Inquiry
Algo Centre Mall Collapse
▪ As earlier as in January 1981, correspondence had been
made regarding integrity of sealants covering control joints
of parking deck
▪ In April 1982, several leaks reported in a few locations
within mall after 5 in. wet snow fall
▪ Band-aid solutions applied to patch failed sealants
▪ Inspection of steel frame ignored over the years
▪ Last inspection was done 10 weeks before collapse
▪ NO comments about steel frame members
▪ Structure reported as “structurally sound”
by inspector, who doctored report! 32
Algo Centre Mall Collapse
▪ Cause of collapse
• Water leakage from roof parking deck
• Corrosion of steel member connection by salt laden water
• Over 30 years, significant loss of cross section of steel beam
▪ Defects
• Design & construction: inadequate waterproofing details, concrete cover
• Inspection & maintenance: inappropriate
▪ Lessons learned
• Many governments recognized susceptibility of their parking
infrastructure, e.g. British Parking Assoc. passing law to make
inspection an obligation, requiring maintenance programs
• Proper inspection, maintenance, and honest reports
• Such an unfortunate event should be completely avoidable 33
Human sources of building defects

Douglas J and B. Ransom (2007)34

Best practice in Building Pathology

Douglas J and B. Ransom (2007)35

Best practice in Building Pathology
Ethical considerations:
▪ Act with integrity: never put your own gain above the welfare of
your clients, and respect their confidentiality at all times
▪ Always be honest: be trustworthy in all that you do, never
deliberately mislead, whether by withholding or distorting
information
▪ Be open and transparent in your dealings: share the full facts
with your clients, making things as plain and intelligible as
possible
▪ Know and act within your limitations: never commit to more than
you can deliver, take full responsibility, and do not blame others
if things go wrong
36
Best practice in Building Pathology
Ethical considerations:
▪ Be objective at all times: give fair neutral advice; never let your
own feelings or interests cloud your judgment
▪ Never discriminate against others: always treat others with respect
▪ Set a good example: both your public & private behaviour could
affect your own reputation, your profession, and other member’s
reputations
▪ Have courage to make a stand: be prepared to act if you suspect
another member of malpractice

37
Best practice in Building Pathology
Evidence-based practice (EBP)
▪ Conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence
in making decisions about the diagnosis and treatment of defects
in buildings
Primary elements of EBP:
▪ Scientific evidence (from on-site & laboratory analysis)
▪ Client preferences or values
▪ Context-building / client circumstances
▪ Practitioner experience and judgement

38
Diagnostics of Building Envelope Failures
and their Rehabilitation

BLDG 484 / BLDG 6671

Group Project

13 January, 2025

Lecturer: Dr. Michael A. Lacasse, P. Eng.

Outline
• Purpose
• Project Group and approach
• Deliverables – Report + Presentation

40
Group project
Purpose
• To apply theoretical & practical knowledge acquired in this, &
other related courses, to a real “building inspection” for a
fictitious “client”
• “Client brief” to be executed by using course acquired skills as
needed to identify perceived building performance issues
• To develop approaches to resolve performance issues, based on:
• Data collection, analysis and synthesis and development of a
methodology for practical retrofit solutions
• Opportunity to present project findings in an oral presentation whereby
visual evidence can be presented in support of a report as is typically
done in a consultancy when meeting the needs of a “client”
41
Group project
Project Group of 2-4 students are required to:
• Locate a building you expect has issues related to building
envelope performance
• Identify performance issues, e.g.
• building envelope failures;
• indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and energy consumption, or
other evident issues;
• identifying a minimum of two performance issues is required;
• Develop a methodology to permit evaluating particular
performance issues identified;
• Undertake a building condition assessment
42
Group project

• Develop a hypothesis for possible causes of performance issues

• Support hypothesis using data collected from on-site investigation,
interviews, review of drawings, test results, literature research, and
performance evaluation through modeling
• Modeling not mandatory; to be used at group’s discretion
• Propose remedial and retrofit solutions that are supported through
your analysis
• Estimate budget needed for proposed repairs and retrofits
• Develop a 10-year maintenance plan including implementation
schedule, as required

43
Outline
• Purpose
• Group and approach
• Deliverables
• Group Project Presentation – 20 minutes / Group
• Report (Due on day of Group Project Presentations)

44
Questions?
Diagnostics of Building Envelope Failures
and their Rehabilitation

BLDG 484 / BLDG 6671

Assignment 1

13 January, 2025

Lecturer: Dr. Michael A. Lacasse, P. Eng.

Outline
• Assignment 1 (Individual Assignment)

47
Assignment 1

• Each student is required to identify a minimum of

10 deficiencies on existing buildings throughout the city

• Buildings can be selected at random

48
Assignment 1, cont’d

For each deficiency, provide in a report:

• Address of building + location on map
• General observations of the area in question
• Photographs to accurately describe the area and deficiency
• Specific observations related to the deficiency
• Cause of the failures (failure mechanism)
• Proposed remedial repair supported with analysis

49
Assignment 1, cont’d

Must select cases that demonstrate the following:

• 2 cases related to glazing systems
• 2 cases related to masonry
• 2 cases related to sealants / joints
• 2 cases related to roofing
• 2 cases related to flashing

50
Assignment 1, cont’d
Assignment 1 to be completed by submitting a technical report
(Max. 25 pages). Report should include:
• Title page
• Table of contents
• Proper page, Figure and Table numbering
• Captions for Figures and Tables
• Supporting photos (as Figures)
• Description of data collected (map location, orientation); and,
• Data analysis
• If references are cited, proper referencing to be used
51
Individual Assignment
• Assignment 1 – Due week following mid-term break

52
Thank You, Questions?
Diagnostics of Building Envelope Failures
and their Rehabilitation

BLDG 484 / BLDG 6671

Reading Assignment

13 January, 2025

Lecturer: Dr. Michael A. Lacasse, P. Eng.

Reading Assignment

Next Lecture (Wk 2 | 20 January)

Refer to website www.buildingscience.com and download articles
posted on website
Historical Development of Building Enclosure / BSD 007
The Building Enclosure / BSD 018
Increasing durability of Building Construction / BSD 144

For next lecture: Review articles and come prepared to discuss

key points understood from articles

55
Course schedule and deadlines
Wk Date Lecture content / Winter 2025
1 13 Jan. Course management & Introduction
2 20 Jan. Building pathology: Intro to diagnostics; principles & methodologies
3 27 Jan. TBD
4 3 Feb. Failure modes & mechanisms of various building products
5 10 Feb. Failure modes & mechanisms (cont.)
6 17 Feb. Common failures in wall & roof assemblies
7 24 Feb. Reading week begins

56
Course schedule and deadlines
Wk Date Lecture content / Winter 2025
10 3 Mar. Common failures (cont.)
11 10 Mar. Condition assessment protocols
12 17 Mar. Investigation techniques
13 24 Mar. Service life prediction of retrofits
14 31 Mar. Presentations of past Projects
15 7 Apr. Group Presentations | Group Project Report submittal
16 14 Apr. Exam (Open book)

57
Course schedule and deadlines
Wk Date Lecture content / Winter 2025
1 13 Jan. Course management & Introduction
2 20 Jan. Building pathology: Intro to diagnostics; principles & methodologies
3 27 Jan. TBD
4 3 Feb. Failure modes & mechanisms of various building products
5 10 Feb. Failure modes & mechanisms (cont.)
6 17 Feb. Common failures in wall & roof assemblies
7 24 Feb. Reading week begins

58
Thank You, Questions?
Lecturer Information
Michael A. Lacasse, Ph.D., P.Eng.
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 613-668-3232
Principal means of communication is by email
Scheduled student counseling hours: By appointment

NRC directory of science professionals