BUILDING ENVELOPE · Vancouver BC
Building Envelope Systems
Nixon installs the complete building envelope as one engineered assembly — sheathing, air and water barriers, insulation, rainscreen, cladding, windows, and doors. New construction and envelope remediation across Greater Vancouver, detailed for our wet coastal climate.
The building envelope is the continuous barrier that controls water, air, vapour, and heat between inside and outside. In Vancouver’s climate, a failure anywhere in that assembly — a missed flashing, a discontinuous air barrier, the wrong window detail — leads to leaks, mould, and costly remediation. Nixon installs every layer of the envelope, so the system is continuous from sheathing to cladding.
The Layers We Build
Structural Sheathing & Repair
- Plywood and OSB sheathing inspection and replacement
- Rot and water-damage remediation on re-clads
- Substrate prep for a continuous barrier
- Framing corrections where needed
Air & Water Barriers
- Self-adhered and fluid-applied weather-resistive barriers
- Continuous air barrier to reduce drafts and energy loss
- Sheathing tape, transition membranes, and through-wall flashing
- Detailed integration at every opening and penetration
Insulation & Thermal Control
- Exterior continuous insulation to limit thermal bridging
- Coordination with BC Energy Step Code targets
- Mineral wool and rigid board options
- Detailing that keeps the dew point in the right place
Rainscreen, Cladding & Openings
- Ventilated, drained rainscreen cavity
- Fiber cement, metal, ACM, and panel cladding
- Windows and doors flashed into the barrier
- Sealant joints and transitions completed by one crew
What the Envelope Controls
Water
Drained rainscreen and continuous flashing shed wind-driven rain before it reaches the structure.
Air
A continuous air barrier stops drafts and uncontrolled leakage that waste energy and drive moisture into walls.
Heat
Exterior continuous insulation limits thermal bridging and helps meet BC Energy Step Code targets.
Vapour
Correct barrier placement keeps the dew point out of the assembly, preventing condensation and mould.
Envelope Remediation
Many Vancouver buildings from the 1980s–2000s were built without a rainscreen and now show leaks, rot, or failed sealants. Nixon performs targeted and full envelope remediation — we open the wall, correct the barrier and flashing, add a rainscreen, and re-clad, restoring performance and protecting your investment.
Building Envelope FAQ
What does a building envelope contractor do?
A building envelope contractor installs and coordinates every layer of the exterior wall that controls water, air, vapour, and heat — sheathing, barriers, insulation, rainscreen, cladding, and the windows and doors set into it. Nixon delivers all of these as one accountable assembly.
What is envelope remediation?
Remediation is repairing a wall assembly that has failed — typically older buildings with leaks or rot from a missing rainscreen or poor flashing. We open the wall, fix the substrate and barrier, add a drained rainscreen, and re-clad.
Do you work with envelope consultants and engineers?
Yes. On larger and multi-unit projects we build to the consultant’s details and stamped drawings, and we document the assembly during installation for the warranty and depreciation report.
Can you improve energy performance?
Yes — adding exterior continuous insulation and a continuous air barrier during a re-clad significantly reduces heat loss and drafts, helping meet BC Energy Step Code goals.
Protect Your Building Envelope
New construction or remediation — get an envelope assessment from a contractor who installs every layer.