Who We Are

Façade+Envelope was founded in 2013 with the desire to offer a service unparalleled in our industry. In order to achieve this we have methodically incorporated our products as the company and our client base have grown. Understanding the importance of communication has been the key to this success. It is ingrained in our team from day one, whether it is in our relationships with clients, our community or each other.

Having developed a very strong reputation as building envelope consultants and engineers in South Florida, our founders decided to begin the firm by offering specific services instead of our full range of products. This was done in order to ensure the quality of our work and to establish the reputation of Façade+Envelope beyond that of its founders.

We began by providing specialty services as glazing engineers for glass, aluminum and steel systems including windows, storefronts, curtainwalls, canopies and balcony railings. By incorporating our training, experience, expert knowledge of the latest Codes and Standards, as well as state-of-the-art engineering software, we have successfully worked as glazing engineers on tens of high-rise and mid-rise projects. Over thirty five of our projects are some of the most renowned buildings of recent years, not only in South Florida, but in Texas, The Caribbean and the Midwest of the United States.

Working hand in hand with our clients we have engineered various groundbreaking glass and glazing products including all-glass facades, point supported glazing systems and single-span, ultra tall storefront systems, all complying with the very stringent requirements of the Florida Building Code’s High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ).

We use our engineering expertise to ensure the enhancement of our communities and the continued success of our clients.

Desire to Excel

As our specialty engineering department became well established and our team grew, we began offering additional building envelope related services including consulting, inspections and field testing. Now we would not limit ourselves to glass and glazing but instead we expanded to the other envelope components that make up the range of our expertise including: waterproofing, roofing, exterior stucco, coatings, EIFS and sealants.

Applying the same key principles (the desire to excel and recognizing the importance of communication) we have continued to meet and exceed clients’ expectations by providing a wealth of knowledge as well as a customer experience that helps ensure lasting relationships. As consultants we aid in, among other things, review of the architect’s schematic design, the selection of proper materials, the design of adequate transitions and the assurance that the design intent and criteria make it onto subcontractor’s shop drawings and submittals.

Quality

The quality of the installation and workmanship by building envelope contractors (roofers, waterproofers, painters, glazers, etc.) is assured by our inspection and field testing services. Inspections include monitoring key items such as surface preparation, materials used, and procedures followed, as well as verifying that glazing systems’ structural and weatherproofing components (glass, framing, anchorage, sealants, etc.) are installed in compliance with approved documents including shop drawings, calculations, test reports and Product Approvals.

Field water infiltration and air infiltration testing help confirm the proper performance of the overall components, whether they are glazing systems or horizontal waterproofing surfaces. Through testing we can help discover and identify performance issues which cannot be determined through visual inspection alone.

Environmental Building

The latest stage of our expansion of services comes through key partnerships with experts in the fields of Energy Optimization and User Comfort. This is vital to our definition of “unparalleled” service as our industry in Miami and South Florida is not yet driven by these crucial design factors. We seek to educate our community on the importance of these parameters as they affect both our planet and the well-being of the end user.

Through the expertise of building science architects and engineers we assist in designs incorporating and optimizing thermal comfort, natural lighting, natural ventilation (computational fluid dynamics-CFD) and HVAC systems. Services for existing buildings include energy audits, industrial energy optimization, simulations for energy, natural lighting and thermal. Experience with local and international standards from societies such as ASHRAE, USGBC, BRE and PHI, contributes to environmental building certifications such as LEED v4, BREEAM and PASSIVHAUS.

Through structural engineering and building envelope consulting, inspection and testing we strive to safeguard the life-safety of the end user and the protection of property. Through energy efficiency and user comfort consulting we seek to reduce the impact on the environment and to ensure the comfort, health and happiness of the end user.

Taking it Global

From our beginnings we have concentrated on Building Envelopes as a specific industry. We feel that this industry is not limited however to a specific location. Even though the incorporation of more stringent Building Codes in South Florida has lead to the need for specialty glazing engineers and consultants, life safety and user comfort should be safeguarded globally. With this in mind we will continue our strategic growth in order to offer excellent services wherever they are needed.