Creating collaborative plans based on building science

By Emma Peterson. 

How the practice of building science and organized teamwork can create stronger structures.  

When it comes to successfully designing a high-performance and durable building, there is an array of various experts and professionals that need to be brought in. From the architects who draft the blueprint for the space and the roofer installing the roofing system to the electrician and insulator who works to bring the space to life, coordinating a collaborative team of that scale can be a challenge, but it's one that Marcy Tyler is intimately familiar with.  

Marcy is the director of building science for Tremco CPG Inc., which means that she has worked with everyone involved in the building envelope. From the sales reps, the design professionals, the general contractors and the installers, she’s likely worked with them all at some point. In an episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth joined Marcy for a conversation about how collaboration from all sides is crucial to success on large projects. 

When different professionals come together on a larger project, it’s important that they aren’t operating in a vacuum. For example, an air barrier installer needs to know what the general contractors did with the substrate. And then the team that comes after them to install insulation needs to be aware of their work, so they can choose the right fasteners for their part. Marcy shared a real-world example of this, explaining, “An installer called me once and he said, ‘they changed the facade anchors on this project.’ And they were so worried about it. Even though they had their job done and were leaving, they realized that by not following the collaborative plan, somebody was poking holes in what they did. They called me because they knew how important staying on the same page was.” 

Marcy’s specialty, building science, is the science behind constructing high-performance spaces and the driving force behind creating that collaborative plan. In the past, there have been tensions between many of the different professionals working on the same building and it can be a challenge to foster the cooperation needed to create a high-performance building successfully, like the air barrier installer and the insulation professionals in Marcy’s story.  

But as people like Marcy share how creating a plan based in building science ensures no part of the project compromises the performance of another part of the building, a focus on collaborative efforts has grown more common across the industry. She explained, “Collaboration is really something that people are gravitating towards...At the end of the day, everyone has the same goal of making sure the project performs properly. We're starting to see how everyone has different areas of expertise that have a role to play in that common goal.” 

Listen to the entire episode to learn more about how building science and collaboration lead to success on the jobsite.