Rise of the Consultant

This paper is a Case Study focused on Professional Services and will cover the past 25 years and the evolution of what is commonly referred to as the Building Enclosure/Envelope Consulting profession. A relatively modern addition to most project teams, the Building Envelope/Enclosure Consultant has quickly become a key role player in the development of nearly all types of architecture and building construction. However, many project teams often misunderstand what these specialists actually do, (or should be doing) and how to integrate them properly into the larger team, (timing is everything).

This paper will provide an overview with recommendations that each audience member can act upon immediately on their projects.

It will cover the following primary topics:

What do Building Envelope Consultants actually do?

The Three Primary Types of Consultants

How to retain one - RFP and Proposal Considerations.

BECx vs Envelope Consulting – Similar but Different?

Where did Envelope Consultants come from and where are they going?

This paper should appeal to nearly all team members interfacing with Building Envelope/Enclosure Consultants including but not limited to:

Developers, Architects, Owners, General Contractors.