Building Envelope

The building envelope of a federal building is critically important because it directly affects energy performance, occupant comfort, resiliency, and compliance with federal mandates. It is the continuous physical barrier that separates a building’s interior from the outdoor environment, including walls, roof, windows, doors, foundation, and all control layers that manage heat, air, moisture, and vapor. Here's why it matters:

The U.S. Department of Energy calls the building envelope a primary determinant of building energy use and performance and identifies high performance envelopes as a top strategy to cut energy consumption, lower operating costs, and improve occupant comfort.

Energy Efficiency and Cost Control

A high-performance building envelope is the frontline of energy efficiency. By minimizing thermal loss and air leakage, it reduces HVAC demand, lowers utility costs for taxpayers, and ensures compliance with federal energy mandates. For federal buildings, envelope performance isn’t optional - it’s foundational.

Air Barrier and Moisture Control

Effective air barriers are essential to controlling energy costs, protecting indoor air quality, and preventing moisture-related damage. When professionally installed, they reduce air leakage and block moisture intrusion - avoiding mold, corrosion, and costly remediation, especially in mission-critical federal facilities. A well-sealed envelope safeguards both performance and long-term asset integrity.

Durability and Resilience

Federal buildings are built to last - and their envelopes must be too. A durable, resilient, well-designed envelope withstands harsh climates, resists wind and moisture, and minimizes thermal stress. This resilience reduces maintenance and operating costs, and safeguards long-term performance across decades of federal service.

Compliance and Funding Eligibility

Envelope performance is a gateway to federal funding. Auditable upgrades - like air barrier testing and thermal imaging - demonstrate compliance with energy mandates and progress toward net-zero goals. For both major renovations like ESPCs, UESCs, and new construction, a high-performance envelope is paramount – and it’s required to unlock funding, prove resilience, and extend asset longevity.

BEAR’s core services address each of the essential elements of the building envelope – air barrier, insulation, and assessment.

Air Barriers

Fluid-applied air barriers deliver seamless, gap-free protection across complex exterior surfaces - reducing air leakage, resisting moisture, and ensuring continuity around penetrations. Their monolithic design simplifies installation, enhances durability even during construction, and supports compliance with federal energy mandates and testing protocols. For optimal envelope performance, pair fluid-applied air barriers on the exterior with Spray Polyurethane Foam insulation on the interior.

For more information, see BEAR’s Air Barrier services.

Sprayfoam Air Barriers

Sprayfoam Air Barriers are a high-performance, exterior-applied solution increasingly specified in federal construction RFPs for their ability to combine insulation, air sealing, and vapor control in one system. Closed-cell SPF (ccSPF) streamlines envelope design, reduces trades required for a project, and delivers superior thermal resistance (R-6/inch), moisture protection, and structural reinforcement. Backed by Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) protocols, it supports compliance with ASHRAE 90.1 and UFC 3-101-01, while enhancing resilience against wind, flood (per FEMA), and storm events making it ideal for mission-critical and coastal federal facilities.

For more information, see BEAR’s Sprayfoam services.

Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation (Interior)

Professionally installed Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) delivers high-performance insulation and air sealing in federal buildings by forming a continuous, fully adhered interior barrier that conforms to complex geometries and eliminates thermal bridging. Its dual-function capability - insulation and air barrier - streamlines envelope design, reduces HVAC loads, and supports compliance with ASHRAE 90.1, UFC 3-101-01, and other federal energy mandates. In both new construction and major renovations, SPF enhances durability, moisture resistance, and long-term energy savings, making it a strategic choice for mission-critical and high-efficiency federal facilities.

For more information, see BEAR’s Sprayfoam services.

Investment Grade Audit (IGA)

An investment-grade audit (IGA) of a federal building envelope is essential for unlocking actionable, fundable upgrades that drive energy savings, resilience, and compliance. By combining field-verified diagnostics with cost-benefit analysis, an IGA identifies air leakage, insulation gaps, and moisture risks - quantifying their impact on HVAC loads, lifecycle costs, and federal performance mandates. This level of rigor supports Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESCs) in particular, making the audit a strategic gateway to fundable high-impact envelope improvements with measurable returns.

For more information, see BEAR’s IGA services.

Professional, high-quality installation of building envelope elements is critical in federal buildings to ensure air, thermal, and moisture control systems perform as designed - supporting energy efficiency, durability, longevity, and use of taxpayer funds. Poor installation undermines even the best materials, leading to costly failures, rework, and noncompliance. Our precision execution protects your mission continuity, maximizes your asset’s lifecycle value, and validates performance in federally funded audits and commissioning.

Learn more about BEAR LLC’s specific Building Envelope services below, or Contact Us today to start the conversation about your needs:

Air Barrier services

Sprayfoam services

IGA services