Presented by Wayne Butler, AIA, of Applied Building Sciences, Inc. and John C. Wylie, REWC, PE, of Construction Science and Engineering, Inc.

New construction and renovation projects provide their own set of unique challenges, especially during the installation and integration of new fenestrations systems (e.g., sliding glass doors and windows). The focus of this paper will seek to analyze both similar and distinctive modes of water penetration failure that have been observed during multiple sessions of water testing performed in general accordance with accepted industry standards. This paper will further analyze and discuss the water testing failures related to detail design and constructability issues associated with work performance and project management, using several case studies. Applying the learned knowledge of water penetration failures during the design and installation of fenestration systems of new or renovation projects will lead to improved performance and life expectancy of the building enclosure as a whole.