Fishmouths, Ghosts, and Spiders: A Field Guide to Building Enclosure Reviews

In the Summer of 2025, I wrote an article for the Building Commissioning Association (BCxA) in which I delve into the real life patterns and quirks we encounter during building enclosure reviews and int he real world. From “fishmouths” in membranes, to “ghosting” on facades, and spiders located on facades to help find air leakage, the piece explores how these on-site observations connect to underlying building science principles. My goal was to make these concepts approachable not only for specialists, but also for designers, contractors, and owners who want to better understand how enclosure performance impacts the resilience and efficiency of their buildings.