Moisture Control in Commercial Construction: 10 Step Guide for Building Designers
Moisture intrusion remains one of the leading causes of building envelope failures in commercial construction. While building materials and systems have evolved, the key to preventing these failures lies as much in the process as it does in the product.
Architects and design professionals face constant pressures—balancing budgets, energy codes, and client expectations while coordinating multiple trades on tight timelines. In this fast-paced environment, moisture control can easily be overshadowed. That’s why a clear, repeatable approach to moisture management during the construction documentation phase is essential.
This guide outlines a practical workflow to help you integrate moisture control strategies without adding unnecessary complexity to your process. It's based on proven methods and field experience—refined to reduce risk and improve performance across the building envelope.
1. Start with a Manufacturer Representative with Moisture-Control Expertise
Before design begins, establish relationships with product reps who bring more than samples and spec sheets. Look for professionals backed by manufacturers with a history of performance, robust product testing, and technical know-how. A knowledgeable rep becomes an extension of your design team—one who understands how systems interact across varying assemblies, climate zones, and installation conditions.
This kind of partnership builds trust and provides a consistent source of support from early design through construction.
2. Select a Project That Warrants Extra Moisture-Control Attention
Not every project requires a deep dive into moisture control. For basic designs with conventional assemblies, standard details may suffice. But for projects with complex transitions—such as roof-to-wall interfaces, integrated cladding systems, or below-grade conditions—a more deliberate review is worth the time.
Early conversations with your client can set the stage. Framing moisture control as a proactive design effort can justify added coordination and consulting fees, while avoiding change orders and call-backs later.
“The hygric performance of building envelopes determines the degradation progress. Multiple factors, including the climate parameters (e.g., solar radiation and wind-driven rain) and building structure (e.g., thermal bridges), significantly affect the hygrothermal conditions in building envelopes. Inappropriate thermal insulation measures may exacerbate the humidity within the building envelope and further induce condensation and mold growth, which threatens the building structural safety and indoor air quality.”
Facilitator of moisture accumulation in building envelopes and its influences on condensation and mold growth, Science Direct, 12/15/2022.
3. Schedule a Design Consultation Focused on Moisture Mitigation
With the project identified and your rep on board, schedule a design consultation. These sessions typically last around 50 minutes and provide a focused opportunity to walk through the building—scope by scope—from foundation to roof.
Rather than a product pitch, this is a working session that brings attention to constructability, sequencing, and system integration. Discuss how the building will actually go together. Cover wall assemblies, penetrations, fenestration, roof tie-ins, and grade transitions.
The rep should ask detailed questions about materials, trades, and installation order. Their goal is to understand your project so they can offer targeted guidance—not generic advice.
4. Align Moisture System Product Recommendations with Project Goals
A seasoned rep will tailor their product suggestions to fit the unique needs of your design. They should provide options that align with your performance criteria, schedule, and installation realities.
This is also the ideal moment to validate material compatibility—between air and vapor barriers, insulation types, cladding attachments, and waterproofing substrates. These aren’t isolated components. If systems don’t integrate cleanly, the risk of leaks or performance gaps rises sharply.
“Due to the integration and connectivity of building enclosure systems, a performance deficiency in one system can result in less than optimal performance in other systems. Although Guideline 3 focuses on building enclosure systems, a successful whole building commissioning process will carefully document and validate interfaces and possible interferences between interdependent building systems. Even if the building enclosure is the singular focus of this process, coordination among disciplines is essential for success.”
NIBS Guideline 3-2012 on Building Enclosure Commissioning.
This step reflects industry best practices such as those outlined in the NIBS Guideline 3-2012 on Building Enclosure Commissioning, which calls for early involvement of enclosure specialists and manufacturers to verify moisture control strategies during design and construction.
5. Review the Moisture-Control Details and Submittal Package
Following the consultation, you’ll receive a tailored submittal package. Expect to see:
- Technical data sheets
- Specification templates
- Standard details
- A summary explaining each recommendation
These materials become the backbone of your drawing set. They provide clarity for internal reviewers, engineering consultants, and the client. More importantly, they document the “why” behind each material choice—supporting informed decision-making during value engineering and bidding.
6. Integrate Waterproofing and Water Containment into Construction Documents
Use the reviewed details and product data to develop your Construction Design (CD) set. Keep communication open with your rep as the drawings progress. Schedule review points where they can assess system continuity and flag problem areas—such as disjointed transitions or non-standard assemblies.
Their feedback can help minimize Requests for Information (RFIs) and reduce substitution requests later. Small design tweaks now can eliminate field confusion during installation.
7. Resolve Non-Standard Conditions with Manufacturer Support
Despite careful planning, some details will fall outside standard manufacturer libraries. These often involve:
- Unusual material interfaces
- Custom penetrations or transitions
- Design-driven features with unique moisture risks
Flag these conditions and request project-specific solutions. Reps should provide custom details based on your drawings and return them in CAD or Revit-ready formats. Once incorporated, these become your coordinated documents—reducing ambiguity for installers while protecting your design intent.
8. Handoff to the Field Rep
Once documents are issued and bidding begins, the technical rep transitions the project to the field representative. This person becomes the contractor’s primary contact—ensuring systems are installed as specified and resolving questions on the job site.
This continuity reinforces your design decisions throughout construction. It also supports quality assurance and ensures eligibility for manufacturer warranties.
The transition from design room to jobsite is one of the most critical moments in building envelope performance. Keeping the manufacturer engaged across this handoff strengthens system integration and reduces finger-pointing later.
Moisture Management Requires Coordination—Not Complexity
Moisture control isn’t about adding complexity. It’s about improving coordination across your project team. Starting early with the right rep, validating system compatibility, and reviewing details as drawings evolve all contribute to better outcomes.
The steps in this guide follow core principles in the AIA’s Definitions for Building Performance, which highlight the importance of managing heat, air, and moisture through coordinated assemblies and properly detailed transitions.
When moisture control is built into your documentation process, you:
- Reduce risk and liability
- Strengthen building performance
- Increase team alignment from design to field
- Protect your reputation and the owner’s investment
Consider applying this workflow to your next complex project. The return on time spent is tangible—fewer change orders, stronger warranties, and systems that work as designed.
Take the Next Step
Want to see how this process plays out on real-world projects? Explore strategies for system compatibility, sequencing, and envelope design in the AIA CEU course:
Competitive, Constructible, Complete: Specifying Total Envelope Solutions in a Low-Bid World
“The biggest impact comes from the ability to speak into the plan at the precon meeting and before every scope circling back up. The below grade process is a perfect example. It involves the concrete guy, the waterproofing guy, and so many different trades. We have to get everybody together and see where we are based on the construction documents, and how we are going to execute them as best as possible,” said Matt Deeley, Architectural Representative at Henry, a Carlisle Company during the Competitive, Constructible, Complete: Specifying Total Envelope Solutions in a Low-Bid World webinar.
This free, accredited course offers practical insights and real project examples to help design professionals protect the building envelope, without overcomplicating the design process.