For many years, a building’s array of exterior surfaces—its outside walls and roof—have been known as its “envelope.” To the extent that envelope is analogous to enclosure, one organization, the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC), recently declared that they’re retiring envelope in favor of enclosure, inviting others to join them in this semantic revolution.

Sure, enclosure could be considered a more intuitive term to describe a building’s exterior, not to mention its primary function. And at the end of the day, it’s in IIBEC’s name.

But we beg to differ. We’re sticking with envelope for a few reasons:

• Envelope is, arguably, more poetic, with connotations of an essential interface or, for that matter, conventional limitations to be tested. Nobody “pushes the enclosure.”
• Envelope’s root, envelop, connotes a more sympathetic relationship to the building, suggesting a membrane that mediates between indoor and outdoor space.
• Sidewalk vaults—one of our areas of expertise—challenge the notion of limited, stand-alone enclosure. We see the building envelope as a continuum, tied into a larger, urban fabric.
• Envelopes often have windows. Sound familiar?

So what’s in a name? In this case, a lively debate more than a definitive rebranding. When it comes to describing the exterior surfaces of a building and the focus of our business, we’ll take the envelope…please.