BECS Labs

BECS LABS is a registered and listed independent third-party testing agency that can perform on site quality assurance testing across the United States. Accredited by AAMA/FGIA as a Full-Service Air-Water-Structural Laboratory and authorized Field Testing Agency (FTA). BECS LABS leadership consists of industry leading building envelope experts in the fields of forensic structural engineering, fenestrations, waterproofing, cladding and much more. Staff consists of AAMA/FGIA certified Fenestration Masters and Associates. Inhouse training of staff, testing procedures, and calibrations are regulated by ISO 17025.

BECS and BECS Labs is one of the only companies in the US that offers Forensic Designer of Record Services and also Product Approval Testing. We have the unique experience to troubleshoot product failures and can assist in product approval research and development.

BECS identified that to provide the best solutions to our clients, we need to ensure the expertise of performance testing should be at our client’s fingertips. Therefore, we developed BECS Labs.

BECS Labs provides field and laboratory testing capabilities to fully support our building envelope consultants. We bring the experience and foremost experts in the industry to the science of the building envelope and its performance. BECS Labs tests the performance of your building and brings actionable data to the project. We will test how your current building performs and test products to ensure they have the capacity to keep the inside in and the outside out. Additionally we will proof-tests mockups and prototypes for potential new construction goals.

We have developed a network of manufacturers that call on BECS Labs to certify their products and materials. This provides a path for Owners, Managers, and Architects to confidently specify products that pass rigorous testing procedures. Our Lab utilizes a variety of specialized equipment calibrated by third-party research labs to bring accurate data to your project – assuring that the building materials are being tested with the highest commitment to standards – providing you with unbiased data.

In 2020, BECS Labs acquired 48 acres outside of Raleigh, NC. This facility has the capacity for large-scale, twin-span, two-story performance mock-ups. Large outside concrete pad sites are available for structural and environmental testing. Our facility also has accreditation in place for product approvals through all Certification Entities (i.e. ALI, NAMI & Keystone). Test Methods include: ASTM E330, E331, E283, E547, E1996 and AAMA 501.1.

Our facility is owned, managed, and operated by industry-leading Professional Engineers, certified AAMA Fenestration Masters, and trained technicians. We have experienced staff to assist in bringing products to the market while navigating code compliance for product and martial testing, the different options of Miami-Dade Product and FBC approval, FGIA/AAMA testing, certification, and labeling, as well as NFRC thermal testing and/or simulations.

We have the in-house ability to provide rapid fast test reporting, custom test reporting, one client at a time philosophy, custom equipment fabrication, secured inside and outside storage, and client driven requirements.

BECS Labs provides independent third-party testing services on-site to test the performance of installed components. Our team of expert technicians and building scientists are able to provide a variety of testing services. We test for thermal, moisture and air infiltration, acoustic performance, air barrier inspections and whole building airtightness, and electronic leak detection.

These on-site field tests allow Owners, Contractors, and Design Teams to know if the products and installation methods are performing in an unbiased pass/fail manner. BECS Labs can work in conjunction with BECS’s consultants to assist with new details and designs to correct areas of concern.

Mockup and prototype testing is important to determine constructibility, appearance, and performance on a small scale before full implementation begins. BECS Labs can provide early information on how various materials and installations will perform against the elements.  Additionally, if issues arise, the project team can make modifications before they are systematic problems with the enclosure later.

Our technicians apply industry standards for testing and performance in conformance with related ASTM and AAMA testing recommendations. BECS’s team of professional architects, engineers, and consultants are available to help troubleshoot issues found in testing and advise on how to rectify issues.

Designing and testing doesn’t begin in the field – it starts at conception. Specifiers need to know that the products and materials they are specifying can meet the standards of the project at hand. They also need to feel confident the products are certified to meet demands. That’s why manufacturers of windows, doors, curtain walls, and other building products work with BECS Labs to test their product’s performance following industry standards and specifications.

BECS Labs has a dedicated team of expert technicians that can test product and material in a laboratory setting or witness tests being conducted to ensure they align within standards. BECS Labs often provide laboratory testing and witnessing of forced entry resistance, ADA operations force, sound transmission, wind-driven rain, impact testing, and structural loading.

Product Categories Include:

• Multi Fan Commercial Capacity USACE Calibrated. Certified Technicians. ASTM E779, ASTM E1827
• Smoke Leak Detection: ASTM E1186
• Infrared Survey: ASTM C1060
• Weather Resistive Barriers / Air Barriers: ASTM E1186
• ABAA – Air Barrier Association Certified Inspection Auditors
• Adhesion Testing: ASTM D4541

• Static Water Testing: AAMA 502, AAMA 503, ASTM E1105
• Dynamic Water Testing: AAMA 501.1
• Hand-Held Nozzle Testing: AAMA 501.2
• Air Infiltration (Quantitative): ASTM E783
• Air Infiltration Bulk Smoke (Qualitative) Bulk Smoke: ASTM E1186
• Condensation Resistance Evaluations: ANSI/NFRC 500
• Masonry Absorption: ASTM C1601

• Electronic Leak Detection: Low Voltage ASTM D8231; High Voltage: ASTM D7877
• Electronic Vector Mapping: ASTM D7877
• Flood Testing: ASTM D5957
• Nuclear Moisture Surveys ASTM D1079
• Electronic Impedance Testing: ASTM D7954
• Wind Uplift Testing: FM 1-52, ASTM E907
• Infrared Survey: ASTM C1153