Just like the components of a building are connected and require taking a systems approach to building performance, Velum takes a similar approach to each project and engagement by leveraging both our building science knowledge and our practical real estate investment and construction experience to bring a comprehensive perspective when advising our clients.

We often say, “everything is factor and situation dependent” which is really just a reminder that no two situations are the same and shouldn’t be treated as such. While science is often binary, we live in a world of few absolutes and the problems our clients face often require nuance and pragmatism. We take a Bayesian approach to come up with actionable solutions to complex situations.

How this looks is that we test and design for your specific situation, and then we’ll walk you through not only the science and data behind potential solutions but also the real-world practical outcomes and economic ramifications so you have all the information to make informed decisions.

The best solutions come from matching the right information to the specific situation at hand. We don’t just repackage a “best practices” document as your deliverable and send you on your way; everything is tailored to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

Whether you’re struggling with comfort issues in your home and need help diagnosing the cause or you’re planning a new project and want to integrate proper building performance details to ensure a comfortable, durable, and high-performance building we offer a range of solutions based on you’re specific goals.

Learn more about What We Do.

Building Performance is often viewed as singular metrics or concepts. Most often energy efficiency alone or maybe in reference to how “green” a building may be. We view building performance as a culmination of characteristics rather than isolated concepts in a vacuum.

At Velum, building performance is described as:

Continuity: Starting with the four control layers, maintaining continuous control of the Water, Air, Thermal, and Vapor layers are fundamental. Beyond that, continuity leads to durability and resiliency. We view all building science decisions through an economic lens, and the durability of a building relates to the useful life and depreciation of its materials. Simply put, a building cannot be high-performing if it cannot last over time.

Efficiency: If we have control over our enclosure, we can design systems that integrate and result in energy efficiency. Demand for energy in all forms is only increasing, being able to source and use that energy efficiently is core to building performance.

Comfort: 90% of an individuals life is spent indoors. A third of that time alone is spent sleeping. Studies continue to show the importance of indoor air quality to our health and longevity, a high-performance building should aid and not detract from that.

Data: At Velum, we believe in gathering as much information as possible in order to make informed decisions. We rely heavily on testing and collecting data to aid us in finding the right solutions for our clients. At the same time, singular data is not the end all and required thoughtful application and context. We utilize all factors and take a Bayesian approach to complex situations.. We then test to confirm and verify details were followed, systems installed correctly, and a building is performing as designed is critical. We don’t only focus on quality assurance at the end of a project, but also design for ease of continual testing, monitoring, and service over time so our clients are taken care of over the life of a building.

Alignment: Taking a core set of principles and applying it to a client’s specific situation and needs with full alignment of interest. Some details and specifications may be high-performing for one building, but not for another. High-performance is not a broad brush but tailored to the factors as hand.

Passive building, originally passive house, through Phius (Passive House Institute US), is a building standard with the goal of creating buildings that are not only energy efficient, but also durable, healthy and comfortable. Passive buildings can be residential to multifamily and commercial.

The core passive building principles entail utilizing continuous insulation to minimize or eliminate thermal bridging, proper building enclosure details that lead to a tight building envelope that takes into account the four control layers, and project appropriate windows and ventilation systems to provide fresh air while recovering energy, resulting in minimal loads on mechanical heating and cooling systems.

On average, certified passive buildings result in 45-90% less energy consumption for heating and cooling, superior thermal comfort and indoor air quality, and increased durability and resiliency.

While the core principles are the same, specific strategies and details to achieve them are climate and project specific. Simply put, a Certified Passive Building is a high-performance building that is certified and recognized through the leading organization in our industry.

As a Certified Passive Building Consultant with Phius, we can help guide your project through the required process if you’re seeking Project Certification. Reach out to us for more information.

We work with all key stakeholders of a home, building, or real estate project - so almost everyone! From homeowners to real estate developers, architects to builders, manager to investors, and everyone in between.

Learn more about who we work with.

• Architects & Designers

• Builders

• Homeowners

Yes - we serve clients locally and nationally across all climate zones. We often consult on and design building enclosure details and HVAC systems for projects across the country as well as offer 1:1 video consulting calls on an as-needed basis.

Matthew Ngo

Founder and Principal, CPHC

Matthew is the founder and Principal Building Performance Consultant at Velum Building Strategies. He is a PHIUS Certified Passive Building Consultant, ACCA Certified HVAC Design Professional, and holds building science accreditations from Building Performance Institute (BPI).

While always having a love for real estate and architecture, throughout his career he has developed a passion for understand the building science and construction practices that lead to higher quality buildings. Unlike most in the building science industry, he also brings over a decade of real estate investment experience having served as an owner, operator, investor, and portfolio manager at some of the largest institutional real estate investment platforms in the country where he’s been involved in the capitalization of over $1 Bn of single-family and multifamily construction, redevelopment, and acquisition projects. This extensive knowledge and experience in real estate investment, financial underwriting, and economic analysis allows for a comprehensive perspective in crafting custom solutions for his clients.

Throughout his career, he’s seen first-hand how misapplied building science, mismatched material choices, and misguided investment decisions can lead to building performance inefficiencies, moisture and durability failures, and unhealthy living conditions. That experience inspired the formation of Velum Building Strategies to properly align building science principles with construction precision and appropriate financial strategies to ensure that every project achieves its desired outcome.

Matthew graduated from TCU with his Bachelors of Science in Biology and Economics. When he’s not working on Velum projects you can find him spending time with his wife and daughter, enjoying a glass of Burgundy or Barolo, sneaking out for a round of golf, or enjoying the best restaurants Houston has to offer.