Why We Start With Water, Not Energy Models

At first glance, the title of this post can sound a little misleading. 

At McKenzie Design Build, we absolutely establish a clear performance strategy early. That includes our four control layers, continuity of the building enclosure, client goals, and a baseline level of performance we simply won’t build below. 

We also engage our energy modeling team very early. We build the entire house in 3D—structure, mechanical systems, and assemblies in their exact locations—so we can test ideas, adjust strategies, and resolve conflicts before the first shovel ever hits the ground. 

So why start with water? 

Because no amount of modeling, efficiency, or technology can overcome poor bulk water management. 

Why This Matters 

Water is the most aggressive force acting on a building. It falls from the sky, moves across the surface of the site, and pushes laterally and vertically against foundations. 

We will never defeat water. But we can learn to work with it. 

Homes that struggle over time almost always do so because water was misunderstood, underestimated, or managed too late in the process. When durability fails, every other goal—comfort, health, efficiency—fails with it. 

What’s Commonly Misunderstood 

Many of these principles sound obvious. Most people would reasonably assume they’re already being followed. 

We often hear versions of: - “Of course builders do this.” - “Isn’t that what code is for?” And while building codes do establish minimum requirements, they don’t manage execution. 

In practice, we’ve witnessed far too many new homes experience leaky basements or early failures because these fundamentals weren’t properly planned, coordinated, or verified. 

The reality is that no code official is down in the excavation checking drain tile for level, confirming continuity of drainage planes, or making sure materials and strategies actually work together as a system. 

If water management isn’t a clearly stated strategy—and physically completed, inspected, and verified by the builder—the chances of long-term success drop quickly. 

This level of coordination doesn’t happen by accident. It has to be owned, managed, and checked. As the saying goes: 

“What doesn’t get measured can’t be managed.” 

And nothing can be measured without a clear goal or strategy to measure against. 

This idea—setting intent, executing deliberately, and verifying results—will be a recurring theme as we share our thinking and building practices. 

Respecting these fundamentals allows gravity to become one of the builder’s most powerful tools. 

How We Think About Water 

Basic physics still applies to buildings. 

Just like we learned in school, things move from areas of higher concentration to lower concentration in an effort to balance out. Gravity is a real force, and water will always take advantage of it—whether we plan for it or not. 

Our goal is simple: 

Let water go down and out, away from the building. 

That principle applies everywhere: - Roof assemblies - Wall assemblies - Foundations - Every transition and connection between them 

Surface Water vs. Groundwater 

Surface water—rainfall and runoff—is only part of the story. 

Seasonal groundwater levels are highly site-specific and must be understood if water is going to be managed correctly. Two lots next to each other can behave very differently depending on soil conditions, slopes, and surrounding grades. 

If a site has enough slope that water can run to daylight—meaning there is a point lower than the bottom of the foundation—gravity can do much of the work for us. 

When that’s not possible, an additional step is required. 

Literally. 

The “Extra Step” Below the Foundation 

When gravity alone can’t move groundwater away from the building, we need to lift it to a point where it can safely discharge away from the home. 

This typically means: - Collecting water at the lowest point of the foundation - Managing it through a sump system - Discharging it well away from the building so it doesn’t cycle back 

This system is just as important as the roof above—and it must work as part of a larger, coordinated whole. Without this reliability, our first principle of durability can’t be met, let alone the others. 

A Belt-and-Suspenders Approach 

Foundation drainage is a topic that deserves an entire post of its own, but one principle guides our approach: 

You only get one chance to get this right. 

Because of the importance and risk involved, the internal McKenzie Design Build team manages and oversees these systems directly. 

A typical strategy may include: - Interior and exterior drain tile - More stone backfill than code minimums - Filter fabric to maintain long-term flow paths - Drainage or decoupling mats at foundation walls 

These systems are designed to work together, not in isolation. 

What This Means for the Whole House 

Bulk water management isn’t a single detail—it’s a strategy that spans: - Roof - Walls - Foundation - All transitions between them 

Energy modeling, air sealing, insulation, and mechanical systems all matter—but only after the fundamentals are addressed in the right order. 

Water comes first. 

When we respect basic principles and work with the environment around us, everything else becomes more predictable, more durable, and more successful over the long term. 

Future posts will dive deeper into foundation drainage, roof water management, and the critical transitions where failures most often occur.