In British Columbia, Canada, the problem of moisture penetration in multifamily housing is so widespread it has earned the nickname "leaky condo syndrome." To meet the ballooning demand for housing during the 1980s, a number of new construction companies were established in Vancouver, B.C. By the mid-'90s, thousands of condo owners discovered that their recently built homes were rotting, and that the contractors responsible were no longer in business. The leaky condo problem in Vancouver created a crisis in the building industry, leading to new regulations that have changed the practice of residential construction in the province. What caused the leaks? What the Canadians call leaky condo syndrome — often defined as "premature
