Building science assessment goes beyond identifying what’s wrong to determine why problems developed and how to prevent recurrence. Cause and origin investigation examines building systems, environmental conditions, and performance data to understand root causes of environmental problems. System interaction analysis evaluates how different building components interact, identifying conflicts that create performance issues. Future risk assessment identifies potential failure points before they create problems, allowing proactive maintenance and system improvements. This scientific approach differs from standard inspections by analyzing building physics and system interactions rather than simply documenting visible problems, providing comprehensive solutions that address both immediate issues and underlying system failures.