IIBEC 2021 Virtual Region V Meeting

Complex Buildings and Their Air Barrier Challenges

June 22, 2021 | Tuesday | 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM ET (11:30 AM – 12:30 PM PT )

Air barrier requirements are now commonplace, with design and construction teams having a better working knowledge of these types of assembly. Architectural design teams are becoming more proficient at determining the location of the pressure boundary, identifying what component of a typical assembly will function as the air barrier, and selecting materials that can be successfully transitioned in order to meet whole building air leakage rate requirements.

With that said, larger and more complex buildings are “pushing the pressure boundary” which creates challenges to air barrier continuity. We will discuss three large, complex projects and the unique air barrier design, construction and testing challenges arising from those projects. We will review the process of how the air barrier was designed, show photos and issues observed during construction, and review whole building air leakage testing and diagnostics results.

Petersen Lambert, ABAA CABS, BECxP, CxA+BE

Allana Buick & Bers | Seattle, WA

Mr. Lambert has been working in the building enclosure consulting field since 2001. His experience includes management of investigation, design, bid support, and construction administration and management for new construction and renovation projects. As the Division Manager for the PacNW, he and his team have been overseeing projects that include air barrier design, construction, and testing since 2009. He is an Air Barrier Association of America Certified Air Barrier Specialist, Level I Thermographer, BECxP, CxA+BE and has participated in many complex whole building air barrier tests.

Architecture and Building Science

June 24, 2021 | Thursday | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM ET (10:30 AM – 11:30 AM PT)

This presentation focuses on our ever-changing design/construction industry. We will take a brief look at how the design and construction industries have changed over the past decade or two and the challenges both industries have faced in incorporating new regulatory and energy codes. We will explore who is responsible for integrating these new requirements into the traditional means of designing and building a structure, specifically if regulatory agencies are not enforcing requirements — such as NFPA285, Continuous Insulation, Air/Weather Barriers, Attic Ventilation, changing thermal enclosures concepts and thermal bridging, to name a few of the most misunderstood building code requirements.
How do we integrate science with architecture? Not long ago the architecture industry incorporated more technical details, calculations, orientation, and other factors based on project location. With the engineering and technical sides of architecture going the way of 3rd party construction oversight, how do we as an industry blend science into good architecture?

Thomas Berger, BEC, CSI, CDT

DTR Consulting Services | Roseville, CA

Thomas Berger is a senior Building Envelope/Waterproofing Consultant, QC Specialist, Specifier, Forensic Consultant, and educator with 34 years of experience in the A/E industry. His past experiences range from designer, project manager, construction administrator, and office leader to business owner. He is a co-founder of a mid-size Architectural/ Building Science Consulting Firm in California. He has provided technical consulting services for roughly 60 A/E firms, property owners, contractors, and developers. He has been responsible for professional services on more than three hundred projects, exceeding $6B in over a wide range of project types. He constantly strives to educate colleagues on the importance of science in architecture.

Wrapping it Up: The Process and Value of Building Enclosure Design Reviews

June 24, 2021 | Thursday | 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM ET (11:30 AM – 12:30 PM PT)

In recent years, building enclosures have become substantially more complicated as architectural styles have changed, building codes have been updated, and scores of new products have entered the market. In this rapidly changing field, it can be difficult for designers to ensure they are selecting the correct products and implementing the correct building science strategies for best building enclosure performance. A third- party design review by a qualified building enclosure professional can reduce the building team’s risk and costs by identifying and resolving building enclosure pitfalls prior to construction. This presentation will outline the basics of performing building enclosure design reviews, with a specific focus on common locations for detailing deficiencies. Representative case studies will be used to show risks associated with building enclosures which are not properly coordinated prior to construction, as well as projects where the building enclosure design review was instrumental in resolving project issues during the design phase.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn the basics of performing building enclosure design reviews, including the four main control layers and their interactions.
2. Be able to identify common building enclosure design pitfalls, which require special attention during design review.
3. Understand potential risks of an improperly coordinated building enclosure design, as presented in representative case studies.
4. Understand how a successful building enclosure design review can reduce risk and save money on projects by identifying and correcting issues prior to construction, as presented in representative case studies.

Kade Gromowski, PE, RRC, RWC

Terracon | Wheat Ridge, CO

After graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s and master’s of architectural engineering, Ms. Gromowski began her career in Houston before relocating to the Denver area in 2014. She brings over eight years of experience in the fields of building enclosure and structural assessment and repair design to Terracon. She has worked on projects involving the assessment and repair of roofing systems (steep-slope and low-slope), wall claddings, waterproofing, plazas, and building enclosure testing and diagnostics. She has also performed structural assessments, analysis of existing structures for change-of-use or alteration, parking garage assessment and repair design, and design of structural alteration and repair to concrete, steel, masonry, and wood structures. She predominantly works with existing structures, where she focuses on assessing existing assemblies, designing repairs for deterioration and deficiencies, and performing construction administration and quality assurance during the implementation of the designed repairs.

Dustin T. Smoot, RRC, RRO, CDT, Legacy LEED

Terracon | Wheat Ridge, CO

Mr. Smoot’s background includes over 20 years of building enclosure experience. He has performed assessments on over 16 million square feet of roofing. He has been involved in projects in various capacities, including roofing systems, wall claddings, glazed assemblies, waterproofing, and building enclosure diagnostics. Mr. Smoot has performed a wide variety of building diagnostic assessments and has prepared and reviewed design documents related to roofing replacement, building enclosure refurbishment, and associated building enclosure remediation work. He has provided peer review of construction documents associated with building design and remedial repair/restoration. He has also provided full consulting, project design for bidding, contract administration, and quality assurance on a wide variety of projects across nearly all market sectors.