A Tale of Two Masonry Facade Rehabilitations: When Preservation Standards, Codes, and Client Expectations Are at Odds March 20, 2021 IIBEC Interface November 2022 Facade rehabilitation and restoration projects require design professionals to manage and balance varied and sometimes opposing factors, including historic preservation philosophical issues and considerations, code requirements, client expectations, and available funds. This article will focus on the terms preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation, and discuss the differences between each process as they […] Read More
Occupied Roofs: Lightning Protection Systems February 26, 2021 Lightning protection systems safeguard structures from one of the most violent forces of nature. While the principles of lightning protection were established more than 250 years ago by Benjamin Franklin, the design and installation of lightning protection systems continue to evolve in response to advances in science and changes in architectural design, construction materials, and […] Read More
Experience Music Project – A Different Sort of Waterproofing Challenge February 26, 2021 February 2021 IIBEC Interface • 17 In 1998, the author was called by the senior project manager of the general contractor who was tasked with constructing what was then called the Experience Music Project, in Seattle, Washington, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. Over the years, the name and mission have changed, and the building […] Read More
Fastener Thermal Bridging in Low-Slope Roofs: Where do we stand on energy and money loss, codes, and verification? February 26, 2021 When it is summer and your air conditioning is on full power, or it is winter and the heating system is doing its best, do you leave the doors and windows open? Of course not; you keep things as closed up as possible. A tight building enclosure tries to decouple the interior environment from that […] Read More
Got Shrinkage? Why Wood Shrinkage Analysis is Required by the Code January 28, 2021 While the two authors of this paper live at opposite ends of the United States (Seattle, Washington, and Clemson, South Carolina), both have first-hand experience regarding the importance of understanding and dealing with wood shrinkage in mid-rise woodframed construction. Mid-rise wood-framed construction is typically four to six stories tall and may or may not include […] Read More
Investigation of Exposed Concrete Facades January 27, 2021 Exposed concrete façades synonymous with the brutalist architectural style have been featured on buildings for over a century. Constructed between 1906 and 1908, Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Unity Temple was one of the earliest structures to contain a poured-in-place reinforced concrete façade.1 In the 1960s, Walter Netsch designed several buildings on campus for the University […] Read More
Below-Grade Waterproofing Failures – Case Study January 27, 2021 In order to highlight fundamental construction errors, this paper reviews our firm’s litigation-related evaluation of below-grade waterproofing failures at a university building in Northern California (Figure 1). The nine-yearold facility had experienced periodic groundwater intrusion since original construction.1 Consider the front portion with the lowsloped roof: this 70-ft.-long area encloses a partially below-grade boiler room […] Read More
Moisture Absorption in Polystyrene Insulation: Effects on In-Service Design R-Values November 27, 2020 Moisture absorption is a familiar concept. It is easy to understand moisture absorption mechanisms in polystyrene insulation. Unfortunately, some insulation-performance claims can be misleading when based on test results from a few field samples or extrapolations of long-term field performance from small-scale laboratory tests of limited duration and exposure. Ideally, engineers and specifiers would have […] Read More
Adapting Masonry Veneers to Comply With NECB 2017 November 27, 2020 Masonry is a 5,000-year-old building technology that has been proven to perform in all types of built environments because of its inherent resistance to fire, insects, and moisture degradation. However, the design requirements for buildings have expanded from simply providing shelter to include maximizing the use of space, energy, sound, and light. As a result, […] Read More
Designing Precast Concrete Enclosures for Thermal and Moisture Efficiency November 27, 2020 The design of the building enclosure and the performance of the exterior wall system are critical to a structure’s performance and longevity, as well as the quality of the interior environment for those living and working inside. It is paramount that designers and contractors understand the fundamentals of thermal and moisture management. As Joe Lstiburek, […] Read More
