Anchored Brick Veneer: What Can Go Wrong and How to Prevent This December 02, 2025 Anchored Brick Veneer: What Can Go Wrong and How to Prevent This ANCHORED BRICK SYSTEMS Anchored brick veneer is a cladding system that is designed with a structural backup wall where the brick is then structurally tied (or anchored) to the backup wall. The brick veneer acts as a rainscreen, with an air cavity and […] Read More
IIBEC Technical Advisory 27-2025: Technical and Safety Considerations When Providing Building Enclosure Consulting Services on Low-Slope Roofs Equipped with Photovoltaic Arrays November 20, 2025 Technical and Safety Considerations When Providing Building Enclosure Consulting Services on Low-Slope Roofs Equipped with Photovoltaic Arrays DESIGNATION: TA-27-2025 OBJECTIVE: To provide awareness pertaining to conducting building enclosure consulting work on a building equipped with a photovoltaic (PV) array. BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION More building owners are looking to alternative and renewable means of power generation […] Read More
Metal Retrofit: The Structural Nuances of Purlins and Subpurlins You Should Not Overlook November 03, 2025 WHEN AN EXISTING metal roof has reached the end of its life, retrofitting often proves to be the easiest, least invasive, and most cost-effective way to replace it. Beneath the surface of any successful retrofit, however, lies a structural story worth exploring. Understanding the framing components—especially the roles of purlins and subpurlins—is key to ensuring […] Read More
Transforming 240 Markland Drive, Etobicoke: A Blueprint for Decarbonizing Multiunit Residential Buildings November 03, 2025 INTRODUCTION When the developer first laid eyes on the 1960s building (Fig. 1), the scene was far from inspiring. The building’s exterior was marked by aged masonry walls, aging single-pane windows, and a failing roofing system. The mechanical systems within the building were outdated and inefficient. The lack of capital investment from the previous owner […] Read More
Can You Feel the Heat? Cross-Typology Building Facade Performance Evaluations Using Infrared Analysis November 02, 2025 Can You Feel the Heat? Cross-Typology Building Facade Performance Evaluations Using Infrared Analysis THE AUTHORS’ TEAM was fortunate to conduct a study of 17 structures on a higher education institution’s campus in the northeastern US. The institution desired a deeper understanding of performance across its dormitory buildings on the main campus to inform master […] Read More
Airtightness: Ultimate Benefits and Decisive Stakeholders’ Interests September 11, 2025 Airtightness: Ultimate Benefits and Decisive Stakeholders’ Interests 1. INTRODUCTION A common performance motivation axiom by Lord William Kelvin is that “what cannot be measured cannot be improved.” Achieving airtightness performance (through whole-building testing) can initially appear demanding. Air-barrier assemblies and accessories are available, but integrating these into air-barrier systems, which comprise many connections, is […] Read More
Adaptation of Low-Slope Roof Assemblies Against Projected Climate Severities: Evaluation of a New Standard July 24, 2025 by the manufacturer. Low-slope roof assemblies, excluding protected roof membrane assemblies, are now required to resist the project-specific wind uplift loads of three different zones of a roof area: the field, edges, and corners. To meet this requirement, each of the project team members, including designers, manufacturers, and installers, must play a pivotal role. However, […] Read More
