Achieving Building Enclosure Continuity Across Building Movement Joints (2020 BES)

Structural engineers consider movement joints as a separator or physical break between adjacent buildings (or portions of buildings), while building enclosure designers require movement joints to connect the thermal, moisture, air, and water control layers. Often architectural drawings include a premanufactured movement joint sized to accommodate the anticipated structural movement of the joint. A common challenge is understanding how the movement joint system, which often includes complex geometry, interfaces with the adjacent building enclosure systems that are being connected. The speakers will address how to detail, develop, and construct movement joint systems to maintain enclosure continuity and prevent leakage. The presented approach is based on the speakers’ combined experience investigating failed movement joints, and applying lessons learned to the design and construction of movement joints in new design projects. In this presentation, the speakers will review how movement joints fail from a building enclosure perspective and identify key details and requirements for movement joint systems that are required to maintain a continuous envelope across multiple enclosure systems.

Luke Niezelski, PE

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc. | Waltham, MA

Luke Niezelski joined the building technology division of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. (SGH) in 2014. He is licensed in Massachusetts as a professional engineer and is experienced in the investigation/assessment, design, construction administration, monitoring/inspection, and field-testing of historical and contemporary building enclosure systems. Niezelski has been involved in various Boston high-rise construction projects and is routinely collaborating with architects, owners, and contractors on complex building enclosure designs.

Sophia B. Salah

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc. | Waltham, MA

Sophia Salah is a professional engineer licensed in Massachusetts and California and has practiced building enclosure engineering for over ten years with Simpson Gumpertz & Heger. Through her work, ranging from hospitals and health care facilities to commercial and residential buildings, Salah has extensive experience in both the investigation and design of complex enclosure systems, including below-grade waterproofing, plaza waterproofing, roofing, opaque cladding, curtainwall, and fenestration systems. As more buildings are being constructed in complex geometries and adjacent to existing buildings, Salah works with architects and contractors to provide a continuous building enclosure across movement joints.