IIBEC Online Education

These 5 sessions were originally presented at the 2023 IIBEC International Convention & Trade Show in Houston, Texas.  The courses include the recording of the session, a summative assessment consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions, and surveys required to claim continuing education credit. The bundle includes the following courses:  Recertification Resurgence—Mitigating Risk in our Nation's Older Structures Building Codes- Implications for Repair of Buildings and Building Enclosures Building Fire Safety: No Singular Solution, It Takes a Village Historic Industrial Building Reuse and the Building Enclosure Six Frequently Misunderstood Topics Related to Commercial Building Enclosures Read more

An enclosure that is appropriately responsive to its environmental loading conditions is one of the most fundamental measures of satisfactory performance for the built environment. Some loads are directly experienced by enclosure components and materials themselves, while other loads are experienced because material deformations or deflections influence those components and materials. While the relationship between structural movement and a structure’s usefulness to its intended purpose has been well understood throughout the history of design and construction, that understanding has not always translated well into satisfactory enclosure performance. Drawing on experiences in post-construction forensic investigations, troubleshooting during construction, and efforts to influence design detailing, this presentation will discuss key factors in applying engineering mechanics for the benefit (or detriment) of enclosure performance. Specific aspects to be shared will include the cross-party dynamics in design and construction that give rise to current challenges, case studies of failures as a result of insufficient consideration, and areas for improvement across the design and construction industry. Jonathan Porter, PE, AAIA Kraus-Anderson Construction Company | Minneapolis, MN Jon Porter is the director of building science for Kraus-Anderson Construction (KA). In his role at KA, Porter focuses on building performance, particularly the exterior enclosure and interior finishes. He serves as a technical resource to project teams in relation to means and methods, constructability, building materials technology, workflow and sequencing, proper installation techniques, and testing and acceptance protocols. A licensed professional engineer in the state on MN, Porter has more than 24 years of design and construction experience, including roles in forensic investigation of design and construction failures and as an owner’s representative. Read more

This presentation was initially provided at the 2021 Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.  This presentation will highlight specifically how U.S. codes and standards create assurances that energy efficiency improvements do not compromise fire safety by controlling the use of combustible building products in commercial buildings. Examples of approved assemblies in a variety of exterior walls for different construction configurations will be provided. There will also be a focus on how fire safety can be maintained throughout the design process and construction phases using code compliance techniques like engineering judgments for wall assemblies. Adequate time will be allowed for an interactive discussion of current industry resources and topics of interest to the audience. Jeffrey H. Greenwald North American Modern Building Alliance | Tampa, FL Jeffrey H. Greenwald is an association executive with over 20 years of association management and advocacy experience. Prior positions include as an executive director, vice president for engineering, and vice president for research and development with four national associations. Greenwald is an innovative leader with demonstrated success in strategy development and execution, building code development, credential management, marketing, public affairs, and research and development. Lorraine Ross Intech Consulting, Inc. | Tampa, FL Lorraine Ross has been involved in all aspects of the building products industry for over 30 years, including manufacturing, technical service, and regulatory issues such as building code development, compliance, and testing laboratory experience. As president of Intech Consulting Inc., she is actively involved in building and fire code development through the International Code Council, NFPA, and a variety of state code development activities, particularly regarding foam plastic insulation. Currently, she is a member of the Florida Building Commission Roofing Technical Advisory Committee. Lorraine has delivered many presentations on building code topics at a variety of industry conferences. Read more

Cladding and building enclosure component connection details are important to the overall performance of a building enclosure, including its resistance to loads and durability. However, they must also be coordinated with energy code insulation requirements, which are increasingly requiring and recognizing the benefits of continuous insulation. Continuous insulation provides a means to improve energy efficiency (minimize thermal bridging) and provide a thermally stable and dry environment for the enclosed building components when coordinated with improved water and vapor control methodologies in the latest building codes. But, cladding connection must extend through this layer of continuous insulation. This presentation will review the research and latest prescriptive code requirements for attaching claddings through a layer of exterior continuous insulation. It will also present a generalized design procedure that can allow various types of connections through foam plastic insulating sheathing, including the attachment of cladding, furring, and even structural components like roof and deck ledgers. These building code advancements provide building enclosure designers with the means to efficiently design and detail various cladding and component connection options in coordination with energy code requirements to maximize the continuity of the thermal enclosure and overall integrity of the building enclosure. Jay Crandell, PE ARES/ABTG | Shady Side, MD Jay Crandell has over 30 years of experience in construction, engineering, and innovative building technology research for private and public sector clients. He has conducted benchmark studies of major natural disasters and conducted research to address significant structural, energy, and building science challenges. His work has helped to propel many innovative technologies into the International Codes and consensus standards. He is widely published on various engineering, construction, and building science topics. For additional information visit www.aresconsulting.biz and www.appliedbuildingtech.com. Read more

This presentation was initially provided at the 2021 Convention and Tradeshow in Phoenix, Arizona Continuous Insulation presents challenges with the overall wall assembly’s design, performance, and construction. This second of two programs at the advanced level utilizes eight commercial steel-framed wall assembly designs to evaluate their comparative differences while standardizing to an NFPA 285-compliant assembly under ICC 2018 in Climate Zone 5 (due to the requirement for an interior vapor retarder). The evaluations of the eight assemblies begin with an overview of their components with their assembly’s benefits and challenges. This overview includes describing the rationale for the choice and location of the continuous and total insulation, sheathing (if any), weather and vapor control layers, and the concerns for condensation management and thermal breaks. The eight are then compared for their NFPA 285 compliance, and then evaluated by their WUFI hygrothermic modeling over four climate seasons. They next are evaluated for their structural cladding load and wind-load resistances, and finally, they are comparatively ranked by cost of construction and speed of production. Rather than focusing on the benefits of one construction material or assembly, this program weaves together eight different entire wall assemblies to compare and rationalize. The presentation utilizes 3-D modeled imagery to help visualize their integrated assemblies.   G. David Schoenhard, RRO, AIA, BECxA, CSI, LEED AP DSS-Philly | Narberth, PA G. David Schoenhard has over 40 years of experience in the design, detailing, and construction of institutional, commercial, research, and multifamily residential architecture, and is the principal and manager of DSS-Philly, an architectural building enclosure consulting firm in the Philadelphia region. He brings his decades of experience and discipline to design, implement, and remediate building enclosures on behalf of other architects, owners, and contractors. He also actively researches comparative building enclosure assemblies and is an AIA Education Provider. In addition to the AIA, he is certified as a BECxA, EDI, RRO, CSI, LEED AP, and CIT. Read more

This presentation was initially provided at the 2021 Convention in Phoenix, Arizona Delegating the design of portions or even the entirety of the building enclosure to specialty contractors has become common practice. However, issues with the delegated design process persist throughout the industry. How can project participants take full advantage of the benefits of delegated design while minimizing risk? This presentation will draw from a combination of research and professional experience to assist designers, contractors, owners, building enclosure consultants, and building enclosure commissioning providers (BECx Providers) with the delegated design process. We will provide a brief overview of the motivations for using delegated design, common problems associated with the process, and inconsistent policies and requirements in varying jurisdictions. We will also outline strategies for successfully implementing delegated designs within both traditional and modern project delivery methods. In traditional design-bid-build projects, specifications play a critical role in defining the expectations for project team members. Meanwhile, newer project delivery methods ensure specialty designers and contractors are contracted early in the design process. With the advent of building enclosure commissioning, early project involvement of building enclosure consultants and BECx Providers can add value in the form of additional quality assurance to protect stakeholder interests. Demetria Boatwright, CDT Raths Raths and Johnson | Willowbrook, IL Demetria Boatwright is a technical staff member with the structural engineering team at Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc. She has experience with a variety of projects involving condition assessment, field investigation, forensic research, and documentation of structural components and systems and distressed buildings. She is an enrolled Professional Engineer Intern with the state of Illinois and holds a Construction Document Technologist (CDT) certification. She is an active member of the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI), as a part of the Women in Structural Engineering (WiSE) committee, and serves on the communications committee for the Construction Specification Institute Chicago Chapter (CSI Chicago). Patrick Reicher, REWC, REWO, SE, CCS, CCCA Raths Raths and Johnson | Willowbrook, IL Patrick Reicher is a principal with Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc. He has experience with the forensic investigation, evaluation, and repair design of existing building enclosures; and building enclosure consulting and commissioning for new construction projects. Reicher is a structural engineer in Illinois and a professional engineer in several states. He is also a Registered Exterior Wall Consultant, Registered Exterior Wall Observer, Certified Construction Specifier, and Certified Construction Contract Administrator. He currently serves on several committees and task forces for the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) and the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA). Read more