IIBEC Online Education

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) coatings have been a reliable part of construction since the 1960s, but over the past 15 years, we have witnessed an increasing number of premature PVDF coating failures. This paper will review changes the industry made that led to these failures and how to avoid them through proper specification and testing. This presentation will demonstrate that the failures can be attributed to changes in the industry’s use of chromium phosphate pretreatment wash—the tried and true method. The American Architectural Manufacturers Association’s specification AAMA 2605 initially included chromium phosphate wash as a mandatory requirement. However, because there are concerns about the environmental impact of chromium, manufacturers’ use of the wash became voluntary in 2004. Alternate washes such as phosphoric acid are being used instead of chromium phosphate, leading to poor adhesion and a lack of corrosion protection. This paper will also review the steps and costs involved in repair and recoating procedures, and how to modify technical specifications and implement testing to mitigate premature failure. Karim Allana, RRC, RWC, PE Allana Buick ​&​ Bers, Inc. | Palo Alto, CA Karim Allana is the CEO and founding principal of Allana Buick ​&​ Bers, Inc., an architectural-engineering firm specializing in the building enclosure and sustainable construction. Allana has been in the A/E and construction fields for 35+ years and acted as a consultant and expert witness in 450+ construction defect projects. He earned a BS in civil engineering from Santa Clara University and is a licensed professional engineer in California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, North Carolina, and Hawaii. He is also a Registered Roof Consultant (RRC) and Registered Waterproofing Consultant (RWC) through IIBEC. Read more

This presentation initially took place at the 2021 Convention in Phoenix, Arizona Architects, engineers, and preservationists have been specifying restoration repairs of stone masonry and cladding for decades. Execution of these repairs has fallen to craftsmen with a range of stone masonry experience with often inadequate or non-existent guidance from the practitioners who often lean on general industry practices. While most professionals will agree on many of the basic design principles for commonly applied repairs, each project has unique parameters that can affect the final repair design and its ultimate service life. This exploration is aimed at design professionals, as well as building owners, managers, and engineers tasked with maintaining buildings constructed of stone masonry or stone cladding. It is intended to summarize best practices for designing and implementing repairs for stone wall systems, as well as to identify the key decision points that influence the type of materials and repair procedures that we use to optimize durability. It will also challenge some commonly held beliefs regarding popular material choices and repair techniques, plus highlight how, in some instances, minor changes in approach can make significant differences in repair performance. This presentation is given at an intermediate level; some prior knowledge of exterior wall systems and stone masonry is recommended. Matthew Farmer, PE Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates | Tampa, FL Matthew Farmer is a principal investigator on evaluations of buildings and monuments, concentrating his practice in the areas of masonry building enclosure systems’ engineering, design, investigation, analysis, and repair. Projects include institutional and commercial, as well as numerous historic landmarks. Farmer received a bachelor of science in architectural engineering and a bachelor of environmental design from the University of Colorado; and a master of civil engineering from Cornell University. He is a registered professional engineer in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia, plus an active member of ASTM C18 (Dimension Stone), ASTM C27 (Cast Stone), and The Masonry Society. Read more

In the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, several disciplines have seen how small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) or drones can make critical, and sometimes dangerous, tasks more efficient, precise, and accessible. This includes using drones to perform thermal imaging scans to detect air, moisture, and heat leakage from a building enclosure—the glass, concrete, insulation, and other materials separating the inside and outside environments. Leaky buildings can be costly and dangerous, leading to damaged finishes, increased energy costs, and mold growth within walls and roofs. Infrared thermography is a relatively cost-effective, easy-to-use, non-destructive tool for these types of conditions, but requires expert interpretation. SGH has implemented the use of drones on many projects, and by using drone technology, AEC professionals can get detailed results to make informed recommendations that address underlying building concerns. In this paper/presentation, we will explore how the AEC industry has implemented drone use to conduct thermal imaging scans of buildings, discuss some of the nuances with using drones around building enclosures, and discuss the differences compared to handheld scanning techniques. We will review industry standards and guidelines and share common project challenges and opportunities through a series of case studies. Kelsey Dunn, PE Simpson Gumpertz ​&​ Heger | Boston, MA Kelsey A. Dunn joined SGH in September of 2013 and is a senior staff engineer in SGH’s building technology group in Boston, MA. Dunn has been involved in a variety of projects involving investigation, design, and construction administration for existing building repair projects, rehabilitation of historic buildings, and new construction building-enclosure consulting. She has performed many partial and whole-building infrared scans using both the handheld and sUAS/drones while at SGH. Christopher Grey, PE Simpson Gumpertz ​&​ Heger | Boston, MA Christopher N. Grey joined SGH in 2011 and is a senior project manager in SGH’s building technology group in Boston, MA. His experience includes investigating, rehabilitating, and designing building enclosure systems on a wide range of project types, from historic buildings to contemporary high-rise structures. He specializes in the design, integration, construction administration, and in-situ testing of complex building enclosure systems with a focus on design efficiency, constructability, and performance. He works directly with architects, owners, contractors, and manufacturers in both the field and office through all project phases. Grey has performed many partial- and whole-building infrared scans, assists with managing SGH’s internal sUAS/drone usage and standards, is a certified sUAS Level I Thermographer, and also a contributing member of the American Architectural Manufacturer’s Association, serving on several industry standard task groups. 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

Flanged windows are typically considered a product for low-rise residential buildings, and un-flanged window systems (curtainwall, window wall, storefront) are typically considered products for commercial and high-rise construction. However, a new type of window system is becoming more common on high-rise construction: flanged, aluminum windows designed for high-rise buildings. While numerous industry standards exist to guide the installation of flanged windows in low-rise construction, virtually no guidance exists to inform best practices for the installation of higher-performance flanged windows in high-rise construction. Terracon Consultants, Inc. and JE Dunn Construction partnered in 2017 to perform water penetration and air leakage testing of flanged window details, which resulted in a chapter in the ASTM publication entitled Whole Building Air Leakage: Testing and Building Performance Impacts Manuscript ID STP-2018-0028.R4. While valuable conclusions resulted from that collaboration, the team was limited in their testing capability. Therefore, Terracon and JE Dunn have now partnered with Tremco to expand upon our previous research efforts. Tremco has a large, sophisticated testing facility in Cleveland, OH, that can provide more accurate and a much greater quantity of tests. This research and collaboration effort regarding window details is part of a greater effort to establish a high-rise detailing manual badly needed by our industry.   Keith Simon, AIA, CPHC, LEED AP, BECxP Terracon | Austin, TX Keith Simon joined Building Exterior Solutions, Inc. (a division of Terracon) in April of 2014. He has over 15 years’ experience in architectural design and building enclosure consultation, including peer review, design assistance, durability analysis, construction administration, testing, and forensics of building enclosure issues. Simon was the founder of the Austin Building Enclosure Council (BEC: Austin) on whose board he sits, as well as on the Passive House Austin Chapter. He is secretary of the national executive committee for the Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC). Simon has served as Terracon’s subject matter expert for hygrothermal modeling and building enclosure commissioning. John A. Posenecker Terracon | Austin, TX John Posenecker joined Terracon in March of 2015 and is a registered mechanical engineer. He is on the Building Enclosure Council (BEC) National Board and is a board member and Technical Committee co-chair for the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA). His experience includes the design, construction, testing, and forensic investigation of building enclosure systems. Posenecker has participated in a wide variety of projects associated with enclosures that include containment systems for commercial nuclear power plants, noise control systems for commercial and institutional projects, and waterproofing systems for a wide variety of commercial high-rise and low-rise buildings. Read more

This panel discussion of industry leaders and manufacturers will provide learners with a better understanding of how the supply chain crisis is impacting manufacturers and building enclosure consultants. A discussion will take place on how building enclosure consultants can work with manufacturers to determine appropriate workarounds while ensuring they do not violate warranties. Read more