IIBEC Online Education

 An American Gothic: BECx for Harvard University’s Swartz Hall was originally presented at the 2022 IIBEC/AEI Building Enclosure Symposium.  This course includes the recording of the session as well as a summative assessment consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions. Course Start Date: November 30, 2022 Course Expiration Date: November 30, 2025 Course Prerequisites: None Knowledge Level: Intermediate Continuing Education Credit Statement: This course is approved for 1.0 IIBEC CEH.  This course is approved for 1.0 AIA LU HSW.   A passing score of 100% on the summative assessment (unlimited attempts) is required in order to earn Continuing Education Hours and AIA LU HSW credit. After completing this course, learners will be able to download a Certificate of Completion.  Learners are responsible for self-reporting IIBEC CEH credit by uploading their Certificate of Completion to their IIBEC Portal. Description Originally constructed in 1911, Swartz Hall limestone facade underwent its first comprehensive renovation starting in 2019. This ambitious project included a stylistically modern addition, restoration of the building enclosure, compliance with current building codes, energy efficiency upgrades, and new structural framing while maintaining the building’s historical character. Raths, Raths & Johnson Inc. (RRJ) was retained to provide building enclosure commissioning (BECx) services to assist in achieving LEED certification. RRJ’s scope included multiple design reviews, development of a BECx plan, preparation of BECx specifications, submittal reviews, quality assurance site visits, field quality-control testing, compilation of an issues tracking log, assistance with resolving nonconformance items, and a warranty-phase BECx summary report. Many lessons were learned both before and during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project team adapted to the work environment and schedule changes while providing a project-specific BECx process. This case study will provide valuable insight to BECx providers and enclosure consultants, as well as encourage discussion regarding best practices and options for process improvements. Learning Objectives Discuss the optimal timing of the BECx provider involvement to improve building enclosure performance. Describe how the BECx process was successfully used to improve occupant comfort following the completion of the Harvard University Swartz Hall renewal project. Restate strategies implemented during the Harvard University Swartz Hall renewal project to improve internal communication, advance construction quality, and meet goals related to sustainability. Review means implemented to successfully combine historic and contemporary building enclosure features to achieve specified performance requirements. Speakers/Authors Gloria Frank Raths, Raths & Johnson Inc. | Willowbrook, Illinois Gloria Frank is a member of the structural engineering staff at Raths, Raths & Johnson Inc, and is enrolled with the state of Illinois as an engineer intern. She is engaged in condition assessment, field investigation and testing, litigation support services, and documentation of structural components and distressed structures. In addition to structural engineering projects, she assists with testing for building enclosure condition assessment and repair design of historic structures. Patrick Reicher, REWC, REWO, SE Raths, Raths & Johnson Inc. | Willowbrook, Illinois Patrick Reicher is a principal with Raths, Raths & Johnson Inc. Reicher is a licensed Structural Engineer in the State of Illinois and a Licensed Professional Engineer in several states. He has considerable experience in forensic investigation, evaluation, and repair design of existing building enclosures; and building enclosure consulting and commissioning for new construction projects. He currently serves on several committees and task forces for the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC), the IIBEC Chicago Area Chapter, the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance, and the Construction Specification Institute Chicago Chapter). Reviewer Wendy Fraser, P.Eng 2022 Building Enclosure Symposium Committee Member AIA CES Provider statement IIBEC is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number G024. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES (cessupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3). This learning program is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.   Read more

 Masonry Interior Insulation Retrofit Thermal Performance and Freeze Thaw Risk was originally presented at the 2022 IIBEC/AEI Building Enclosure Symposium.  This course includes the recording of the session as well as a summative assessment consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions. Course Start Date: November 30, 2022 Course Expiration Date: November 30, 2025 Course Prerequisites: None Knowledge Level: Intermediate Continuing Education Credit Statement: This course is approved for 1.0 IIBEC CEH.  This course is approved for 1.0 AIA LU HSW.   A passing score of 100% on the summative assessment (unlimited attempts) is required in order to earn Continuing Education Hours and AIA LU HSW credit. After completing this course, learners will be able to download a Certificate of Completion.  Learners are responsible for self-reporting IIBEC CEH credit by uploading their Certificate of Completion to their IIBEC Portal. Description Interior insulation retrofit generally leads to wetter and colder masonry conditions in cold climates, increasing the risk of freeze-thaw decay. This session will present the physics behind various mechanisms affecting freeze-thaw decay and how risks of decay can be assessed/avoided, including the number of assessment case studies for projects with differing budgets and importance. A field review of the most basic assessment is where existing conditions and exposure issues can be identified, setting a basis for retrofit recommendations. Next, coupled field review with masonry testing and hygrothermal analysis to predict the impacts of various retrofit insulation assembly options on decay is recommended for higher-value projects that justify greater diligence. For a critically important project, there is ample justification to also provide mocked-up retrofit wall assembly conditions and rain exposure monitoring for assessment confidence and direct field trialing. Finally, different available retrofit approaches for these projects—including handling interfaces with foundations, floors, and openings—and their respective heat, air, and moisture control performance will be presented and discussed. Learning Objectives Describe the effect of interior thermal insulation on masonry conditions. List various mechanisms that cause masonry freeze-thaw decay. Explain suitable risk decay assessment approaches for a range of retrofit projects. Discuss effective thermal performance when interior insulation as a retrofit for old, heavy masonry buildings.   Speaker/Author Randy Van Straaten, PhD, P.Eng. Building Enclosure labs, Inc. | London, Ontario Dr. Randy Van Straaten provided risk assessments of masonry retrofits for Building Science Corp., RDH Building Science, and finally his own firm, Building Enclosure Labs Inc. (BELi) stretching over 15 years and many projects. He is an associate member of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies at Ryerson University, where he has co-supervised several ambitious students conducting thesis research on the topic. He teaches “Building Science for Retrofits” at George Brown College and “Building Performance” at Ryerson University. BELi provides client-focused risk assessment services often supporting other engineering firms while sharing methods and insights with the industry. Reviewer Craig Wetmore, FABAA, CDT, EBS 2022 Building Enclosure Symposium Committee Member   AIA CES Provider statement IIBEC is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number G024. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES (cessupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3). This learning program is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request. Read more

Meeting the Building Code: Specifications & Occupiable Spacing – Are They in Coordination? was originally presented at the 2022 IIBEC/AEI Building Enclosure Symposium.  This course includes the recording of the session as well as a summative assessment consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions. Course Start Date: November 30, 2022 Course Expiration Date: November 30, 2025 Course Prerequisites: None Knowledge Level: Intermediate Continuing Education Credit Statement: This course is approved for 1.0 IIBEC CEH.  This course is approved for 1.0 AIA LU HSW.   A passing score of 100% on the summative assessment (unlimited attempts) is required in order to earn Continuing Education Hours and AIA LU HSW credit. After completing this course, learners will be able to download a Certificate of Completion.  Learners are responsible for self-reporting IIBEC CEH credit by uploading their Certificate of Completion to their IIBEC Portal.  Description In the roofing industry, the materials, assemblies, and installation should be well-thought-out, with special attention placed on meeting the International Building Code (IBC). A roofing specification is the road map for the roof assembly to meet the building code based on performance and quality. Though this might seem clear, often the difficulty arises from misunderstanding the changes within the industry, the building code, and its criteria. Are the listed ASTM standards within the IBC for material, testing, and roof assemblies current? ASCE 7 now has multiple versions. Which one should be used? How are pavers addressed within the building code? Why would I use a guide on ballasted roofing when the membrane is adhered? How do pavers, stone, and vegetation meet the uplift pressures on the building? These questions, combined with the pressures on the design professional (such as the demand on turn-around time and services, increased liability of knowing IBC, and the limitation of educating younger professionals on material mechanics) can result in conflict between the code and specification. This presentation will offer a clearer understanding of the building code, including occupiable space, and the impact that could affect the roofing assembly specification.  Learning Objectives Explain the relationship between the roofing specification and building code. Identify how occupiable spaces are addressed within the building code. Review the standards ANSI/SPRI RP-4 & RP-14. Trace the compliance path through the building code. Author/Speaker Brian Chamberlain Carlisle Construction Materials | Carlisle, PA Brian Chamberlain has been with Carlisle Construction Materials since 1987. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, with a bachelor’s degree in the science of architectural design. Since joining Carlisle, Chamberlain has been assisting architects, consultants, and specifiers in developing special engineered roofing, focusing on performance and sustainability assemblies. He is part of a team that is responsible for system configurations, details development, and code testing. He has been involved in numerous technological presentations throughout the US, Canada, and overseas. Chamberlain is a member of IIBEC, the Construction Specifications Institute, and Single Ply Roofing Industry. He has 35 years of experience in the roofing industry.   Reviewer Jay Rodriguez 2022 Building Enclosure Symposium Committee Member AIA CES Provider statement IIBEC is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number G024. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES (cessupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3). This learning program is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.     Read more

 Observations Frequency and the Impacts on Non-Compliance was originally presented at the 2022 IIBEC/AEI Building Enclosure Symposium.  This course includes the recording of the session as well as a summative assessment consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions. Course Start Date: November 30, 2022 Course Expiration Date: November 30, 2025 Course Prerequisites: None Knowledge Level: Advanced Continuing Education Credit Statement: This course is approved for 1.0 IIBEC CEH.  This course is approved for 1.0 AIA LU HSW.   A passing score of 100% on the summative assessment (unlimited attempts) is required in order to earn Continuing Education Hours and AIA LU HSW credit. After completing this course, learners will be able to download a Certificate of Completion.  Learners are responsible for self-reporting IIBEC CEH credit by uploading their Certificate of Completion to their IIBEC Portal.  Description When engaging a third party to provide quality assurance observations (QAO), project teams often wonder how often to have low-slope roofing installations observed. ASTM standards and manuals by the National Roofing Contractors Association and IIBEC provide significant guidance on “how” to perform QAO, but none provide guidance on “how much” QAO is appropriate for a given project. Data derived from any single construction project cannot reliably improve construction practices across the industry. For more than 10 years, over 10,000 field observation reports have been compiled across more than 4000 projects, resulting in over 6000 documented and tracked non-compliances in construction projects in more than 30 US states. This large dataset is mined to generate a collection of representative projects, focusing on new low-slope roof system installations. This presentation will analyze the impacts of QAO frequency on the ability to capture nonconforming installations of low-slope roofing installations. The results of this research can assist in specifying the level of QAO involvement to meet the project risk profile and the owner’s performance requirements. By defining QAO frequency categories, project teams can be better equipped to select a QAO approach that aligns with the size and complexity of the roof being observed. Learning Objectives Understand the scope and concepts in current QAO standards and manuals in the low-slope roofing industry. Recognize the importance of using a third-party QAO process to identify and resolve nonconforming low-slope roof installations. Examine case studies from a large dataset to draw general statistical conclusions regarding the impact of QAO frequency on projects. Apply fundamental and enhanced QAO frequency categories to future projects that best align with the size and complexity of the roof being observed. Speakers/Authors Benjamin Meyer, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Siplast| Mosely, VA Benjamin Meyer is the building enclosure business director with Siplast. Previous experience includes enclosure consultant principal, technical management, research, and education for enclosure products, commercial design, real estate development, and construction management on a range of projects that included residential, educational, offices, and DuPont industrial projects. Industry positions include voting member of the ASHRAE 90.1 Envelope and Project Committees, LEED Technical Committee member, past LEED Materials (MR) TAG, and director of the Air Barrier Association of America. Meyer has MBA, BS, and M.Arch degrees from the University of Cincinnati. Keith Nelson, NCARB, AIA, CDT, BCXP ECS MID-ATLANTIC, LLC | Richmond, VA Keith Nelson is a principal and building envelope department manager at ECS Mid-Atlantic. He has over 20 years of experience in complex building enclosure design and failure investigations. Nelson is an ASHRAE Certified Building Commissioning Professional, consultant to ASHRAE 90.1 Building Envelope Subcommittee, and member of the ASHRAE 160 Hygrothermal Analysis Committee. He participates in ASTM E06.55 Performance of Buildings and in ASTM E06.41 Air Barriers. Nelson provides building science training nationally, coauthored a chapter in The Building Commissioning Handbook, and cochaired/edited ASTM STP161,5 Whole Building Air Leakage: Testing and Building Performance Impacts. Author Kristin M. Westover, PE GAF | Fairfax County, Virginia Reviewer Stephanie Robinson, P.Eng. 2022 Building Enclosure Symposium Committee Member   AIA CES Provider statement IIBEC is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number G024. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES (cessupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3). This learning program is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request. Read more

Stuccometrics- Considerations for Stucco Cladding and Continuous Insulation was originally presented at the 2022 IIBEC/AEI Building Enclosure Symposium.  This course includes the recording of the session as well as a summative assessment consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions. Course Start Date: November 30, 2022 Course Expiration Date: November 30, 2025 Course Prerequisites: None Knowledge Level: Advanced Continuing Education Credit Statement: This course is approved for 1.0 IIBEC CEH.  This course is approved for 1.0 AIA LU HSW.   A passing score of 100% on the summative assessment (unlimited attempts) is required in order to earn Continuing Education Hours and AIA LU HSW credit. After completing this course, learners will be able to download a Certificate of Completion.  Learners are responsible for self-reporting IIBEC CEH credit by uploading their Certificate of Completion to their IIBEC Portal.  Content Description: Portland cement-based plaster (stucco) is a premium-quality exterior wall cladding, widely regarded as aesthetically desirable, durable for the life of a building, fire-resistant, impact-resistant, low-maintenance, and cost-effective. A comparatively heavy cladding, stucco is not all the same. Major variations include three-coat, proprietary stucco, and a range of finish-coat materials. Stucco has important requirements for designers, craftsmen, and code enforcement officials in comparison to other common cladding materials, such as substrate requirements, lath fastening, water management, crack minimization, material selection, and detailing. Where stucco is applied over metal framing members, contemporary energy codes require a continuous insulation layer between the stucco and metal framing to minimize thermal bridging, effectively creating a new stucco exterior wall assembly typology for which the industry is still experimenting. This session presents a rational exploration and evaluation of the range of specific code and technical requirements, new information, and other considerations for using various continuous insulation materials with stucco on metal-framed buildings. There will be a focus on the differences between the variety of continuous insulation material selections, including foam plastic and mineral wool, their performance characteristics, and detailing. Learning Objectives Describe stucco design and construction specifics regarding continuous insulation. Review important stucco design codes and ASTM requirements, both current and former, which are sometimes overlooked or misunderstood. Summarize key lessons learned from recent stucco performance testing. Discuss the future of stucco with continuous insulation. Speaker/Author Jeff Bowlsby, CCS, CCCA Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. | California Jeff Bowlsby, architect, stucco consultant, is a licensed California architect and stucco consultant, with Simpson Gumpertz & Heger in Northern California. He specializes in exterior wall and stucco assembly consultations to architects, contractors, developers, stucco contractors, and property owners. His nationwide practice focuses on the design of new building construction and rehabilitation projects, and forensic evaluations. Bowlsby has chaired or co-chaired several ASTM stucco committees including ASTM C1063 and ASTM C1861. He has authored many peer-reviewed stucco-related technical articles published in national industry professional journals, and he is the author of the stucco industry information resource StuccoMetrics.com. Reviewer Scott Toller, RRO 2022 Building Enclosure Symposium Committee Member  AIA CES Provider statement IIBEC is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number G024. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES (cessupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3). This learning program is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request. Read more

The Sky Is Falling: Cladding System Failures was originally presented at the 2022 IIBEC/AEI Building Enclosure Symposium.  This course includes the recording of the session as well as a summative assessment consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions.   Course Start Date: November 30, 2022 Course Expiration Date: November 30, 2025 Course Prerequisites: None Knowledge Level: Advanced Continuing Education Credit Statement: This course is approved for 1.0 IIBEC CEH.  This course is approved for 1.0 AIA LU HSW.   A passing score of 100% on the summative assessment (unlimited attempts) is required in order to earn Continuing Education Hours and AIA LU HSW credit. After completing this course, learners will be able to download a Certificate of Completion.  Learners are responsible for self-reporting IIBEC CEH credit by uploading their Certificate of Completion to their IIBEC Portal. Description An emergency situation resulted from an all-too-common and ongoing problem in the building enclosure industry. Many cladding systems are specified with a performance specification, with the design professional of record delegating the final design, testing, and attachment details for the system to the system’s manufacturer or installer. Many of the systems are proprietary and locally manufactured. In the case study presented, a new aluminum composite material cladding system was specified and installed as part of a new downtown midrise building. The system was designed based on details by a well-known industry leader where attachment methods and details have a track record. The installed system was a substitution that was locally manufactured, though approved based on the required submittals, including detailed shop drawings, third-party engineering, and independent laboratory testing reports. Toward the end of the project, pieces and panels from the cladding system began blowing off of the building during high-wind events. This emergency situation resulted in the general contractor and project team needing to respond quickly to determine the cause, make the area safe, and implement repair solutions. This session will discuss issues from system design through system approvals, forensic investigation, and repairs. Learning Objectives Discuss optimal design and construction process in relation to specified delegated design of cladding systems. Explain how specific cladding system failures may result in life-threatening emergency scenarios. Define the need and role of an experienced design professional throughout the entire design and building process. List the required steps in a forensic evaluation of a failed building cladding system. Explain how specific repair solutions were successfully implemented in the case scenario presented Speakers/Authors Timothy Mills, PE, LEED AP TAM Consultants Inc. (a Terracon Co.) | Williamsburg, Virginia Timothy A. Mills, PE, graduated with a BS degree in engineering from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute of New York in 1983. Prior to forming TAM Consultants in 2002, Mills worked with a number of multidiscipline design and inspection firms. He specializes in forensic investigations and building envelope consulting. Tim has published numerous articles and completed more than 1000 building inspections. He is an instructor for the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) training courses that certify contractors in the proper installation of air barriers, as well as a certified ABAA Auditor in the quality assurance program. TAM Consultants became part of Terracon Consultants in 2020. Michael J Lucas, PE TAM Consultants Inc. (a Terracon Co.) | Williamsburg, Virginia Lucas is a civil and structural engineer with over five years of experience in building enclosure science and restoration services. Prior to joining Terracon, he worked with firms in Chicago, Illinois, where he conducted critical examinations of high-rise building facades; conducted water infiltration investigations, testing, and troubleshooting of various enclosure-related elements; and assisted with the design and analysis of structural building members under a licensed structural engineer. Lucas gained valuable experience reviewing facades via pipe and swing stage scaffolding. He created field reports that coordinated project statuses and condition assessments. He set up, managed, and successfully completed exterior facade restoration projects. His projects also required the review and markup of American Institute of Architects and Engineer Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC) applications for payment, computer-aided design drawings of site plans, building elevations and repair details, and the review and development of bidding documents and material specifications.   Reviewer Joseph Bukovec, RWC, RRO, PE 2022 Building Enclosure Symposium Committee Member AIA CES Provider statement IIBEC is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number G024. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES (cessupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3). This learning program is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request. Read more