CONSTRUCT: Two Presentations and a Panel

Advance your techniques in developing and evaluating architectural detailing concepts while understanding lessons learned from recent developments in net zero energy, carbon pricing and financial risk models. We’re pleased to announce that our Building Science team will be presenting two sessions and participating in a panel at this year’s CONSTRUCT Conference! This 3-day conference will take place from October 3-5, 2018 in Long Beach, California.

Conference and registration information can be found here.

Presentation Overview – Performance Anxiety: Confessions from the Building Envelope

How does the design of the building envelope actually perform? This program will explore this question and show a comprehensive depiction of building performance as it relates to the building envelope. The innovative strategies presented will analyze the relationship between building envelope assembly, materials, and detailing and the actual performance of the envelope assemblies observed from in-field observations and performance testing. The performance aspects related to the building envelope will address water penetration, condensation, thermal performance, and air leakage. This will help designers make informed decisions as well as identify and assess areas of high priority earlier in the design process when it comes to meeting project performance goals. With experience working on hundreds of Building Envelope Commissioning (BECx) and envelope testing projects over the last decade, we have seen what works and what doesn’t. Our in-depth discussion of recent architectural concepts will compare design/details versus actual field performance.

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Outline advanced techniques to develop and evaluate architectural detailing concepts related to air, moisture, and thermal performance
• Identify effective and progressive methods to accomplish building envelope mock-up and field performance testing
• Specify performance testing to effectively verify the OPR
• Describe how products and architectural details actually perform when tested through review of case studies

This session will be presented by Stevan Vinci, Building Envelope Commissioning Specialist, and Rick Ziegler, Senior Building Science Consultant. It will take place on Wednesday, October 3 at 9:20 a.m.

Panel Overview – A Look Ahead at 2019: Trends and Challenges in the AEC Industry

Get together with your peers and a group of thought leaders to discuss the hot topics, emerging trends, challenges and opportunities facing the AEC industry. What lessons, new wisdom, and better tools should we take with us to help us face the challenges in 2019?  The topics will vary depending upon the audience and could range from materials and construction processes to women in architecture, augmented reality to offsite/modular construction trends and everything in between.  This is an open forum where the exchange of ideas, opinions and information is encouraged.  Ask questions of the panel of thought leaders or share your own insights.  We will crowdsource the topics of interest to the audience just prior to the event, so the content will be fresh and timely.

Stevan Vinci, Building Envelope Commissioning Specialist, will act as a panelist for this session. It will take place on Thursday, October 4 at 7:30 a.m.

Presentation Overview – An Optimistic Report from the Dystopian, Apocalyptic World of 2030: Innovations in Net Zero Building

In the last decade, carbon levels increased 20 parts per million (from 380 to 403), the population grew by one billion, global temperature increased by half a degree Celsius, and 25 percent more people moved into our cities. The world is rapidly changing and will be a very different place by 2030. In this talk, we’ll explore dozens of disparate trends in technology, sustainability and the construction industry and connect the dots to get a glimpse into how we can save the world AND save our businesses at the same time. You’ll learn how to stack emerging trends to forecast opportunities in the green building space. Climate change is redefining the design parameters and project demands for building design. Uncertainty in the future will require solutions that measure and manage energy, water and health outcomes in innovative ways. During this energetic and entertaining session, participants will engage in a collaborative process to better address systemic barriers to healthy, high-performing, sustainable, resilient buildings. Together, we’ll acknowledge the challenges and complexities facing project teams pursuing net zero / zero carbon projects and how to identify the risks amplified over and above a conventional development. Hear from an award winning architect in a lively discussion that will change how you look at the future, regardless of how bleak it may be!

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Discuss the lessons learned from recent developments in net zero energy, carbon pricing and financial risk models, and how to apply them to their upcoming projects
• Identify the key financial barriers facing these projects, and how to find creative ways to communicate these opportunities to the owners
• Discover how advances in automation, energy storage, biophilia and climate planning will change how building owners set requirements for their projects
• Describe innovative strategies being used on current projects to design and build low carbon communities

This session will be presented by Eric Corey Freed, Sustainability Disruptor. It will take place on Friday, October 5 at 8:45 a.m.