Past Meetings

September 2024 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Building Science Fundamentals
Location

Hybrid Event - In person and via Zoom

EcoTrust Building
Billy Frank Jr Conference Center
721 NW 9th Ave. Suite 200
Portland, OR 97209

for Zoom register at the link below

Presenters
Casey McDonald
Description

Building science is a dynamic field that integrates age-old practices with cutting-edge research, offering critical insights into the design and construction of buildings. While some principles have been established for centuries, our understanding of building science continues to evolve as new research and industry experiences emerge. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of its value, especially in addressing the complexities of modern construction and mitigating risks. Our local Building Enclosure Community (BEC) is a leader in this field, with a vibrant network of professionals dedicated to advancing building science knowledge. Given the breadth and ongoing development of the field, grasping the fundamentals is crucial for project success. In this session, we will explore core concepts of building science and use real-world examples to illustrate their practical application.

Casey McDonald is an Associate, Sr. Project Manager with RDH Building Science. He has a wealth of experience in a variety of enclosure-related disciplines including complex façade systems, mass timber construction, thermal and hygrothermal analysis, and air tightness control. Casey's strong technical proficiencies, cooperative approach, and committed focus on helping make buildings better has earned him a reputation as a valued figure in the local building community.

1 AIA LU/HSW

May 2024 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Mass Timber Weather Protection
Location

Hybrid Event - In person and via Zoom

EcoTrust Building
Billy Frank Jr Conference Center
721 NW 9th Ave. Suite 200
Portland, OR 97209

for Zoom register at the link below

Presenters
Bill Melrose
Description

Mass timber is both an innovative building material and a fundamentally familiar material. This course will cover some of the challenges which can be encountered when using this material with an emphasis on the construction process. This course will address the nature of wood material and how it reacts to moisture and relate that to the practical use of mass timber as a construction material. The standards applying to mass timber moisture content during both manufacturing and fabrication and then erection and construction in general will be reviewed. The course will identify the portions of mass timber elements at greatest risk of damage from moisture exposure during the construction process and the variable conditions not directly related to mass timber which make weather protection more difficult. Finally from a practical standpoint a contractor’s basic Weather Protection Plan will be described along with a discussion on cleaning processes for mass timber.

Bill Melrose has spent 45 years in the construction industry in all roles on site for both contractors and a subcontractor. He is a Licensed Civil Engineer in Oregon and has been the Oregon Division Quality Manager for Swinerton Builders for the last 5 years. During his time at Swinerton Builders he has been directly involved in over 15 Mass Timber Projects in the Portland Area, and has assisted with other projects in other locations. Bill visits active projects 2 to 3 time per week to assess the effectiveness and adjustments of the weather protection plans as it relates to both mass timber and the final roof installations.

1 AIA LU/HSW

April 2024 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
ASHRAE 90.1 Blower Door Testing in Oregon
Location

Hybrid Event - In person and via Zoom

EcoTrust Building
Billy Frank Jr Conference Center
721 NW 9th Ave. Suite 200
Portland, OR 97209

for Zoom register at the link below

Presenters
Mike Poirier
Description

Blower door testing in Oregon is relatively new and the requirement has created a fair amount of questions for compliance and how the test is performed. Learn the ins and outs of how the test is performed and how the ASHRAE 90.1 criteria is applied in order to satisfy the energy code.

Mike Poirier is the Vice-President of QED LAB, Inc, an AAMA accredited testing laboratory and field testing agency headquartered in Troutdale, Oregon. QED LAB has tested over 900 buildings for airtightness in both commercial and residential configurations, equating to over 45 million square feet of air barrier and over 3,100 residential units. Mike is a Level 2 certified infrared thermographer and a Level 3 certified blower door testing technician with over 20 years experience in the building science industry. He has tested projects across 12 states in the US, as well as in Mexico and Thailand, including projects for the US Army Corps of Engineers. Mike was a presenter at the 2023 ABAA Building Enclosure Conference and is scheduled to present at the 2024 conference in May.

1 AIA LU/HSW

March 2024 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Tackling Window Pain: Understanding the benefits of high-performance fenestration
Location

Hybrid Event - In person and via Zoom

EcoTrust Building
Billy Frank Jr Conference Center
721 NW 9th Ave. Suite 200
Portland, OR 97209

for Zoom register at the link below

Presenters
Michael Bousfield
Description

As jurisdictions across North America introduce more stringent building energy performance standards (BEPS)—such as the BC Step Code and Seattle 2018 update—developers, architects, and contractors are left wondering the best way to meet the new benchmarks while controlling costs. This balance can seem daunting, especially when it comes to incorporating manufactured components, such as windows. Fortunately, a general understanding of the impacts of high-performance fenestration can help keep a project on track.

This presentation delves into modern high-performance fenestration products, providing a high-level overview of what makes a product ‘high-performance’, benefits of high-performance fenestration in the world of emerging BEPS, plus real-world project examples.

Through a review of window materials and configurations, this presentation outlines the impacts of fenestration on a building envelope’s overall performance, as well as opportunities to cost-optimize high-performance fenestration.

Michael Bousfield, technical director at Cascadia Windows & Doors, is one of North America’s most well-versed technologists in fiberglass window and door technology. Involved in developing the world’s first Passive House certified fiberglass window as well as the world’s first fiberglass window wall, Michael works closely with Cascadia’s commercial and residential clients creating custom solutions for high-performance fenestration systems.

1 AIA LU/HSW

February 2024 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Tales From the Clipboard
Location

Hybrid Event - In person and via Zoom

EcoTrust Building
Billy Frank Jr Conference Center
721 NW 9th Ave. Suite 200
Portland, OR 97209

for Zoom register at the link below

Presenters
Torrance Kramer
Description

In new and existing building envelope inspections, Torrance has observed the results of severe catastrophic decisions regarding air barrier design and installation procedures.

This presentation will be a highly-visual lesson on what can happen when some of these choices are made. You will learn from the mistakes of others (including Torrance), and hopefully avoid at least a few of these costly mistakes of your own. Learn the benefits of early third-party plan review and onsite inspections. See twenty years of some of the biggest air barrier flubs from someone who has seen things from the slab to the roof, from inspection to install.

Torrance Kramer is a Certified Energy Manager, Building Envelope Commissioning Professional, amongst other certifications. He is passionate about reducing energy cost and increasing building integrity for his clients. He has completed thousands of comprehensive energy audits on all types of buildings over the last 20 years. Through this it became evident that there was a lack of understanding in the field of building envelope integrity. This led Torrance to focus on specializing in air barrier testing, repairs, and general envelope commissioning for the last 15+ years. For the last 10 years, he has managed and operated Accurate-Airtight Exteriors which provides consulting, training, testing, and repairs building air and thermal barriers.

1 AIA LU/HSW

January 2024 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Building Envelope Commissioning and LEED v4
Location

Hybrid Event - In person and via Zoom

EcoTrust Building
Billy Frank Jr Conference Center
721 NW 9th Ave. Suite 200
Portland, OR 97209

for Zoom register at the link below

Presenters
Stevan Vinci
Nick McElmurry
Description

The Commissioning process has historically attached itself to the active systems, leaving the primarily passive envelope systems undefined and unchecked. However, due to the significant changes in City and State Energy Codes across the US which are addressing envelope design requirements to meet air leakage control and thermal performance targets, a new light has been directed at the importance of commissioning the passive systems. The code changes are requiring designers and contractors to deliver higher performance of their buildings, especially from the building envelope. Building Envelope Commissioning (BECx) is a topic that will enable designers to be prepared for not only the new changes being implemented in LEED v4, but also to stay current on how certain building envelope assemblies perform related to energy performance while ensuring long term durability. Commissioning the building envelope is progressively recognized as an important element in achieving optimal building performance.

Stevan Vinci is a building science and sustainability specialist with over 19 years of experience who focuses on passive design, material resiliency and energy efficiency which help create sustainable and durable buildings that give more than they take. He is a LEED Fellow and serves as the Building Envelope Commissioning Practice Lead for Morrison Hershfield and has provided Building Science expertise on high performance building projects in the US, Canada, South America, Europe and China. His experience in building envelope contributes to a better understanding of whole-building energy systems enabling project teams to see the connection between the passive and active energy systems of a building. Steve was also a key contributor to the USGBC for the education component of the online reference guide for LEED v4 in regards to the new Building Envelope Commissioning requirements and is part of a committee developing the training modules for IIBEC’s Certified Building Enclosure Commissioning Provider Certification. Stevan is on MH’s LEED Certification Review Team, and he has completed over 120 LEED project certification reviews on behalf of the CaGBC to date. He serves as a Living Building Challenge Ambassador and served as Faculty for the CaGBC and USGBC.

Nick McElmurry graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 2014. He has worked in the field of building science for the last eight years with projects throughout the US, including Florida, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Washington, California and Oregon. Nick joined Morrison Hershfield in 2017. He is involved in all stages of project development, from the initial building assessment, through design and value engineering, to contract negotiation and project oversight.

1 AIA LU/HSW

December 2023 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Where Continuity Meets Vulnerability: Wall Transition Essentials
Location

Hybrid Event - In person and via Zoom

EcoTrust Building
Billy Frank Jr Conference Center
721 NW 9th Ave. Suite 200
Portland, OR 97209

for Zoom register at the link below

Presenters
Benjamin Meyer, AIA, LEED AP
Description

Management of moisture, air, vapor, and thermal performance, as well as wind resistance requirements, are critical at the wall-to-roof interface. This session will provide guidelines to successfully navigate these often-competing interests and provide strategies for achievable performance through design and specification, without compromising the aesthetics with distracting details, for commercial building wall systems. The impacts of whole-building performance, design requirements, material, and assembly requirements, and installation verification requirements during construction will be discussed.

Benjamin Meyer is the Building Enclosure Business Director with Siplast. Previous experience includes: enclosure consultant principal, technical management for enclosure products, architecture, real-estate development and construction management. Serves as ASHRAE 90.1 Envelope Chair and Full Voting Member, Director of ABAA, and past LEED Technical Committee Member.

1 AIA LU/HSW

November 2023 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Designing Energy Efficient Buildings with Passive Techniques
Location

Hybrid Event - In person and via Zoom

EcoTrust Building
Billy Frank Jr Conference Center
721 NW 9th Ave. Suite 200
Portland, OR 97209

for Zoom register at the link below

Presenters
Cole Cabler
Description

Building codes are evolving to create more stringent standards for energy efficiency. Passive techniques were used in building design for centuries to help moderate indoor temperatures before heating and cooling systems become prevalent. Now, passive techniques are making a resurgence because of their effectiveness in achieving ideal indoor environmental conditions. Join us to learn about passive techniques that meet energy codes, including thermal mass, proper day-lighting, and thermal bridging. Hear lessons learned from real-world projects that incorporate passive energy techniques.

Cole is an architectural designer with a demonstrated history of working in the architecture and planning industry.

Before joining IMI, he worked for a variety of architecture firms in Oregon and Washington. In addition to project design and construction administration, he has served in project management and BIM leadership roles.

1 AIA LU/HSW