Past Meetings

January 2017 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Subgrade Waterproofing: Challenges and Remediation
Location

Aceh Community Room
Mercy Corps, 45 SW Ankeny St
Portland, OR 97204

Presenters
Ken Roko, AIA
Description

Subgrade waterproofing presents unique challenges in that corrections can be difficult post installation. This panel discussion will examine common problems and what steps can be taken to avoid them. The panel will examine remediation techniques and strategies for mitigating problems in existing buildings and remodels.

The panel will include perspectives from Designers, Installers, and Manufacturer Representatives, as we review questions and project examples.

Ken is a Building Enclosure Consultant and Principal with over 18 years of experience. He has a diverse background—encompassing both architecture and structural engineering. His project experience is equally diverse—ranging from commercial towers to residential towers, public buildings to institutional buildings. Ken is The Facade Group’s in-house roofing, waterproofing and air barrier expert and head of the Hygrothermal Analysis team. He is responsible for project coordination, analysis, detailing, production and construction services and existing buildings performance reporting. Ken’s portfolio includes historic preservation projects, exterior restoration, cladding systems, curtain walls, roofing, air barriers, below-grade and horizontal waterproofing systems, and expert witness testimony.

December 2016 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Cladding Attachment
Location

Aceh Community Room
Mercy Corps, 45 SW Ankeny St
Portland, OR 97204

Presenters
Ariel Levy, PE
Description

Drained- and Rain-Screen cladding design has become commonplace over the last number of years, at least in many of our Northern-US practice areas. As a result, the industry has shifted much of its research and design effort to the further advancement of both the structural attachment methods for cladding and the improvement of the thermal properties of the attachment. The market today is filled with a variety of clip systems, thermally efficient girts, and other solutions for achieving both structural and thermal load resistance requirements. This presentation will review some of the more commonly observed cladding attachment systems in the marketplace, review some of the nuances of each, help us to understand the associated structural and thermal expectations, and finally present a method of assessing the combined structural and thermal capabilities from a design-tool perspective.

Ariel’s experience spans geographically across North America and includes buildings of all types: new to old, residential to high-rise. He has broad experience with a wide range of building enclosure systems, and his clients span the range including architects, owners, developers, contractors, property managers, lawyers, and insurers. Ariel is a Portland native and has practiced in Oregon for over a decade. Prior to his return home, Ariel spent several years practicing in Boston and Los Angeles. Ariel is also a Managing Principal of RDH, and oversees all aspects of operation in its Oregon and Northern California offices.

1 LU/HSW

November 2016 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Specifying and Conducting Building Air Leakage Tests
Location

Aceh Community Room
Mercy Corps, 45 SW Ankeny St
Portland, OR 97204

Presenters
Terry Brennan
Description

Air tightness testing is becoming more prominent in building codes across the country with an ever increasing focus on energy conservation and indoor air quality control. This presentation focuses on how to select and perform building airtightness tests. During design, properly specifying an air tightness test requires the design team to be able to identify the air, thermal and vapor control layers throughout the building to determine the building enclosure and understand the various air tightness tests available. In construction, the design and construction teams require an understanding of what needs to be included in the tests to avoid pitfalls, how to set up buildings for qualitative and quantitative testing, and how to interpret the results if the team is testing to a standard, pre/post retrofit comparisons, or comparing the results to other buildings.

Terry is a building scientist and educator. He is on the editorial boards of Environmental Building News and Heating Piping and Air Conditioning Magazine. He currently chairs the U.S.A.C.E committee developing new air leakage protocols. Past work includes consulting on a research project to restore three homes in the Seventh Ward of New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, teaching healthy housing courses for the National Center for Healthy Housing and working on a research project to study unplanned airflows in commercial buildings in New York State. He is a member of ASHRAE 62.2 Ventilation and Air Quality Committee and served as consultant to the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Dampness and Health in Buildings. He holds a Bachelors degree in Physics and a Masters degree in Environmental Studies.

October 2016 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
A Comparison of Liquid Applied WRB Chemistry, Performance, Capabilities and Applications
Location

Aceh Community Room
Mercy Corps, 45 SW Ankeny St
Portland, OR 97204

Presenters
David Kimball
Description

Fluid applied membranes, whether as a flashing or as a weather resistive barrier, are becoming much more common in the marketplace. This presentation will discuss the history and development of fluid applied membranes and will give attendees an understanding of the various different chemistry types available in the market; why they were developed and the important performance characteristics, including the advantages and disadvantages of each different chemistry type. Finally, attendees will understand how to choose the appropriate material for different applications and how to design with each material.

After 34 years at a major Silicone Sealant company, Dave Kimball has retired and started anew with PROSOCO, Inc., as a Technical Specialist in the Building Envelope Group, covering the North Atlantic Region from his office in Brooklyn, NY.

While Dave spent years living in many different parts of the country, primarily in a Technical Service role, working on Weatherseal, Structural Glazing, and exterior coatings applications, the unique challenge that rough opening preparation and Air and Vapor Barriers brings is inspiring.

2016 Ecoroof Symposium

When
-
Meeting Title
Portland Ecoroof Symposium 2016
Location

Smith Memorial Student Union, Smith Ballroom
3rd Floor
1825 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97201

Description

As the vegetated roofing industry continues to grow and mature, the Ecoroof Symposium will showcase the most up-to- date research on the economic and environmental impacts that green roofs provide to buildings and cities. We are honored to host London’s own Dusty Gedge as our keynote speaker, as well as a research medley on topics such as enhanced real estate value, energy impacts, and biodiversity. Panels of experts and breakout sessions offer a wealth of experience on best practices to avoid concerns, and to extend the service life of the roof membrane and vegetation. Green roof tours can provide insight into a variety of systems and approaches.

September 2016 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Evolution and Understanding of Attic Ventilation
Location

Aceh Community Room
Mercy Corps, 45 SW Ankeny St
Portland, OR 97204

Presenters
Lorne Ricketts
Description

In this course the presenter will discuss current research and understanding of moisture related problems within sloped roof attics in the Pacific Northwest. Case studies will be presented to illustrate the possible wetting sources in wood-frame construction along with practical solutions for mitigating the potential for problems in new construction.

Lorne Ricketts is a building science engineer specializing in research and investigation work. His experience consists of a wide range of projects including: building enclosure condition assessments, forensic investigations, building monitoring, field review, building modeling, and laboratory and field testing services.

Lorne’s Master’s research at the University of Waterloo focused on airflow in high-rise multi-unit residential buildings and included extensive testing and monitoring of a case study building. As a result, his work has developed the industry’s understanding of airflow in and around buildings and how it affects both energy consumption and indoor air quality.

Lorne’s practical experience combined with his theoretical training and proficiency with state-of-the-art thermal and hygrothermal (heat, air, and moisture) software modeling tools has enabled him to evaluate a wide variety of enclosure systems. This analytical work is used as the basis for recommendations regarding air barriers, vapor barriers, insulation levels, thermal bridging, and window selection.

1 LU/HSW

June 2016 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Building Tour: Overton Apartments
Location

NW 12th and NW Overton Portland, OR

Presenters
John Duncan
Description

The Portland Building Enclosure group will be organizing a tour of the in-progress Overton apartment building in the Pearl District.

Currently, Unico is constructing NV (www.nvportland.com), a 26-story, 275-unit, Class-A+ apartment development in Portland, Oregon’s Pearl District. Located at NW 12th and NW Overton, NV residents can anticipate 360 degree views of the Portland cityscape, Pearl District, Fremont Bridge, eastern mountains, and West Hills.

The project is located between NW Pettygrove/NW Overton and NW 13th Ave/NW 12th Ave. Touring guests will need to check in, sign in and fill out the waivers - please congregate near the corner of NW Overton and NW 13th Avenue at 4pm on Tuesday, June 14th.

Please RSVP to John Duncan for headcount purposes.

ZGF and Andersen are working on the new Overton Apartment building being built in the Pearl District. Andersen asks that guests bring their own PPE, including: 1. Hard hats 2. Vests 3. Pants 4. Shoes w/ankle support 5. Safety glassesThe following systems can be observed at the tour:

The window wall is mostly finished, but can be observed from interior & exterior. Storefront is in progress. Curtain wall may be in progress as well. Brick is in progress at the podium, and metal panel is in progress at the tower. Some in-progress foundation waterproofing assemblies will also be visible.

April 2016 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
NFPA 285 - Assembly Test of Exterior Walls with Combustible Components
Location

Aceh Community Room
Mercy Corps, 45 SW Ankeny St
Portland, OR 97204

Presenters
Herman Lopez
Description

This seminar will discuss the impact of the NFPA 285 Test on buildings using IBC and ASHRAE 90.1 energy code requirements, the parameters and history of NFPA 285, and the definition of what building envelope components are combustible and require NFPA 285 testing by IBC. All of these elements combine to integrate NFPA 285 compliant assemblies into building envelope systems.

Herman Lopez is a Commercial Business Development Manager with DuPont Building Innovations. He is based in Fort Collins, CO and responsible for commercial business development throughout Western US representing DuPont Weatherization Systems. He has over 20 years sales and business development experience in the commercial and residential construction markets having worked for Simpson Strong-Tie, Azek Trimboards and DuPont™ Building Innovations. He is also active with CSI, (Construction Specifications Institute) and BEC (Building Enclosure Council). He speaks at many AIA-BEC Chapter meetings throughout the US as a representative of DuPont.