A Year of Accomplishment
by William Rakatansky, FAIA
With the arrival of fall, the AIA Center for Building Science
and Performance is keeping up a busy pace. Our recent
accomplishments include a wide variety of efforts, including
A November 1, 2007, symposium on disaster resilience and more
seminars and outreach programs are already scheduled or being
planned through mid-2008.
 Read the full letter
The 2004 tsunami destroyed the Yala
Safari Hotel in Sri Lanka.
Photo: Janice Olshesky,
AIA |
CBSP Symposium:
"Disaster Resilience through Mitigation Planning and Building
Performance”
March 7, 2008
Washington, D.C.
To continue developing a disaster assessment program,
CBSP will host an invitation-only symposium at the AIA national
headquarters. "Disaster Resilience through Mitigation Planning and
Building Performance" will explore the most effective roles for
architects on disaster performance assessment teams. The program
will also review rehabilitation and preservation metrics associated
with assessing a structure as well as metrics for determining
whether the structure should be relocated.
Read more about the program and confirmed
speakers
AIA e-Classroom: The Architect’s
Role in Disaster Preparedness and Assistance
Architects have a pivotal role to play in
ensuring that communities are designed to ameliorate the effects of
disasters and equipped with the tools for effective assessment of
disasters. So what is the architect’s role in the three stages
of disaster assistance (relief, recovery, rebuilding)? What are the
procedures for field damage assessment of structures, and how can
architects work with local and state government officials in
structuring and delivering disaster assessment service?
For more information and to register, visit the course Web page. AIA eClassroom is an
exciting distance education program that helps architects meet
their continuing education requirements 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. As a registered CES Provider, AIA eClassroom is a source of
AIA Continuing Education System learning units.
Call for Volunteers: CBSP Communications
Subcommittee
The Advisory Group of the AIA Center for Building Science
and Performance is forming a communication subcommittee, whose
members would serve as content advisors and have the opportunity to
author building science and performance articles as needed. The
term for this voluntary service is one year. Interested members
should contact Whitney Alcott, Assoc. AIA, of the 2007
CBSP Advisory Group. Please provide a letter of interest and
brief biography.
Call for Volunteers: CBSP Disaster Assessment
Subcommittee
Volunteers are needed for a six-month project with the
CBSP Disaster Assessment Subcommittee. Tasks would include
researching specific agency stakeholders to set up architectural
disaster response units by state (the existing response unit in one
state would serve as a prototype) and assisting in the development
of building performance case studies on how buildings have
performed during disasters. Interested members should contact Janice
Olshesky, AIA, 2007 vice chair of the CBSP Advisory Group.
Please provide a letter of interest and a brief
biography.
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The author performs a crawlspace
survey.
Photo: Robert T. Harris
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Just the Facts: A Career in Forensic
Architecture
by H. Ross Clements, AIA
A recently licensed architect discusses his work as a
forensic architect, how he became interested in this facet of the
profession, and how much he enjoys this new career
direction.
A forensic architect's daily experience in
investigating construction deficiencies also provides an
accelerated education about the building envelope. The author
contends that any architect \would benefit from working as a
forensic consultant before licensure.
Read the full article
DOE Honors John Hogan, AIA, for
Building Energy Code Achievements
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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced that John
Hogan, AIA, received the second annual Jeffrey A. Johnson
Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Building Energy Codes
and Performance. Hogan, a senior code development analyst who has
worked with the City of Seattle for more than 25 years, has
established himself as a leader in energy codes across the country.
In addition to helping develop progressive building energy codes in
Seattle, Hogan directly influenced California's building energy
efficiency standards. In his 15 years working with ASHRAE 90.1,
Hogan has also served as the chair of the Envelope Subcommittee and
is currently serving as the chair of ASHRAE SPC 189, Design of
High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential
Buildings.
"I've worked with John for over 20 years and he's always been an
advocate for architects and sound energy use," noted Norman Strong,
FAIA, AIA vice president. "More recently, I've witnessed his
leadership with the ASHRAE SPC 189—he's had to balance a
number of variables and has done so very well. I'm very glad that
he's received this recognition." To read the full award
announcement, see the release on the DOE Building Energy Codes
Program Web site.
The Jeffrey A. Johnson Award is given annually
for the "sustained service of the highest caliber in the pursuit of
energy efficiency goals." It was established in 2006 to honor Jeff
Johnson, a national leader in energy codes, who died tragically in
a 2005 mountain biking accident.
New BEC Chapters Bring Total to 18
The Building Enclosure Council now has 18
local chapters around the country. BEC-Atlanta was chartered in
November 2006, and BEC-St Louis, BEC-Honolulu, and BEC-Miami were
chartered this year. BEC-Los Angeles has scheduled an inaugural
meeting for the end of October. Discussions are continuing
regarding potential chapters in Detroit and San Francisco, and
there is an interest in forming a chapter in a southwestern desert
region. BEC chapters are a committee of the local or state AIA
components. If anyone is interested in establishing a BEC local
chapter, please contact George Blackburn, AIA, or Wagdy Anis,
FAIA.
Whole Buildings X International
Conference
December 2–7, 2007
Sheraton Sand Key Resort, Clearwater Beach, Fla.
The Building Enclosure Council chairs will be meeting during
Whole Buildings X International Conference. The triennial
conference attracts international attendance and draws heavily on
the advanced techniques of all our global experts. The theme of
this year is "Thermal Performance of the Exterior Envelopes of
Whole Buildings" and is organized by the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory along two concurrent tracks: (1) Principles: Devoted to
Research and (2) Practices: Focusing on Practical Applications
and Case Studies. In addition, special topic workshops will precede
and follow the conference. For more information, see the conference Web site.
2006 IBC White Paper: An Executive Summary
by William Rakatansky, AIA
The entire concept of mixed uses and how to deal with them in the
International Building Code (IBC) has been the subject of
discussion for many years. A white paper by Carroll Pruitt,
FAIA, and William Rakatansky, AIA, Applying Mixed Use, Accessory Use, and
Incidental Provisions of the 2006 International Building Code,
describes the many options available to the designer, including an
understanding of incidental uses, accessory uses, and the two
different ways to deal with buildings having mixed uses: separated
and nonseparated.
Read the executive summary
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AIA Featured Podcast: Architectural Graphic
Standards
From AIA PodNet: David Altenhofen, AIA,
technical director of Hillier Architecture's Philadelphia office,
advisory board member for the new 11th edition of Architectural
Graphic Standards (AGS), and subject editor for the
Shell chapter of AGS, explains why this book is the most
thorough and significant revision of AGS in a generation
with AIA PodNet’s Phil Simon, AIA managing director, marketing
and promotion.
Read More | Bio
More AIA podcasts of possible interest to CBSP
members
Full AIA
Architecture Knowledge Review podcast series
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CBSP Book Reviews
For the full list of books that CBSP members have
recommended, see the CBSP Bookshelf.
Introduction to Building Physics
By Carl-Eric Hagentoft
ISBN: 9789144018966
“The state and operation of the building
envelope—walls, roofs, and foundation—are analyzed as
well as the physical process components: heat, moisture, and air
transfer. These physical transport processes determine the
performance of the building. Thorough knowledge of building physics
is essential for planning and constructing sound, energy-efficient
buildings with high levels of comfort and durability. This book
will help the reader anticipate the performance and consequences of
alternate designs as well as determine technical solutions before
critical design and construction decisions can be made. This text
focuses on the theories behind the physical problems that may arise
and offers mathematical models to arrive at needed
solutions.”
Masonry Design and Detailing
By Christine Beall, AIA
ISBN: 0071377344
“Covering an unprecedented range of materials,
technologies, and regulations, Masonry Design and
Detailing is an essential resource. This hands-on guide
features insight on the complete range of masonry topics: wall
systems, unit and mortar selection, component detailing, and
building code compliance. A host of topical issues are
discussed, including ASTM standards; MSJC Code (ACI 530);
International Building Code requirements; drainage accessories;
residential foundation requirements; masonry bracing standards;
barrier, drainage, and rain screen walls; and window flashing
details.”
Construction Waterproofing
Handbook
By Michael T. Kubal
ISBN: 0071351620
“The book provides step-by-step instructions for finding
and correcting existing leakage, help in avoiding the recurring
construction flaws that lead to 90 percent of all
waterproofing problems, and guidelines for choosing the right
waterproofing system for each type of application. Sections have
been added to cover civil structure waterproofing, interior
waterproofing systems, glazing, and even synthetic stucco or EIFS
system waterproofing. “
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A Year of Accomplishment
