Past Meetings

September 2019 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Location

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

Presenters
Eric Wood
Description

The building envelope is an integral part of architectural expression and is quickly becoming the innovative system utilized to realize carbon emission reduction goals. More and more the building envelope’s roofing, glazing, and waterproofing assemblies include Mass Timber. These assemblies are critical for ensuring durability but challenged to increase envelope performance without creating environmental barrier deficiencies.

On the path towards Zero Carbon Emissions, the implications of building envelope performance are increasingly harder to ignore, as the traditional trade off of efficiencies from the MEP systems can no longer account for the poor envelope performance. Instead, the full potential of each is needed to leverage increased carbon offsets. Mass Timber is carbon sequestering, rather than carbon intensive, and capable of replacing steel and concrete as a buildings structural frame and enclosure. Mass Timber is also far less conductive than concrete or steel, pivotal for reducing thermal bridging.

New simulation models have derived in part from the increased pressure energy codes place on envelope performance, as well as from the advances in research and increased capability of computer simulations to analyze envelope assemblies. Mass Timber’s inherent level of precision is a compelling reason for furthering digital innovation by combining simulation data with 3D digital fabrication. Structural, manufacturing, and prefabrication designers can employ new digital tools to visualize and explore innovative structural connections while ensuring strategic integration with the building structure and the major MEP building systems.

Mass Timber digital design is becoming the solution for proving constructability, predictability of schedule, and sustainability while delivering an ideal process and data necessary for compiling a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Ultimately, LCA confirms the potential for achieving zero carbon emissions when building with Mass Timber, while building with wood provides a renewed capacity for architectural aesthetic expression and envelope performance.

Eric Wood joined Morrison Hershfield as a façade specialist in 2019. He has a comprehensive understanding of performance envelope systems and techniques related to mass timber structures. Eric is a technical subject matter expert within the Façade Specialist Engineering Group having spent the past several years overseeing the commercialization of mass timber and unitized building components for commercial, residential, and multi-family construction. Eric’s experience includes a variety of wood and mass timber construction projects with a specific focus on digital fabrication, specialty engineering, and innovative connections.

Eric specializes in the prefabrication of Mass Timber to facilitate the early design and detail development rationale leading to optimized supply and constructability. He has particular experience with design-assist specialty engineering, supply-installation logistics, and infield review of complex prefabricated Mass Timber projects.

June 2019 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Dynamic Interfaces of Water-Resistive Barriers
Location

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

Presenters
Dr. M. Steven Doggett, Ph.D.
Description

Water-Resistive Barriers (WRBs) have evolved to serve compound forms and functions. Despite these advances, performance expectations still reflect over-simplistic assumptions and problematical testing methods. Interfaces with modern wall components also remain ill-defined with respect to the WRB’s primary function of liquid water resistance. Industry trends toward component integration have further strained the WRB’s intended role.

This presentation explores new findings from experimental research and computational modeling to demonstrate performance attributes of recognized WRB systems. Moisture transport and storage are reviewed for three dynamic interfaces: A) the exterior insulation interface; B) the substrate interface; and C) the fastener interface. Directives for industry research, testing standards, and product innovation are discussed.

Dr. Doggett is the Principal Scientist and founder of Built Environments, Inc. an architectural & building science consulting firm specializing in building enclosure design and research. His background includes extensive field experience with complex building enclosure failures, particularly those involving air, heat, and moisture transport. He merges this experience with innovative design practices to assist multi-stakeholders achieve more resilient, higher-performing buildings. Dr. Doggett is actively engaged in enclosure design, assembly and material research, and building simulations involving computational fluid dynamics, 3-D thermal modeling, and hygrothermal modeling. Dr. Doggett is the former chair of the Minnesota Building Enclosure Council.

May 2019 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Service Life Prediction Models
Location

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

Presenters
Dr. Christopher White
Description

Sometimes the glass that was part of the building envelope ends up on the street. Nobody is happy. Buildings age and fail when the properties of the materials change. Currently, there is no effective method of determining the design life of materials used in building enclosures. Materials are thus selected based on first cost. This transfers the benefit of lower cost materials to the specifier, but the risk associated with that decision on the building owner. When there is a way to determine the accurate design life, economically efficient materials selection decisions are possible. The glass stays stuck to the building for as long as it is expected. This presentation will discuss development of tools to accurately predict design life of materials to mitigate those risks to project teams.

Dr. White has been at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for over 20 years developing a fundamental understanding of the degradation of polymers exposed to outdoor exposures. This passion is focused on developing the adoption of new method to establish the prediction of in-service design life, or service life prediction of materials. The innovative research of this NIST team has been published in journals, standards, and the popular press The Research focused on producing validated predictive models has generated new instruments, models, statistical methods, procedures and insight to both indoor and outdoor weathering of these materials. In addition to the many papers, Dr. White has edited four books related to durability and service life prediction. Dr. White is a sought-after speaker who has organized international conferences, symposiums as well as many invited and contributed talks to a wide variety of audiences.

Dr. White has a formal background in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (Ph.D. University of Wisconsin, -Madison, 94). This deep technical knowledge is augmented by with a business background (MBA, University of Maryland, 2007). Dr. White is the rare combination of a world class scientist/engineer who also understands business. He is a successful entrepreneur with several successful startup companies, the latest being Bee-America.

While the main focus has been on Service Life Prediction model development, Dr. White’s diversity of background and broad understanding has lead to a wide variety of interesting projects including: rheological measurement of the Tg of ultra-thin polymer films for electronic packaging applications, working with the Department of Homeland Security on a project to standardize procedures for explosive force mitigation within the mass transit system, developing new standards and test methods for the adhesion of spray applied fire resistant materials for protecting structural steel, working with the department of Housing and Urban Development on translating the work on service life prediction to a sustainable materials mortgage credit, working on the task force to successfully develop a Enterprise Risk Management framework for NIST.

April 2019 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Building Tour: The Portland Building
Location
1120 SW 5th Ave Portland, OR 97204
Presenters
Miro Radoynovski with DayCPM
Description

The Portland Building Enclosure group will be organizing a tour of the in-progress renovation of the Portland Building. The project is located at 1120 SW 5th Ave, Portland, OR 97204. Touring guests will need to check-in, sign-in, and fill out waivers prior to the tour; please congregate under Portlandia at fifteen minutes prior to the tour Thursday, April 4th.

DLR Group and Howard S Wright are working on the new renovation of this iconic building. We ask that guests bring their own PPE, including: 1. Hard hats 2. Vests 3. Pants 4. Shoes w/ankle support 5. Safety glasses.

Designed by Michael Graves and built in 1982 as administrative offices for the City of Portland, The Portland Building is an award-winning example of Post Modern architecture. The building was later placed on the National Register of Historic Places as a building of “exceptional importance,” but it currently faces problems with its structure, exterior, and operational systems that repairs alone cannot address. To protect and preserve this major public investment, the City has initiated a $195 million project to reconstruct the Portland Building by the end of 2020. The City will create an adaptable building that will last 50-100 years, providing a productive work environment for employees and a welcoming space for community members.

The Portland Building Reconstruction project brings the City an opportunity to create a building that meets current and future needs. The completed building will provide a welcoming environment for our community and ensure viable office space to serve the public well into the future.

The Project includes:


  • Repair/replacement of the building exterior
  • Repair/replacement of electric, mechanical, plumbing, and technical systems
  • Seismic upgrades

  • Improved accessibility for all occupants and visitors

  • Workspace and safety improvements

  • LEED Gold building certification
  • Historic preservation

The tour will be limited to 30 participants in two groups. The first group from Noon to 1 and the second group from 1 to 2.

March 2019 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Performance Upgrades in the Richards Building
Location

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

Presenters
Aaron Davis
Description

Louis Kahn’s Stainless Steel Glazing System: Performance Upgrades in the Richards Building

A comprehensive renovation project was the catalyst for evaluating the exterior envelope of the Richards Medical Lab, and developing a design approach that retained the iconic visual and material characteristics while radically improving the energy performance and functional qualities of the building. This presentation will review the history and development of Kahn’s glazing system, showing the comprehensive approach that was undertaken by an integrated design team to conserve the original steel framing while optimizing the overall performance of the exterior envelope and building systems. In particular we will discuss the process undertaken to select the right glass to replace the original polished plate units – and how to successfully glaze the new lites into the existing frames – that ultimately best balanced preservation, energy efficiency, economy and constructibility.

Aaron Davis AIA is a Senior Associate at Heintges Consulting Architects & Engineers, building envelope and curtain wall consultants. Since joining the firm in 2011, he has enjoyed working with architects and owners on projects requiring a high degree of precision in pursuit of aesthetic and technical goals. His work includes bespoke façade solutions for notable projects including the Glenstone Museum (Thomas Phifer + Partners), Oceanwide Center (Foster + Partners), Corals at Keppel Bay (Studio Daniel Libeskind), and Richards Medical Laboratory (Louis Kahn / EYP).

Aaron holds a Master’s degree in Architecture from Columbia University in New York and has presented at conferences nationwide including Façade Tectonics and the National Institute of Building Science. His published work includes "Architecture Beyond Criticism: Expert Judgement and Performance Evaluation", published by Routledge.

February 2019 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Facilities Durability
Location

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

Presenters
Whitney Henion, Vancouver School District
Kate Vance, Multnomah County
Tom Wharton, Port of Portland
Jake LaManna, Walsh Construction
Matt Jacoby, BRIC Architecture
Description

Building owners that maintain facilities must contend not only with the upfront costs of construction, but also with the long-term costs of maintenance and repairs. Often times, there are lessons to be learned about long-term building envelope performance from facilities that are held by the same owner for long periods of time. However, the lessons learned often are not readily available to designers, contractors, and managers when a new building is being designed and built.

The Portland Building Enclosure Council will host a panel discussion in which facility personnel, contractors, and architects provide insight into the long term impacts of early decisions and how they affect buildings as they age. The panel will examine the trade-offs made for various assemblies and products, cost benefits of repairs versus replacement, and information that every architect and contractor should know when embarking on the initial stages of design.

Our panel will include:

  • Whitney Henion, Vancouver School District
  • Kate Vance, Multnomah County
  • Tom Wharton, Port of Portland
  • Jake LaMana, Walsh Construction
  • Matt Jacoby, BRIC Architecture

January 2019 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Building Science in Old Buildings
Location

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

Presenters
Sarah Gray, PE
Dave Young, PE
Description

The materials and systems used in buildings have changed dramatically over time. Understanding how old buildings work from a building science perspective will lead to better maintenance and retrofit decisions. Sarah Gray and David Young will discuss how traditional materials and construction practices managed heat transfer, air flow, vapor diffusion and moisture absorption in old buildings.  We will also discuss how performance can be maintained or improved. Case study examples will illustrate challenges and solutions for old buildings.

Sarah Gray is Principal with RDH Building Science Inc. and has been based in Toronto for over 15 years. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. Her work is focused on heritage building rehabilitation, existing building condition assessment and renewal, and building enclosure consulting for new construction. She serves as a peer reviewer for the Association for Preservation Technology Bulletin and has taught building science courses at the University of Toronto. Sarah was awarded a 2010 Craftsman Award from the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals for work at the Confederation Life Building in Toronto.

David Young is Principal with RDH Building Science Inc. Dave specializes in building enclosure consulting for both new and existing construction. His experience and expertise in historic building enclosures spans close to 30 years and includes work on the National Archives of Canada in Ottawa and the University of British Columbia Main Library.

One of Dave’s focus areas is to make historic buildings better by incorporating new enclosure technologies without changing the original aesthetics.  This includes implementing moisture control, thermal improvements, and air tightness strategies, while reinstating original materials. This approach was used on the 100-year-old Oregon College of Oriental Medicine building in Portland, where corroded steel lintels above the windows were removed. The steel lintels were cleaned and protected, then reinstalled to create a new rainscreen cavity behind the brick veneer over the windows. The 3-wythe mass masonry wall above the lintels remained intact.

December 2018 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Top 10 Things That Will Get a Metal Roof Designer in Trouble
Location

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

Presenters
Charles Smith
Description

Sheet metal is a unique roof system choice that continues to evolve into new systems and applications. Metal roofs are gaining market share in both commercial and residential markets. Building owners have a high performance and aesthetic appeal expectation for metal roofs. Along with this evolution come the problems associated with it. This seminar is intended to provide a review of the top ten problems for metal roof designers. This will include a description of the problem, why it may occur, ramifications and how to prevent it through proper design. The authors will draw from over 50 years of combined metal roofing experience.

Charlie Smith is widely recognized as the industry’s foremost authority on recover systems utilizing metal roofing. Charlie holds several patents in the recover field including both metal-over-metal and metal-over-shingle solutions. As an industry leader, Charlie recently co-wrote the new RCI metal roofing course with Brian Gardiner if a frequent presenter at RCI and other roofing industry events.

Charlie Smith founded Architectural Building Components in 1989, when he purchased the equipment of a small Houston, Texas-based metal roofing manufacturing business. Over the next 23 years, the company grew into an industry-leading metal roofing and wall system solution provider specializing in the use of metal to recover existing low-slope roofs. In 2012, Architectural Building Components became a part of McElroy Metal which enabled Charlie to focus on educational and product development efforts to help the roofing industry design creative solutions with metal.