February 2011 Monthly Meeting

Chris Benedict, using examples of her own work, will talk about the evolution of the system approach to building design and the profound position that the building enclosure holds as a part of that system. She will lay out her perspective on building enclosure fundamentals, including the management of air, water, vapor, light and heat and discuss how mechanical systems and materials can be refined, reduced or eliminated, while building performance is enhanced, when the relationships within the system are clearly understood. Most of her discussion will be about innovations in the many apartment buildings she has designed and seen through construction, both retrofits and new construction. Some unusual aspects of her practice include: Inventing new construction techniques and building systems Changing code Stepping out of the traditional role of “Architect” and into Engineering and “means and methods” She will talk about the importance of thorough construction documents, active construction monitoring and crunching energy bills. Chris will end her talk with a presentation of her newest building, a 24 unit apartment building about to start construction that is planned to meet the strict German Passive House Standard.

Chris Benedict is an Architect, a Graduate of Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, and a professor of Architecture at Pratt Institute. Her office in New York City specializes in safe healthy durable energy efficient buildings built for the same price as typical construction. She is Chair of BEC New York.