(JBED) - Summer 2006 - The Whole Building Design Guide

BEC Corner
HOUSTON-BEC
By Andy MacPhillimy
AIA Houston is joining the national initiative
by AIA National and the National
Institute for Building Sciences by establishing
BEC-Houston, an open forum to promote
discussion, education and the transfer
of information and technology among
all stakeholders in buildings enclosures—
owners, architects, engineers, consultants,
manufacturers, installers, contractors and
others. We are excited about this opportunity
to raise regional expertise, skill and
the understanding of building exterior enclosure
construction, resulting in the improvement
of the quality of design, the installation
and the maintenance. A kick-off
meeting was held on May 24th and was attended
by a diverse group of those interested
in the mission of BEC-Houston.
In the coming weeks we will be
establishing the steering committee to set
the vision and mission of BEC Houston
and the program committee to develop
the series of speakers, panels and work
shops needed to accomplish the vision and
mission established by the steering committee.
MINNESOTA-BEC
By Judd Peterson
From our inception on February 14,
2006, the BEC-Minnesota has scheduled
monthly meetings involving both lectures
by experts about specific aspects of the
building envelope, and informal round table
discussions about preferred section detailing
of the building envelope. Speakers have
included Kim Bartz of WR Grace Company
and Brent Anderson of BA Associates
about air/water/vapor barriers on backup
construction and sheathing; Dan Braun and
Dan Johnson of Architectural Testing, Inc.
about the range of possible field tests for
exterior building envelopes; Craig Hall of
WL Hall and Wausau Windows about critical
detailing of window and curtainwall
openings and primary seals.
Upcoming lectures include Bob Moran,
Northeast Regional Technical Representative
of BASF Polyurethane Foam Enterprises,
talking on Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulating
Air Barriers in the exterior envelope;
Chemrex Technical representatives
will discuss all aspects of sealant application,
including chemical compositions,
compatibilities, incompatibilities, proper
uses depending on the type of sealant,
primers, application conditions; and Craig
Thompson, Technical Representative of
the Copper Development Association,
talking on copper sheet metal enclosures
and detailing, with examples formed and
fabricated at the seminar by McGrath
Sheet Metal.
Our BEC participants have voiced appreciation
for the access to critical building
enclosure expertise, and the extended resources
and advice from other BEC peers.
PORTLAND-BEC
By Rob Kistler
In the short period since the introductory
meeting held in December 2005, the
Portland-BEC has developed into a well
attended monthly seminar hosted at various
architect and contractor offices.
Consisting of roughly equal numbers of
48 Journal of Building Enclosure Design