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BESTfest

Apr 28, 2021   |   12:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET
Virtual Meeting

Since the beginning of the pandemic, building enclosures have received closer scrutiny, with everyone from consumers to building professionals to local and federal government, wanting to know more about their technologies and performance.

The BESTfest seminar brings together industry leaders and experts to discuss how the Building Enclosure Science & Technology field has changed since COVID-19 shook the world.

This four-hour virtual program is brought to you by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC) , alongside the Building Enclosure Council (BEC) chapter networks.

Building enclosures are expected to be durable and provide a degree of environmental separation. They increasingly must focus on energy efficiency, daylighting, indoor air quality, fire safety, thermal comfort, and carbon footprint. Now, there’s a need to explicitly ensure these performance objectives are fully defined in the planning and design stage and efficiently executed through construction and operations.

As construction technology has become more complex and standards are more demanding, now is the time to hold a broader conversation on innovations in the field. Our panel will discuss changes in materials and methods that have resulted from the latest technology advancements. Please join us as we continue on the shared mission of BETEC and the BEC Chapters to transform the vision of building enclosure design into the built form.

Sessions

Vincent Martinez, Chief Operating Officer, Architecture 2030

Rapid and major emissions reductions in the building sector will establish a powerful force for global action and business development. Through practice and policy, the design, planning, and building community must rapidly transform urban development and the built environment from the major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions to a central part of the solution to the climate crisis. In the process, they will improve their market position and that of their clients.

Ivan Lee, Building Science Consultant, Morrison Hershfield

The Building Envelope Thermal Bridging Guide has been a great resource in bringing awareness to thermal bridging with an extensive catalogue of details. While the guide has been around since 2012, it has been regularly updated with new thermal bridging details.

This presentation highlights some of the new details included in the guide including details for Passive House and Low TEDI buildings, and mass timber construction. An introduction to a new thermal bridging website to allow for quick searches and calculations will also be included.

Ralph DiNola, Chief Executive Officer, New Buildings Institute (NBI)

With the U.S. rejoining the Paris Agreement, portions of the country recovering from natural disasters, and the building sector re-emerging from a global pandemic, now is the time for us to fundamentally shift how we design, build, operate and renovate buildings. In this “decade of decarbonization”, we must accelerate the adoption of carbon neutral building policies and operating practices. This session will review the Five Foundations for Zero Carbon Building Policies and support a robust discussion on best practices and actions.

John Burningham, Principal of Performance Programs, UNVC

In 2014, The State of Utah took a turn from the conventional above code programs to increase the performance of its buildings as well as the return on investment of state and higher educational funds. The HPBS’s enclosure program was a key component to make it deliver. This session will review the drivers of the program, the benefits, and why it works.

Andrea DelGiudice, Associate Principal and Unit Manager, WJE

ASTM E2813 Standard Practice for Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx), which establishes minimum levels of BECx, and its companion guide, ASTM E2947 Standard Guide for Building Enclosure Commissioning, which provides additional guidance. The standards are used frequently and referenced by other organizations, such as the USGBC in the Enhanced Commissioning Credit under LEED V4.1 and DCRA in the construction code in the District of Columbia. This session will provide an overview and discussion on the very recent updates to ASTM E2947-21 and the not-quite-as-recent updates to ASTM E2813-18

Will Babbington, Facade Design Director, Studio NYL, N-BECs Chair
Stephen Shanks, Principal, ECS Mid-Atlantic, BETEC Chair

Babbington will present a round-up of the BESTFEST Champions’ work and Shanks will do a Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council wrap-up and provide further information about the Council to participants.

Speakers

Will Babbington
Will Babbington

Facade Design Director, Studio NYL, N-BECs Chair

Ivan Lee
Ivan Lee

Building Science Consultant, Morrison Hershfield

John Burningham
John Burningham

Principal of Performance Programs, UNVC

Vincent Martinez
Vincent Martinez

Chief Operating Officer, Architecture 2030

Andrea DelGiudice
Andrea DelGiudice

Associate Principal and Unit Manager, WJE

Stephen Shanks
Stephen Shanks

Principal, ECS Mid-Atlantic, BETEC Chair

Ralph DiNola
Ralph DiNola

Chief Executive Officer, New Buildings Institute (NBI)

Accredited by

AIA Learning Units:

3.5 LU | HSW

Sponsored by

Cloud Visit
Engineering Consulting Services
Guardian Glass
IIBEC
Kingspan
Terracon
BETEC

Contact

Jennifer Hitzke

  jhitzke@nibs.org
Manager, Executive Office, Board & Volunteer Relations
National Institute of Building Sciences