New building products and systems crop up like both sturdy trees and annoying weeds. Sometimes it is not so easy to tell the difference. Peter has been evaluating building products and systems for more than 30 years. He will lay out a "protocol" for evaluating building materials and then apply that lens to new products and even his Wingnut testing.

The subject of indoor air quality (IAQ) gets a lot of press these days and it's often assumed that just because a home is new that the installed mechanical ventilation systems can contribute to better IAQ. The most common types of ventilation systems include whole-house, bathroom spot, and kitchen spot. Of these three systems, it is Joe’s belief that the bathroom spot fans are probably used most frequently and are the most important, yet why do so many test poorly? This session will highlight several case studies clearly demonstrating the importance of good products combined with good installation practices.

Last year, we demonstrated the Wingnut Roof Vent Testing on a small demonstration rig. Although the two-by-four easel rig revealed quite a bit about cathedral roof venting, it brought up the question of how it compares to real roofs. This session will show you how the demo rig has been improved. You will witness a theatrical fogger demo that will reveal what happens on real roofs for vented cathedral roof assemblies. You will understand how roof slope, depth of vent chute, orientation, and type of ridge vent all affect if and how much air is actually venting. 

Our nation's housing stock in in peril as homeowners are increasingly challenged financially to maintain and upgrade their homes. Upgrades are badly needed as our housing stock average age approaches 40 years. However, deep energy retrofits are not for the faint of heart. There are plenty of minefields along the way that can undermine goals for improved efficiency, durability, comfort, health and safety. This session will identify the risks and technical challenges of deep energy retrofit strategies.

Smart thermostats control far more than just temperature. Ryan Hoger discusses the features and benefits of using smart thermostats to save energy, enhance indoor air quality, and track data. Geared toward residential thermostat users and installers alike, this course highlights market trends and addresses installation challenges and solutions. It will also explain the smart features used for energy efficiency, humidity management, and fan optimization.

Join expert Tom Tucker as he discusses cooling tower and steam system efficiency opportunities. He introduces a graphical tool that makes better estimates of true power consumption using simple current measurements. You will be able to use these power estimation techniques on any electric motor, including those on cooling systems.

The central hub of your building that tells equipment what to do, the same way your brain tells your hands what to do, is the Building Automation System (BAS). Did you know the BAS can provide benefits in three key areas: environmental, comfort, and financial? Join us as we take a look at modern commercial BAS basics including architecture, networks, controllers, programming tools, and user interface. You will discover how to evaluate and select a BAS that meets your needs. We will also make sure you are up to speed on the latest BAS trends including ASHRAE guide 36, automated fault detection and diagnostics, mobile applications, and even IoT-based BAS.

The Integrative Design Process (IDP) has the potential to radically change the way building design and construction decisions are made and improve project success and efficacy. However, integrative design projects don’t often succeed due to poor team structure. How can you create a successful integrative design team? We help you differentiate between traditional design processes and an integrative project process. We offer a sharp, new understanding of team integration and provide clear steps to optimize facilitation of project teams. You will hear from a successful project’s team members and stakeholders as they present principles of high-performing teams, potential challenges, and offer tips to a successful integrative design process.

For years, the question of waterproofing from the inside has dogged Peter. He kept hearing about all sorts of coatings that could “negative-side” waterproof, but didn’t know how to compare the anecdotes to building science. In this session, Peter cuts through the hype and the misdirection of standardized testing and figures out what works, what doesn’t and why. Check it out to see what stands up to the Wingnut Water Test!