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.

During this session, we will discuss the advancements in ductless heat pumps and the application for high-performance homes. Learn about the concept of high performance homes and the application of residential variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems to meet their design and efficiency requirements. We will review the scale upon which high performance homes are measured, the process to properly design an HVAC system for these homes, and ventilation and dehumidification strategies that are required in low load homes. 

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!

Taking building investigations and turning them into building science puzzles is fun and informative. In "Attics and roofs that work and why," we learned how to configure high performance attics and roofs. What can we learn from roofs and attics that have had problems? We can learn about tolerances attics and roofs have for heat and moisture management and quite a bit about how to and not to retrofit existing attics and roofs. 

Using the building science and building code for attics and roofs, we will work through which roof and attic configurations work and why. Peter will work with a local high performance builder and roof/attic mock-ups to get into the nitty-gritty of materials, sequencing, and trades interaction for high performance attics and roofs.

Virtually every major industry has experienced, or is in the process of experiencing, massive disruption. Housing has been able to sit on the sidelines with its first-cost dominated business model and uniquely dis-aggregated industry, but not for much longer. That’s because there are three new realities setting the stage for disruption, five crises making disruption an imperative, and four transformations that will drive disruption in an industry totally resistant to change. Within this larger disruption context, high performance homes will play an increasingly critical role that needs to be fully integrated. Will you be ready? 

In this on-demand webinar we will take a hard look at below grade walls and what it takes to properly manage the potential for bulk water intrusion and keeping the indoor environment dry, healthy, and safe. We will look at the primary issues; condensation and bulk water intrusion. Understanding the physics of both new and existing below grade wall assemblies, we will uncover the root issues and identify two distinct strategies that work with water rather than against it to ensure a truly durable and enduring assembly.

Systems are critical to a successful business, but sometimes we get caught up in trying to manage and design controls for components that refuse to cooperate. When is it more efficient and profitable to leave things undefined and grey? When do we benefit from leaving things open and malleable? How do we build systems that help us become comfortable and eventually benefit from the messy parts of our work? This provocative session will challenge you and help you take your business to new levels.