Building Science Fundamentals Seminar


 


About the Seminar
Building Science Fundamentals is an in-person seminar offered at SprayFoam Convention and Expo for the first time!  The seminar teaches the basic knowledge needed to design and build durable, energy-efficient, affordable, and healthy buildings. Our past registrants have benefitted tremendously from the interactive sessions with Dr. Lstiburek where questions are encouraged. Because of that, we limit attendance to 50 or so. The two day seminar consists of 4 sessions of instruction. Upon completion of the seminar, members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) will receive 16 LU|HSW posted directly to the AIA Provider website. The schedule is shown below. The time for the sessions will be from  8:00-5:00 pm EST.

Dr. Joseph Lstiburek will discuss building science principles (such as the control of heat, air, and moisture and IAQ) and show you how to apply them to low-energy enclosure design, advanced HVAC systems, forensic investigations, and the repair and retrofit of existing buildings. Building Science Fundamentals has been attended by thousands of builders, architects, engineers, building science consultants, building code officials, facility managers, building product manufacturers, and government officials.


 


About the Instructor



Joseph Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.Eng., ASHRAE Fellow
Principal and Founder of Building Science Corporation

Joseph Lstiburek is the founding principal of Building Science Corporation. Dr. Lstiburek’s work ranges widely, from providing expert witness testimony to overseeing research and development projects, to writing for the ASHRAE Journal and buildingscience.com. Dr. Lstiburek’s commitment to advancing the building industry has had a lasting impact on building codes and practices throughout the world, particularly in the areas of air barriers, vapor barriers, and vented and unvented roof assemblies. For example, his work with industry partners through the Department of Energy’s Building America program led to significant research into the wetting and drying of walls and ultimately to a major code change relaxing the requirement for vapor barriers in the International Residential Code.

Dr. Lstiburek is also an acclaimed educator who has taught thousands of professionals over the past three decades and written countless papers as well as the best-selling Builder Guides.  Fittingly, the Wall Street Journal has described him as "the dean of North American building science." He has a joy for telling tall tales to his protégés and audiences.  Dr. Lstiburek holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering, a Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Building Science.

While still an undergrad, Dr. Lstiburek worked as a residential construction manager; during his Master’s
degree, he developed the Air Drywall Approach to air barriers. Other formative experiences include working on the Canada-wide Super Energy Efficient Housing R-2000 program and serving as senior engineer on commercial construction projects for Trow in Toronto. Dr. Lstiburek founded BSC in 1990 with his business partner Betsy Pettit, and he has been a key figure in establishing
BSC as one of the most influential, innovative, and respected building science firms in North America.

SEMINAR AGENDA
FEBRUARY 12, 2023     

CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 7:00 am -  8:00 am

MORNING SESSION 1 8:00 - 12:00 pm
  • Environmental Separation
  • Definition of a Building
  • The Effect of Climate
  • The Perfect Wall
  • The Water Molecule
  • Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure
  • Air Flow and Vapor Diffusion
  • Rain
  • Capillarity

LUNCH   12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

AFTERNOON SESSION 1  1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
  • The Myth of the Dew Point
  • Roofs Vented and Unvented
  • Ice Dams
  • Crawlspaces Vented and Unvented
  • Basements
  • Slabs and Flooring

FEBRUARY 13, 2023     

CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 7:00 am -  8:00 am

MORNING SESSION 2 8:00 - 12:00 pm
  • Stucco Failures
  • Pressure and IAQ
  • Buildings as 3-D Airflow Networks
  • Controlling Pressures and Pathways
  • Stack Effect and Compartmentalization
  • HVAC
  • Part Load and Humidity Control
  • Central Systems vs. Distributed Systems

LUNCH   12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

AFTERNOON SESSION 2  1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
  • Retrofits
  • Mass Buildings
  • Freeze Thaw
  • Interior Foundation Retrofits
  • Historic Building Limitations
  • Frame Buildings
  • Deep Energy Retrofits


   
 






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