Sponsored by:

Skill Level
Intermediate: Participants will need a basic understanding of the various simulation, modeling and assessment tools and their applicability to the practice of sustainable preservation.

With so much attention given to the energy efficiency of buildings in the face of global environmental decline and climate change, the performance characteristics of roofs, walls and fenestration has become critically important. Increasingly, the existing building stock is being assessed for its potential to reduce the need for fossil fuels. Building envelope modifications are an essential component of "energy retrofit" programs that are being promoted through federal policy and industry practice. To promote a mode of stewardship that meets both heritage conservation and environmental restoration goals, preservation professionals need better tools.

This workshop features an overview of emerging analysis, simulation and measuring tools, including: energy audit, blower-door test, moisture probe, energy modeling, daylight modeling (RADIANCE), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, thermal modeling (THERM), air and moisture migration modeling (WUFI), building information modeling (BIM), integrated environmental modeling (EIS, EcoTech), life-cycle assessment (LCA) modeling (EcoCalculator).

The presentation on the various modeling (energy modeling, daylight modeling, computational fluid dynamics modeling, thermal modeling, air and moisture migration modeling, building information modeling, and integrated environmental modeling) and the field session on various tools will address:

• what are energy models (or other type of models as defined above), what “products” are used, by whom and for what;
• what inputs go into these models;
• what information is captured well by those inputs, what information is not, what is “external” to them;
• how these models process information;
• what outputs are derived and how “products” differ;
• the reliability of the generated data, what has real-world measurement and the verification revealed about this question; and
• how you can adopt these types of modeling in your practice.

Format:
The workshop will be a combination of lectures, discussion and hands-on field testing led by architects and engineers involved in envelope testing, modeling and analysis.

Facilitators:

• Peter Alspach, PE, Associate, ARUP, Seattle, WA, USA
• James Lowell Curtiss, AIA, ARCOP/FGM, Montréal, QC, Canada
• Giovanni Diodati, Architecte Associe, Fournier Gersovitz Moss and Associate Architects, Montréal, QC, Canada
• Robert L. Fink, AIA LEED AP BD+C, Quinn Evans Architects, Washington DC, USA
• Paul Kriescher, Principal of Lightly Treading Energy & Design, Denver, CO, USA
• Eric Oliver, PE CEM LEE AP, President, EMO Energy Solutions, Falls Church, VA, USA
• Gordon Sheppard, PE LEED AP, Principal Consultant, Apollo BBC, Bellaire, TX, USA
• Nicklas Vigener, Senior Princial, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Rockville, MD, USA

Learning objectives:

• Discuss computer-based building envelope performance modeling programs.
• List field investigation methods for building envelope performance.
• Describe envelope performance issues.
• Discuss application of envelope performance testing, modeling and monitoring techniques to historic buildings.
• List and discuss the data needed to make sound envelope performance assessments.
• Describe the relationship between modeling techniques and application to real-world projects.

Preliminary workshop schedule:

Workshop Coordinators:
Jill Gotthelf, AIA, Co-Chair, APT Technical Committee on Sustainable Preservation / Walter Sedovic Architects, New York, NY, USA
Carl Elefante, AIA LEED AP, Co-Chair, APT Training and Education  Committee / Quinn Evans Architects, Washington, DC, USA