Adrian Lowenstein on High Performance Construction, BERDO, Local Law 97 and Energy Codes (#2)

Matt

Adrian Lowenstein, PE, MBA (on LinkedIn) is the National Business Development Manager for Skyline Windows. In this episode we discuss how the AEC industry can move towards higher performance and lower energy use, including a couple of relatively new local ordinances: Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) in Boston and Local Law 97 in New York City. We also touch on topics such as pre-fabricated pre-glazed wall construction techniques, the opportunities for higher performance afforded by advancing technology and project team relationships that lead to better project outcomes.

#2: Adrian Lowenstein of Skyline Windows on High Performance Construction, BERDO, Local Law 97, and Energy Codes – Pushing the Envelope

This is a great conversation with Adrian Lowenstein, PE, MBA, National Business Development Manager for Skyline Windows. Adrian has insights on how we can move towards higher performance and higher efficiency in our building stock. We discuss a couple of new local ordinances that seek to raise the bar for performance of buildings: the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) in Boston and Local Law 97 in New York City. We also hit on topics such as pre-fabricated pre-glazed wall construction techniques, the opportunities for higher performance afforded by advancing technology and project team relationships that lead to better project outcomes. For full show notes go to copelandbec.com/episode-2-adrian-lowenstein-berdo-performance-efficiency — Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/buildbetter/message
  1. #2: Adrian Lowenstein of Skyline Windows on High Performance Construction, BERDO, Local Law 97, and Energy Codes
  2. #1: Ken Kiefer, High Performance Construction Academy Director, SIGA North America
  3. Trailer
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Why Roof Inspections are Important

Why Roof Inspections are Important

Matt

Roofs are often ignored until a problem shows up inside the building that can’t be ignored. We posted about this on LinkedIn today.

The issue is that roofs are hard to see. You have to actively decide to go up there and look around, or have someone do it, to know what’s going on. If you wait until water shows up in the office or bedroom downstairs—or part of the roof is in the parking lot because it blew off—then it is too late. Damage from a roof leak that has made its way into the building is often extensive, and far more expensive to fix than just the cost of repairing the roofing alone.

Roof inspections, performed regularly, help to solve this problem. Benefits of annual (at least) roof inspections include:

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How Water Moves: Airflow and Diffusion

How Water Moves: Airflow and Diffusion

Matt

Building science and building enclosure consulting is often all about understanding, and controlling, how water moves through a building. Water is the cause of most of the problems we are trying to solve (or, ideally, prevent in the first place). In order to solve those problems, we need to understand how the water is getting to where it is not supposed to be.

Liquid water intrusion into buildings is the main thing to worry about, and there are a number of ways that liquid water can penetrate a building’s defenses. Those pathways, though, will be the subject of a future post. Today, we’re going to focus on the oft-misunderstood water transport mechanisms of airflow and water vapor diffusion.

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7 Tips for a Better Condominium Building Envelope Project

7 Tips for a Better Condominium Building Envelope Project

Matt

Condominium building envelope projects can be some of the most rewarding work we do. We love connecting directly with residents, the people that live in the spaces every day, and helping them to make their buildings work better.

Condo projects also have their own unique challenges. We wanted to share tips from our experience to make your next condo building envelope project go more smoothly.

1. Communicate with the community.

The importance of communication during condo building envelope projects simply cannot be overstated. The community is the aspect of condominium work that sets it apart from most other construction projects.

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Introducing the Pushing the Envelope Podcast

Matt

Since we love building science, building envelope technology, and high performance construction we started a podcast! All the cool kids have a podcast these days so why not us?

The show is about making buildings better. We’ll talk about architecture, engineering and construction as well as building science and how all of this goes into making more durable, comfortable and efficient buildings. It’s hosted by CopelandBEC Principal Matt Copeland and will feature guests from around the industry.

In the first episode Matt talks with Ken Kiefer (on LinkedIn) of SIGA North America. Matt and Ken discuss a variety of topics including Ken’s work on a recent passive house project in Cambridge, MA, what contractors and designers are looking for from manufacturers of high performance building materials, and some of the resources available at SIGA’s High-Performance Construction Academy.

All episodes are available at anchor.fm/buildbetter or you can play them right here.

#2: Adrian Lowenstein of Skyline Windows on High Performance Construction, BERDO, Local Law 97, and Energy Codes – Pushing the Envelope

This is a great conversation with Adrian Lowenstein, PE, MBA, National Business Development Manager for Skyline Windows. Adrian has insights on how we can move towards higher performance and higher efficiency in our building stock. We discuss a couple of new local ordinances that seek to raise the bar for performance of buildings: the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) in Boston and Local Law 97 in New York City. We also hit on topics such as pre-fabricated pre-glazed wall construction techniques, the opportunities for higher performance afforded by advancing technology and project team relationships that lead to better project outcomes. For full show notes go to copelandbec.com/episode-2-adrian-lowenstein-berdo-performance-efficiency — Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/buildbetter/message
  1. #2: Adrian Lowenstein of Skyline Windows on High Performance Construction, BERDO, Local Law 97, and Energy Codes
  2. #1: Ken Kiefer, High Performance Construction Academy Director, SIGA North America
  3. Trailer

Pushing the Envelope is currently available on Apple, Spotify, Google, Anchor and others. Please check it out and leave a review! Contact us for feedback or to suggest a guest.

How to Make Vinyl Siding Look Good

How to Make Vinyl Siding Look Good

Matt

Let’s face it: vinyl siding often looks bad. At its worst, vinyl siding can appear cheap and impermanent. Because of this, it has developed a bad reputation with a lot of people, and they reflexively try to avoid it.

But vinyl siding has many benefits. It is relatively inexpensive to install, easy to maintain and easy to repair. It’s durable and comes in a wide variety of colors.

Vinyl siding is definitely not appropriate for all cladding applications. But for many homeowners, condominium trustees, and facilities managers vinyl siding can fill a need for a high-value, long-lasting easy-to-maintain wall cladding material.

If vinyl siding makes sense for your project in every way except for how it looks, then this post is for you. Over the course of several successful projects I’ve learned how to make vinyl siding look good. Now I’m going to share those tips and tricks with you.

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