Attend Building Innovation 2019; stay for the BECx Workshop

Washington, D.C. — Building Innovation 2019: The National Institute of Building Sciences Seventh Annual Conference and Expo, Jan. 7-10, 2019, has a compelling schedule of educational sessions, including a number of building enclosure design presentations. Building enclosure professionals who attend the conference will want to take part in the Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC) meeting Monday, the sessions on building enclosure design Tuesday and Wednesday, then stay for the building enclosure commissioning (BECx) Workshop Thursday, Jan. 10, all at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C.

BETEC began developing a building enclosure commissioning (BECx) certification training program in 2015. Following three days of conference events and education sessions, BETEC will host the latest two BECx Certificate Course Modules at the Thursday BECx Workshop. The new BECx Modules include the BECx Standards and Process Module and the BECx Lab Testing Module.

The Institute has long maintained that BECx is an important pathway to achieving high-performance buildings. The BECx training program is intended to help bring the building industry up to speed on enforced codes and rating systems and prepare professionals for taking the ASTM International exam for certification. Subject matter experts William Babbington, AIA, PE, Studio NYL; Andrea Delguidice, PE, Wiss Janney Elstner Associates; and Brian Neely, AIA, Gale Associates, will present the two new modules, which are based on source material developed by the late building enclosure expert Wagdy Anis, FAIA.

BECx Standards and Process — Thursday, Jan. 10, 8:00 am – 10:00 am — This module will provide an introduction to the BECx process and requirements outlined in the following documents: ASTM E2813: Standard Practice for Building Enclosure Commissioning (the standard upon which this course is based); ASTM E2947: Standard Guide for Building Enclosure Commissioning; LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction; and the International Green Building Code. NIBS Guideline 3-2012: Building Enclosure Commissioning Process will also be discussed as it relates to ASTM E2947 and LEED v4. The program will include an overview of the requirements for the BECx process in each of these documents; discussion of potential challenges, as well as opportunities for implementing BECx within each of these standards.

BECx Lab Testing — Thursday, Jan. 10, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm — This module will introduce laboratory test standards and manufacturer testing that is used to set performance standards in project specifications. The process and requirements for project laboratory mock-up tests, including for structural, air leakage and water penetration, etc., will be reviewed.  The program will explain the methodologies and rationales for specific tests required by ASTM International, National Fenestration Ratings Council (NFRC) and American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA). The presentation will cover manufacturer testing and performance laboratory mock-up testing, as well as specific protocols for testing.

With these two new modules, five modules are now complete as part of the full course. The first three modules of the planned 16-hour course were previewed earlier this year at the fifth BEST Building Enclosure Science & Technology Conference (BEST5) in April. Participants will be able to earn an ASTM/NIBS BECx certificate by successfully passing an exam after completing all of the modules.

Come for Building Innovation 2019 to hear from building enclosure design professionals and other leading industry experts on a wide variety of topics focused on Optimizing for Tomorrow. Then stay for the BECx Workshops to continue the learning. Or choose to attend just the Workshops for only $75 each. Online registration ends Dec. 31, 2018. See the full schedule of events and register at https://www.nibs.org/page/conference19_program.