CSE PRESENTATIONS

Attendees learn about problems that can develop with commonly installed exterior claddings on residential buildings. Some of the commonly installed exterior claddings include fiber cement board siding, brick veneer, and stucco. Attendees are guided through several case studies that highlight the issues that were observed during those investigations. Additionally, design and repair details are discussed.

Learning Objectives

• Correctly interpret prescriptive and performance-based building code requirements and industry standards for construction deficiencies for exterior cladding.
• Discriminately compare as-built conditions with building code and referenced standard requirements.
• Accurately evaluate the adequacy of the as-built exterior cladding conditions to determine a need for corrective repairs.
• Effectively formulate a reasonable repair scope for inadequate exterior cladding.

This course will explore the most common issues that result in water intrusion through the building envelope. Attendees are guided through building envelope basics, mechanisms of water intrusion, problems that arise with roofing, exterior walls, windows, and foundations.

Learning Objectives

• Differentiate the various building components that comprise the building envelope.
• Identify the most common areas and mechanisms of water intrusion.
• Analyze water intrusion symptoms to determine the underlying cause.
• Explain the 90/1 principle of water intrusion and how it applies to various water intrusion problems that one might encounter.

Recent changes in the building code helped fuel the current surge in mid-rise wood frame construction projects. Over the past several years, there has been an increasing number of water intrusion claims in relatively new mid-rise wood-frame buildings. While the code requires the building envelope to provide protection from the weather, it does not provide the details necessary for designers and/or contractors to meet this requirement. Typical construction details that have had limited success on one to three-story wood frame buildings are even more problematic on taller buildings. Specifically, vertical and lateral movements, caused by frame compression, wood shrinkage, external loads and material incompatibility, can compromise the function of flashing and waterproofing details. Differential movements between the wood framing and exterior cladding components can cause physical damage to building envelope components that increase the extent of water intrusion. Once the water reaches the wood framing components, significant damage such as rot, corrosion, and mold, can result. Additionally, once compromised, the effectiveness of products used to meet fire resistance requirements is unknown. If our design and construction of the building enclosure do not incorporate “best practices,” mid-rise wood frame buildings may become the black eye of the construction industry.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the building code changes that allowed mid-rise wood frame construction.
• Describe the properties and characteristics of wood framing that create challenges for a durable design.
• Discuss the building code provisions that will contribute to substandard performance, early distress and/or failure of building components.
• Discuss compatibility issues that are associated with various construction materials used on mid-rise wood-frame buildings.
• Understand the communication breakdown that happens at real-world job sites.
• Describe the minimum building code requirements for roof slope and positive drainage.
• Understand the properties of wood that contribute to long-term deflection.
• Discuss the mechanisms that can cause initial roof slopes to be reduced during the service life of a typical wood-frame building.
• Understand the design details that will help avoid ponding of water on roofs, decks, water intrusion and/or roof collapse.
• Describe the dead and live loads that mid-rise wood frame buildings are subjected to during construction and in service.
• Understand the primary movements that wood framing is subjected to during construction and during its service life.
• Describe the load path of typical mid-rise wood-frame buildings and the issues that need to be addressed along the path.
• Discuss the considerations that should be made regarding the selection of exterior cladding materials to be compatible with deflection.
• Define the properties of a durable construction product.
• Understand the diminishing performance of construction products during the service life of a building.
• Understand the typical design concepts for providing fire protection.
• Describe the shortcomings with current products and details used to provide fire protection.
• Designing buildings for adequate protection by the local fire service.
• Describe the “Four Ds” of exterior wall design.
• Understand the design concepts of barrier, drainage and rain screen wall design.
• Describe the various mechanisms of water damage to wood building components.
• Describe the shortcomings with balcony and deck designs that are vulnerable to problems.
• Understand the difference between building code minimum requirements and best practice.

Discuss construction details that cause design professionals and contractors to be brought into construction litigation. The presenter highlights building code requirements, industry standards, and manufacturer instructions related to roofing, exterior walls, windows and other issues common to construction litigation. Conclude with a series of case studies of the alleged defects, the consequence and/or damage and the parties responsible for the repair costs.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the contractor instructions used to establish defects in construction litigation.
• Correctly interpret prescriptive and performance-based building code requirements and industry standards for alleged construction defects.
• Evaluate alleged construction defects to determine the need for repairs.
• Effectively formulate reasonable details and scope requirements for the repair of construction defects.

Buildings clad with Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) barrier cladding have been documented to have problematic water intrusion issues that can result in damage. In numerous construction litigation cases, the proposed repair included complete removal and replacement of EIFS. Experience gained during such repairs revealed that most damages are localized and associated with wall penetrations. The presenter will describe repair solutions that address damages without complete EIFS removal and replacement. Design and repair considerations will be discussed in detail.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the history of EIFS.
• Understand the typical areas of water intrusion in EIFS clad buildings.
• Determine when localized EIFS repairs are a viable option.
• Understand the design details necessary to perform localized EIFS repairs.

Attendees learn about problems that develop when experts value the desires of the client above their professional integrity. Learn about the true role of experts in construction litigation, how to avoid hidden bias and advocacy. Standards of care are discussed based on professional licensure, professional memberships and accepted industry standards. Examples of possible ethics violations are provided for discussion.

Learning Objectives

• Identify how to select (or serve as) a qualified and reasonable expert.
• Effectively work with experts (or clients) to provide reasonable and defendable opinions.
• Effectively evaluate the adequacy of a repair scope.
• Effectively examine experts (or provide testimony) in deposition and/or trial to determine the reliability of opinions and repair scopes offered.

This course provides a unique insight into forensic engineering. Learn about the typical parties that retain forensic engineers, the types of assignments that forensic engineers investigate, the tools used during investigations, a forensic engineer’s role as an expert witness, and the various types of testimony provided by forensic engineers. A summary of case studies highlights the wide variety of issues investigated by forensic engineers.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the types of assignments investigated by forensic engineers.
• Understand the tools used by forensic engineers.
• Describe the role of forensic engineers as an expert witness.
• Understand the types of testimony that are provided by forensic engineers.

This course highlights the technical requirements of a masonry veneer cladding system and the primary areas of concern. The presentation provides the technical highlights of this case study and identifies the issues where the building codes and applicable standards require further clarification.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the differences between cast stone veneer and adhered masonry veneer.
• Understand building code requirements for cast stone and adhered masonry veneer.
• Interpret the prescriptive and alternate design methods for masonry veneer.
• Understand the differences between barrier walls, mass walls, and drainage walls and the details important to each.

Gain an understanding of different types of foundation systems and the influencing factors when selecting appropriate foundation systems. Discuss the applicable building code sections regarding foundation design and construction requirements. Common foundation failures are examined and the associated repair techniques. Real-world case studies are provided for discussion.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the various types of foundation systems and the factors to be considered in selecting foundation types.
• Interpret building code requirements for foundation design and construction.
• Analyze the symptoms of various types of foundation failures.
• Consider various foundation repair techniques.

CSE shares photo highlights of years of roof failure investigations. The photos provide attendees with obvious (and not so obvious) roofing mistakes on both low and steep slope roofs in the United States and the Caribbean. Failures include combinations of design errors, manufacturer defects, and construction defects.

Learning Objectives

• Compare the design concepts of low and steep slope roofs.
• Interpret the primary building code requirements of roofing.
• Evaluate the principles of successful flashing details.
• Analyze the symptoms of various types of roofing failures.

Coastal environments are considered to be some of the harshest conditions that a building can be subjected to. Over time, the combination of salt, humidity, and wind can significantly decrease the service life of important building enclosure components. Since the early 1980s, a 12-story oceanfront condominium building has been subjected to these harsh conditions. During a preliminary investigation of the building, conditions of the aluminum-framed sliding glass doors and exterior balconies revealed that they were in various states of deterioration and corrosion, such that repairs were considered to be necessary. This presentation highlights the first phase of this case study and identifies the issues experience during the repair project.

Learning Objectives

• Effectively formulate reasonable details and repair scope requirements for the installation of the new sliding glass doors and concrete balcony waterproofing.
• Interpret building code requirements, industry standards and manufacturer’s literature for designing the new sliding glass doors.
• Interpret building code requirements, industry standards, and manufacturer’s literature, in addition to identifying in-field issues for the light gauge metal framing.
• Correctly identify and interpret the building code requirements and industry standards for water testing new sliding glass doors.

Survey building code requirements for structural load paths for light-frame wood construction. Participants are exposed to design considerations for gravity and uplift loads including connections. Specifically, by exploring load paths that are transferred from roof framing to walls, through floor cavities, and to the foundation. Typical failure modes and suggested repairs are discussed.

Learning Objectives

• Correctly interpret prescriptive and performance-based building code requirements and the TPI1 industry standard for structural load paths.
• Discriminately compare as-built conditions with industry standards and building code requirements.
• Accurately evaluate the adequacy of construction details to determine the need for corrective repairs.
• Effectively formulate reasonable details and scope requirements for common construction details.

Examine key elements for proper attachment of steep and low slope roof coverings to resist wind uplift. Review the basic interacting between wind and roof assemblies. Various steep and low slope roof coverings are discussed, including relative costs, performance, and durability. Discussion includes design concepts, applicable building codes and standards, and manufacturer instructions. Attachment details are discussed for steep and low slope roof coverings, including critical details and lessons learned from approximately twenty years of damage investigations.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the basic concepts regarding wind loads on steep and low slope roof coverings.
• Interpret prescriptive and performance-based building code requirements for steep and low slope roofs.
• Compare as-built roof installations with building code requirements.
• Understand the evaluation process to determine the adequacy of as-built details to resist wind uplift.

Explore common issues that result in water intrusion through the building envelope due to improper installation and integration of masonry stone veneer. Attendees are guided through industry standards and code requirements for water intrusion and damage that may arise when masonry stone veneer is improperly installed.


Learning Objectives

• Correctly interpret prescriptive and performance-based building code requirements and industry standards for masonry stone veneer installation.
• Discriminately compare as-built masonry stone veneer installation with industry standards and code requirements.
• Accurately evaluate the adequacy of masonry stone veneer installation to determine the need for corrective repairs.
• Effectively formulate reasonable details and scope requirements for adequate masonry stone veneer installation.
• Consider various foundation repair techniques.

Learn about various types of metal roofing products for low slope and steep slope roofs, including metal roof design building code requirements, industry standards, and typical manufacturer installation details. Various metal roof failure investigations are discussed, including lessons learned and recommended repairs and/or modifications.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the types of metal roof products used for low slope roofs.
• Describe the types of metal roof products used for steep slope roofs.
• Understand metal roof design concepts.
• Understand the causes of metal roofing failures.

Learn about problems that develop with brick veneer cladding, even when following the building code. CSE shares photo highlights of brick veneer investigations. The photos provide examples of obvious (and not so obvious) problems with brick veneer construction. The problems include combinations of design errors, shortcomings in the building code, and construction defects.

Learning Objectives

• Correctly interpret prescriptive and performance-based building code requirements and industry standards for brick veneer installation.
• Discriminately compare as-built brick veneer installation with industry standards and code requirements.
• Accurately evaluate the adequacy of brick veneer installation to determine the need for corrective repairs.
• Effectively formulate reasonable details and scope requirements for functional brick veneer installation.

Examine common construction allegations regarding siding attachment. Attendees are guided through building code requirements, industry standards, typical manufacturer information, construction litigation allegations, and repair recommendations. Additionally, attendees are walked through an example of an engineering exterior siding attachment analysis.

Learning Objectives

• Correctly interpret prescriptive and performance-based building code requirements for siding attachment.
• Discriminately compare as-built siding installation with building code requirements.
• Accurately evaluate the adequacy of siding attachment to determine the need for corrective repairs.
• Effectively formulate a reasonable repair scope for an adequate siding attachment.

A recent construction litigation case highlighted the technical requirements of a masonry veneer cladding system on a residential structure. The classification of the cladding system as cast stone or adhered masonry veneer directly impacts the requirements of applicable codes and standards. The primary areas of concern included the attachment of the panels (i.e. anchored vs. adhered) to the masonry substrate, the extent of water intrusion and the need for water management details (i.e. flashing and weep holes). The presentation provides the technical highlights of this case study and identifies the issues where the building codes and applicable standards require further clarification.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the difference between cast stone veneer and adhered masonry veneer.
• Understand building code requirements for cast stone and adhered masonry veneer.
• Interpret the prescriptive and alternate design methods for masonry veneer.
• Understand the differences between barrier walls, mass walls and drainage walls and the details important to each.

Explore the most common issues alleged in construction defect cases. Attendees are guided through construction basics from the roof to the foundation. The most common defects in each area are discussed, along with building code requirements, accepted industry standards, consequences and/or damages and repair recommendations.

Learning Objectives

• Correctly interpret prescriptive and performance-based building code requirements and industry standards for the 10 most common construction defects.
• Discriminately compare as-built conditions with industry standards and building code requirements.
• Accurately evaluate the adequacy of construction details to determine the need for corrective repairs.
• Effectively formulate reasonable details and scope requirements for the 10 most common construction defects.

Explore the most common issues alleged in construction defect cases involving stucco. Attendees learn stucco basics, including conventional stucco vs. proprietary systems, building code requirements and industry standards. Each of the top 10 issues are described in detail, including which issues may require a repair and which issues are of little, to no consequence.

Learning Objectives

• Correctly interpret prescriptive and performance-based building code requirements and industry standards for stucco installation.
• Discriminately compare as-built stucco installation with industry standards and code requirements.
• Accurately evaluate the adequacy of stucco installation to determine the need for corrective repairs.
• Effectively formulate reasonable details and scope requirements for functional stucco installation.

The building code requires all buildings and components thereof to resist code-prescribed loads. The presentation breaks down the various loads to describe exactly what the code requires. The presentation describes dead and live gravity loads, wind loads, and seismic loads. Attendees are guided through the basics of structural analysis, how buildings receive and distribute loads, and what the code requires for various building elements. Attendees learn the difference between main wind force resisting systems and components and cladding. Building code requirements are discussed in terms of geographic location in the southeastern United States. Specifically, various in code-prescribed seismic and wind loads will be shown to illustrate the diverse design requirements that apply to new construction.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the code-prescribed loads that buildings must resist.
• Explain how the code-prescribed loads interact with building components.
• Describe the difference between main wind force resisting systems and components and cladding.
• Determine the applicable code-prescribed loads based on the geographic location of a subject building.

Explore the history of trim products, along with applicable codes and standards. The discussion expands to include experiences with damaged engineered wood trim products, how these products are evaluated by manufacturers and where damages typically occur. Repair protocols and a discussion of best practices for exterior trim details are included.

Learning Objectives

• Given building code requirements, the attendee will be able to employ and accurately evaluate those related to exterior trim.
• Given their knowledge of standards and best practices for exterior products, the student will be able to assess and determine applicable standards.
• With knowledge of various engineered wood trim products and manufacturers, the student will be able to compare and appraise different exterior trim products and their durability needs.
• With knowledge of best practices related to exterior trim products, the attendee will be able to inspect and examine the exterior trim details and assess their compliance with such practices.

This session describes the most common modes of water intrusion that occurs in existing buildings. The participants will learn about the building enclosure and the ways that water enters the various components, including the roof, exterior walls, and foundations. Construction defects will be discussed in contexts of the building code, industry standards, and manufacturer specifications. Product defects that resulted in water-related damages will also be discussed. Real-world examples associated with various cases will be described.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the most common water intrusion issues with low and steep slope assemblies.
• Understand the most common water intrusion issues with exterior walls.
• Understand the most common water intrusion issues with windows and doors.
• Understand the most common water intrusion issues with foundations and below grade waterproofing.

This presentation will provide attendees with the evolution of building codes, industry standards and manufacturer instructions for the installation of windows and doors. Specific attention will be given to issues of water intrusion and structural performance. Case studies will be used to highlight the various issues discussed.

Learning Objectives

• Understand current building code requirements for window and door performance.
• Identify accepted industry standards that provide installation instructions for windows and doors.
• Identify and be able to discuss the performance grade of a window or door.
• Understand the relationship between design pressure (DP) rating, impact resistance, water intrusion and air intrusion standards for windows and doors.
• Identify the concepts of proper window and door installation details including opening protection, attachment and flashing.