Drainage vs. Barrier Wall Systems
(Released on January 1)- About Bret Taylor & Jason Bondurant
- Barrier vs Drainage Wall Construction
- Drainage Wall Systems
- Cladding Systems
- Barrier Wall Systems
- Mass Wall Systems
Facade Investigations
(Released on December 6)- About Shuana Serafini & Jason Bondurant
- What is a Facade?
- Facades & Waterproofing
- Facade Performance
- Facade Investigations
- Identifying Problems
- Due Diligence Work
- Condition Assessments
- Forensic Inspections & Reporting
Litigation Consulting and Expert Witness Services
(Released on November 11)- Litigation Support and Consulting Services
- Water Infiltration Testing
- Forensic Testing of Buildings
- Construction Defect Cases
- Water Leakage Causation
- Plaintiff and Burden of Proof
- Expert Witness Testimony
- Forensic Inspections & Reporting
Hurricane Information and Recovery Procedures
(Released on October 16)- Hurricanes in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
- GCI’s Prior Involvement with Claims
- Maria Rivera & Paul Build a Team
- Recent Hurricanes & Damages
- Water Leakage & Remediation
- Pre-Inspections of Buildings
- Glazing Inspections & Reporting
- Water Leakage Investigations
- Litigation Consulting
Building Inspections, Cleaning and Restoration
(Released on October 1)- About Ken Larsen
- International Dry Standard Organization
- The Restoration Industry
- Building Restoration Contractors
- Hurricane Michael Examples
- Competent Standards of Care
- F500 Standard of Care
- Moisture Management, etc
Water Leakage Investigations
(Released on August 16)- Forensic Investigations on Existing Buildings
- Water Leakage, Water Intrusion & Water Damage
- Insurance claims due to water infiltration
- Structural ratings versus water intrusion
- Laboratory tests versus tropical storms or hurricanes
- etc
Infrared Testing in the Construction Industry and Beyond
(Released on April 1)- What is the role of infrared envelope inspections in building commissioning for verifying new construction and reducing liability?
- How can infrared envelope testing add value to green initiatives and energy saving programs?
- How does IR imaging detect failing window seals and faulty or missing insulation invisible to the naked eye?
- How much can energy loss disrupt building heating and cooling distribution, and how much can it affect utility costs?
- How can IR testing be used to evaluate current masonry conditions and control costs on repairs?
Meteorological Data, Storms, Wind, Rain, Intensity, Accuracy & Computer Models
(Released on March 1)- About Rocco & LRC Services
- Meteorological Data
- Federal Weather Databases
- Repository of US Weather Radar
- Weather Event Historical Data
- Microscale to Synaptic Scale Data
- Mesocyclones, Microbursts & Tornadoes
Wind Damage to Windows, Investigation & Claims
(Released on February 20)- Paul Interviewed on Newstalk 101 in Panama City
- Intro to Tara Munoz & Paul Beers
- Wind Damage to Windows, Visual & Discrete
- Building Code Changes by Paul Beers After Andrew
- Expert Testimony and Forensic Testing vs Insurance Claims
- Wind Damage Characteristics
- Insurance Company Obligations & Claim Denials
- and much more…
Windstorm Insurance Claims, Coverage, Experts & Litigation
(Released on February 1)- About Gina Lozier
- 2017 Hurricane Season Damages & Costs
- Insurance Company Claim Mitigation Tactics
- Why policy owners should have an expert on their side
- When claims go to trial, etc.
Roofing and the Wet Suit Waterproofing Membrane System
(Released on December 26)- About Matt Leslie & the Roofing Industry
- Wet Suit Membrane & its many uses
- About Neptune Coatings
- Wet Suit Durability
- Building Envelope Applications
FAPIA, Hurricanes & Insurance Claims
(Released on September 4)- About Jimmy Farach of FAPIA
- What are some of the differences you see between the 0/4 0/5 hurricanes and Irma related to the way the claims process is going?
- What types of damages are you seeing from Irma vs the storms of the 04 and 05 seasons?
- Do you feel the involvement of a claim advocate such as yourself makes a difference in the way a claim is handled and the result?
- How have you changed the way you approach claims, assess damages and investigate the loss for Irma?
- If there were 3 or 4 critical points you could stress to a property owner now after Irma or for any future storm such as Irma, what would those be?
- Do you see any differences in changes in weather patterns and storms over the past 10 years or so?
Strategic Projects Division and Testing Methods
(Released on May 3)- Strategic Projects
- Water Testing Methods
- Hurricane Recovery
- Water Penetration in Buildings
- Results & Solutions
- Consultants versus Contractors
- Elimination of Problems
Construction Industry Legal Services
(Released on April 3)- About The Firm
- Notice of Defect & What to do
- Florida 558 Notices
- Opportunity to Cure – Right of Repair
- Documentation needed to avoid insurance issues
- Product Warranties & Importance
- Water Leakage Defects & Contractor Inspections
Roof Systems, Hurricane Preparation & Recovery
(Released on March 2)- Roof Consulting
- Hurricane Preparation
- Vendor Relationships
- Investigations
- Maintenance
- Warranty & Insurance
Construction Project Management
(Released on January 2)- Broken by design
- Benefits to professional owner/Association representation and project management
- Replacing a contractor
- Bidding versus Best Value – is low bid the lowest cost???
- Contractor Insurance & bonding
Building Envelope Architects
(Released on December 19)- About Brian
- Building Envelope Architecture
- Materials Used
- New Technologies
- Building Systems
Kryton Smart Concrete Technology
(Released on December 1)- About Kryton International
- Krystol Technology
- Krystol Internal Membrane
- Crystalline Admixture
- Waterproofing Concrete
- Membrane Systems
- Warranties
- Product Explanations
Energy Efficient Fiberglass Windows & Doors
(Released on November 17)- About Cascadia Windows and Doors
- Cascadia’s Experience in the Building Envelope
- Making Buildings more Energy Conserving
- Heat Gain & Loss in the Window Assembly
- Product Strength & Longevity
- 3 Categories of Products
- Read our Article Here
Glazing Systems, Leaks, Restoration and Repairs
(Released on November 1)- What’s wrong with the traditional way of just cutting the head off a gasket and shooting a bead of silicone around the perimeter of the frame?
- What is the value of using Tremco’s restoration wet seal approach?
- Smearing silicone on the issue doesn’t solve the problem.
- What’s the process if I wanted to do the leaky skylight job we just discussed?
- Any idea of ballpark cost of using Tremco’s approach vs. putting in new windows or a skylight?
- What’s the best way to determine what or how the Glazing system is leaking? Field Testing?
- Why is it important to understand the glazing system before starting to repair it?
- What usually is the failure mode for Glazing systems?
Radio Frequency Shielding
(Released on October 15)- You have a unique niche in the construction and envelope market. How did this begin, and where do you see the future of building shielding going?
- Can you describe architectural shielding as it relates to RF energy?
- RF energy is commonly understood by the general public, as it relates to our everyday lives, via cell phones and wifi. We also see growing security concerns over these and other devices in the news and elsewhere. What are some of the security concerns that most people aren’t aware of?
- Your products and services seem to center around the glass and glazing, but that’s just one piece of the envelope. Can you discuss the other features of construction that might impact RF shielding?
- It seems our government and others have taken this type of technology and security very seriously for many years. What other applications or customers do you see benefiting from this?
Hurricane Windows, Fact or Fiction
(Released on October 2)- Talk about Irma and water leakage that occurred throughout Florida
- What is a “hurricane window?”
- How do the structural requirements for windows compare with water resistance?
- Why can’t operable windows be made with higher water resistance?
- What happens when severe windstorms such as a hurricane exceed the rating of a window or door for water leakage?
- Is duration of the storm a factor?
- Does this permanently damage the product?
- What should be done in advance of a storm to lessen the amount of infiltration?
- How can one tell the difference between a leak that was caused by conditions that exceed the rating of the product vs. construction or maintenance deficiencies?
- How would you go about investigating and repairing water intrusion problems? (E2128, test, fix, test to confirm)
Hurricane Irma Recovery Tips
(Released on September 15)- What to look for in Roof Assessments
- Identifying Exterior Building Problems
- Windows – Doors – Glass – Frames
- Mitigate your damage tips
- Flood Damage
- What about the next storm
GSKy Plant Systems and Green Walls
(Released on September 1)- What is GSky Plant Systems?
- Whare are some benefits of Green Walls?
- Whare are Trends you are seeing and experiencing in the greenwall industry?
- What makes a green wall successfull?
- What are some considertiond to keep in mind when planning a greenwall into a project?
Stucco Around Wood Frame Window Openings
(Released on August 15)- New Technical Bulletin by the Florida Lath & Plaster Bureau
- Codes, Standards and Guidelines that Apply
- Complexities of the Building Envelope Around Window Openings
- Responsible Parties
- The Devil is in the Details
- Florida Lath & Plaster Bureau Future Technical Bulletins
Smart Glass Windows, Costs, ROI and Benefits
(Released on August 1)- What is View Glass?
- What are the benefits to the occupants?
- What are the benefits to the owners or developers?
- What projects are the best fit?
- What is the cost or ROI?
- How do you see the future of View Glass?
- If someone is interested, how can they contact you?
Tremco waterproofing, coatings, glazing and air vapor barrier segments
(Released on July 15)- We’ve had other manufacturers on our podcast and it seems the latest buzz is “single source”. What makes Tremco different?
- What do you mean, “test them”?
- Are the test bays only for internal testing?
- If someone listening is interested in that how would they go about setting it up?
- Is there a fee for using the lab?
- What else is Tremco doing to change the game?
- Earlier you mentioned that Tremco is prime in the glazing industry. Dow has historically been strong in Florida in this segment, why would a contractor or fabricator choose Tremco?
- Well, that about wraps it up. Do you have anything else you would like to add?
Construction, the Building Envelope and Mechanical System Design
(Released on July 2)- The importance of integrating building envelope and mechanical system design.
- Design – What should the interaction be between design of the building envelope and mechanical systems?
- Commissioning during design – common for mechanical systems, not so much for envelopes
- Construction – Where the rubber meets the road.
- Best practices and common mistakes during construction
- Maintenance and operation mechanical systems
- Maintenance of the building envelope
Waterproofing Structures, Products, Feedback and Scenarios
(Released on June 15)- Give us a little history of your experience in hurricane investigations.
- What have you and your peers learned from these investigations?
- How has the construction industry responded to these findings?
- Have these changes been effective?
- What recommendations do you have for consumers?
Hurricane Investigations, Construction & Consumer Recommendations
(Released on June 1)- Give us a little history of your experience in hurricane investigations.
- What have you and your peers learned from these investigations?
- How has the construction industry responded to these findings?
- Have these changes been effective?
- What recommendations do you have for consumers?
The Next Generation of Construction Professionals
(Released on May 15)- How is the younger generation being recruited?
- How are they being trained?
- How can industry and trade associations impact on younger generation entering construction?
- What are you doing as a contractor to recruit and train the younger generation? As an association?
- Is it critical that industry and education form a relationship?
- What role, if any, does parental involvement have on younger generation entering construction?
- What has been your experience working with the younger generation?
- Check out this article about this podcast. Click Here.
Advantages & Limitations of PRMA, IRMA Design Configurations for Roof Covering Systems
(Released on May 1)- Advantages and limitations of PRMA/IRMA (inverted) design configurations for roof covering systems, and waterproofing systems on plaza decks, terraces, and protected balconies.
- Possible consequences of the typical disconnection between design, installation, performance, & building code requirements associated with flashing and drainage systems in exterior walls.
Effective Allocation and Management of Performance Risk in Building Envelope Design & Construction – 2
(Released on April 14)- In our last podcast we talked about risk allocation and risk management tools. So, now, despite having employed all of those measures, there are performance issues with the building envelope that lead to litigation. How can the parties resolve their dispute quickly and cost-effectively?
- So, what are some strategies for resolving building envelope performance litigation early and cost-effectively?
- Isn’t that done as a matter of course in every case? Doesn’t every party go out and get an expert to work up a theory of what went wrong and who is responsible?
- By every one agreeing to use a single independent expert?
- Why isn’t that done in every case?
- How do you overcome the reluctance to do an early evaluation?
- Let’s say you weigh the risks and get agreement to do early testing and forensic examination. What kinds of things are you trying to determine.
- Okay, you do the testing and forensic examination and you arrive at some degree of consensus as to what the extent and cause of the problem is. Then what?
- What are the keys to getting to a remediation plan that all parties accept?
- Let’s say you fashion a remediation plan that gets everyone’s buy in; how do you build a settlement around it?
- That sounds like it would be in all of the parties’ interests. When isn’t remediating the problem the best solution and what are some of the obstacles that can get in the way even when it is?
- How do you get over those obstacles?
Effective Allocation and Management of Performance Risk in Building Envelope Design & Construction
(Released on April 1)- What is the difference between risk management and risk allocation?
- I think we all understand why risk management is important, but why is risk allocation important?
- I thought the designer was always responsible for the design and the contractor always responsible for construction?
- What are some of the performance risks that need to be allocated between the architect and contractor, with respect to the design of the building envelope?
- So what are some things that should be taken into consideration when deciding the best way to allocate risk in the design and construction contracts?
- What are some best practices in allocating risk between the design and construction contracts when it relates to the building envelope?
- Let’s shift to Risk Management. What are some examples where failure to properly manage the design and construction process can increase risk of non-performance?
- Even when all of these best practices are employed, things still go wrong. What about contractual remedies and guarantees?
The Construction Industry, our Current Economy and some Predictions
(Released on March 15)- Where do interest rates head from here?
- Is the U.S. economy poised to grow 3 percent in 2017?
- What impact will a Trump presidency have on construction?
- What are the construction segments that appear poised for the fastest growth?
- Should we be worried about inflation this year?
Construction Changes, Building Codes and Mitigating Costs in Development
(Released on March 1)- What is your background in the construction industry in South Florida?
- What role do you foresee developer’s playing in the South Florida Building Code?
- What are developers doing to mitigate the natural disasters that occur in South Florida?
- What are the main changes you see forthcoming in the construction industry?
Waterproofing, Window and Door Flashings
(Released on February 15)- What are the largest challenges you see right now pertaining to window and door flashings?
- What are the benefits of liquid applied flashings?
- What are the benefits of a cementitious waterproofing for windows and doors?
- Is one flashing appropriate for all applications?
Laminated Glass and it’s Applications
(Released on January 31)- The Advanced Materials Division within Eastman Chemical
- Laminated Glass and it’s Applications
- What is laminated glass?
- How is laminated glass made?
- Architectural & Automotive Applications
- Security, Safety, Sound, Solar, Storm, and Style
Building Conception to Completion from an Architect’s Eye
(Released on January 17)- Who is required to obtain a 40-Year Recertification?
- What does the 40-Year Recertification consist of?
- What gets inspected?
- When does an owner need to perform the recertification?
- When is the report due?
- Where does an owner obtain 40-year Recertification information in order to start the process?
- Where do we find a qualified Architect/Engineer?
- Why do we need to perform these inspections?
- How do we get the 40-Year Recertification done?