The Three R's is a two-day seminar that teaches the basic knowledge needed to repair, renovate & retrofit existing buildings. Dr. Joseph Lstiburek and Dr. John Straube will discuss building science principles (such as the control of heat, air and moisture and IAQ) and show you how to apply them to the repair and retrofit of existing buildings. All building types will be covered: residential, commercial and institutional. The Three R's is designed for builders, architects, engineers, building science consultants, building code officials, facility managers, building product manufacturers, government officials, and disaster and damage restoration professionals who specialize in water loss. See full seminar agenda below.

Dates, Locations and Online Registration

To register for the seminar please select one of the dates below. Once you click on the link you will be re-directed to our Building Science Bookstore website.

July 7-8   Westford, MA
July 14-15   Seattle, WA
September 21-22   Chicago, IL
October 20-21   Vancouver, BC
November 3-4   Toronto, ON

Cost

The registration fee for this seminar is $795 USD.
The fee includes lunch but does not include travel or accommodations.

Agenda

Day 1
Schedule Session Speaker
8:00 - 9:00 Historical Perspective
The evolution of building systems, enclosures, assemblies and materials
The role of disaster and failure in the evolution of building design
Why codes have difficulty dealing with existing buildings		 Joe Lstiburek
9:00 - 10:00 Environmental Separation
The purpose and historic basis of environmental separation
Appreciate the effect of climate on environmental loadings on building enclosures
Enclosure design principles		 John Straube
Break
10:15 - 11:15 Rain Control
Understanding rain as a design load
Rain control strategies
The consequences of failure		 Joe Lstiburek
11:15 - 12:15 Air Control
Airflow control in terms of smoke, energy, durability, heath, and comfort
Buildings as 3-D airflow networks
Controlling pathways and pressures		 John Straube
Lunch
1:15 - 2:15 Pressures and IAQ
Air quality problems in terms of people, pollutants, paths and pressure
Pollutant sources due to material breakdown caused by heat, moisture, and UV light
Diagnostic procedures for IAQ problems		 Joe Lstiburek
2:15 - 3:15 Heat, Air and Moisture Movement
Mechanisms of heat, air, and moisture movement
The role of heat, air and moisture in building failure
Integrated design for the control of heat, air and moisture		 John Straube
Break
3:30 - 4:30 Walls
Selecting appropriate enclosure repair and renovation strategies for different climates and occupancies
Identifying critical elements
Avoiding stupid mistakes		 Joe Lstiburek
4:30 - 5:30 Prioritizing Repair, Renovation and Retrofit Approaches
Durability, comfort, then energy
The temperature (not the heat loss) is key
Cost constraints		 John Straube
Evening Session - Building Science Clinic
At the end of an intense first day, enjoy an informal discussion over beer and pizza with Drs. Straube and Lstiburek. Bring drawings, specifications, and photos and ask questions about your most outlandish cases and projects...or just enjoy the pizza and beer.
Day 2
Schedule Session Speaker
8:00 - 9:00 Roofs
How to select appropriate roof systems for different climates and occupancies
How to identify critical elements
Learning from past successes and failures		 Joe Lstiburek
9:00 - 10:00 Foundations
Understanding how to keep ground water and soil gas out of building foundations
Environmental control for building assemblies
The conflict between structural engineering approaches and environmental control approaches		 John Straube
Break
10:15 - 11:15 HVAC
Understanding the primary function of HVAC
The effect of climate on HVAC design and operation
Understanding and managing the conflict between green architecture, IAQ and energy efficiency		 Joe Lstiburek
11:15 - 12:15 Slabs and Flooring
Vinyl composition flooring
Wood and tile systems
Negative side waterproofing		 John Straube
Lunch
1:15 - 2:15 Windows
Temperature index for windows
Selecting windows
Glazing versus frames		 John Straube
2:15 - 3:15 Mass Walls and Rubble Foundations
Insulating mass buildings and freeze-thaw damage
Foundation retrofits
Interior and exterior enclosure repair approaches		 Joe Lstiburek
Break
3:30 - 4:30 Green Building/Sustainability
Understanding the green architect as master builder
What green typically means and what green should mean
How green building and sustainability can either destroy or save architects		 John Straube

 

Reading Material

The reading material for the course consists of 31 documents relating to each of the course sessions. You are welcome to view or print all of them if you choose. You can find them by following the links below to our Building Science Information website.

A link to a downloadable PDF document of the presentation slides will be emailed to all registrants once each seminar is complete.

Please note that we will not be providing printed hard copies of this material at the course.

Reading Material
Historical Perspective
BSD-007: Historical Development of the Building Enclosure html pdf (0.5 MB)
BSD-144: Increasing the Durability of Building Constructions html pdf (0.2 MB)
BSI-035: We Need to Do It Different This Time html pdf (0.1 MB)
Environmental Separation
BSD-018: The Building Enclosure html pdf (0.2 MB)
BSI-033: Evolution html pdf (0.2 MB)
Rain Control
BSD-013: Rain Control in Buildings html pdf (0.5 MB)
BSD-105: Understanding Drainage Planes html pdf (1.4 MB)
BSD-111: Flood and Hurricane Resistant Buildings html pdf (2.8 MB)
Air Control
BSD-014: Air Flow Control in Buildings html pdf (1.1 MB)
BSD-104: Understanding Air Barriers html pdf (1.3 MB)
Pressures and IAQ
BSD-109: Pressures in Buildings html pdf (1.2 MB)
BSI-002: The Hollow Building html pdf (1.9 MB)
Heat, Air, and Moisture Movement
BSD-138: Moisture and Materials html pdf (0.3 MB)
Walls
BSD-106: Understanding Vapor Barriers html pdf (3.4 MB)
BSI-028: Energy Flow Across Enclosures html pdf (3.4 MB)
BSI-001: The Perfect Wall html pdf (1.1 MB)
Prioritizing Repair, Renovation and Retrofit Approaches
BSD-011: Thermal Control in Buildings html pdf (0.3 MB)
BSI-018: Westford House html pdf (3.9 MB)
Roofs
BSD-102: Understanding Attic Ventilation html pdf (3.6 MB)
BSD-115: Wood Pitched Roof Construction html pdf (0.8 MB)
BSD-135: Ice Dams html pdf (0.6 MB)
Foundations
BSD-103: Understanding Basements html pdf (1.2 MB)
BSI-011: Capillarity - Small Sacrifices html pdf (1.3 MB)
HVAC
BSD-110: HVAC in Multifamily Buildings html pdf (0.7 MB)
BSD-107: Understanding Ventilation in Hot Humid Climates html pdf (0.8 MB)
Slabs and Flooring
BSI-003: Concrete Floor Problems html pdf (1.4 MB)
Windows
BSI-004: Drainage, Holes and Moderation html pdf (2.1 MB)
Mass Walls & Rubble Foundations
BSD-108: Investigating and Diagnosing Moisture Problems html pdf (1.4 MB)
BSD-114: Interior Insulation Retrofits for Load-bearing Masonry Walls in Cold Climates html pdf (0.8 MB)
Green Building and Sustainability
BSD-005: Green Building and Sustainability html pdf (0.4 MB)
BSD-010: Looking at Tomorrow html pdf (0.1 MB)

 

Continuing Education

Continuing education credits for this course are pending.