Don’t Miss These Educational Sessions, Now On-Demand

By Lauren White, RCS Reporter.

The IIBEC 2020 Virtual International Convention and Trade Show is open on demand through July 15!

From June 12-14, 2020, the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) presented their 2020 Virtual International Convention and Trade Show.  A total of 23 educational sessions were available to registrants during the show and are now on-demand through July 15.  This extended timeline allows attendees to view all of the sessions at their leisure, something that is normally impossible at the live show.  

The second day of the conference, June 13, had a full range of informative presentations from industry professionals.  Be sure to check out the session, “Retaining Talent Through Coaching and Mentoring,” presented by Jennifer Keegan, director of building and roofing science for GAF, Jennifer Stone, preferred accounts for Johns Manville, and Ellen Thorp, the executive director for National Women in Roofing (NWIR).

Building enclosure consultants have a variety of responsibilities and are often in the position of: training and/or supervising an employee, teaching a facility manager about roof system maintenance or forensics, explaining why a seemingly simple enclosure issue is complex to a building owner or HOA board, and working collaboratively with contractors to problem-solve and finish work quickly.  

As the construction industry is entering the longest period of uninterrupted growth, it’s more important than ever for companies to build an inclusive culture among diverse project teams in order to benefit their professional practice and reputation.  In order to reduce employee turnover, it’s vital to support female employees on the rooftop and in the office.  Additionally, creating and nurturing a collaborative company culture that supports women is beneficial to all employees and colleagues.

As future leaders enter the workforce, they’re expecting that coaching, mentoring and emotional intelligence are basic skills their colleagues and managers have.  There is a significant need and value for consultants to possess and utilize these skills in order to retain a future workforce.  Without deep knowledge of these topics, organizations risk employee retention rates dropping drastically.

Jennifer Keegan has over 20 years of experience as a building enclosure consultant specializing in assessment, design and remediation of building enclosure systems.  As the chair of the ASTM D08.22 Roofing and Waterproofing Subcommittee, she provides technical leadership within the industry.  She is also an advocate for women in the roofing industry and serves as the educational chair for National Women in Roofing (NWIR) and is a board member of Women in Construction. 

A founding member and executive chair of NWIR, Jennifer Stone, has run operations for a large commercial roofing contractor.  She is dedicated to recruiting women into the roofing trade and speaking about how to retain women by empowering them.  Her focus for the past few years has been on mentoring, which is one of many aspects involved in retaining any diversity within the roofing industry.  Her extensive knowledge of the industry helps her lead real-world discussions that translate to action-based steps that are easy to implement.

Ellen Thorp has an impressive background in the industry.  She has more than 20 years of experience working with college students, new professionals, corporate executives, and volunteer member leaders in business coalitions and trade and professional associations on issues including government relations, strategic planning and program implementation.  Ellen has a positive-oriented approach to motivate people that blends with an east coast assertiveness to “get stuff done.”  Her ultimate goal is a completed project, program or initiative that not only meets the set objectives and the needs of the organization’s members.

Make sure you check out these other presentations from June 13:

• “Applying Recent Building and Energy Code Advancements for Durable and Energy-Efficient Building Enclosures” | Jay Crandell, ARES Consulting, Shady Side, Maryland

• “Stuccometrics: Stucco Jointing - The Why, When, Where, and How” | Jeff Bowlsby, Simpson Gumpertz and Geger, Inc., San Francisco, California

• “Moisture Movement and Condensation Control in Exterior Wall Assemblies” | Karim P. Allana, Allana, Buick and Bers, Inc., Palo Alto, California

• “Detailing Specific Cladding Requirements for Mid-Rise Wood-Framed Buildings” | Warren R. French, French Engineering, LLC, Spring, Texas

• “Copper Wall Cladding: Modern Testing for Time-Proven Systems” | Larry E. Peters, Copper Development Association, Inc., McLean, Virginia and Frank V. Resso, Resso Engineering, LLC., Sharpsburg, Georgia

• “Glass Breakage in Insulated Glazing Units in Spandrel Assemblies” | George P. Torok, Morrison Hershfield Corporation, Ottawa, Ontario

• “Specifying Fenestration - Understanding the Consultant’s Purpose in the Process” | Ron Doddridge, Designs by Arielle, Daytona Beach, Florida

On June 14, Scott Hinesley, President of IIBEC and President of REI Engineers, Inc., facilitated the CEO roundtable, “Navigating the Design and Construction Industry Through Uncertain Times.”  Panelists included Reed Hitchcock, Executive Vice President, Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA), Reid Ribble, CEO of National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), and Lakisha Woods, President and CEO of National Institute of Building Sciences.  During the roundtable, which is also available on-demand, they discussed challenges the design and construction communities are facing as the industry moves out of lockdown

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