Many people in the construction industry involved with the design of exterior wall assemblies rely on the prescriptive requirements of the International Building Energy Code ( IEC ) in designing exterior wall assemblies. What could be wrong with the strategy of complying with prescriptive code requirements? Actually, a lot. The presentation will address the shortcomings of the IEC’s prescriptive requirements and show through hygrothermal analyses when compliance with such requirement can result in exterior wall assembly failures, discuss why they fail and offer solutions to avoid such failures.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn the prescriptive exterior wall insulation requirements in the current International Energy Code.
2. Learn the performance exterior wall insulation requirements in the current International Energy Code.
3. Learn that complying with the prescriptive requirements of the code can result in exterior wall assembly failures.
4. Learn how to avoid exterior wall assembly failures while complying with the code.

Len Anastasi, CSI, CDT, FABAA

Len Anastasi worked in the construction industry for twenty years in masonry, waterproofing and restoration work. He currently owns EXO-TEC Manufacturing, Inc. which manufactures specialty construction products, EXO-TEC Solutions, Inc. which performs marketing work for various quality and innovative manufacturers of construction products and EXO-TEC Consulting, Inc. which performs consulting services on building enclosure issues for building owners, managers, design professionals and lawyers. In his construction and consulting work, he has performed inspections and / or repairs on over 300 buildings as well as giving expert testimony in trials and reviews on dozens of legal cases. He is a member of ASTM’s E 06 Committee on Building Performance where he has authored both proposed standards as well as proposed changes to existing standards. He is a member of the Boston Society of Architects’ Building Enclosure Council where he has presented on several topics and has been sponsored to speak at the Build Boston Exposition, AIA National Convention and CSI National Convention. He has authored several articles and papers on building enclosure performance and has spoken on these topics at several conventions, seminars and meeting. He is a member of the Construction Specification Institute (CSI), the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) and the U. S. Government’s Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC). He is also a guest lecturer at the Boston Architectural Center.