Seminars & Events

• Australian Institute of Architects Refuel Provider by Andy Russell
  in Condensation, Seminars & Events
  19 Jan 2012  | 1 Comment

   

  PGA joins the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) Refuel CPD Provider Network Proctor Group Australia have recently been approved as a member of the AIA National Refuel Provide Network and offer a seminar on the subject of condensation which is a now a recognised activity that will accrue formal points towards the requirements of the AIA CPD policy and the requirements of the NSW Architects Registration Board’s Continuing Professional Education policy, the Tasmanian Building Practitioners Accreditation scheme and the Architects Board of Western Australia. ‘Formal' CPD activities either include formal assessment or have what is defined as ‘significant interaction’ between presenter and participant. Our one hour presentation on condensation offers 1 formal CPD point. Arranging a CPD seminar For more details on arranging a seminar please visit CPD Seminars here

  Seminar Outline Condensation Conundrums – Where to put your insulation, vapour barriers and breather membranes.   Building envelope design is no longer just about keeping out the rain and wind. We are now faced with the challenge of balancing the need to keep out or keep in, and let in or let out cool and warm air, daylight, fresh air, contaminated air, sound, fire and moisture as appropriate for all seasons and all times of the day. The drive for energy efficient buildings with improved air tightness and insulation has changed the dynamics of the building envelope as insulation, whilst keeping some surfaces warm, also keeps other surfaces cold. Sealing up the building can also prevent the safe passage of water vapour, resulting in potentially damaging condensation on these cold surfaces. Long perceived to be immune from such problems, ‘the lucky county’ has seen an increase in the occurrence and severity of condensation problems across disparate climate zones as standard designs start to fail. The ABCB and the AIA in recognition of this, recently published a Condensation Handbook to inform the industry about these risks and to promote best practice.
• Building Australia's Future - ABCB National Conference 2011 by Andy Russell
  in Condensation, Seminars & Events
  16 Jan 2012  | 2 Comments

  Australian Building Codes Board Conference, September 2011 The presentation slides from the conference are now available for view or download on the ABCB website. The Australian Building Codes Board held it's biennial Building Australia's Future Conference (BAF) on the Gold Coast, Queensland in September 2011.  Many thanks to the ABCB for giving me the opportunity to present on the subject of condensation.  Pushing the envelope - Have we considered condensation? Fortunately the hecklers kept quiet and the presentation on the content of the ABCB Condensation Handbook certainly generated a bit of interest for the remainder of the conference. I would highly recommend taking a look at some of the other presentations, particularly in the morning sessions on day 3. Phil Wilkinson, the Chief Executive Officer of AIRAH gave a very entertaining and graphic presentation on the consequences of poor maintenance of HVAC systems including the "Hall of Shame."    Advice from a plant lover - Making sure HVAC systems stay green  Dennis D’Arcy, CEO of the Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand discussed the diminishing marginal benefit of ceiling and wall insulation in both heating and cooling climates.  Making the DTS work for you Tony Tannar of the Roofing Tile Association of Australia presented some very interesting findings from the ongoing research at the University of Newcastle.  Solar absorptance and energy efficiency - What role does solar absorptance of roof cover play in determining heating and cooling loads? This is an area of particular personal interest and the results seem to reinforce findings from William Miller's work at ORNL and the D-Air research group in Japan including at Kamisei Roof Tiles. It is not just a matter of the values for solar absorptance/reflectance of metal roofs and roof tiles but also about roof space ventilation both above and below the substrate or sarking. The findings of the research will challenge some "accepted" thinking in the industry and I hope will have long term implications for future roof design and product development and feed into getting a greater correlation between standards, requirement and actual performance. All the presentation slides can be found from links on the ABCB web site. http://www.abcb.gov.au/education-events-resources/national-conference/day-3
• Australian Institute of Architects 'Refuel' 2011 National Seminar Series Dates announced by Andy Russell
  in Condensation, Seminars & Events
  12 Jul 2011  | 5 Comments

  As part of Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) 2011 Refuel National Seminar Series I will be presenting around the country during August and September. Full details are available on the AIA website here   Leaks & Seals: Avoiding condensation through smart design We all know how important it is to keep rain out of buildings but if it is sealed up too tight how do we stop it getting wet from the inside?  The drive for energy efficient buildings with improved air tightness and insulation, and efforts to seal up the building, changes the dynamics of the building envelope but a building still needs to breathe. Through a combination of case studies and sound technical information, this seminar, considers how the building envelope needs to deal with water in its various forms and how considered design and detailing can minimise and prevent damage. Confirmed dates are listed below.

  Location	Date	Time
  Hobart	Wednesday 3rd August	12:30pm - 2:30pm
  Launceston	Thursday 4th August	10:00am - 12:00pm
  Melbourne	Monday 8th August	6:00pm  - 8:00pm
  Canberra	Monday 29th August	9:00am - 11:00am
  Sydney	Thursday 8th September	9:00am - 11:00am
  Darwin	Wednesday 14th September	9:00am - 11:00am
  Brisbane	Thursday 15th September	6:00pm - 8:00pm
  Newcastle	Thursday 22nd September	6:00pm - 8:00pm
  Perth	Monday 26th September	5:30pm - 7:30pm
  Adelaide	Tuesday 27th September	5:30pm - 7:30pm
  Cairns	Tuesday 25th October	12:00pm - 2:00pm
  Townsville	Wednesday 26th October	12:00pm - 2:00pm
  Rockhampton	Thursday 27th October	12:00pm - 2:00pm
  Toowoomba	Monday 31st October	12:00pm - 2:00pm
  Gold Coast	Wednesday 2nd November	12:00pm - 2:00pm

   

  To register for Leaks & Seals: Avoiding condensation through smart design in your local state or territory
  please go to the AIA website  click here.
• Sustainable Building: does it measure up? by Andy Russell
  in Sustainability, Condensation, Seminars & Events
  11 May 2011  | 1 Comment

  Looking forward to the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors (ABSA) from 19 - 20 May 2011 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.  The 2-day conference will examine the tools, processes and products enhancing sustainability and will be putting measurement under the microscope. Some of the headline speakers include The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change - What's on the horizon for energy efficiency? Adam Bandt MP, Federal Member for Melbourne, Australian Greens, A Sustainable Future – What do we need to do? Sam Mostyn, Director, Institute for Sustainable Solutions, University of Sydney - What are the sustainable solutions – is private practice a solution? Tone Wheeler, Director, Environa Studio - The third wave of sustainability Conference website is here... We also have a display booth and I am presenting one of the workshops on Friday afternoon on the subject of controlling condensation.  “Controlling Condensation in Buildings, and the forthcoming ABCB Condensation Handbook” The drive for energy efficient buildings is leading to improved levels of air tightness and insulation, thus creating a greater differential between the interior and exterior environments. Failure to consider the building envelope holistically had resulted in an increase in the number and severity of condensation problems as some common design practices contradict basic laws of building physics. ABSA members are uniquely placed to pick up on potential issues at the design stage and ensure that our buildings do not suffer the condensation problems experienced overseas and increasing in all climates of Australia. Later this year, the ABCB will publish a condensation handbook highlighting the dangers associated with condensation and measures to minimise the risk of future problems. This presentation through the use of case studies, theory and experience illustrates what is going wrong and how it can be avoided with a just a basic understanding of the functions, performance and appropriate detailing of different types of sarking, insulation and ventilation.