Friday / May 21, 2021 / 12:00 PM - 1:15 PM
What the Restoration of Belvedere Castle teaches residential architects about leaks, condensation, IAQ (CRAN Spring Series #1)
Online
Welcome to the annual Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) spring residential series. In previous years we offered three sessions on one afternoon; this year, our three sessions are on three separate days.
The architect’s nightmare isn’t the one where you show up for the final trigonometry exam completely unprepared or you’re at Trader Joe’s with no pants on—the architect’s nightmare is getting a late-night call from a client who blindsides you with a serious problem you never saw coming. And it’s ten times worse when you’ve done a good job. The restoration of Belvedere Castle in Central Park—in which a folly designed by Frederick Law Olmsted was converted into conditioned space—was undertaken with extraordinary care by a team of intelligent and experienced designers working with some of the best subcontractors around. But it developed a real problem as algae began growing on its interior walls. The source of the problem turned out to be fascinating in an unexpected way: Because of the Covid-19 lockdowns, New York City’s air quality improved significantly, and it was air pollution that had been inhibiting the growth of algae on damp surfaces. In a cleaner environment, the algae bloomed. Happily, fixing the problem turned out to be relatively simple and inexpensive, because the analytical tools of building science allow us to understand the practical mechanics of what is happening—this is the simplicity on the far side of complexity.
Speaker: Christine Williamson, Assoc. AIA, owner of Building Science Fight Club (BSFC) in Dallas, has spent her career in building science forensics, discovering why buildings fail, and working with owners, architects, and builders to remedy the problems. Her new construction consulting helps architects use building science not only to mitigate risk of failure, but also to help them make their projects as energy efficient as they are beautiful. She is the founder of the Instagram account @BuildingScienceFightClub, an educational project that teaches architects about building science and construction. She graduated from Princeton University and studied at Boston Architectural College before completing her Master's of Architecture at NewSchool of Architecture + Design. She is a member and past chair of ASHRAE Technical Committee 1.12, Moisture Management in Buildings.
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