Wall Design Can Negatively Influence Roof System Performance
Roof system design is supposed to be holistic, taking into account the use of the building, the interior air pressure, roof deck, climate, building geometry…
Articles by Thomas W. Hutchinson, AIA, CSI, Fellow-IIBEC, RRC
Designing for Snow, Water and Ice — Part 2
Way back in the winter of 2000 in the northern United States, the snows were heavy and repetitive, resulting in a substantial amount of snow…
Designing for Snow, Water and Ice — Part 1: Understanding and Solving Water Backup and Ice Accumulation Issues
More than 40 inches of snow accumulated during the month of December 2000 in Chicago. Snow accumulations of 2 feet or more on steep-slope roofs…
Terminations and Counterflashing: Stopping Leaks Above the Roof
It never amazes me anymore how many ways a detail can go wrong. This past summer on a large mechanically fastened roof whose construction I…
A Checklist Can Help Multiple Trades Coordinate Their Work on Pipe Curbs
It never ceases to amaze me the way pipe penetrations through the roof are flashed or integrated into a roof cover. It’s as if there…
Checklist Can Help Ensure Plumbing Vent Installations Are Resilient and Code Compliant
For those who walk roofs, you know the smell — the sewer stink emanating from the plumbing vents when the water in the trap evaporates….
Checklists for Complicated Details Can Help Ensure Top-Notch Installations
Our clients are asking for sustainable, durable, robust, long-term roofing systems. In order to achieve these goals, every facet of the project must be well…
Iconic Adler Planetarium Shines Once Again
We have been fortunate enough to work on several important buildings in Chicago — Navy Pier, Civic Opera House, McCormick Convention Center, the Chicago Water…
Labor and Material Shortages Make Project Management More Important Than Ever
“Lean Construction extends from the objectives of a Lean production system — maximize value and minimize waste — to specific techniques, and applies them in…
Ignorance, Lack of Foresight Can Lead to Roof Designs That Defy Common Sense
Photo 1: Really! This is ridiculous. A 24-inch curb should have been specified. Twelve-inch roof curbs in my opinion should be eliminated from manufacturing offerings…