Sustainable Residential & Commercial Design Symposium

As awareness about the impact of carbon emissions grows, companies in every sector and of every size are setting goals to reduce their climate impact. But how are those goals set, where do you start, how do you track progress, and why take on the challenge?

This course defines and contextualizes carbon, explains the impact of human activity on the natural carbon cycle, and provides insight into how companies can measure and reduce their climate impact. The discussion then turns to carbon emissions in the design and construction industry and why they matter so much in the context of a changing climate.

This course offers the building and design community opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and to foster healthier human communities at the same time. The presentation closes with a review of the tools and resources participants can use to learn more and to act on the most urgent source of greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment industry, the carbon impact of building materials.

Image courtesy of Interface

Joey Shea, joined Interface in 2018 as part of the Customer Experience team to bring the commitments and values of Interface to life through unique, immersive experiences for Interface customers. Now, as Manager of Mission Activation, he relies on his background in the environmental nonprofit and advocacy sector to share how Interface connects successful business practices to deep environmental responsibility. Joey values staying involved with the environmental and civic advocacy community in Atlanta and serves on the advisory board for the Lifecycle Building Center, Atlanta’s leading building material reuse nonprofit and as a board member for ChattahoocheeNOW, an organization dedicated to revitalizing and unlocking the potential of the Chattahoochee River that flows through north Georgia. Joey graduated suma cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Emory University and is a proud graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute in 2016.

The development of glassfibre reinforced concrete was inspired by Rieder's vision of a concrete cladding panel that is both stable and lightweight. The material convinces with its range of benefits when it comes to design: The elements with only 13 mm thickness come in a variety of colors, textures and surface finishes, thus offering numerous possibilities for the creative use of structure and form. The malleability of the panels allows them to be smoothly shaped around corners and edges. World first: With the goal of ensuring the preservation of the world for future generations, the facade specialist developed a cement-reduced concrete matrix. The cement in the Rieder facade slabs will gradually be replaced by natural pozzolans, which are manufactured with significantly lower CO₂ emissions.

In addition to durability, low maintenance and total fire resistance, the products also impress when it comes to eco-friendly: It goes without saying that Rieder uses non-toxic products (free of crystalline silicon dioxide) and reduces its use of primary energy in production to a minimum. In line with the zero-waste policy, for example, all waste materials from production are reused in other areas and innovative technologies help reduce offcuts.

This course presents the advantages and high performance of glassfibre reinforced concrete facades. Furthermore the flexibility of the material, various design options, sustainable facts and tailor-made building solutions will be discussed.

Photo courtesy of Rieder Facades/Rasmus Norlander

JR Hughes, is a owner of "Hughes Group" an independent manufacturer's agent since 1998. In 2014 he founded "Centerline Architectural Supply". A complete fabrication and distribution company for Rain-Screen Systems. In 2020 Centerline formed a Joint venture with Rieder, offering fabrication services and design assist to the market. He leads the U.S. technical team and assist the national sales network.

Frank Wagenbauer, is a qualified Austrian sales director, who restructured sales teams and improved overall sales in various European companies. He joined Rieder in 2017 and is responsible for project management and first class customer experiences all over the world. As a graduate of the Vienna University of Economics, Frank lives with his family in Vienna.

This course will review an in-depth breakdown of the current uses of insulation in wall assemblies. The attendees will learn more about the differences in the use of cavity insulation versus the use of continuous insulation installed on the exterior of the building sheathing. Discussion points will include the changes of the current energy codes and the requirements for the use of continuous insulation in the majority of future projects. The participant will be able to better evaluate their current wall assemblies and understand the requirements that are dictated by current codes.

Photo courtesy of OX Engineered Products

Lee Bybee, M Arch/MBA, has 25 years of experience in the construction and architecture industries, Lee Bybee is an expert in architectural project management, sales management, and developing client relationships. Lee has been with Ox Engineered Products since 2015. As their Director of Commercial Accounts and Architectural Services, Lee manages over 30 sales representatives across the United States. He holds both a master’s degree in architecture and an MBA from Texas Tech University. An avid mountain biker, Lee lives and rides in the gorgeous city of Golden, Colorado.

This course introduces the general concepts used in building performance. Practitioners from the AEC industry will benefit from learning about the need for using daylight to guide design moves along with energy, glare, carbon, and cost in the early design process. Concepts will be demonstrated in an automated web-app but will be broadly applicable to a wide range of tools. A general overview will be followed by step-by-step guidance and a Q&A session.

Photo courtesy of cove.tool

Sandeep Ahuja, is the CEO and Co-Founder of cove.tool, the end-to-end building performance and data app. Most recently, Sandeep presented at the UN environment assembly, with 1500 global delegates, on the impact of buildings on climate change, showcased at the Tedx Atlanta and won the Forbes 30 under 30. With her desire to bring automation into the AEC world, she is pioneering the integration of data driven thinking into the design and construction process by developing intelligent software.

Jennifer Betancourt, is a Senior Associate, Senior Project Manager, Architect, and Sustainability Leader at Dewberry. Her ability to form trusted relationships with clients over the past 16 years at Dewberry has led to repeat business and many lasting partnerships. In addition to managing complex commercial, higher education, library, and civic projects, she provides consulting services to teams around the country on projects with high-level sustainability and net-zero energy goals.