Repairing the Repair: How to Clean up Someone Else's Misguided Efforts to Fix the Building Envelope

Throughout their lifecycle, buildings accumulate lots of patches, repairs, and fixes, some competent and some not. Anyone who has tried to fix a deteriorating building and the damage caused by someone else’s misguided efforts knows that some repairs cause more problems than they solve.

Using a series of New York City case studies, the speakers will show desperate attempts to fix buildings—recently completed and old--using materials or techniques that went awry. Using a problem/solution format, the panelists will tackle common trouble spots that feature a variety of materials. And, while repairs must be functional, they have to look good too. Discussions will include aesthetic issues.

Lessons learned from this session will be invaluable to anyone trying to maintain or rehabilitate structures.

Speakers:

Giulia Alimonti, RA, LEED AP, Senior Associate, Howard L. Zimmerman Architects

Joan Berkowitz, Director of Conservation Superstructures Engineers + Architects

Mark Hage, Principal, Hage Engineering

Sean O’Brien, Associate Principal, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger