by Evan H. Shu, FAIA

No matter how good architectural education is, it seems that architects always have more to learn. Whether it's about designing extra safety features in post-9/11 structures, meeting the certification requirements of new environmental standards, or fixing mold problems in air-tight buildings, practitioners are continually challenged to upgrade their skills.

The convention and trade show Build Boston is remarkable for the excellence and diversity of its educational offerings. At the 20th annual event, held November 16-18, 2004, one architect was heard to say that he had never seen so many seminars that he wanted to attend at a conference before.

The 200 workshops, special programs, award displays, and special events brought tens of thousands of architects, engineers, contractors, owners, and assorted construction professionals to Boston. On the tradeshow floor, over 350 exhibits from leading suppliers of building technologies, products, and services filled the sold-out exhibition hall.

Building Sciences 101

A whole symposium of courses on building science sponsored by the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) Building Enclosure Council examined the unintended and unwelcome consequences that the building industry has unwittingly brought about through a combination of air-tight construction and the use of new building products: problems with mold, condensation, thermal bridging, and premature deterioration of building materials.   >>>

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Codes changes now being developed will emphasize dealing with multiple threats in multiple locations. Image: Sullivan Code Group Detailed analysis of the mangled steel structure from the World Trade Center highlighted the need for redundancy in structural framing design. Image: Sullivan Code Group and the National Institute of Standards and Technology   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.