Selecting the appropriate below-grade waterproofing solution for your specific project and unique conditions is not always an obvious choice. A wide variety of issues must be considered in order to make the proper selection — basically the “do’s and don’ts” of below-grade waterproofing.



This course will discuss the basics of below-grade waterproofing from different manufacturer’s representatives from the DMV area, including Henry Waterproofing Company, Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing, AVM Industries and GCP Applied Technologies. This presentation will cover positive-side and blind-side waterproofing, including design considerations and strategies, materials, and critical coordination items.

Event Schedule:

5:30 PM – 6 PM Check-in

6 PM – 7 PM Panel presentation

7 PM – 8 PM Happy hour, mingling with manufacturers, and viewing product displays

Learning Objectives:

• Compare contemporary below-grade waterproofing systems, and identify factors which lead to system selection.
• Identify coordination challenges associated with various trades prior to installation of below-grade waterproofing.
• Understand complexities with tying into adjacent enclosure systems.
• Summarize recent advancements in the practice of below-grade waterproofing.

Presented by:

Brian Baker - Partner, PPSI, Inc.

Brian has been working in the construction products industry since 1993, with nearly all of that time focusing on how to keep water out of the built environment. Using his experience at multiple manufacturers specializing in different technologies, he works with design and construction teams to help ensure the building envelope remains intact not only through construction, but also through the working life of the building. Brian focuses primarily on below grade waterproofing, air barriers, roofing, and expansion joints, using a systems approach to ensure all of these components work together.

Jason Flynn - Business Development Manager & Architectural Sales, RoofPro Inc.

Jason works closely with all channels within the commercial construction industry and discussions related to the manufacturing partners represented by RoofPro Inc. Having an emphasis on support of the design community, he provides assistance related to the building envelope specifications from below-grade waterproofing systems to single-ply roof assemblies. With over 20 years of experience, he brings passion and excitement to an ever changing construction landscape. He is an active member of the IIBEC Mid-Atlantic Chapter and Mid-Atlantic Roofing Contractors Association.

Kim Wilson, CSI - Manufacturer’s Representative, RoofPro, Inc.

Kim’s focus at RoofPro is Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing (CCW) for blindside and post-applied waterproofing membranes, hot and cold fluid-applied waterproofing membranes, and air & vapor barriers for new construction and restoration projects. Having fourteen years of experience with CCW, Kim is heavily involved with the pre-construction and construction phases, alongside the general contractors and subcontractors.

Vince Caserta, CSI, CDT - Director of Sales East, AVM Industries

Vince has over 40 years of experience in the building industry. Vince started in General Contracting, then to Product Distribution & Marketing, and over to Construction Products Manufacturing in Commercial, Industrial, Nuclear, and Infrastructure market segments. Prior to joining AVM, Vince was the Global Infrastructure Business Director for the former W.R. Grace & Co. Vince started his career in manufacturing with W.R. Grace in their below grade products, Plaza Deck; IRMA/PRMA waterproofing systems, Air & Vapor Barrier systems, and then promoted to a global product development role for Waterproofing Products, Concrete Admixtures, Chemical & Cementitious Grouts, and Fire Protection.

Craig Boucher - Building Envelope Northeast Regional Manager, GCP Applied Technologies (formerly Grace)

Craig has worked in the construction product industry for over 20 years and is currently focused on Building Envelope with GCP. He has coordinated and witnessed ASTM air barrier and fire resistance tests at third party labs. Craig has presented about building envelope at CSI, RCI and AIA meetings and symposiums and has been published in several building envelope and fire protection related publications. He has a BS in Civil Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Moderated by:

Julia Schofield - Consulting Engineer, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH)

Julia Schofield joined the Washington, DC office of SGH in 2018.  At SGH, she has worked on a number of building enclosure projects in the Mid-Atlantic and Washington, DC metro area. Her experience includes new design consulting for a variety of owners, architects, and general contractors, rehabilitation design, and investigation of existing building enclosures.

Organized by:

AIA|DC Building Enclosure Council

The Intersection Series aims to explore the intersectionality of equity and issues confronting architects today.

The first event, Equity + Resilience, will dive into the complexities of resiliency and its many facets including community, economic, and disaster resilience. In a round-table format, we will discuss how we can build resilience into our communities via the built environment, what is being done in the region, and strategies for ensuring equitable distribution of resiliency efforts.

Learning Objectives:

• Define the different types of resiliency.
• Explore the intersection of resiliency and equity; how can both be incorporated into design or how might resilience efforts (e.g. hardening buildings against disaster) counteract equitable design?
• Investigate how resiliency can benefit from community engagement.
• Identify different strategies that are being implemented to provide equitable resiliency in the area.

Presented by:

Lindsay Brugger

Vice President, Urban Land Institute
Lindsay Brugger is Vice President of ULI’s Urban Resilience Program. She leads strategy and project development to advance the real estate industry’s understanding of resilience, catalyze action to reduce vulnerability, and support communities in becoming more climate resilient. A licensed architect and certified passive house consultant, Lindsay has worked for over a decade at the intersection of resilience, adaptation, and the built environment to turn the negative impacts of climate change into opportunities where all can thrive.

Scott Matties

Executive VP, Wiencek + Associates Architects + Planners
Scott Matties holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan and has more than 30 years of experience in architectural design and master planning for award winning institutional, academic, commercial, and residential projects. His career has encompassed all aspects of residential design. Mr. Matties has led numerous community engagement sessions leading to approvals by jurisdictions throughout the DMV area and has extensive experience in community-based architecture and managing diverse stakeholder expectations. He has served in the AIA Northern Virginia chapter as a Board member and chaired many design award committees such as AIA NOVA, Fairfax County
Design Excellence Awards, and California Central Valley Design Awards.

Leila Finucane

President & CEO, Victory Housing
Since 2017, Leila Finucane has led Victory Housing, Inc., a regional nonprofit focused on affordable housing development and the provision of assisted living, as president and chief executive officer. Ms. Finucane, an attorney, has over 25 years of experience in real estate, affordable housing, and community development in the private, nonprofit and government sectors. Prior to Victory Housing, Ms. Finucane worked on
affordable housing and risk mitigation strategies at Capital One, as a director at NeighborWorks America, and as the appointed director of the DHCD for the District of Columbia, where she led the District’s affordable housing and community development efforts.

Jeff Blackwell

Senior Vice President, Real Estate Development, Victory Housing
Jeff Blackwell joined Victory Housing in 2005. His primary leadership responsibilities include overseeing the financing, design, construction, and lease-up of both existing buildings and new communities. Mr. Blackwell manages architects and engineers, general contractors, and consultants. In addition, he develops and/or coordinates often complex, multi-layered financing strategies to fund Victory Housing's communities. He has a background in taxable and tax-exempt bond financing as well as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, HUD Section 202 program, and other funding sources.
Prior to joining Victory Housing, Mr. Blackwell was a Vice President for Bank of America's Community Development Banking in their lending and historic tax credit equity groups. Responsibilities included providing first mortgage financing, both taxable and tax-exempt, to clients who were building affordable and mixed-income housing. As an Equity Manager, he worked with clients to fund Bank investments in historic properties. Experience also includes working for the Community Preservation and Development Corporation, a nonprofit developer of affordable and mixed-income housing, and the Housing Research Foundation, a research and technical assistance provider for HOPE VI Public Housing Authorities.
Mr. Blackwell earned a Masters of Regional Planning with a specialization in Housing and Community Development from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Affairs and Planning from Virginia Tech. He has been instrumental in several awards received by Victory Housing, including the Financial Innovation Award received from the Maryland CDA in 2018.

Rick Schneider

Principal, ISTUDIO
As a board member with the VT’s Washington Alexandria Architecture Center, Rick addresses issues on design education in the 21st century. He served as a board member with the USGBC, the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, and GreenHOME. Rick is a Virginia Tech alumnus with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Architecture. He resides with his wife, a DCPS teacher, and his three daughters in the nation’s capital. Rick is an urbanist, a musician, and avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys live music, mountain biking, and trips to National Parks.

Ryan Moody

Founding Principal, Moody Graham

Ryan Moody is a registered landscape architect and founding principal of Moody Graham, a design firm based in Washington, DC focused on Garden Design, Landscape Architecture, and Ecological Planning. Ryan holds master’s degrees in architecture and landscape architecture from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Bold in design, thoughtful in approach, Moody Graham uses the power of nature and the craft of architecture to compose vibrant landscapes that promote healthy living, working, and being. Recently completed and ongoing projects by Moody Graham include the Ward 5 Short Term Family Housing Facility and Ward 8 Senior Wellness Center with the DC Department of General Services, the Rock Creek Golf Course with National Links Trust and the National Park Service, and the Southwest-Buzzard Point Flood Resilience Strategy with Ramboll and the DC Department of Energy and Environment.

Organized by:

AIA|DC Advocacy Committee

AIA|DC Resiliency & Disaster Relief Committee

Workshop (verb): present a performance of (a dramatic work), using intensive group discussion and improvisation in order to explore aspects of the production before formal staging.

Have a sticky design problem that’s posing a stumbling block on a project? Or the feeling that your usual design process isn’t helping identify all the factors needed to form an effective solution? Or maybe just the feeling that you really need some outside feedback? One of the potential pitfalls of small-firm practice is spending too much time in your own echo-chamber. To tackle this, AIA DC SFx is proposing a peer-peer design ‘workshop’ night:

Format: Four ‘volu-firms’ pin up the work of their choosing in a round-robin review for productive peer input.

Spirit: informal and supportive - to ‘workshop’ our designs like actors testing out a new script!

On Thursday, March 23, the National Building Museum will host Wonder on the Wire, a beautiful event featuring French high-wire artist, Philippe Petit. Best known for his walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, Philippe will perform on a high wire approximately sixty feet above the magnificent Great Hall, accompanied by jazz clarinetist Anat Cohen with Tal Mashiach on guitar.

The evening will begin with cocktails on the second floor of the Museum where guests will be able to view photographs and videos of some of Philippe’s past performances at landmarks around the world. Dinner will be served in the center court of the Great Hall, from which guests will then watch Philippe’s performance on the wire. All will then adjourn to the west court for dessert and the opportunity to meet Philippe.

The open discussion meetings are scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month. All current members and interested newcomers are encouraged to attend the EAC open discussions, these meetings are free and open to all, and friends and colleagues are welcome.

The AIA|DC Emerging Architects Committee (EAC) promotes education, leadership development, and community involvement among emerging architects, Associate AIA members, and architects licensed 10 years or less. We encourage the next generation of architects to start leading our community by heading committees, organizing events, participating in workshops, and attending our events.

The open discussion meetings are scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month. All current members and interested newcomers are encouraged to attend the EAC open discussions, these meetings are free and open to all, and friends and colleagues are welcome.

The AIA|DC Emerging Architects Committee (EAC) promotes education, leadership development, and community involvement among emerging architects, Associate AIA members, and architects licensed 10 years or less. We encourage the next generation of architects to start leading our community by heading committees, organizing events, participating in workshops, and attending our events.

The open discussion meetings are scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month. All current members and interested newcomers are encouraged to attend the EAC open discussions, these meetings are free and open to all, and friends and colleagues are welcome.

The AIA|DC Emerging Architects Committee (EAC) promotes education, leadership development, and community involvement among emerging architects, Associate AIA members, and architects licensed 10 years or less. We encourage the next generation of architects to start leading our community by heading committees, organizing events, participating in workshops, and attending our events.

The open discussion meetings are scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month. All current members and interested newcomers are encouraged to attend the EAC open discussions, these meetings are free and open to all, and friends and colleagues are welcome.

The AIA|DC Emerging Architects Committee (EAC) promotes education, leadership development, and community involvement among emerging architects, Associate AIA members, and architects licensed 10 years or less. We encourage the next generation of architects to start leading our community by heading committees, organizing events, participating in workshops, and attending our events.

The DC government’s 2019 Housing Initiative set forth a goal of building 36,000 housing units by 2025, a third of which are to be affordable to households earning 80% below Median Family Income. This Order directs District agencies to investigate and implement a variety of approaches to accelerate the design, construction, adaptation, and creation of housing across the city—all while considering the needs of families, an aging population, and other residents with special needs.

Progress toward meeting this goal is well underway, and architects play a significant role in bringing these targets to fruition in a way that best serves people and communities in our city’s built environment.

DesignDC’s Fall conference will focus on the designer’s role, and expertise, in solving DC’s housing crisis.

DesignDC is a hybrid experience for our members and design professionals throughout the region. Over two days of content, we will host a featured keynote speaker and a reception, followed by a day of virtual education with industry experts.

Schedule:

DesignDC Day One - In Person 

5:30 – 6:00 pm: Welcome Reception

6:00 – 7:00 pm: Keynote Presentation

7:00 – 8:00 pm: Cocktail Reception & Networking

DesignDC Day Two - Virtual

All sessions qualify for 1.0 HSW|LU

8:45 am: Opening Remarks by AIA|DC Executive Director Mary Fitch

9:00 – 10:00 am: "ADDification®" without Gentrification: Neighborhood Revitalization without Displacement

10:15 – 11:15 am: Beyond Mandatory: Leveraging Affordable Housing to Create Truly Inclusionary Development

11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Advancing Housing Equity Through Design West of Rock Creek Park

1:00 – 2:00 pm: The Seeds of Sustainability, Presented by Sierra Pacific

2:15 – 3:15 pm: Smaller Scale Density: The Challenges in Providing More Housing in Low Density Zones 

3:30 – 4:30 pm: From Blackboards to Balconies: Adaptive Reuse in the Shaw Neighborhood

Keynote Speaker:

Yesim Sayin

Executive Director, D.C. Policy Center

The DC government’s 2019 Housing Initiative set forth a goal of building 36,000 housing units by 2025, a third of which are to be affordable to households earning 80% below Median Family Income. This Order directs District agencies to investigate and implement a variety of approaches to accelerate the design, construction, adaptation, and creation of housing across the city—all while considering the needs of families, an aging population, and other residents with special needs.

Progress toward meeting this goal is well underway, and architects play a significant role in bringing these targets to fruition in a way that best serves people and communities in our city’s built environment.

DesignDC’s Fall conference will focus on the designer’s role, and expertise, in solving DC’s housing crisis. 

You are welcome to submit multiple proposals. Please submit one proposal form for each presentation. Please save your proposal information for your own records in a separate document. 

Priority will be given to sessions that address the following:

• New and innovative technology and materials used for designing and constructing housing
• Integration of different housing typologies in neighborhoods across the city, including historic districts
• Adaptive use and conversions of existing buildings into housing
• Placemaking and planning to ensure housing is attractive and available to all residents of the city, with equal access to amenities and services
• Policy and design recommendations through case studies that illustrate solutions yet to become commonplace in the DC housing market

About DesignDC:

DesignDC is a hybrid experience for our members and design professionals throughout the region. Over two days of content, we will host a featured keynote speaker and a reception, followed by a day of virtual education with industry experts.

Sessions selected from this Call for Proposals will be presented via our online platform on Thursday, September 21, 2023.

All virtual presentations must total 60 minutes in length, with ~50 minutes of instruction followed by ~10 minutes of Q&A.

All presenters will receive complimentary conference registration. Presenters are not required to be members of DesignDC host organizations.

Please save a copy of your proposal information for your records.

Proposals are due by Wednesday, March 15, at 5:00 pm.