Lurita McIntosh Blank

Lurita McIntosh Blank, NCARB, RBEC, REWC, RRC, RWC, APT RP
Principal, Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc.
Speaker
"Buried and Gone: Critical Moments in the Life of a Below-Grade Waterproofing System"  
10:15-11:15 AM CDT, Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Building Enclosure Conference

Presentation Overview:
Below-grade waterproofing is often the “forgotten side” of the building envelope. The intense attention afforded to the continuity of air barriers and thermal insulation should be equally applied to below-grade waterproofing systems – proper system selection, thorough design detailing, and quality assurance testing and inspections.

Once the site is backfilled, the available remedies for an under-performing or failed below-grade waterproofing systems are limited, and repairs are disruptive and costly.

This presentation will discuss critical moments in the life of a below-grade waterproofing system, from schematic design through decades of service life, illustrated through case studies of waterproofing failures.

Bio:
Lurita McIntosh Blank, NCARB, RBEC, REWC, RRC, RWC, APT RP, is a Principal with Raths, Raths & Johnson, a national engineering, architecture, and forensics consulting firm that provides investigation, design, repair, and testing services. She specializes in issues with existing buildings including façade restoration, roofing, and waterproofing. She has a special expertise in historic structures and has provided restoration services for dozens of National Register and National Historic Landmark properties across the nation. Lurita is a Registered Architect and Registered Building Envelope Consultant through IIBEC. She is also deeply involved with the Association for Preservation Technology International, currently serving as Treasurer.