CURTAIN WALL ISSUES , P ROBLEMS , AND SOLUTIONS KARIM P. A LLANA , RRC, RWC, PE; AND DON CARTER ALLANA BUICK & B ERS , I NC . 990 Commercial Street, Palo Alto, CA 94303 Phone: 650-543-5638 • Fax: 650-354-8828 • E-mail:
[email protected] S YMPOSIUM ON B UILDING E NVELOPE T ECHNOLOGY • O CTOBER 2012 A LLANA • 97 ABSTRACT Curtain walls are taken for granted, even by design professionals. All curtain wall sys - tems and materials present unique challenges in appearance, design, installation, mainte - nance, and repair. These issues will be addressed by the presenter with real-life, practical examples backed by engineering expertise. The primary focus will be glass curtain walls and window walls, including failures. The presentation is based on the authors’ case studies of the failures of curtain walls, windows, sealants, and flashings, providing useful information on design failures and testing. Included are definitions of curtain wall types, various sys - tems and components, and differences between stick and unitized curtain walls. SPEAKER KARIM P. A LLANA , RRC, RWC, PE — A LLANA BUICK & B ERS , I NC . With more than 25 years of experience in construction engineering, forensic investiga - tion, and design, KARIM ALLANA, RRC, RWC, PE, is CEO and senior principal of Allana Buick & Bers, Inc. He earned his BS in civil engineering from Santa Clara University and is a licensed professional engineer in California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Washington. Allana has been in the AE and construciton fields for over 30 years, specializing in forensic analysis and sustainable construction of roofing, waterproofing, and the building envelope. He has acted as a consultant and expert witness in 200-plus construction defect projects and is a frequent speaker and presenter at professional forums.