A three-day slate of the nation's top experts in coatings and building technology, hands-on workshops and courtroom fireworks will greet attendees at the second annual Durability + Design Conference.

The newly released preliminary program for D+D 2015: Architectural Coatings & Building Substrates shows a range of topics from A (Airtightness) to ... W (WUFI) explored in technical sessions, roundtables, and special events.

D+D 2015 will examine coatings and building-enclosure technologies through seminars, case-history presentations, workshops, round table discussions, exhibits and a mock trial.

The annual conference and exhibition is scheduled for June 8-10 at the Eden Roc Hotel in Miami Beach, FL.

The event is geared toward architects, specifiers, suppliers, contractors, facility owners and other coating and building professionals.

Topics and Technologies

D+D 2015 will offer ample opportunities for attendees to interact closely with industry experts, allowing for a rich cross-fertilization of ideas, organizers say.

A diverse array of topics will be explored in technical sessions and workshops. The preliminary lineup includes:

• Achieving airtightness;
• Building science, WUFI and coatings;
• Coatings in seacoast environments;
• Coatings selection;
• Decorative concrete;
• Maintenance and restoration;
• Paint application QA; and
• The contribution of coatings to green building.

From left: Technology Publishing Co., interpv.net, ORNL
The tentative lineup of presenters at D+D 2015 includes (from left) KTA-Tator president Ken Trimber; science writer Cynthia A. Challener; and André Desjarlais of Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

New Forums and Mock Trial

The event will also include breakfast-table forums, an exhibitors' technology forum, and a mock trial. All are new to next year's conference.

The breakfast-table forums will allow attendees to question technical experts and join small-group discussions on focused topics, organizers say.

Technology forum exhibitors will give brief presentations on advances in architectural coatings and related building materials.

The mock trial will tackle the high-stakes topic of liability for a major coating failure. Attendees will vote on who should assume liability—the owner, supplier, specifier, or contractor.

Eden Roc

The conference will take place at Miami Beach's Eden Roc hotel, which blends Miami modern style with fabled glamour.

Who's Who

Tentative headliners at D+D 2015 include:

• KTA-Tator president Ken Trimber, who will host a hands-on workshop on “Quality Assurance During Paint Installation” and play the facility owner in the mock trial;

• Laverne Dalgleish, executive director of the Air Barrier Association of America, who will lead a roundtable on "Achieving and Managing Airtightness";

• Andre Desjarlais, of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, who will present  on “Advances in Building Enclosure Technology” with Dalgleish; and

• Science writer Cynthia Challener, PhD, who will host a roundtable titled “Contribution of Coatings to Green Building: Myth or Reality?”

Click here for more information and to register.