This event is being held twice on Friday, December 16, 2016, from:

• 12:00 PM to 1:45 PM, and

• 6:00 PM to 7:45 PM

The event consists of two parts. Architects who qualify can receive 1 Health, Safety, and Welfare Learning Unit (LU/HSW) for participating in Part 1, which is an AIA CES-approved course.

Part 1

50-minute presentation by Richard Gage, AIA, followed by a 10-minute Q&A (1 LU/HSW).

Part 2

30-minute presentation by Dr. Leroy Hulsey, PE, SE, on the WTC 7 computer modeling study he is conducting at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, followed by a 15-minute Q&A.

Overview

Never before has a steel-framed high-rise building collapsed from fire. Why, then, did World Trade Center Building 7 collapse on 9/11? The collapse was attributed to normal office fires. Yet it occurred in the manner of a typical controlled demolition.

In Part 1, we will evaluate which of the two hypotheses — fire-induced failure or controlled demolition — is more consistent with the evidence. Participants will be encouraged to decide for themselves if a new investigation is warranted. In Part 2, we will discuss the results of Dr. Hulsey’s computer modeling study. Dr. Hulsey will present his preliminary findings as to whether fires could have caused the collapse of WTC 7.

Continuing Education Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to describe the characteristics of building fires and the aspects of high-rise design that contribute to make fire-induced failure in steel-framed high-rise buildings a rare occurrence.
2. Participants will be able to recognize the distinct features associated with fire-induced failure and the distinct features associated with the procedure of controlled demolition.
3. Participants will be able to describe step-by-step the series of structural failures that the National Institute of Standards and Technology found to be the most likely cause of the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7.
4. Participants will be able to analyze the physical evidence and dynamics of Building 7’s collapse according to how consistent they are with the competing hypotheses of fire-induced failure and controlled demolition.

Seating for each session is limited to 80. Reserve your seat now!