Preventing and Addressing Construction Defects and Failures Seminar
DISCLAIMER
Before purchasing, review the rules of your licensing or certifying entity. It is your responsibility to confirm this course meets your CE requirements. See the credit tab on the course page for details.
What’s Included: Full webinar recording, written course materials, expert instruction, a mandatory quiz, and a certificate upon completion.
Deliverability Timeline: All courses are generally available within 1-2 weeks after the live presentation.
CE Credits: AIA and/or LA/CES accreditation is available by request for courses recorded prior to March 11, 2026. All courses after that date include those accreditations by default, if applicable. With these accreditations, our courses qualify for credit in nearly all states for engineers, surveyors, architects, and landscape architects.
Learn more about the on-demand format in our FAQ or contact us at (715) 835-5900 or customerservice@halfmoonseminars.org
Agenda
Registration: 8:00 – 8:30 am
Morning Session: 8:30 – 11:45 am
Lunch (On your own): 11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Afternoon Session: 12:45 – 5:00 pm
Distinguishing between Construction Defects and Failures
Defining defects
Causes of defects: problems with design, materials and/or construction
Defining failures
Causes of failures: deterioration, unintended use, “Acts of God”
Examining Common Defects and Failures
Analyzing defects and failures for methodology and causality
Site selection and engineering
Building design
Foundation design and construction
Design and construction of floors, walls and roofing
Exploring defects and failures in mechanical and electrical systems
Adopting Practices that Reduce Defects and Failures
Reviewing proposed use and preparing construction documents
Complying with building codes and standards
Choosing materials and construction techniques
Investigating new materials and construction techniques
Monitoring construction
Correcting problems before project completion
Building commissioning, operation and maintenance
Preventing and Resolving Disputes Generated by
Defects and Failures
Identifying parties with potential liability
Understanding theories of liability
Identifying defenses to liability
Timeliness, contractual defenses, crossclaims and counterclaims
Participating in conflict resolution procedures
Mediation, arbitration, litigation
Reviewing types of damages and how they are calculated
Insurance coverage issues
Handling Ethical Issues Associated with Defects and Failures
Understanding the parties’ roles and relationships
Understanding the liability and indemnification provisions in construction documents
Duty to raise potential safety, durability issues
Making warrantees and guarantees
Working outside areas of competence
Credits
Professional Engineers
7.0 Continuing Ed. Hours
Architects
7.0 Continuing Ed. Hours (HSW)
7.0 AIA HSW Learning Units
Contractors
Non-Credit Continuing Ed.
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public and offers 7.0 continuing education hours to professional engineers and architects (HSW) in most states. Educators and courses are not subject to preapproval in Virginia.
This event has been approved by the American Institute of Architects for 7.0 HSW Learning Units (Sponsor No. J885). Only full attendance can be reported to the AIA/CES.
HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for engineers in Florida, Indiana (License No. CE21700059), Maryland, New Jersey (Approval No. 24GP00000700), North Carolina, and North Dakota.
This seminar offers a non-credit continuing education opportunity to construction contractors; it has not been approved by any state contractor licensing entity for continuing education purposes.
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire program. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.
Speakers
Michael Drerup, P.E., F.ASCE
Drerup Building Performance Engineering, PLLCOver the past 28 years, Mr. Drerup has investigated performance concerns at hundreds of buildings and structures. His work has ranged from single family homes to large building collapses. Mr. Drerup has evaluated damage attributable to earthquakes, blast, impact, fire, water intrusion, corrosion, construction defects, and other factors. He has served as a testifying expert in several cases. Mr. Drerup has also developed and retrofit designs for existing buildings. He has previously worked for two prominent forensic engineering firms and an international structural design firm. In 2014, he established Drerup Building Performance Engineering, PLLC with his partner Alicia Díaz de León, PE, SE, AIA, and continues to collaborate with other consultants and laboratories nationwide to investigate a broad range of issues pertaining to structure, enclosure, and construction materials. Mr. Drerup recently completed two terms as a voting member of ASCE’s Board Committee on Technical Advancement. He serves on ASCE’s Joint Task Committee with CROSS-US, and is past chair and a 22-year member of ASCE’s Forensic Engineering Division.
AIA Info
AIA Provider Statement:
HalfMoon Education Inc. is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number J885. All registered AIA/CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider of learning program may be sent to AIA/CES (cesupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).
This learning program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA/CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
Course Title: Preventing and Addressing Construction Defects and Failures
Delivery Method: Live
Course Description: This 7.0 hour live lecture presentation covers the differences between construction defects and construction failures, analyzing common defects and failures, practices that reduce defects and failures, resolving disputes that are generated by defects and failures, and ethical issues that are associated with defects and failures.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1:
Learners will be able to distinguish between construction defects and failures and be able to discuss common causes of such, including design problems, suspect materials, construction methods, deterioration, unintended use, and natural events.
Learning Objective 2:
Learners will be able to adopt practices that reduce construction defects and failures, including reviewing proposed use of the structure, preparing and maintaining construction documents, complying with building codes and standards, proper material selection, monitoring construction, and correcting problems before project completion.
Learning Objective 3:
Learners will be able to participate in resolving disputes that are generated by defects and failures, including identifying parties with potential liability, engaging in conflict resolution procedures, and understanding insurance coverages.
Learning Objective 4:
Learners will be able to identify and avoid ethical pitfalls associated with construction defects and failures, including working outside of one’s area of competence, not understanding liability and indemnification provisions in construction documents, unsafe construction practices, and not honoring warranties and guarantees.
LUs: 7.0 LU Type: LU|HSWs
Prerequisites: Experience with design and construction.
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 03/06/2022
Complaint Resolution Policy:
Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to doug@halfmoonseminars.org or by calling (715) 835-5900. A HalfMoon Education representative will respond within 72 hours to resolve the complaint, which will include, but not limited to, access to another CE activity at no or reduced cost, or a full or partial refund. Each instance will be resolved on a case-by-case situation.