65 scholarships and 496 student sponsorships highlight this foundation's commitment to the future of the building enclosure industry. 

The Coffee Shops™, the award-winning online communities where the industries meet for technologies, safety, information and education for the construction trades of roofing, metal, coatings and outdoor living, are pleased to welcome the RCI Canada Foundation into their community. 

Originally established in 2001, the RCI Canada Foundation’s mission is to “empower innovation in building envelopes through education, research and community support.” One of the main ways they reach this goal is by supporting innovative and forward-thinking members of the industry through research grants, education scholarships and convention sponsorships (sending sponsored individuals to the annual International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants show. 

The Foundation’s two needs-based academic scholarships are available to university and trade school students in both the U.S. and Canada. The first established was the RCI Lewis W. Newlan scholarship. Lewis was a longtime supporter of the foundations and a dedicated member of RCI (now IIBEC), and the establishment of this fund in 2013 was to honor his efforts. The second scholarship was established in 2016 to honor Robert W. Lyons, the founder of RCI (now IIBEC). Since these scholarships were established, they have helped more than 50 students pursue building enclosure-related fields like architecture, engineering and construction sciences.  

In addition to this huge achievement, the RCI Canada Foundation runs a sponsorship fund named after Joe Hale, the founder and chairman of the Foundation, that sends college students to go to the IIBEC show. One such student, Tyler Seiwert from Pittsburg State, shared a few thoughts on the impact of getting sponsored to attend, saying, “The depth and breadth of knowledge I gained from the symposium were immeasurable. Being in the company of experts and pioneers in the field was both humbling and enlightening. I found myself engrossed in the sessions, soaking in every bit of information, and coming out with a renewed passion for the subject.” And Tyler is just one of over 300 students that have had this opportunity thanks to the RCI Canada Foundation. 

The Coffee Shops are proud to welcome the RCI Canada Foundation!

Through research, education, and meaningful collaborations, this organization is uplifting the building enclosure industry.  

The Coffee Shops™, the award-winning online communities where the industries meet for technologies, safety, information and education for the construction trades of roofing, metal, coatings and outdoor living, are pleased to welcome the RCI-IIBEC Foundation into their community.  

Founded in 2001, the RCI-IIBEC Foundation is a charity organization focused on its mission to “advance the building enclosure profession through research, education, and meaningful collaboration.” In pursuit of this goal, they work closely with their sister foundation in Canada, the RCI Foundation Canada, and the larger International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC). 

Over the years the foundation has raised more the $4 million for research, education, and information sharing related to the building enclosure. This money goes into a variety of programs, that aim to:  

• Provide educational opportunities: The RCI-IIBEC Foundation provides student sponsorships to attend IIBEC educational events such as the IIBEC International Convention and Trade Show and the Building Enclosure Symposium (BES). 
• Push the industry forward through research grants: Past research has included studies on unit-price procurement with Colorado State University, thermal properties of roof fasteners in collaboration with Virginia Tech and the testing of adhered masonry during seismic and wind events in collaboration with the Thin Masonry Consortium and Portland State University. The foundation is currently supporting research on the thermal performance of spandrel assemblies in glazing systems in collaboration with the Charles Pankow Foundation. 
• Unlock potential via scholarships: RCI-IIBEC awards academic scholarships annually for students pursuing building enclosure-related education. These scholarships are available to students studying architecture, engineering, and building and construction sciences, and this program is key to supporting the next generation of industry professionals.  

All of these efforts have made a huge impact on professionals across the building enclosure industry. As Felix Ekuful, a graduate student in construction engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, attested, “Being a student at the 2025 IIBEC International Convention and Trade Show was a transformative experience. The convention didn’t just meet my expectations; it exceeded them in ways I couldn’t have anticipated.”  

The Coffee Shops are proud to welcome RCI-IIBEC Foundation!