FREE TO ATTEND SESSIONS AT BUILDEX ALBERTA

Wednesday, October 23
10:00AM – 11:00AM

The design and construction industry is becoming more and more focused on being sustainable, whether mandated by government or to meet stakeholder ESG goals. Many parts of the industry are lagging in being green, and there are barriers to implementing sustainable solutions including cost and accessibility of materials and expertise. Making sustainable choices today is hard as stakeholders and regions all have different constraints and values, some of which may work in opposition to each other.

Attendees will be joining a panel of experienced professionals from different industry sectors as they share their experiences on sustainability in the built environment, from celebrating wins and barriers to making choices and lessons learned.

Speakers:

Lisa Gibson, Project Director, Ledcor Construction Ltd.

Luke Staniscia, Senior Development Manager, Multi-Family, Brookfield Properties Development

Aida Mollaei, CTO, Adaptis Technologies Inc.

Jeff Lyness, Principal, Metafor

Ervina Hendra, Leader, Capital Development, Calgary Housing Company

Wednesday, October 23
11:30AM – 12:30PM

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a game-changer in today’s architecture profession. With its advanced modelling capabilities and techniques, architects are better equipped to streamline mundane tasks such as drawing annotations, report writing, and code compliance checks as well as make better decisions regarding key design features including structural integrity, carbon footprint, energy efficiency, and user comfort.

The deployment of AI comes with risks such as accuracy concerns and job displacement fears. As with past transitions from hand drafting to CAD and CAD to BIM, adaptation is key. AI can significantly advance sustainability by optimizing building designs, managing budgets, and improving overall efficiency.

Join this panel of industry experts as they share insights on the following:

• Beyond future promises: real-life examples of leveraging AI for efficiency, intelligence, and capacity gains without sacrificing the creativity and originality of architects
• Risks and challenges of fully deploying AI within workflows including trust issues and fear of job loss
• Bolstering sustainability efforts with AI including energy performance and net zero targets

Speakers:

Megan Brooks, Leader Design Technology, Associate, DIALOG

Ben Hackman, Architectural Technologist, DIALOG

Brent Mauti, CTO, Turner Fleischer

Jinmo Rhee, Associate Professor, School of Architecture Planning and Landscape (SAPL), University of Calgary

Wednesday, October 23
1:00PM- 2:00PM

Revolutionizing the built environment remains a critical aspect of Canada’s strategy to reduce emissions to 45% by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050 respectively. Presently, the building industry is responsible for about 39% of global carbon emissions emanating from operational emissions as well as materials and construction. This panel of industry experts will share strategies and best practices for achieving net zero targets collectively as an industry while addressing climate risk concerns.

The discussion will focus on the following topics:

• Reducing operational and embodied carbon emissions by implementing energy efficiency measures and sourcing low carbon materials
• Best practices for designing energy-efficient and climate-resilient buildings including risks and opportunities
• Understanding whole-building life carbon assessment principles and factors influencing carbon emissions in new and existing buildings

Speakers:

Lyle Scott, Principal, Footprint

Tricia Smith, Partner, General Manager, Calgary Office, WalterFedy

Tanya Doran, Principal, Carbon Lead Western Canada, Stantec

Regan Moffatt, Principal, Smith + Andersen

Wednesday, October 23
2:30PM – 3:30PM

Calgary and Edmonton’s downtowns have faced significant challenges coming out of the energy price crash and the COVID-19 pandemic. The opioid crisis that has devastated unhoused downtown residents, combined with the reduced presence of office workers throughout the pandemic has added new urgency to the topic. In particular, Alberta’s downtown residents, office workers, and visitors report feeling unsafe, while there is a lack of access to addictions and recovery treatment for our most vulnerable downtown residents. While the commercial properties and their staff are on the front line of this issue by virtue of location, the challenges faced require the cooperation and collaboration of all downtown stakeholders.

Join this session for an engaging panel discussion focused on the approaches the industry and its partners in Calgary and Edmonton have taken to address public safety and person’s experiencing homelessness. The discussion will focus on:

• Building meaningful relationships with relevant community partners
• Engaging with tenants and understanding their new needs
• Sharing best practices and lessons learned from the past four years
• The challenges in cutting through negative downtown perceptions
  
  

Speakers:

Sean Kirk, Director, Property Management, Edmonton City Centre

Mark Garner, Executive Director, Calgary Downtown Association

Olympia Trencevski, Vice President, Property Management, Triovest Realty Advisors

Parnell Lea, Director, Security & Life Safety, Brookfield Properties

Thursday, October 24
10:15AM- 11:15AM

Presenting Partner: Interior Designers of Alberta

As workspaces strive to become more inclusive, it is essential to consider the diverse needs of all employees, including those with neurodivergent conditions such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. This session will explore innovative design principles, implementation strategies, and personal experiences that highlight the importance of neurodivergent inclusivity in the workplace.

Attendees will gain practical knowledge, hear diverse perspectives, and leave with actionable strategies to make the workplace more accommodating and empowering, not only for neurodivergent individuals, but for everyone.

This engaging and insightful panel discussion on creating empowering workspaces for neurodivergent individuals will explore:

• Key design principles for creating sensory-sensitive and accessible work environments
• Practical strategies for implementing neurodivergent-inclusive design in existing workplaces
• Insights from neurodivergent individuals on what makes a workplace truly inclusive and supportive
• Effective policies and practices to foster a culture of inclusivity and understanding
• The impact of physical environments on the mental health and productivity of neurodivergent employees

Speakers:

Laura Lee Ross, Workplace Specialist, A&D Market Manager (Southern Alberta), Teknion

Kay Sargent, Senior Principal, Director of Thought Leadership, Interiors, HOK

Rhea Kachroo, Service Designer, J5 Design Studio

Jocelyne Holland, Founder, Partner, Holland Licensed Interior Design

Thursday, October 24
1:15PM- 2:15PM

In August, Alberta’s benchmark home price rose to $515,700; an increase of almost 8% compared to 2023. However, housing demand continues to outpace supply due to Alberta’s record-breaking population growth, relatively affordable home prices, and a stronger economic outlook, making the province more attractive to job seekers and home buyers.

Alberta’s housing demand has made it challenging for homebuilders and consumers to balance affordability while seeking high-performance and energy efficient homes. Renovators conducting energy retrofits on existing homes may also experience challenges in effectively communicating the benefits to homeowners when compared to the renovation costs.

This engaging and insightful keynote aimed at homebuilding and renovation professionals will explore:

• Homebuilders and homeowners can balance cost with net zero targets/objectives
• Primary obstacles preventing builders and developers from committing to green building technologies and energy efficiency
• Creating awareness about funding and resources available to clients, such as the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Green Home Rebate
• Overview of CHBA’s Net Zero Home Labelling Program to standardize technical requirements for two levels of net zero labels

Speakers:

Alkarim Devani, CEO, Co-Founder, mddl

Ryan Scott, CEO, Avalon Master Builder

Wednesday, October 23
12:00PM- 12:30PM

Sponsor: Vectorworks

Discover what Vectorworks Architect can do for your design process and your architectural projects. Join the speaker as they go from initial hand sketch to drawing, modelling, and rendering in a fully integrated BIM workflow – all within Vectorworks. Whether you are an architect or designer who is looking for a flexible, design-oriented solution or you are an existing Vectorworks user who wants to take your practice further, this seminar is for you.

Speakers:

Neil Barman, Architect, Product Specialist, Vectorworks Inc.

Wednesday, October 23
3:30pm- 4:30pm

Sponsor: SSRIA

The Smart Sustainable Tech Showcase provides innovative companies revolutionizing the AEC industry with game-changing carbon-neutral technologies and processes an opportunity to gain valuable exposure and establish new connections across Alberta’s built environment.

Construction firms, architects, engineers, and building owners and operators are encouraged to attend and discover the latest innovations within their local sustainable tech hub.

The presentation format is as follows:

1. 5-minute “micro-presentations” delivered live by each innovator company
2. Cross-examination and questioning from a panel of industry experts
3. Q&A between the innovator company and live industry audience
4. Expert panel and industry audience vote for their favourite solution
5. Networking event

Join SSRIA’s Tech Showcase to learn firsthand about ways to enhance the sustainable objectives of your next building project.

Thursday, October 19
11:30AM- 12:00PM

Sponsor: ETHOSystems

Sage Intacct Real Estate provides a 360-degree view of your assets’ financial and operational information from a 100% cloud-based property management platform. Designed for both the commercial and residential real estate markets, our software is easily adaptable and offers real-time information to cope with the current market changes. Plus, it features a unique data structure that puts the lease document at the center of your workflow, making it flexible enough to accommodate virtually any lease agreement.
No matter your role, Sage Intacct Real Estate offers deep insights into the financial and operational health of your assets — so you can capture revenue opportunities, monitor and communicate performance, increase property and portfolio value, and grow your business.

Speakers:

Derek Schaerer, Senior Sage Account Executive, ETHOSystems