BUILDEX On Demand

Ever wondered about the BC Building Code (BCBC) 2024, Division B, Part 3 concerning fire protection and occupant safety, and what is and is not allowed? Have you heard something from someone but are not too sure if it’s a myth or truth?

This session aims to uncover the many myths people have about the Code and clarify the truths of what is possible by highlighting significant changes in the new 2024 BCBC. By the end of the session, attendees will be able to address various misnomers and inaccuracies perceived by users of the Code and be able to identify the correct and acceptable solutions.

Speakers:
Ricky Wang, Code Consultant, Fire Engineer-In-Training, GHL Consultants

Andrew Harmsworth, Code Consultant, Fire Engineer, GHL Consultants

This panel discussion will focus on 981 Davie Street, a new mixed-use building project located in downtown Vancouver. Comprising 154 affordable homes for people, this pioneering 17-storey structure will employ a combination of mass timber and hybrid construction techniques and soar to a height of 172 feet, ranking it among the tallest mass timber-hybrid structures in the world. The project tackles the demand for affordable housing, while also adhering to high-performance and passive house standards that will provide exceptional energy efficiency and address the rapidly growing demand for environmentally sustainable construction methods. With a prominent location in the heart of Davie Village, this building will also provide space for community and social services, a novel LGBTQ2+ community center, and ground-level commercial areas.

The panel will share essential insights pertaining to the intricate technical aspects, the challenge of affordable housing supply, and the fulfillment of local community needs.

Sponsor: BCIT

Speakers:
Kenny Dempsey, Project Director, Kindred Construction Ltd.

Daniel Wilson, Associate Architect, ZGF Architects Inc

Colin Gilbert, Senior Project Manager, Fast + Epp

Heather Oland, Director, Non-Market Housing Development, City of Vancouver

Mänia Hormozi, Director of Development, Community Land Trust

In the era of decarbonization driven by political and market forces, the landscape of heating plants is undergoing a transformative shift to electrification. This transition presents significant challenges: expensive electrical service upgrades, escalating annual energy costs, and the imperative to align projects within a business plan. An innovative solution to these hurdles lies in the concept of a TIER (Time Independent Energy Recovery) plant. A TIER plant faces these challenges by harmonizing a comprehensive analysis of building heating/cooling profiles, evaluating on-site electrical capacity, and integrating thermal energy storage. This design provides a strategic approach to right-sizing plant infrastructure and automating the operation to run at peak efficiency.

This seminar will include details of a TIER plant design for an office building located in Victoria, British Columbia. The speakers will explore the expected benefits from the implementation of this design, shedding light on efficiency gains, energy cost reductions, and enhanced operational resilience.

Speaker:
Ryan Antonsen, Project Manager, Building Performance, AME Consulting Group

Scott Stewart, Associate, AME Consulting Group

Charles Lankester, Associate, Building Performance, AME Consulting Group

When speaking with the industry about locating all the thermal insulation outboard of the building structure, there is a consensus that this holistic building practice delivers a high-performance outcome. Among all its benefits, “maintaining the structure close to indoor temperature year around due to full exposure to indoor heat” appears to resonate the most as it provides end users with a solution that is durable, flexible, and forgiving to the lack of perfection. However, despite all its benefits, fully exterior insulated building envelope so far only has had a small share in BC construction market.

This session will address three key challenges identified by builders, architects, building inspectors, energy advisors, etc. when designing and constructing fully exterior insulated buildings:

• Structural support and building envelope detailing around windows/doors
• Cladding attachment and the associated cost
• Addressing thermal bridging at transitions

This seminar draws on case studies from several recently completed fully exterior insulated wood-framed buildings in BC and offers practical and holistic solutions for addressing those challenges.

Sponsor: Kingdom Glass

Speakers:

Hamid Heidarali, Building Science Specialist, Hamid Design Build (HDB)

This seminar delves into the changing landscape of residential construction, spotlighting sustainable practices and alternatives to conventional demolition methods. Emphasizing the Zero Waste Hierarchy, the speakers will examine strategies to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency in the built environment. This discussion will focus on deconstruction management, exploring municipal policies, costs and benefits, and the process of systematically dismantling homes and salvaging materials for reuse or recycling, aligning with circular economy principles. Another pivotal aspect of the seminar is to explore how aligning carbon emissions strategies with circular economy principles can positively impact the environment and reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.

The speakers will share insights and innovative approaches to foster sustainable construction, aligning economic viability with environmental responsibility. Attendees of this seminar will be inspired to pursue a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable, waste-conscious residential construction industry.

Presenting Partner: HAVAN

Speaker:
Elisabeth Baudinaud, Founder, Principal, Carbon Wise

Erick Serpas, VenturaOwner, Project Manager, VEMA Deconstruction

In the growing and rapidly evolving landscape of mass timber construction, successful project delivery hinges on the effectiveness of project teams. Delivery models including fabrication-only, specialty engineering, Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), as well as the traditional model each come with their own set of benefits and challenges. Translation from demand to supply is the most time-consuming process because it is essentially virtual construction. “If it’s wrong in the model it’s wrong in real life.” Regardless of which model is followed, production bottlenecks can significantly impact delivery schedules.

In this panel discussion, the speakers will outline the critical steps in each delivery model and reinforce the role of cohesive teamwork in delivering mass timber projects from the perspectives of engineering, fabrication erection, and construction team members. Delivery models will be explained through real-world case studies, and attendees will leave with actionable takeaways on how to foster effective teamwork in modern mass timber project delivery.

Speaker:
Adam Gerber, Managing Principal, Aspect Structural Engineers

Andrew Stiffman, Director, Design & Construction, Kalesnikoff

Michael Marshall, Partner, CEO, Kinsol Timber Systems

Brent Olund, Founder, Principal, Greencore Structures Ltd.

Sascha Engel, Fabrication Design Lead, Aspect Structural Engineers

What are the costs to build 7 to 12 storey, multi-family encapsulated mass timber construction (EMTC) buildings in BC? How will these buildings meet BC Energy Step Code and VBBL requirements? The speakers will share highlights from a recent comparative feasibility study conducted for BC Housing. They will explain the study’s methodology and demonstrate the new online mass timber + energy parametric costing tool from the Province of BC.

Presenting Partner: BC Housing

Speaker:
Eric Wood, Mass Timber Façade Practice Lead, Morrison Hershfield

John Wall, Principal, PUBLIC Architecture

Mass timber’s fire performance has the potential to revolutionize wood construction, enabling taller and larger structures. Recent developments in building codes across the world reflect the growing recognition of this capability. In this presentation the speakers will explore the fire performance of mass timber, delve into structural analysis and design considerations, analyze lessons learned from the world’s largest mass timber fire test, and discuss the latest building and fire code updates for encapsulated mass timber construction. This comprehensive overview will highlight key aspects of fire safety and structural performance of mass timber construction, providing a well-rounded understanding of its resilience and safe implementation.

Presenting Partner: Wood Works

Speaker:
Marc Alam, Senior Manager, Codes and Standards - Fire and Acoustics, Canadian Wood Council

Shawn Keyes, Executive Director, WoodWorks BC