Free to Attend Sessions at BUILDEX Vancouver

Wednesday, February 14
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM

Presenting Partner: IDIBC (Interior Designers Institute of British Columbia)

Dr. Christine Bruckner FAIA will share her experience implementing best practices towards designing places that empower people to meet and exceed their potential, enhance human health, and extend the longevity of our shared planetary resources.

As an architect, our speaker will demonstrate these practices through project case studies. Each to share how sustainability and wellness are designed into projects through a path of clear implementation with both long and short-term ROI benefits.
More specifically, she will show how details and specifications can make invisible elements visible through design. Also, how elements of sequence, acoustics, daylighting, thermal comfort, and adjacencies can impact intangible benefits and make them tangible and measurable in the spaces we design.

Come explore the opportunities and on-going research which embody Christine’s everyday considerations and lifestyle towards co-creating a sustainable vibrant future.

Speakers:

Dr. Christine Bruckner, Director, Global Research, M Moser Associates Inc.

Wednesday, February 14
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM

The permitting process is a crucial step in the development of new housing, infrastructure, and businesses. However, it can be slow, complex, and paper-based, resulting in delays, errors, and inefficiencies. How can we leverage modern digital tools to transform the permitting process and make it faster, simpler, and more collaborative for applicants and staff alike?

In this session, attendees will learn how the City of Vancouver is applying innovations and best practices in digital permitting, such as online application portals, automated compliance-checking, digital rules, verifiable credentials, and data analysis to improve the permitting process for our customers. Attendees will also hear from the City of Vancouver staff about the impact that this has had on throughput and processing times for a range of permits and licences and some of the City’s upcoming planned enhancements to the permitting process.

Speakers:

Andrea Law, General Manager, Development, Buildings & Licensing, City of Vancouver

Rene Cravioto, Manager, Digital Services Innovation, City of Vancouver

Rebecca Doel, Senior Product Manager, Digital Business Services, Development Buildings & Licencing, City of Vancouver

Wednesday, February 14
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Presenting Partner: VRCA (Vancouver Regional Association)

Hear from an esteemed panel of industry experts and stakeholders as they explore the opportunities and challenges of recruiting and integrating skilled workers new to Canada to tackle the province’s construction labour shortage. The session will address new legislation introduced in the fall of 2023 to ensure newcomers to the province can put their training and abilities to work as quickly as possible. Following this, the panel will discuss the announced regulation, practical implications, steps and challenges addressed, and how the industry can expect to proceed.

Speakers:

Jeannine Martin, President, VRCA

Ruairi Spillane, Founder / CEO, Moving2Canada / Outpost Recruitment

Chris Atchison, President, BC Construction Association

Rachel Holmes, Assistant Deputy Minister, Immigration Services and Strategic Planning Division, Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Province of British Columbia

Thursday, February 15
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM

Both the City of Vancouver and the Province of BC have progressed by-laws and legislation to address housing supply and simplify regulations in low density residential areas. It’s clear from these measures that including density in established neighbourhoods is seen as a key strategy to providing housing to the missing middle and helping address the housing crisis in Vancouver and BC more widely.

This panel will address the City of Vancouver’s missing middle and low-density housing by-law changes. Panelists will discuss the by-law’s formation, the benefits of citywide / province-wide zoning reform vs. spot rezoning or ‘corridor’ densification, and the practical implications for designing and constructing in the city’s existing neighbourhoods.

Attendees can expect to gain:

• Understanding of the creation of Vancouver’s missing middle and low-density housing by-law changes, the trade-offs made, resulting by-law and approval process
• Insight on the systems approach adopted that facilitates approvals and streamlines processing for missing middle projects
• Examples of approvals, new housing designs, new projects, and the zoning rules that underpin them
• Discussions on how by-law and similar provincial legislation can provide more affordable, sustainable, and accessible housing vs single family and duplex zoning
• Answers to what’s for gentle densification in BC

Speakers:

Dan Fumano, City Columnist, Vancouver Sun / The Province

Paula Huber, Senior Planner, Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability, City of Vancouver

Bryn Davidson, Co-Owner, Design Lead, Lanefab Design/Build

Travis Hanks, Co-founder, Principal Architect, Haeccity Studio Architecture, Inc.

Carman Kwan, Principal Architect, Architectural Collective Inc.

Thursday, February 15
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Sponsor: BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology)

The housing crisis is an ongoing issue that will affect an estimated 1.6 billion people by 2025. Fueled by a shortage of land, lending, labour, and materials, this crisis was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in increased housing insecurity and decreased housing affordability. While political capital is crucial in expanding access to affordable housing, architects are well-positioned to advocate for and implement innovative solutions for affordable housing. What are the most innovative design solutions that can help meet the housing needs of a growing population? What technologies can architects use to make housing more efficient and cost-effective? What challenges do architects face in addressing the housing crisis? Join an esteemed panel of architects leveraging their expertise to work towards creating more equitable, sustainable, and healthy housing.

The panelists will discuss the current state of housing in different parts of the province, country, and globe, the challenges presented by the housing crisis, and innovative strategies for combating this crisis.

Speakers:

Tony Osborn, Principal Architect, Tony Osborn Architecture + Design Inc.

Marianne Amodio, Overseeing Principal, Marianne Amodio and Harley Grusko Architects Inc.

Alkarim Devani, Co-Founder, President, RNDSQR

Thursday, February 15
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

Today, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on nearly every person’s mind. And while it’s widely accepted that it’s become a tablestake for all industries and professions, many, if not most of us, are still trying to understand the opportunities, challenges, and future implications AI will have on our lives.

In this keynote presentation, Rocky aims to bring what he calls the “7 C’s” – Calm, Clarity, Confidence, Compassion, Creativity, and Core Capabilities – as we navigate through these rapidly changing times. You’ll learn more about what AI is, and be given specific ways you can (should) be leveraging it in both your personal and professional life regardless of your industry or role. Rocky will also share his optimistic perspective on how and why AI and Humanity will naturally co-exist to create greater personal and business outcomes for everyone.

Be prepared to be invigorated, inspired, and informed!

The Future is NoW…are you ready?

Speakers:

Rocky Ozaki, Founder, NoW of Work

Wednesday, February 14
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Sponsored by: Schneider Electric Canada Inc.

Join this presentation to learn more about Schneider Electric’s vision of the prosumer market outlook in Canada. The speaker will share, and attendees will learn:

• How to visualize, automate, and personalize energy production and consumption
• The benefits of managing energy bills and rate plans to help minimize costs
• Strategies for maximizing resiliency by enabling customers control loads and manage battery charge and discharge
• How to optimize EV charging based on solar output, tariff, and electrical panel rating

Speakers

Eric Nikolaishvili, Offer Marketing Manager, Schneider Electric Canada Inc.

Wednesday, February 14
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Sponsored by: PoolPal Corp

A well-managed commercial pool requires maximum efficiency to comply with health regulations, minimize energy consumption, reduce chemical usage, and keep costs under control. Unfortunately, relying solely on staff without the support of essential data can lead to major challenges when crucial personnel leave. To overcome these obstacles and streamline your pool operations, it’s time to adopt a predictive, data-driven approach. By optimizing chemical use, enhancing energy efficiency, and improving overall pool operation efficiency, you can stay ahead of the game, avoid reputation-damaging pool closures, and ensure your pool is always running at its best. Join this session to learn how.

Speakers

Ross Middleton, VP, Business Development, PoolPal

Marc Pahlavan, Founder, CEO, PoolPal

Wednesday, February 14
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM

Sponsored by: Rooster

We’ve all learned the essentials of traditional equipment management. Fortunately, the construction industry has begun to embrace technology solutions that move the equipment management role into a central source of truth. Some companies have adopted cross-functional large-scale enterprise resource planning systems (ERPs), some piece together “home-grown” systems, and others are just starting the transition. However, everyone seeks effective, uncomplicated ways to contribute to the company’s success. In today’s skilled-labor-constrained environment we need to a) develop best practices for deciding to rent or buy, b) quickly gather and analyze utilization data to support informed decisions and, c) improve accuracy of equipment utilization metrics, which affects financial efficiencies – both in quoting and billing – and the bottom line.

This seminar will outline 7 important “pillars” of equipment management:
1. Streamlining Shared Roles – unbundling the tasks of doing business
2. Accurate Equipment Utilization – evaluating total cost of ownership
3. Logistics/Dispatch Efficiencies: Striving for Just-In-Time (JIT) – avoiding the utilization black hole
4. Inventory Management: No More Clipboards – what to look for when adopting technology
5. Hoarding Effects – “Wait, where is it?”
6. Unpowered Asset Activity Tracking – capturing small and unpowered equipment billable hours
7. Improving the Bottom Line: Quoting and Billing Accuracy – equipment managers contribution to success

Speakers

Wayne Spain, Customer Engagement Manager, Rooster Asset Tracking Systems

Thursday, February 15
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Sponsored by: TradesLink

TradesLink is a social networking platform connecting employers and skilled trades through a unique, community-based online recruitment tool that aims to change the way recruitment in the trades industry is done. Join this product demo to see how TradesLink can benefit your business and boost your career.

TradesLink for Tradespeople
Build community, share your experiences, and lift each other up to support the value of being in the trades.

Through TradesLink, tradespeople will be able to:
• Grow their community
• Build network
• Connect with employers
• Improve skills

TradesLink for Employers
Become part of a community-based online recruitment tool that aims to change the way recruitment in the trades industry is done.

Through TradesLink, employers will be able to easily:
• Hire the right tradesperson at the right time
• Engage with workers
• Track certifications and qualifications
• Provide learning and development

Join this product demonstration to learn more.

Speakers

Alex Stieda, Manager, TradesLink

Thursday, February 15
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM

Sponsored by: Simple Shower Solutions

Typically, tiled showers are assembled using either dry pack methods or with kits that are cut and assembled on site, their integrity is wholly reliant to the installer’s skill set or lack there of. Simple Shower Solutions shower base is changing the industry one builder at a time. The ability to obtain custom one piece, pre sloped, fully waterproof ready to tile shower bases has been a game changer for small contractors and big builders alike. Join this demonstration to see how Simple Shower Solutions’ one piece, custom ready to tile shower base flips the script on your typical tiled shower installation. The ready to tile shower base installs in 15 to 20 minutes and can be installed by less skilled labor leaving the tile installation to your professional tile setters.

Speakers

Richard Bussiere VP, Sales, Simple Shower Solutions

Wednesday, February 14
12:00PM - 12:30PM

Sponsored by: 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.

Speaker

Neil Barman, Architect, Product Specialist, Vectorworks Inc.

Wednesday, February 14
3:30PM - 4:30PM

Presenting Partner: Proptech Collective

Your search for the latest Property Management technology ends here! Find new-to-market solutions, discover what key opinion leaders make of them, and ask your questions at the BUILDEX Innovation Showcase.

New products are continually hitting the market, but do they have real world potential? What could their limitations be? How do they compare to the existing leader? BUILDEX and a panel of industry experts are here to help.

The format:

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

Speaker

Maria Yoma, Principal. Product & Innovation, Kitspace

Anthony Paes-Braga, Co-Founder, REstack

Dylan Jackson, Director, Residential Asset Management, Bosa Properties

Zander Geronimos, Head of North America, PRODA

Thursday, February 15
10:30AM - 11:30AM

Is your business missing out on ways to grow? From project management software to 3D printing, there are many opportunities presented by new technologies that could help businesses across the building and construction industry become more efficient and productive. Join this session to learn how to access federal government funding from the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) to modernize your business by going digital.

By the end of the session, attendees will understand the eligibility requirements for CDAP funding and how to apply. You’ll also gain an overall understanding of the ways digital technologies could help address your business needs and goals.

Speaker

Alex MacKenzie, Outreach & Partnerships Lead, Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP)

Thursday, February 15
12:00PM - 12:30PM

Sponsored by: Yardi Systems

Join for an engaging success story that delves deep into the triumphs and pivotal strategies employed by Rimrock Property Management. During this presentation, the speaker will explore how Rimrock, a small property management business, leveraged innovative solutions to streamline their operations, enhance tenant satisfaction, and drive substantial growth.

Within this 15-minute session you will learn how Yardi Breeze Premier supported Rimrock to:

• Streamline rent collection, maintenance requests and tenant communications
• Automate reporting and turn 30-40 minutes of work into a click of a button
• Provide owners full access to their data from anywhere
• Easily train and onboard new team members at any property
• Double their portfolio size with fewer administrators
• Function like a large organization without increasing costs

Speaker

Parisa Vafaei, Regional Director, Yardi Canada

Wednesday, February 14
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Location: Tradeshow Floor: Central Bar

Reconnect with industry peers and make new contacts as professionals from all sectors of the building industry come together at the BUILDEX Industry Networking Reception. Head to the Central Bar for complimentary drinks between 4:30pm and 6:00pm on Wednesday, February 14.

Wednesday, February 14
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Location: Tradeshow Floor: Demo Stage (Booth 201)

A place to connect and learn about what’s new in the green building space. A new bilateral hub to connect, network and do business with new partners, customers and suppliers. Brought to you by the Italian Chamber in Canada – West and the Embassy of Italy in Ottawa. Stay with us after the event and join the BUILDEX official opening reception (4.30-6.00pm).

Thursday, February 15
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Location - Property Management Learning Lab (Booth 242)

Presenting Partner: BOMA Canada

Being resilient means staying operational. With the increased frequency and intensity of climate-related events, owners and managers in all asset classes in the commercial real estate (CRE) industry must think about resilience in the context of operational capacity and business continuity. Buildings exist to serve one or more purposes, and those purposes drive value for owners and shareholders. Any event that could render the building inoperable for any period will impede or jeopardize the purpose of that asset.

Landlords have fiduciary responsibilities towards their tenants and shareholders, and this arises from the expectation that buildings are operated safely, continuously, and profitably. A robust resilience plan is meant to meet this expectation when the building’s operation is disrupted. With each building being unique, risk profiles vary depending on operational and locational characteristics and interdependencies with critical infrastructure that connects the asset to the community. Therefore, the resilience plan should address and protect against the totality of to maintain value and business continuity following an incident.

This session will address the following key considerations for creating and / or updating CRE resiliency plans:
• Understanding mitigation vs adaptation vs resilience
• Defining operational resilience
• How a resilience plan differs from an Emergency Response Plan
• How to reasonably quantify the inherent risks
• How to determine where to invest
• Outlining the five Drivers of Resilient Development
• Creating a resilience framework

Speakers:

Bala Gnanam, VP - Sustainability, Advocacy & Stakeholder Relations, Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada (BOMA Canada)

Wednesday, February 14
10:00AM - 11:00AM
Location: Tradeshow Floor: VRCA Connector Lounge (Booth 1051)

Join us to learn about a new, exciting, and innovative program that brings trades to schools and empowers the next generation of skilled professionals.

Wednesday, February 14
3:30PM - 4:30PM
Location: Tradeshow Floor: VRCA Connector Lounge (Booth 1051)

Step into the VRCA Connector Lounge to network and hear about what exciting initiatives and events the association has in store for 2024! Plus, we will officially announce the new VRCA Board of Directors.

Thursday, February 15
10:00AM - 11:00AM
Location: Tradeshow Floor: VRCA Connector Lounge (Booth 1051)

Join us for a morning of networking with fellow VRCA Members in the VRCA Connector Lounge. 
Maximize your membership and connect with colleagues and potential industry partners while hearing from VRCA Member Experience Specialist, Erin Wormald, about how to get the most out of your membership. Plus, Erin will share information on upcoming VRCA events and opportunities in 2024! 

Thursday, February 15
2:00PM - 3:30PM
Location: Tradeshow Floor: VRCA Connector Lounge (Booth 1051)

VRCA – Young Construction Leaders (YCL) Executive Committee members, Avi Horwitz and Scott Foran, will share their success stories and offer advice on empowering and supporting future entrepreneurs.