Accidents on construction sites continue to affect the success of major construction projects across Canada. Not very long ago, we were shocked by a fatal accident at a Toronto construction site; and who can forget recent incidences in Calgary...
Every project’s success is judged based on whether the project was delivered as planned. Contractors are developing the asset to be completed on a specific date, purchased at a specific budget and operate to specific cost levels for as...
A while back I received a copy of a recent ASHRAE research report (RP-1365) titled Thermal Performance of Building Envelope Details for Mid and High-Rise Buildings. A colleague of mine, Mark Lawton, from Morrison Hershfield's Vancouver office,...
Glass is an ideal material for application in building shells. The transparent material can be used in a variety of applications and – irrespective of the type of finishing – fulfills individual functions. Modern insulation glass...
This is a proposition for the paradigmatic consideration of small scale housing as a viable and desirable alternative to both conventional forms of suburban living and to status quo responses to density.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Canada’s certification process experienced a significant backlog in 2010, but since that time the CaGBC have implemented a variety of initiatives to get the process back on track.
Lance Hosey is a former columnist with Architect magazine and the co-author, with Kira Gould, of Women in Green: Voices of Sustainable Design (Ecotone Publishing, 2007). His latest book, The Shape of Green: Aesthetics, Ecology, and Design...
Being “in the cloud” is the latest catchphrase in technology discussions, but the term has many definitions. According to some, it refers to virtual servers that allow users access to stored data via an Internet connection....
A new era is dawning in construction, says David Bowcott. While it is hard for some to believe, first cost is no longer king and the emphasis is gradually shifting to infrastructure life-cycle costs.
The Updated Ontario Building Code
The update to the 2006 Ontario Building Code, which went into effect in January 2012, is the most progressive code-required energy standard in North America. There are some significant changes to the code which will likely significantly reduce...
Dehumidification: A Concrete Plan to Avoid Construction Delays
The construction industry has long been judged on its quality of work and ability to complete projects on schedule. Construction managers, general contractors and sub-contractors who must meet tight timetables and warranty the work feel the...
Potential Impact of Climate Change on the Building Envelope
Many scientists believe that what appears to be a gradual warming of the earth’s surface and atmosphere may be the result of human activity and increasing urbanization around the globe. Many also believe this warming trend has the...
PR 101, pt. 4: What to say when you have nothing (new) to say.
To paraphrase George Gershwin, "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin' and Nuttin's plenty for PR." The leading man in Porgy and Bess lacked a car or mule, but that was fine wif' him. Likewise, if you're seeking...
Where is the conserve in Harper's Conservatives?
Prime Minister Harper's 1960s piano tunes may be timeless, but his single-minded approach to developing new energy supply is long out of fashion. Attitudes have changed, and Canadian leaders need to keep up. Before proposing new megaprojects to...
12 energy-related predictions for 2012 in Canada
Does Canada need more energy supply or more insulation? Clearly, this is a gross simplification but it is estimated that almost a third of Canada's current energy consumption is used for heating and cooling buildings and homes. This number...
Hybrid fire testing of the whole structure
Traditional fire resistance testing evaluates the performance of individual building elements with no consideration given to the interaction with other parts of the building. On rare occasions, fire performance is assessed by constructing and...
PR 101, pt. 3: Winning Pitches with Super Superb Superlatives
In my first PR 101 column, I promised some "juicy bits" in future installments in the form of case studies of winning publicity campaigns for clients, many of whom would be near and dear to Building readers. Well, now I'm delivering. This...
Over the past decade a paradigm shift has taken place as control of valuable real estate industry data has been transferred from the exclusive domain of professionals to the building owners.
It reads like a story from the recent financial collapse when headlines exposed the corrupt practices of many of the Western nations' big financial companies. This time, however, some of those corporate giants are the ones getting fleeced