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By Giovanna Boniface, Chief Commercial Officer
The 2024 RAIC Conference was our largest in-person gathering since Covid, providing the opportunity for many in the architectural profession to engage in unique learning experiences, listen to distinguished guest speakers, and network with colleagues from across the country. From May 14-18 this year, architects, interns, students, and associates from Canada and abroad converged in K’emk’emeláy/Vancouver for the Conference.
This year, Conference featured more than 50 in-depth education sessions, as well as keynotes that discussed topics such as climate, EDI, Indigenous-led architecture, social justice, and accessibility.
The event kicked off with an exhibition on iconoclastic Vancouver Island architect John Di Castri, providing an opportunity to explore a distinct chapter of the architectural history of Western Canada. The first day ended with a keynote presentation by James P. Cramer, Hon. AIA, titled “The Future of the Profession”.
Examples of some of the twelve sold out tours include a downtown Tall Buildings tour with architecture critic Trevor Boddy, a visit to Patkau Architects’ award-winning Polygon Gallery, as well as a once-in-a-lifetime pop-up tour of the Arthur Erickson-designed Smith House II, recently renovated by Measured Architecture, in West Vancouver.
On the networking side, Conference hosted a studio crawl featuring five local firms—Kristen Reite Architecture, MA+HG, McKinley Studios, Omer Arbel and a large social gathering at DIALOG. This year we inducted new members to the RAIC College of Fellows, welcoming five honorary Fellows and 41 new Fellows to the College.
The Conference ended on a high note with the After Parti, where six small Vancouver architectural firms— MOTIV, ph5, Twobytwo Architecture Studio, WNDR and TOAD—partnered with local artists to deliver a breathtaking Beaux Arts Ball performance concept.
The RAIC is deeply thankful to everyone who contributed to the success of this year’s Conference, including volunteers, presenters, tour leaders, special guest speakers, exhibitors, architectural firms and sponsors. We could not have put on this amazing event without everyone’s support. Let’s meet again at the 2025 Conference—next year in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal—to make more great connections and memories.
Kalwall Case study introduces new translucent insulated glazing unitsKALWALL® 175CW is the first in a series of new translucent insulated glazing units (TIGUs) which allows you to mix and match Kalwall with other infill glazings and claddings for limitless façade design possibilities – without sacrificing performance. See the case study at https://sabmagazine.com/case-studies/.
Diamond Schmitt appoints new Director of SustainabilityArchitectural firm Diamond Schmitt has appointed Lisa Prime as its new Director of Sustainability. She brings over 30 years of experience in community planning, progressive green building design, developing master plans for Toronto’s waterfront, the City of Markham, and Halton Hills, and implementing sustainable strategies and climate policies for municipalities across the Greater Toronto Area and Winnipeg Region. She will guide Diamond Schmitt’s sustainability approach, driving strategy, education, and analysis of benefit on projects across all sectors.
Visit SABMag’s Directory of Sustainable Products and Services for Sustainable, High-Performance Building where products are organized by Product Category and by LEED Category. Examples of featured listings include:
Fraser Wood Siding – Fraser Wood Siding manufactures premium quality prefinished wood siding and shingles. Made from Canadian softwood, sustainably harvested from 100% PEFC-Certified forests and backed by an industry leading warranty. fraserwoodsiding.com
Kalwall – Not a window. Not a wall. But you can trust Kalwall’s translucent daylighting systems to provide all the benefits of both. Museum-quality daylighting ™ validated by complimentary daylight modelling; Best-in-industry thermal performance and solar heat gain control; Wind, fire and impact resistance. kalwall.com
Inline Fiberglass Ltd – Our fiberglass windows and doors offer: Time-tested durability, Superior energy efficiency, Residential and commercial applications in LEEDcertified Platinum, Gold, and Silver projects. Canada & USA INLINE Series 3000 windows are Passive House International certified. inlinefiberglass.com
Sapphire Balconies Ltd – Sapphire’s Next Generation, Prefab Balcony is a groundbreaking solution with a 19% CO2 reduction across stages A1-A5, and able to connect to various structures including mass timber. Lighter materials reduce building structure impact. Safety is improved with the Remote Locker Device. balconies.global/ca/
International Timberframes – Manufacture DLT in Golden, BC using local wood. Wood100® DLT is a 100% wood, no glue product. Stacked and cross laminated DLT panels. Design, engineering, manufacturing and installation services available. itimberf.com
MAPEI Canada – Founded in 1937 in Milan, MAPEI is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of chemical products for the building industry and has contributed to the construction of some of the most important architectural and infrastructure works worldwide. mapei.com
LP SmartSide Trim & Siding – For nearly 25 years, LP® SmartSide® products have delivered advanced durability and longer-lasting beauty, earning a reputation as one of the highest-performing and preferred siding brands. LP SmartSide products are carbon negative for minimal environmental impact. lpcorp.com
NATS Nursery Ltd – Green Roof and Living Wall Plants, including native grasses and perennials as well as site specific custom grows. Licensed growers of the LiveRoof Hybrid Green Roof System™. natsnursery.com
Radon Environmental – A building and environmental health sciences company reducing public exposures to radon gas. We provide code-evaluated, high-performance radon mitigation solutions for commercial and residential builds, including Radon Guard™ ventilation-insulation structural panels and Radon Block™ barrier membrane. radoncorp.com
SIGA – SIGA is a leader in the development and production of high-performance adhesive tapes and membranes for air-and weather-tight building envelopes. Available product categories: Flashing tapes, Weather barriers, Air barriers, Vapour control layers, and Moisture protection for CLT. siga.swiss/ca_en
Save Energy New Brunswick – Want your business to be more energy-efficient and save money? SaveEnergyNB has rebate programs and expert advice for New Brunswick businesses. From big to small projects, retrofits or new buildings; there’s money to help your business save! saveenergynb.ca/MoneyBack
Cascadia Windows & Doors – High-performance fibreglass solutions for window wall, windows and doors, and storefront glazing. From Passive House projects to high-rise buildings, Cascadia’s fiberglass windows offer unparalleled thermal and structural performance. cascadiawindows.com
Century Wood Products Inc. – Since 1997 we have reclaimed historic wood from vintage buildings for restoring or replicating that which is old, and to add character to new designs. Custom-milled antique solid wood flooring, reclaimed timber and mantels, and antique hand-hewn and re-sawn boards for cabinets or millwork. centurywood.com
Thames Valley Brick & Tile – A trusted source for Clay Face Brick, Thin Brick and Paving Brick, including LEED qualifying products, that meet the challenges of the Canadian architectural and designer marketplace. thamesvalleybrick.co
Tremco CPG Inc. – We offer a wide range of building materials for constructing all types of buildings, and all are engineered to endure harsh environmental conditions while meeting or exceeding building codes and performance standards. tremcocpg.com
Kohltech Windows & Entrance Systems – Our windows and doors combine beauty and craftsmanship with performance and energy efficiency. With an extensive array of glass and decorative options, as well as ENERGY STAR and Passive House certified products, Kohltech can meet your project needs. kohltech.com
Zero Carbon Building Standard and LEED Canada and 2023 Buildings-in-ReviewThe SABMag Spring issue contains the annual supplement produced with the CAGBC as a record of the Zero Carbon Building Standard LEED buildings certified in 2023. Selected building profiles include:
– Amber Trails Community School by Prairie Architects. LEED Platinum.
– AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex by Modern Niagara. Zero Carbon Building Performance Standard. LEED Gold.
– BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, Williams Lake by J. Robert Thibodeau Architecture + Design Inc. Zero Carbon Building Standard.
– FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing Visitors Centre. Zero Carbon Building Standard.
– Green Gables Visitor Centre. root Architecture. LEED Gold.
– Mitchell Elementary School Addition by Prairie Architects. LEED Silver.
– Trades Training Centre, Northern Lights College, Dawson Creek by McFarland Marceau Architects. LEED Gold.
– Virox Technologies Inc. LEED Gold.
– York Regional Police, #1 District Headquarters by PARKIN Architects. and LEED Silver (and near net zero carbon).
See the full LEED Canada and Zero Carbon 2023 Buildings-in-Review
The SABMag Spring issue contains the annual supplement produced with the CAGBC as a record of the Zero Carbon Building Standard LEED buildings certified in 2023. Selected building profiles include:
– Amber Trails Community School by Prairie Architects. LEED Platinum.
– AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex by Modern Niagara. Zero Carbon Building Performance Standard. LEED Gold.
– BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, Williams Lake by J. Robert Thibodeau Architecture + Design Inc. Zero Carbon Building Standard.
– FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing Visitors Centre. Zero Carbon Building Standard.
– Green Gables Visitor Centre. root Architecture. LEED Gold.
– Mitchell Elementary School Addition by Prairie Architects. LEED Silver.
– Trades Training Centre, Northern Lights College, Dawson Creek by McFarland Marceau Architects. LEED Gold.
– Virox Technologies Inc. LEED Gold.
– York Regional Police, #1 District Headquarters by PARKIN Architects. and LEED Silver (and near net zero carbon). See the full LEED Canada and Zero Carbon 2023 Buildings-in-Review https://sabmagazine.com/digital/
Lafarge Canada and Hyperion Launch World’s First Tandem Carbon Recycling System©Lafarge Canada Inc. and Hyperion Global Energy Corp. have launched Hyperion’s patented Tandem Carbon Recycling System© pilot project at Lafarge’s Bath, Ontario Cement Plant. The pilot involves the testing of Hyperion’s net-zero mineral solutions for advanced concrete such as Lafarge’s ECOPact® which can lower embedded carbon between 30-90% compared to standard concrete without compromising performance. The joint effort will further develop and scale Hyperion’s proprietary Tandem Carbon Recycling© technology, a drop-in system that captures and transforms waste carbon emissions into high purity minerals that permanently store carbon. The pilot has the capacity to remove up to 1,000t CO2/year from plant operations, with potential to scale the system 10X over the next year.
Saint-Gobain’s Sustainable Construction Barometer finds positive trendThe second edition of the Saint-Gobain North America ‘Sustainable Construction Barometer’ used the quantitative survey of professionals, students, elected representatives, and association members in 22 countries to assess opinions on how to advance sustainable construction. Some of the survey’s key findings were:
Co-operative Housing Development Program Launched: Co-ops are Ready to BuildThe federal government has launched the Co-operative Housing Development Program.
Delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the program will consist of approximately $500 million in contributions and $1 billion in loans to build co-ops across Canada. Projects that support the creation of Indigenous-led co-operative housing will be eligible. The Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada has committed to ensuring the program’s success through its decades of expertise, deep connections with its members and strong linkages to other organizations. Co-operative housing helped Canada
address its housing needs in the 1970s and 1980s. The co-ops that were built decades ago provide affordable, secure homes to a quarter of a million Canadians today. Now, facing another housing crisis, co-ops are once again ready and able to build, with the investments coming from this new program. dalderson@chfcanada.coop
Latest FOCUS publications offer regional takeThe latest issues of Atlantic FOCUS and Ontario FOCUS, published by SABMag, in association with the CAGBC, cover recent projects in their respective regions, along with news about CAGBC activities.
The Atlantic region projects include the new mass timber office for FBM, the Treehouse Village Ecohousing community, the compact (S)efficient House, and more.
The Ontario FOCUS projects – the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Building, the AMPED Sports Centre, and the Albert Campbell Library renovation – exhibit both technical and design innovations.
Atlantic FOCUS: https://www.cagbc.org/news-insights/regional-focus/#atlantic-focus.
Ontario FOCUS: https://www.cagbc.org/news-insights/regional-focus/#ontario-focus.
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