Simon Fraser University - Convocation | June 8, 2023
Danielle Arciaga | Building Performance Engineer
The first cohort of students from SFU’s new Sustainable Energy Engineering (SEE) program is ready to take the skills they’ve acquired to the next level—the majority, with industry jobs in place—after receiving their degrees at Spring Convocation this week (June 8).
The SEE program was established at SFU’s Surrey campus in 2019 as the first of its kind in Western Canada, created to meet the urgent need to train students as leaders in the areas of renewable energy and clean energy technology.
Vancouver Island Construction Association | 2023
Clint Plett, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., MIStructE | Associate
Looking at Capital Park today, one would be hard pressed to remember how it used to look: a parking lot, several low-rises, and 50-year-old office blocks. These days, Capital Park stands as a testament to the ability to transform and rejuvenate a neighbourhood. The new development, which complements the historic Victoria James Bay area and nearby Legislature, is now a mixed-use, “master-planned community” that delivers to all Victorians alike.
The big picture
The new pedestrian-only community offers a variety of courtyards and pathways to provide easy access to various amenities. Joint venture partners Jawl Properties and Concert Properties spearheaded the drive to build over 235,000 square feet of office space, 155,000 square feet of residential space (rental and condominium), and over 20,000 square feet of street-front retail space. Construction on the $250 million multi-phase development began in 2015.
SiteNews | June 8, 2023
Terry Bergen, CTech, CCCA, LEED® AP, CPHC | Managing Principal
What happens to a mass timber building’s energy performance when it is hit by an earthquake?
RJC Engineers, a Canadian-based building structure and enclosure engineering firm, aims to find out.
The firm was recently in San Diego participating in the historic Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) TallWood research project. The project is a National Science Foundation-funded research effort that aims to investigate mass timber buildings’ earthquake resilience by simulating large earthquakes on a 10-story mass timber building, the tallest ever tested on a shake table.
Daily Commercial News | May 29, 2023
Dennis Gam, MEng, P.Eng. | Principal
A Canadian engineering company is participating in a landmark research project in the U.S. that may set the stage for how future mass timber building enclosures are built to withstand seismic events.
RJC Engineers (RJC) is studying the impact of an earthquake of magnitude four to eight on the Richter scale on the integrity of windows, a critical component to the overall energy efficiency and safety of a building.
Western Built | Spring 2023
Hassan Bokhary, Building Performance Design Engineer-in-Training, BSc, EIT, CEM, LEED® Green Associate, CPHD
Climate change. What was once a word we used in passing and to which most gave little heed, is now one of the greatest challenges we, as humans, have ever faced. It now seems that every year we are faced with some catastrophic weather event – floods, droughts, storms, heat waves, wildfires – that are labelled one in a 100-year phenomenon. Climate change is a stark reality we experience daily and research shows that the rapid change is mainly due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which have increased significantly since the pre-industrial era, and more recently break historical records.
Canadian Property Management | May 2023
Ryan Coles, BSc, P.Eng., LCCI | Principal
Building owners in Canada are well aware of the damage pests can cause to the exterior of a structure. In some instances, evasive action must be taken to ensure the damage isn’t too serious. From birds nesting in vents to insects burrowing in wood, being on the lookout for unwanted critters is in the best interest of every property owner, whether its at an office, residence, facility, or heritage home.
Canadian Condominium Institute | Spring 2023
Ryan Page, BSc, E.I.T
Façades comprise the majority of the building envelope of tall buildings, and are the critical component providing separation between the conditioned and unconditioned environment. Building facades continue to evolve aesthetically, in complexity, but also in efficiency. At the same time, building facades deteriorate due to environmental exposure, lack of maintenance, design and construction errors, or a combination of such factors [1]. Deterioration can result in potentially unsafe conditions, and if unaddressed, can jeopardize public safety and surrounding properties. This prompts the need for periodic inspection and assessment of building exterior façades to identify such hazardous conditions.
Canadian Property Management | April 2023
Tom Tong, MSc, P.Eng. | Associate
Recently, Canada and the world have begun to embrace mass timber as a preferred construction material for large building projects. One reason, according to Tom Tong, associate with RJC Engineers, is that there are many new examples of successful mass timber projects showcasing this substance as a safe, versatile, sustainable substitute for more carbon-intensive materials like concrete and steel.
“Working with mass timber has become a lot easier today, thanks to the growing number of fabricators and the numerous out-of-shelf connectors that have been developed and tested,” Tong said. “In addition, 3D modelling, and CNC machining have made it possible for more complicated geometry and better tolerance control.”
Construction Canada | April 5, 2023
Recently, ironworkers placed the final curved steel beam 47 storeys above downtown Toronto, crowning Cadillac Fairview’s 160 Front Street West commercial office tower, a few minutes walk away from the CN Tower.
Topping-off is typically celebrated when a building reaches its’ maximum height. In the case of a steel structure, celebrating the placement of the last beam is considered a major milestone for the ironworkers, construction team, and owners involved in erecting the building.
Construction Canada | April 5, 2023
Operating from 14 locations in Canada and specializing in structural engineering, the design consultant, RJC Engineers (RJC), has acquired the U.S. firm, Kordt Engineering Group (KEG) from the latter’s Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, offices.
The move will help RJC gain a foothold all over North America and endow its experience, capabilities, and depth of services to help KEG better cater to their clients. Both firms will continue offering services in structural, facade, structural glass engineering, and more.