Human-centred Design: Simplifying features in building automation

At the most basic level, a building automation system (BAS) helps reduce operating costs and equipment replacement capital costs by only running systems when they are needed. For example, facility professionals could use a BAS to raise air-conditioner set-points or turn off the system in college dorm rooms in Toronto in the spring and summer, or lower heating set points in Edmonton commercial office buildings on winter weekends.

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Designing green roofs for stormwater management

The number of vegetated roofs has consistently experienced double-digit growth over the past decade. An annual market survey conducted by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) shows the North American industry grew by 10 per cent in 2013 over the previous year, when a total of 519,151 m2 (6.4 million sf) were installed over 950 projects

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Specifying tiles outside the building

Tiled exterior features—such as walls, patios, and walkways—make a powerful first impression. A well-executed exterior installation can attract customers to a business, add curb appeal to a home, or complete a public space. Although worthwhile, exterior installations present potential complications, particularly in Canada, as there may be great temperature variation between the summer and winter months.

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Creating a regenerative building in Southern Ontario

What if a building could function like a forest? What if a project could be designed so it was an integral part of nature and enhanced its surroundings? This was the approach taken by the design team for the York Region Forest Stewardship Education Centre (YRFSEC)—a new single-storey, 371-m2 (4000-sf) building located in the middle of one of Southern Ontario’s natural treasures.

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Insulating solid masonry for heritage projects

Many buildings with solid or load-bearing masonry walls employ interior insulation retrofit strategies as heritage significance precludes work from the exterior. However, adding insulation on the interior side of these solid walls may result in accelerated masonry freeze-thaw deterioration in addition to embedded metal corrosion (of lateral ties and supporting angles/structure) or wood joist rot.

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