The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC) has launched Sustainable Development for Canadian Consulting Engineers, a resource for engineers and owners of public and private infrastructure. The document provides information that will help consulting engineers and their clients with meeting future, long-term sustainability goals.

The 2014 edition of Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) National Conference and Expo is coming to Toronto. Titled “Building Lasting Change,” the event will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from June 2 to 4. The expo hall tradeshow has been expanded to include more booths and pavilions this year; there will also be more than 30 continuing education sessions, along with a half-day materials workshop sponsored by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) has developed an online resource, WoodFacts, to provide information regarding safety, code compliance, environmental impact, and economic benefits of building with wood products. The information is available to users in fact sheets, case studies, and relevant reports.

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) has launched a more user-friendly website providing increased accessibility of content on mobile devices. These updates allow more access to information for those on jobsites through smartphones and tablets with enhanced mobile responsive functionality.

Montréal-based colorPlan provides various construction professionals with new technologies and digital tools to create cost estimates for projects. The service helps construction companies reduce estimating efforts with outsourcing, and enables them to work more efficiently by completing estimates with precision. colorPlan focuses its estimating services on trades such as masonry, interior systems, concrete, and ceramics.

The second annual Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) Symposium is coming to Toronto this spring. Taking place at the Allstream Centre on April 24, the event aims to provide attendees with knowledge on how to integrate solar PV into building design while replacing other standard materials. The technological, economical, and legal concepts required to move this sector’s development forward, will be explored through discussion.

The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) has released an app for the third edition of its manual, HVAC Duct Construction Standard—Metal and Flexible. The program provides a simplified process for finding construction options for rectangular ducts with dimensions up to 3048 mm (120 in.) for applications discussed in the manual. It offers options for external and internal reinforcements, specifically angles and electrical metallic tubing (EMT) conduit tie rods, respectively.

Making Better Buildings: A Comparative Guide to Sustainable Construction for Homeowner’s and Contactors, offers readers information on every aspect of energy-efficient home building, from roofs and ceilings, to foundations. Author Chris Magwood is a builder and designer specializing in sustainable techniques. The resource provides information valuable to building owners and specifiers when comparing various systems’ for each particular project.

Arcom’s MasterSpec software program has been updated to include new lighting technologies and products now available to engineers and designers. These updates included separating previously called Section 265100, “Interior Lighting,” into six separate sections including “Incandescent Interior Lighting,” “LED Interior Lighting,” and “Emergency and Exit Lighting.” Further, the former Section 265600, “Exterior Lighting” was divided into five sections raning from “Lighting Poles and Standards” to “Exterior Athletic Lighting.”

The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-conditioning Engineers’ (ASHRAE’s) GreenGuide: Design, Construction, and Operation of Sustainable Buildings is now available in both print and e-book formats. The first version of the text was published a decade ago, and now it includes more updated information about the changing green building practices in North America. The chapter on indoor environmental quality was revised to include effective ways of improving occupant comfort while also reducing energy consumption.