Building Systems
Science on display at Memorial University
A blue whale skeleton, 25 metres long, suspends from the ceiling of Memorial University’s Core Science Facility—as though it is swimming in empty space.
Deep retrofit logistics trip up on key products
Few of the existing building technologies projected to help dramatically curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have yet conquered their market categories
Fuel-switching challenges expected to ease
Climate, cost and capacity pose fuel-switching challenges for building owners looking to curb greenhouse gas emissions in line with Canada’s target for a 40 per cent reduction below 2005 levels by 2030.
Flammable refrigerants spark GHG reductions
Researchers and manufacturers have now done much of the work to prepare for the HFC phase-down, but codes and standards will need to catch up before a new generation of lower-GWP refrigerants can be used.
Tapping into the disability purchasing market
Canadians with disabilities make up the largest potential market of consumers, clients, employees and homeowners, with an annual buying power of $25 billion.
The future of water in buildings is smart
Water creates levels of risk throughout all stages of a building’s life cycle and is a major cause of loss during and after construction.
Going fully hybrid at HSBC’s new Toronto office
On a Friday morning, in HSBC Bank’s new corporate office at 16 York in downtown Toronto, sit-stand desks and meeting rooms are dotted with workers who’ve returned from pandemic lockdowns.
Inside a Passive House first in Surrey, B.C.
Designing the Clayton Community Centre to become Passive House certified for ultra-low energy use was no easy feat, especially since the international standard had never been pursued for this type of facility in North America.
Strategies to reduce the risk of COVID in schools
Schools should implement these layered prevention strategies to mitigate the risks of COVID infection or transmission to the school community and beyond.
Know your way around indoor air quality improvement
Controlling indoor air quality is vital to reducing infection risk and improving health and safety in any facility.
Home owners and builders lack awareness of IAQ health risks
After exposure to scientific findings, the number of homeowners who viewed their homes as somewhat or very unhealthy more than tripled.
York Region piloting Passive House at new facility
A new men's emergency and transitional housing facility, set to rise in Aurora, Ontario, has opened the door to pilot-testing Passive House in York Region.
IAQ combos arresting airborne spread of COVID
Commercial building operators could use a combination of air exchange, filtration and purification to comply with the industry-leading guidance for arresting airborne spread of pathogens and contaminants.
Study finds elevator fans fail to eliminate pathogens
The confined space inside an elevator cabin creates a large risk of transmission despite standard ventilation.
Taking risk out of future workplace strategy
Right now, the world is awash with buzzwords, trends, and experts who claim they know exactly what the future workplace will look like.
Smarter care at Vaughan’s first hospital
Through the doors of Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, the first hospital to ever rise in Vaughan, Ontario, life’s health challenges are met with comfort, safety and lots of natural light.
5G rollout could bring clutter of antennas
Making buildings smarter could force some aesthetic trade-offs in commercial buildings as 5G services begin arriving on the mid-band and high-band of the spectrum.