Opening Remarks
Turning Challenges into Opportunity
A message from Richard Tremblay, General Manger of Construction, National Research Council of Canada
FEATURED WESTERN CANADA COVERAGE
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Could Wood be a Better Building Envelope
A typical eight-storey building is usually not newsworthy. However, this eight-storey office and educational space, located in Prince George, British Columbia, is because its building envelope is made completely out of wood. In fact, the Wood Innovation and Design Centre is the world’s tallest wood building constructed in modern times; aside from the bottom floor and foundation, which are made of concrete, the remainder of the building is clad only with timber planks and engineered mass timber products. It was completed on time, on budget and with locally-sourced lumber. This feature story showcased this project and the potential that engineered mass timber products could have in building mid-rise and high-rise structures
ALBERTA
A new Beacon on the horizon for Edmonton
A tower that will dramatically alter the city’s skyline is under construction in Edmonton, Alberta, with the future title of tallest building in western Canada in its sights. At 66 mixed-use storeys and 820 feet high, the Stantec Tower will be the highest residential address in Canada, west of Toronto. Learn more about Stantec Tower, which will open in 2018.
SASKATCHEWAN
New Ideas for old Saskatchewan Structures
Wooden crib grain elevators are icons on the Canadian Prairies. These structures have evolved from functionality to monumentality over the past 125 years. The author of this article proposes that wooden grain elevators can be transformed from spaces for grain to spaces for people.
MANITOBA
VDC Makes Breathtaking Building Envelopes Possible
The 2014 opening of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), located in the heart of Winnipeg’s historic Forks district, was the culmination of the late Israel Asper’s dream of creating a hub where Canadians could be allowed to learn about human rights and the importance of protecting those rights. The complexity and unconventionality of the CMHR made it very difficult to rely on traditional methods to display the design intent of the project as the sheer volume of 2D drawings that would be required to fully explain the many contours and angles of the CMHR would have been vast. As a result, PCL leaned heavily on Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) modelling during the complete construction process, helping to make certain that nothing was lost in translation through the navigation from a 2D plan to the 3D structure.
Departments
INNOVATION
Melding Mother Nature With Urban Design
While this is not a new concept, green vegetative options have greatly advanced over the past decade. This article discussed how properly installed vegetative roofing assemblies can more than double the lifespan of a building’s waterproofing membrane.
RESEARCH
Effectiveness of Different Drip Edges
By deflecting rainwater from the exterior surface of a wall assembly, drip edges can reduce moisture-related issues. This article outlined results from a study that compared the effectiveness of different drip edge materials, profiles and overhang distances.
TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Winter 2016 TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES SPOTLIGHT
Learn about the latest tools and technologies available to market. Do you want your product showcased here and in the magazine? Contact us for details on how to be a part of the content.