OBEC Student Event at University of Toronto

March 19, 2020 -

CANCELLED - 2030 Challenge: One Step at a Time Towards More Healthy, Durable, Resilient, and Sustainable Buildings

Do you wonder if wood is really more sustainable than concrete or steel? Are you worried that “big picture” policies and legislation from the government may not come in time to mitigate climate change?

Join us for a lively panel discussion with respected industry leaders on how building professionals can be actively involved in helping Ontario meet its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 65 per cent by 2030. The session will be introduced by assistant professor Bomani Khemet and moderated by professor Ted Kesik.

This event is brought to you by the Daniels Student Chapter of the Ontario Building Envelope Council (OBEC), with promotional support from the Toronto Society of Architects.

Attendees are eligible for two Structured Learning Hours (2018 – 2020 OAA Continuing Education Program Cycle).

Participants:

Bomani Khemet is an assistant professor of building science in the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto, and is a registered professional engineer in the province of Ontario. He earned his Bachelors in Applied Science in mechanical engineering at the University of Ottawa, a Master of Engineering in mechanical engineering at Howard University, a Master of Building Science at Ryerson University and a PhD in civil engineering at Ryerson University. Bomani has had several years of experience teaching both Building Science and HVAC courses to practicing architects, engineers, graduate, and undergraduate students. Professionally, Bomani has over a decade of engineering experience as a designer or manager on a variety of fascinating construction, transportation, and design projects.

Ted Kesik is a professor of building science in the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto, with a career focus on the integration of professional practice, research, and teaching. Professor Kesik’s research interests include resilience, sustainability, durability, high performance buildings, life cycle assessment, and building performance simulation. His current research involves the development of design guidelines for low-carbon buildings that are resilient, sustainable and promote climate change adaptation. He continues to practice as a consulting engineer to leading architectural offices, forward thinking enterprises, and progressive government agencies.

Luka Matutinovic has spent 13 years focussing on improving the performance of the built environment. He combines detailed knowledge of building design, operations, and project delivery to make advanced technical solutions possible. To achieve this, he focuses on integrating performance analytics into the design process to improve how people work together. The result is elevated value-creation at the project, team, and organizational levels. Luka has acted as the sustainable design lead on over 100 projects in nearly all asset classes, including LEED Platinum, Passive House and Zero Carbon projects. He is principal of Purpose Building and a past Vice-President of IBPSA Canada.

Alex Speigel has designed and developed a wide range of innovative projects — commercial, residential and mixed use — over the past 40 years. As partner in charge of Windmill Developments' Toronto office, he is currently directing a diverse range of sustainable infill projects in urban Toronto and Guelph, based on the One Planet Living Framework. Alex has served as an advisor to many community organizations and non-profits, including the Centre for Social Innovation, TCHC, and Artscape, as well as landowners and development companies. He has served on the boards of the OAA’s Committee for the Sustainable Built Environment, the Kehilla Program for Affordable Housing, and the Annex Residents Association.

Andy Thomson is a graduate of UBC's School of Architecture, with 24 years of experience in Germany, the U.S. and Canada in the field of green design and construction. Combined with his love of the outdoors, his background and experience inform the work he does today. When Andy isn't glued to the computer, he can be found windsurfing, cycling, or riding electric skateboards. Andy speaks English, German, and French when he’s not speaking about sustainable architecture. Recently, he was elected vice president (strategic) at the OAA, where he sits on council and is also a member of the Sustainable Built Environment Committee (SBEC). He's principal at Thomson Architecture Inc.

Sandra Dedesko specializes in high-performance buildings that promote occupant health and environmental sustainability. She has international research and consulting experience on this topic and is motivated to apply research findings to industry work. Prior to her role as a sustainability consultant at RWDI, Sandra completed an MASc where she worked on three distinct research projects that examined the impacts of building design and operation on indoor environmental quality and occupant health. She continues to be involved with developing and delivering education through various organizations, including the University of Toronto, the CaGBC, and the IWBI. She currently serves as a WELL air and thermal comfort advisor to help shape the next version of the WELL Building Standard.

Jelena Madzarevic is a building and material sciences specialist at EllisDon, where she helps mitigate enclosure-related risks on projects. At EllisDon, she also supports company-wide development by delivering building science training. She sits on the Ontario Building Envelope Council’s communications committee, where she assists with the publication of their magazine, Pushing the Envelope. In 2018, she was awarded OBEC’s graduate scholarship in recognition of her involvement with OBEC and research in building science. Recently, she presented her research at the Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation and Energy Conservation 2019 conference.

Mark Gaglione spent the early part of his career in private real estate development. Now with EllisDon, Mark works in the Construction Sciences division, where he is focused on accelerating the adoption of emerging construction technologies and has played a central role in the proliferation of mass timber. EllisDon is a leading construction and building services company that completes in excess of $3.5 billion worth of contracts annually, in every market sector and across the globe. Over the last 65 years, they have grown from being a general contractor to a multi-faceted company that can deliver any aspect of a project.

EVENT IS CANCELLED