Fire and the Spaces Between: An examination of the Grenfell Tower Fire

Please join us for a hybrid online and in person presentation on "Fire and the Spaces Between: An examination of the Grenfell Tower Fire, and the implications to high-rise construction in relation to the British Columbia Building Code"

Location

BCIT Downtown Campus, 555 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 3H6

and 

MS Teams live stream

Overview

On June 14, 2017 a fire occurred at the 24 storey, Grenfell Tower apartment building in London, England. 72 people were killed in the fire or succumbed to their injuries afterwards.  Could this happen in Canada? This presentation will review the rehabilitation of building envelopes, combustible cladding issues and the use of foam plastic in exterior walls. It will look at the National Building Code of Canada relative to recent developments in exterior wall requirements.  The presentation examines the role architects play in ensuring buildings are safe for the occupants.

Presenters:

Mr. Gordon Richards Architect AIBC, FRAIC, CP

Jensen Hughes Engineering and Architectural Consulting Ltd.

and

Mr. Don Hazleden Architect AIBC, FRAIC, LEED®AP, BEP

Houseworks Building Science Inc.

Speaker Bios:

Gord is experienced in design and code compliance for new and existing structures. He has been a Certified Professional since 1984, and is one of Jensen Hughes’ most experienced Code Consultants, having specialized in Code Consulting for healthcare and residential occupancies for the past 18 years. Gord is a former President of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC), and a former President of the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB). He worked in private practice for over 20 years, during which time he gained firsthand understanding of the diverse challenges design teams face as they bring a project from schematic design through construction and occupancy. This wealth of experience enables him to approach projects from a unique vantage point, developing solutions that best suit both the client’s goals and the protection of the public as framed by the standards of the Code

Don Hazleden is the president of Houseworks Building Science Inc. As an architect and principal at Morrison Hershfield Ltd., from 2004 to 2016, he provided building envelope consulting services to over 100 projects in British Columbia. Don is widely known for his work in architecture, building science, research and development management. In 1995 he organized the Building Envelope Research Consortium (BERC), bringing together representatives of the building industry to develop the technical response to the leaky condo problem. From 1998 to the present he has specialized in the practice of building envelope consulting. He recently authored an article published in the Journal of Building Engineering, titled; A decay risk model for wood frame walls using the 4Ds with special reference to New Zealand.