About

WHO IS BC BUILDING SCIENCE?

Prior to its current form, the principals of BC Building Science Ltd. have been practicing together in the field since 1996. This experience includes work as partners in BC Building Science Partnership and as key employees of BC Building Science & Engineering Ltd – one of the original building envelope engineering firms established in 1996. With two of the most experienced company principals dedicated to building envelope engineering and management, BC Building Science has earned a reputation for providing effective, practical, and appropriate engineering solutions to building envelope design.

Our mission is to provide the latest building science technology to the design and construction industry to increase the performance and durability of buildings and building envelope systems. Our team is fully qualified and experienced in all aspects of the building science and building envelope engineering disciplines.

Qualifications of the firm and associates include:

Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia Member
Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, Geophysicists of Alberta Member
Professional Engineers of Ontario Member
Structural Engineers Association of British Columbia Member
Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of BC Member
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Registered Roof Observer (RRO)
Certified Passive House Designer (CPHC)
Accredited Paint Quality Assurance Specialist (PQA)
Certified Energy Advisor (CEA)

Professional and experienced staff provide the following in the areas of building envelope consulting services:

Building Envelope Consulting and Engineering for New Construction
Project Management and Engineering for Building Envelope Renovations, Repairs, and Renewal
Strata Services / Building Asset Management and Maintenance
Specialty Structural Consulting and Engineering
Building Envelope Field Testing
Energy Modelling and Consulting
Roofing and Waterproofing Consulting

Our range of project experience is diverse, ranging from complex multi-use new construction developments, to multi-unit renovation projects, and even simple technical support on single family developments. Over the past 20 years, BC Building Science, in various forms, has successfully completed over 1000 projects in British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, and California.

Our approach supports a sustainable construction industry. This is achieved through providing appropriate, responsible, practical building science solutions that aim to meet the goals of the Client as well as the broader goals of the environment and community.

APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS

Our key philosophy is to provide appropriate engineering solutions. We aim to communicate the most appropriate solution, which is not always the most low-risk or high-cost option. In our opinion, this is just good engineering. The design of the building envelope involves many considerations. Technological, environmental, land use, and societal needs change very rapidly and we believe that building envelope systems should be designed with consideration of future renewals and upgrades at the forefront.

We have worked on buildings that had expected service lives of five years (e.g. sales centers), to buildings that have expected services lives of 75+ years (e.g. hospitals and community centres) and each building has a unique set of design requirements. Our approach is to identify these requirements and design accordingly to best meet the expectations of the Client, future Owners, and the Community.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

Our deep respect for the natural environment is integrated into our systems and approaches. Considered envelope solutions can add value to society and the environment through responsible use of materials and resources:

Optimizing use of renewable, low impact, and upcycled materials in new buildings.
Designing durable, yet appropriate, assemblies where all components are designed to perform and age equally. This then reduces unnecessary waste at the time of renewal.
Carefully planned targeted repair strategies that optimize on the continued use of existing materials where possible.
Accommodating the future renewal of stay-in-place materials versus replaced new components.
Recommending renewals based on the Client failure criteria and not necessarily simply based on age (or expected service life).

PROFESSIONAL MOISTURE MANAGEMENT

Our expertise has roots in the coastal rainforest climate of British Columbia. This climate is particularly wet and humid, thus issues with moisture are more pronounced. As a result, we have developed an outstanding expertise in the understanding of moisture related issues in buildings. We have brought expertise beyond British Columbia to help Clients reduce risk of moisture issues in Alberta, Washington, and California. We are moisture management professionals.

ORGANIZATIONAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT

We have developed and detailed our own internal quality management systems to enhance the quality of work we are involved with. This includes comprehensive administration and project management services to aid Clients and Contractors with completing even the most complicated and technical projects, as well as the careful consideration and enhancement of architectural aesthetics. Regular and consistent reviews as well as updating our approach to practice ensures our Clients are provided with the highest level of technical expertise, value, and service. In recognition of our rigorous quality management systems, Engineers and Geoscientists BC (EGBC) has awarded us Organizational Quality Management (OQM) certification.

WHAT IS BUILDING SCIENCE?

Building Science is the study of passive moderation of mass climatic loading including air, water, vapour, and heat flows between environmental separations in buildings. The building enclosure, or building envelope, is the built assembly of materials designed to passively control this loading. This is typically achieved by the particular detailing and integration of moisture, air, vapour, and thermal control layers. Essentially, the primary function of these layers is to increase the durability of the building by protecting the structure and finishes from moisture related damage.

In simple terms, under most applications, the building envelope consists of the built enclosure including roofs, walls, windows, and foundations. This enclosure is designed to control rain water, ground water, interior humidity, and heat flow.

The Building Science Industry in British Columbia is supported by many contributors, making it one of the most progressive in the building construction world. Some key leaders in the local industry include:

BCBEC – BC Building Envelope Council
BC Housing – Licensing & Consumer Services
CMHC – Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation
CHOA – Condominium Home Owners Association of BC
RCABC – Roofing Contractors Association of BC
City of Vancouver
Other leading Building Envelope Consultants
And many others