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SUMMARY:2026 BCBEC CONFERENCE & AGM SPEAKERS
DESCRIPTION:  \nUpdated October 5\, 2026 10:30am \n \n \nFriday\, November 20th\, 2026\nJW Marriott Parq\n39 Smithe Street\nVancouver\, BC\n7:00 am – 5:00 pm \n  \n2026 BCBEC CONFERENCE & Schedule\nClick on picture for larger view (pdf)\n \nSpeakers Information and Conference Presentation Summaries\n8:15 – 8:55am\n\nJames Klassen\, B.A.\, GRP\nRoofing Contractors Association of BC (RCABC) \nJames Klassen is senior RoofStar Technical Advisor with the Roofing Contractors Association of British Columbia. As an occasional staff writer for external publications\, he contributes to education and policy development for sustainable ‘green roof’ design and was the team leader to develop the RoofStar Vegetated Roof Guarantee. James also writes and produces technical drawings for RCABC’s Standards and manages the RCABC online Roofing Practices Manual. He is a voting member of the CSA-A123 Technical Committee on Roofing and co-chairs the CSA A123.5 Technical Sub-committee. \nPresentation: Designing Reliable Green Roofs for Existing Buildings in British Columbia \nGreen roofs aren’t just a nice-to-have feature on new buildings. Because of recent policy shifts at the City of Vancouver and other municipalities\, green roofs are fast becoming the strategy of choice for satisfying municipal stormwater management requirements. But green roofs can be so much more\, even for existing buildings. Green roofs add value to the property\, attenuate exterior noise (softening outside sounds heard inside a building)\, retain interior warmth in the heating season and help to cool a building in the heat of summer (great for older structures). Green roofs also provide a home and safe foraging for birds and insects\, scrub the air of pollutants\, protect the roof membrane from impact damage\, improve rooftop solar and mechanical efficiency by cooling the air\, and extend the service life of membrane roofs by shielding membranes from the sun and moderating membrane temperature swings. In short\, green roofs can play a key role in making buildings more comfortable\, resilient\, and sustainable\, a wise investment for owners who may run on thin operation budgets and slim margins. \nGreen roofs also play a key role in creating defensible spaces where urban interface wildfires may make it otherwise difficult to obtain affordable property insurance. Cities that historically have contended with devastating wildfires\, like the City of Los Angeles\, are turning to green roofs as a recommended strategy for reducing structure fire losses\, because green roofs resist fire spread from falling embers\, which are the leading cause of structural losses during wildfire events. \nExisting buildings certainly present some design challenges\, especially when considering a structure’s dead and live load limits\, but because green roof systems are inherently flexible in their makeup\, depth\, and weight\, they can be adapted to a wide range of roofs. \nThe RCABC\, in partnership with its members\, provides a robust QA/QC program that delivers reliable green roofs for British Columbia. This presentation provides a basic introduction to green roofs\, addresses both their benefits and the challenges of designing and constructing a green roof for both new and existing buildings\, and offers some principles of good fire design when considering a suitable green roof for buildings vulnerable to wildfires.\n \n9:00 – 9:40am\n\nHugh Lowry\, M.Eng\, BA.Sc\nElemex \nHugh Lowry has an engineering background and extensive experience in sustainable design\, specializing in advancing building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technologies with a focus on Elemex’s innovative Solstex® system. Hugh’s work experience encompasses solar solutions of varying backgrounds\, from ground mounted solar farms to building integrated solutions. Direct to grid\, or battery storage – Hugh is a knowledgeable resource when harnessing the sun’s energy. He works closely with architects\, developers\, and builders to deliver energy-efficient\, aesthetically pleasing solutions that help achieve net-zero building goals. He supports projects from design through certification to ensure high performance and sustainability.  \nPresentation: Solar Facades: Understanding Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) in Pressure-Equalized Rainscreens \nThis presentation will offer an overview of rainscreen technologies being used to incorporate BIPV into a building’s façade. We will discuss the important role onsite power generation can play in creating positive environmental impacts\, contributing to LEED certification goals\, and positively impacting costs associated with energy use. We will look at the components required to successfully install and operate a BIPV system\, as well as some of the design considerations architects should pay attention to in order to maximize solar capture and system performance. Also\, this content will address how BIPV facades can meet or beat applicable standards and building codes. Finally\, this presentation will discuss the advantages of solar facades that are specified with a pressure-equalized rainscreen solution\, and how this option provides a more durable and sustainable system. \n10:25 – 11:05am\n\nDr. Mohammad Fakoor\, PhD\, P.Eng\nRJC Engineers \nDr. Mohammad Fakoor is the technical lead of the Building Performance Team at RJC Engineers. His work spans project delivery\, technical review\, and education in energy modelling\, airtightness testing\, climate risk assessment\, research\, and life cycle carbon analysis. Mohammad has contributed to a wide range of projects involving the energy performance of residential\, commercial\, and industrial buildings\, decarbonization planning for the built environment\, life cycle assessment (LCA) of concrete\, steel\, and timber structures\, and building enclosure airtightness testing. This multidisciplinary work draws on expertise in heat transfer\, thermodynamics\, fluid mechanics\, HVAC systems\, and building science. As a published author and lecturer\, Mohammad actively advances the field through both professional practice and research\, with his work widely cited in relevant literature. \nPresentation: Occupant Thermal Comfort: The Blind Spot of the Building Industry \nThermal comfort is often treated as a mechanical engineering challenge; however\, architectural and building enclosure design can play an equally important role in determining occupant comfort. This presentation explores how key design parameters—including window-to-wall ratio\, glazing performance\, window geometry\, shading\, and surface temperatures—influence thermal comfort through their effects on mean radiant temperature\, solar exposure\, radiant asymmetry\, and downdrafts. Using thermal comfort principles and comparative envelope studies\, the presentation demonstrates why indoor air temperature alone is not an adequate indicator of occupant comfort and how architectural decisions can substantially affect both comfort and cooling demand. Particular attention is given to the interaction between occupants and surrounding surfaces\, especially highly glazed façades. The presentation highlights opportunities to integrate thermal comfort analysis earlier in the design process\, reducing reliance on mechanical systems while improving occupant well-being\, energy performance\, and overall building performance.  \n11:10 – 11:40am\n\nJames Emery\, Architect AIBC\, P.ENG.\, LEED AP\, CAHP | Principal\nIredale Group Architecture \nJames Emery is a senior architect and structural engineer with more than 30 years of experience leading residential\, mixed-use\, and community-focused projects across British Columbia. As the leader of Iredale Architecture’s Special Projects team\, he is at the forefront of research and innovation in housing delivery\, affordability\, and sustainable design. James has played a key role in advancing prefabricated\, modular\, and off-site construction methods\, including BC Housing’s Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing (DASH 1.0) initiative\, where he helped develop wood-based and digitally enabled solutions for affordable housing. His expertise spans multi-residential development\, integrated project delivery\, funding program alignment\, and the application of accessible\, adaptable\, and universal design principles. \nA recognized leader in sustainable building practices\, James has contributed to high-performance projects targeting Step Code\, LEED Platinum\, and Living Building Challenge standards. Through his work with non-profits\, First Nations\, government agencies\, and housing providers\, he brings a practical and forward-thinking perspective on delivering housing that is affordable\, resilient\, and responsive to community needs. \n \n\nAlbert Lam\, MBA\, Architectural Technologist AIBC | Associate\nIredale Group Architecture \nAlbert Lam is an innovation-focused architectural technologist and strategist with over 10 years of experience advancing wood-based construction\, digital design technologies\, and housing innovation. He has co-authored industry resources such as BIM for Wood Buildings: An Introductory Guide and Collaborative Construction Strategies for BC Housing. Albert also played a key role in BC Housing’s Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing (DASH 1.0) initiative\, helping to develop scalable\, prefabrication-ready solutions for affordable housing. Working at the intersection of design\, construction\, technology\, and policy\, Albert is passionate about advancing sustainable\, equitable\, and efficient approaches to housing delivery. His experience includes Building Information Modeling (BIM)\, Virtual Design and Construction (VDC)\, prefabrication\, standardized housing systems\, and regulatory implementation. Through publications\, conference presentations\, and industry engagement\, he actively promotes knowledge transfer and skills development to accelerate the adoption of innovative wood-based construction solutions. \nIn addition to his technical expertise\, Albert brings more than a decade of embedded community engagement experience across British Columbia and Alberta. He has worked directly with municipalities\, business improvement associations\, property owners\, tenants\, and community organizations on complex urban development initiatives\, including master planning in Vancouver’s and Calgary’s Chinatowns\, economic development in Vancouver’s Hastings Corridor and Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood\, and innovative programming through a UBC-based academic-community collective. This combination of technical and community-centered experience provides him with a unique perspective on advancing housing innovation while responding to local needs and priorities.\n \nPresentation: Coordination and Standardization for Climate and Seismic Requirements: BC Housing DASH \nBritish Columbia is facing an unprecedented housing supply crisis\, prompting a concerted push\ntoward industrialized construction\, off-site prefabrication\, and mid-rise wood-frame development.\nWhile standardization is the cornerstone of manufacturing efficiency\, BC’s physical geography\npresents a major design paradox. How do you implement a standardized “kit of parts” across a\nprovince characterized by wildly diverse microclimates—ranging from the high-precipitation\,\ntemperate coast (Climate Zone 4) to the sub-zero interior (Climate Zone 7A/7B)—alongside some of the highest seismic hazard zones in North America? \nThis presentation introduces BC Housing’s Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing\n(DASH) platform and explores how it resolves this paradox. DASH acts as a digital-first\, industrialized framework for mid-rise housing\, using standardized approaches to spatial and structural systems optimized for prefabricated systems. \nImportantly for building envelope specialists\, the DASH platform does not rely on a single “one-size-fits-all” wall assembly. Instead\, it employs a parametric design methodology to provide interchangeable envelope variations and ensure coordination with structural systems and off-site construction practices: DASH’s own interpretation of Designing for Manufacturing and Assembly. \nThis session will dissect the technical integration of these standardized systems\, demonstrating how they maintain moisture management integrity (rainscreen principles)\, eliminate localized thermal bridging in prefabricated joints\, and meet the stringent step-targets of the BC Energy Step Code and Zero Carbon Step Code\, all while accommodating seismic requirements. \n \n1:15 – 2:00pm\n\nKEYNOTE SPEAKER\nVaughn Palmer\, Provincial Political Columnist\nVancouver Sun \nVaughn Palmer is the Vancouver Sun columnist on B.C. politics and government. Palmer has been on the provincial political beat since 1984\, covering eleven premiers and counting. He also delivers a daily commentary on B.C. politics on the Simi Sara show on CKNW radio in Vancouver. \nIn 2005\, Palmer won the Bruce Hutchison award for lifetime achievement from the Jack Webster Foundation. This year Palmer was the co-winner of the Michener-Baxter award for exceptional service to public interest journalism in Canada\, awarded by the Michener foundation. The award\, established in 1983\, is rarely given and Palmer is one of only 14 winners.\n \nPresentation: BC Politics\, Government and Finances \nWhat’s next for B.C.? Palmer will take a closer look at the province’s political landscape\, government\, and financial outlook\, and explore the priorities and challenges that could shape B.C.’s next chapter. With the possibility of either a re-elected David Eby NDP government or the province’s first B.C. Conservative government in 100 years\, the presentation will examine what each path could mean for the agenda ahead. \n2:20 – 3:00pm\n\nPatrick Roppel\, P.Eng.\, M.A.Sc.\nEvoke \nPatrick Roppel is a managing principal at Evoke Buildings Engineering and a building science specialist with over 20 years of consulting experience related to building science and energy efficiency. Patrick’s focus in recent years has been providing tools and guidance to the industry to help practitioners make informed design decisions related to constructability\, thermal\, energy and hygrothermal performance. Patrick has been involved with numerous retrofits in BC and beyond and will bring this experience to this presentation.  \nPresentation: Uncertainty and Predicting Building Envelope Performance for Existing Buildings \nManaging uncertainty is fundamental to engineering analysis and the evaluation of building performance. Effective retrofit solutions are achieved by balancing risks\, benefits\, and project objectives while considering the needs of building owners and occupants. In an ideal world\, every decision would be supported by complete information\, comprehensive testing\, and well-defined probabilities. In practice\, however\, building retrofits are often undertaken with incomplete information and limited opportunities to exhaustively verify existing conditions or predicting the boost in performance is an educated guess at best.
URL:https://bcbec.com/event/2026-bcbec-conference-agm-speakers/
LOCATION:JW Marriott Parq Vancouver\, 39 Smithe Street\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6B 0R3\, Canada
CATEGORIES:AGM,Vancouver Events,Vancouver Island Events,Workshops & Seminars
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