A summary of recent advances

Glazing considerations such as window area, elevation and orientation, thermal performance and solar shading to optimize natural daylighting and passive solar heat gain are very important to the envelope performance and energy consumption of buildings [1]. [BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, IBI Group and Henriquez Partners Architects, Photo: Nic Lehoux]

by Hugh Perry

Many of Canada’s commercial buildings were built over 40 years ago when there were few, if any, worries about energy performance and environmental responsibility. In an era of cheap and abundant energy, heating and cooling loads were of little concern; buildings were often clad entirely in glass with no differentiation between facades having different orientations. (more…)

Bioclimatic Design - Teaching/research complex uses natural means to produce energy savings

The covered approach to the south elevation. Much of the cladding consists of a local pre-stained wood siding.

Incorporating both research facilities for the wood industry and undergraduate teaching space for 200 students and faculty in an 8,000 sq.m building, the all-wood Kruger Building is located on the edge of the University of Laval’s suburban Quebec City campus, and linked to the existing buildings of the Faculty of Forestry and Geomatics. (more…)