1.5 ConEd Learning Hours
8:30 a.m. ‐ 10:00 a.m.
There must be 1.5 million homes built in Ontario by 2030 and the WGBC has stated that all new buildings are to be net zero operational carbon with a 40% reduction in embodied carbon by 2030. We must focus simultaneously on enhancing people’s quality of life while also meeting the challenges of building low‐carbon communities. The decisions we make today will impact the carbon footprint of the buildings we design for their lifetime. In Toronto, buildings account for about 60% of all carbon emissions; of the 323 cranes in the air, the vast majority are for residential projects—far more than any other North American city. Unfortunately, residential buildings have been the slowest to make the move toward low‐carbon design principles.
As key stakeholders in the development of residential buildings in Toronto, we want to understand why change is so slow, how we can come together to do something about it, and ultimately aim to design buildings that are both affordable and sustainable. This will be a multi‐disciplinary presentation based on a collaboration between BDP Quadrangle, Multiplex, TAS, Smith + Andersen, Entuitive, and RWDI to share the perspectives.
Learning Objectives
1. Explore innovative ideas and strategies for building homes in an environmentally and socially sustainable way, with an emphasis on creating complete communities that enhance quality of life and address issues of equity.
2. Understand the urgency of adopting low carbon design solutions within existing market conditions and the barriers contributing to the sluggish adoption of low‐carbon design principles in residential building projects, particularly within the Toronto context and identify potential strategies to overcome these obstacles.
3. Synthesize insights from cross‐disciplinary perspectives in developing effective strategies for creating low carbon, economically viable design.
4. Explore innovative approaches, technologies, and practices that can be integrated into the design and construction processes to achieve more rapid progress in meeting net zero operational carbon and embodied carbon reduction targets.
Michelle Xuereb Director of Innovation BDP Quadrangle
Over her 25‐year architectural career, Michelle Xuereb has dedicated herself to the intersection of sustainability, research, and design realization. As BDP Quadrangle’s Director of Innovation, Michelle provides the strategic direction required to embed innovation across the firm as well as overseeing the firm’s global Innovation Hub, a mechanism for crowdsourcing global ideation. She has worked on many of the studio’s most cutting‐edge projects, a snapshot of
which includes new approaches to mass timber as seen in 80 Atlantic, sensitive mid‐rises like DUKE, and the complex and intricate building additions of 130 Bloor Street West and 99 Gerrard.
Osemele Airewele Associate
BDP Quadrangle
Osemelu Airewele is an accomplished U.K. architect whose passion lies in socially responsible and inclusive design. With a deep commitment to equity in innovation, Ossie is a prominent thought leader at BDP Quadrangle, encouraging meaningful conversations about the future of inclusive design, leading key residential and mixed‐use projects, and driving the North American expansion of the studio. His affiliations with the ULI Toronto’s Curtner Urban Leadership Program and the Black Planners and Urbanists Association reflects his dedication to urban development, at BDP Quadrangle he demonstrates excellence in conceptualization, design, and execution.
Andrew Geldard Design Director BDP Quadrangle
Originally from the United Kingdom, Andrew Geldard knew he wanted to become an architect because of his natural aptitude for the sciences and creative drawing throughout his studies. Andrew has several years of experience working in Canadian and international architectural firms. He joined the BDP Quadrangle team in 2011 and is often involved in a project from the pre‐design conceptual stage through to design development. Andrew was the lead designer for notable projects, including 1181 Queen Street West and Duke Condos. In his role as design director, Andrew takes initiative in promoting design excellence across all BDP Quadrangle projects, acts as a mentor, and injects passion for design into the working process and atmosphere of the Studio. At BDP Quadrangle, Andrew utilizes and enhances his skills in building information modelling (BIM), which has sparked his growing interest in emerging design technologies. Andrew’s prior professional experience has made him well‐versed in institutional, commercial, and residential projects.
Liza Stiff
Vice President, Impact Implementation and Innovation TAS
Liza Stiff oversees connecting TAS’s impact goals with project pipeline, from early engagement and project visioning through to construction and occupancy. Liza is a design thinker and a natural collaborator. She brings more than 20 years of experience in design, architecture, real estate, and project delivery. Her previous experience includes complicated public/private partnership models in the GTA and abroad. Liza’s experience combined with her passion for driving meaningful impact helps her guide the team to innovate and strategically drive impact while pushing the traditional constraints of real estate development.
Bram Atlin Principal
Smith + Andersen
Bram Atlin has designed and managed the delivery of numerous projects, taking on increasingly complex roles. His roots with Smith + Andersen run deep—he worked with the firm as a co‐op student while completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo and joined S+A the same year he graduated. Bram leads the multi‐unit residential team based out of Toronto, providing innovative solutions on some of the GTA's most impressive high‐rise developments. Bram has designed and managed a wide variety of projects across the country, including high‐rise residential, institutional, commercial office, data centres and community centres, and continues to grow his extensive technical experience.
Aylin Ozkan
Technical Director, Associate | RWDI
Aylin Ozkan oversees the energy consulting services at RWDI. She is a recognized expert in the field of thermal resilience and energy efficiency in building design. Aylin teaches simulation, data visualization, and resiliency at the University of Toronto. She has contributed to projects such as the development of the MURB Design Guide and Thermal Resilience Design Guide and her research continues to advance thermal resilience design practice. Aylin has provided consulting to notable architecture firms on a variety of projects including residential buildings, affordable housing, hotels and spas, libraries, community centres, and several post-secondary buildings. Her areas of expertise include energy modeling, solar studies, daylight modelling, CFD, sustainable design, building enclosure solutions, and performance enhancement for existing buildings.
Anya Barkan Sustainability Manager Multiplex
Anya Barkan is a sustainability professional with 14 years of experience in construction, real estate development, and community‐building. Her experience spans across a variety of regions and sectors, and she has had the opportunity to be part of exciting projects such as the Regent Park Revitalization and Tour de Sustainability. Experienced in construction of residential, commercial, and life science buildings as well as infrastructure,
she continues to push the envelope when it comes to supporting the environment through her company’s sustainability‐driven initiatives, including the aim to reach net zero carbon emissions. She is constantly seeking change and improvements for the businesses and communities in which she builds, and has dedicated herself to changing the built environment through environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies.
Emily King
Associate, Sustainable Performance Group Entuitive
Emily King has more than eight years of experience working in the engineering industry with a background in structural engineer. She is the sustainable performance lead at Entuitive. Her expertise on projects in various applications includes transportation, institutional, industrial, healthcare, residential, and restoration. With a specialized focus in carbon‐responsible, energy efficient buildings, Emily works collaboratively with service experts and design teams to guide the design of low‐carbon structural and building envelope elements. Her expertise in lifecycle assessment helps reduce the embodied carbon of systems and materials, supporting the transition to zero carbon buildings.