Wednesday, February 10
My Cart9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
The missing middle: mass timber residential prototypes
Location: Rooms 208/209
- Architecture
- Construction & Trades
- Engineering
- Homebuilding & Renovation
Streams: Housing Planning, Development & Supply
Tracks: Housing Solutions; Prefabrication, Modular & Offsite Construction; WoodWorks at BUILDEX
Building Types: Mixed-Use, Residential: Multi-Unit
Partners: Canadian Wood Council (CWC)
As municipalities push for increased levels of housing in a market full of challenges, how does wood construction provide opportunities in building heights previously overlooked? This session will discuss how the prototypes presented in the Tall Timber Playbook relate to municipal policy and current community planning strategies across the lower mainland. Speakers will discuss the alignment of wood projects with community plans and what conditions can make them financially viable. The session will answer the question of how residential developers can find viable project solutions amid difficult market conditions using wood construction.
Speakers
Graham Brewster Founder, Beam Projects
Graham Brewster is the founder of Beam, a Vancouver-based mass timber development and advisory company. A fifth-generation BC builder, he previously led mass timber innovation at Wesgroup Properties, including the 10-over-2 concept and the creation of the Western Mass Timber Alliance. Beam builds the frameworks and tools that make mid-rise mass timber viable – connecting developer economics, structural optimization, and modern methods of construction to build better homes, faster.
Annabelle Hamilton Executive Director, WoodWorks BC
Annabelle is part of the WoodWorks BC team, overseeing active engagement, technical support and strategic development of initiatives that support the growth and awareness of Mass Timber in the BC market. Prior to joining WoodWorks, Annabelle built her career in the private sector, working for several Vancouver-based multi-family developers, successfully leading projects from concept to completion.
Sailen Black Senior Green Building Planner, City of Vancouver
Sailen is part of the Green & Resilient Buildings team in Planning, Urban Design & Sustainability at the City of Vancouver. His recent work included expanding and simplifying zero emission incentives for the new multiplex zoning, and developing incentives and relaxations for tall mass timber buildings.
- Early
- $65
- Regular
- $85
Presenting Partner
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
The missing middle: how to design and construct mass timber mid-rise
Location: Room 207
- Architecture
- Construction & Trades
- Engineering
- Homebuilding & Renovation
Streams: Project Planning, Procurement, Management & Delivery
Tracks: Housing Solutions; WoodWorks at BUILDEX
Building Types: Mixed-Use, Residential: Multi-Unit
Partners: Canadian Wood Council (CWC)
As mid-rise density is developed around transit hubs and other community features, the lack of project examples in this height range leave room for wood buildings to find an opening. This session will discuss the design and construction aspects of the two prototypes presented in the Tall Timber Playbook. Featuring voices from architecture, engineering, and construction, this session will discuss ideas to consider when designing or building with wood in the 7 to 18 storey range. The presentation will cover strategies to achieve the greatest benefits of wood within a construction climate where cost is the biggest driver, how to ensure design is responsive to the constraints on contractors, and how project teams can work together to bring viable solutions to today’s construction market.
Speakers
Scott Goldfinch Senior Project Manager, Wesgroup Contracting
Scott Goldfinch is a Senior Project Manager at Wesgroup Contracting with over ten years delivering complex projects, including large-scale master-planned communities. For the past four years, he has led the construction arm of Wesgroup’s mass timber innovation, taking a practical owner-developer-builder approach to making timber work – blending technical and financial viability with the execution realities in planning and on-site.
Derek Ratzlaff Technical Director, WoodWorks BC
Derek is the Technical Director at WoodWorks BC and has been involved in the wood industry for over 30 years in various roles. He started in single and multi-family light wood construction before moving into structural engineering consulting. Derek has experience in the design of all types of wood construction, and played key roles in the delivery of iconic BC wood structures such as, the Richmond Olympic Oval and Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre. He brings his experience to the development of education and resources for the wood construction industry.
Taizo Yamamoto Principal, Yamamoto Architecture
For over 20 years, Taizo Yamamoto Architect AIBC has been the Principal of Yamamoto Architecture, a firm established in 1991 by his father Tomizo Yamamoto. Yamamoto Architecture’s practice focuses on wood construction and on aligning policy with construction realities to accelerate the delivery and affordability of housing.
Tobias Fast Partner, Fast + Epp
Tobias Fast is a Partner at Fast + Epp with more than a decade of experience delivering innovative structural engineering projects across North America and Europe. Before joining the firm’s Vancouver office, he worked with leading engineering firms in New York and London, as well as Fast + Epp’s Frankfurt office. He holds graduate and undergraduate engineering degrees from the University of British Columbia and was named Partner in 2023. Tobias also leads Fast + Epp’s Concept Lab, advancing research, innovation, and digital practice across the firm.
- Early
- $65
- Regular
- $85
Presenting Partner
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
From catalogue to construction: applying Canada’s housing design catalogue in Vancouver
Location: Room 217
- Architecture
- Construction & Trades
- Engineering
- Homebuilding & Renovation
Streams: Housing Planning, Development & Supply
Tracks: Housing Solutions
Building Types: Residential: Multi-Unit
As governments and municipalities seek faster, more cost-effective ways to deliver housing, standardized designs are gaining momentum across Canada. This session explores Canada’s Housing Design Catalogue, a national initiative developed to accelerate the delivery of low-rise housing and how it’s being applied in practice. Attendees will receive an inside look at the Catalogue and learn about a 12-unit pilot project in the City of Vancouver that is adapting a catalogue design for local implementation. Representatives from CMHC, the City of Vancouver, and project architects will share key insights and lessons learned from both the design and implementation of the Catalogue and the pilot project. This session will provide practical strategies for using standardized designs to streamline projects, and support faster housing delivery.
Speakers
Chris Knight Principal Architect, Michael Green Architecture
Chris is a Principal at MGA, Michael Green Architecture, where he brings over a decade of experience designing mid-rise multi-family residential projects both locally and internationally. Originally from Toronto, he is a vocal advocate for housing policy reform and is particularly engaged in mass timber and prefabricated construction. He holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Waterloo.
Rhys Leitch Principal Architect, Integra Architecture
Rhys Leitch is a Principal at Integra Architecture with extensive experience in multi-family residential design, mass timber, and off-site prefabricated construction. Originally from Australia, Rhys joined Integra in 2013 and has since led a wide range of residential and mixed-use projects throughout British Columbia.
Rhys has extensive experience leading projects incorporating mass timber, prefabricated panelized wall systems, CLT floor assemblies, and other advanced off-site construction methodologies. His work explores the integration of mass timber, prefabrication, BIM, and high-performance building design to improve constructability, quality, and efficiency while delivering thoughtful, context-responsive architecture.
Michael Watibini Senior Development Manager, Non Market Housing, City of Vancouver
Michael is an experienced Development Planner with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. He is a strong business development professional with a Master of Planning from The University of Calgary.
Elle Ziegler Advisor, Housing Programs, CMHC
Elle Ziegler is an Advisor in Housing Programs at CMHC and a co-lead of the Housing Design Catalogue. She brings over 15 years of experience across architecture, strategy, and innovation, and leads national housing initiatives that create practical, inclusive design solutions adaptable by non-profits, municipalities, and developers alike. Elle completed a Masters of Advanced Studies in Architecture at UBC and began her career in Vancouver’s architecture sector, with roles in consulting, research, and federal program delivery. She draws from both lived experience and technical expertise, and believes deeply in the role of housing as a foundation for community well-being.
- Early
- $65
- Regular
- $85
Thursday, February 11
My Cart9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Accelerating housing delivery with prefabricated washroom cassettes
Location: Room 217
- Architecture
- Construction & Trades
- Property Management & Building Operations
- Homebuilding & Renovation
Streams: Housing Planning, Development & Supply; Technology, Innovation & Smart Buildings
Tracks: Housing Solutions; Prefabrication, Modular & Offsite Construction
Building Types: Residential: Multi-Unit
To meet the growing demand for housing in Canada, the industry is turning to modern methods of construction using standardized and prefabricated building systems to accelerate project delivery and improve construction efficiency. Through understanding the prototype MEP Cassettes created for BC Housing, this session explores how shifting complex mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work from the job site to an offsite factory optimizes construction workflows. Attendees will discover how this approach shortens project timelines, minimizes waste, and simplifies the coordination of multiple trades on-site. Whether you’re a developer, contractor, or designer, you’ll walk away with a clear understanding of how prefabrication empowers teams.
Speakers
Karina Delcourt Director of Strategic Initiatives, ETRO Construction
Karina is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at ETRO Construction in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she oversees the implementation of digital solutions for both the office and field in order to provide ETRO with the best ways to deliver construction projects for our clients.
With a scholarly foundation in Architecture, and roles in Urban Planning, Architecture and Interior Design, Karina discovered her passion lay in the "how" of building projects and measuring the outcomes over the form and function. She challenged this curiosity for improving systems and processes throughout her career.
Helen Goodland Principal, Head of Research and Innovation, Scius Advisory
Helen Goodland is an architect registered in the UK and has an MBA from the University of BC. As head of research and innovation for Scius, she brings over 30 years of experience working on transformative solutions for the real estate and construction industries in Canada and around the world.
Helen is firmly committed to achieving truly sustainable buildings within the next decade. She is also passionate about advancing leadership opportunities for women in construction technology. To this end, she participates on numerous boards and committees. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors of Building Transformations (formerly CanBIM), the BC Digital Advisory Council, the BCIT Mass Timber Education Advisory Board and the University of Victoria’s Green Civil Engineering Advisory Council. She is also past chair of the UN Sustainable Buildings Initiative’s Materials Technical Committee.
Albert Lam Associate, Iredale Architecture
Albert Lam’s experience ranges from architecture, BIM, innovation, and apprentice carpentry. He brings detailed knowledge of construction methods and a practical approach to resolving on-site issues. His project portfolio includes a variety of heritage, commercial and residential projects, as well as innovation development in sustainability and housing.
Albert is passionate about global and community stewardship. He routinely works within international teams and has delivered presentations on innovation to peers globally. He also works closely with City policy makers and staff, as well as directly with communities, on social and economic development, including Vancouver’s Chinatown, the Downtown Eastside, and Strathcona.
Gabriela Mercado Senior Advisor, Sustainability and Resilience, BC Housing
Gabriela’s goal is to create buildings that go beyond meeting regulatory standards, contributing instead to a sustainable, climate-resilient future. With a focus on energy efficiency, regeneration, and climate adaptation, she is committed to advancing sustainability and resilience within the built environment. At BC Housing, Gabriela leads efforts in sustainability and resilience planning, identifying opportunities to drive innovation and transformation across projects. By overseeing performance monitoring at both the project and portfolio levels, she helps ensure that sustainability and resilience remain core components of these initiatives. She also works to shape strategies that prioritize climate adaptation, long-term environmental stewardship, and the continuous improvement of the built environment.
- Early
- $65
- Regular
- $85
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Homebuilding & Renovation Keynote – The next housing boom: rallying around the citizen developer
Location: BUILDEX Main Stage (Booth 843)
- Architecture
- Construction & Trades
- Engineering
- Homebuilding & Renovation
Streams: Housing Planning, Development & Supply
Tracks: Housing Solutions
Building Types: Residential: Multi-Unit
BC needs tens of thousands of new homes on existing residential land, and the builders best positioned to deliver them aren’t large developers – they are homeowners, small contractors, and local entrepreneurs. Provincial SSMUH legislation has opened the door to duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes on single-family lots across the province, creating a market opportunity measured in the hundreds of thousands of potential units. But turning policy into housing requires a new ecosystem of support for these "citizen developers" who are building one to four units at a time and need accessible financing, streamlined design, and practical guidance to get started. This session brings together a small-scale builder and a financing partner to explore what it takes to activate this segment at scale. Attendees will learn how to identify viable projects, access emerging lending products, and navigate the path from lot to livable units.
Speakers
Jake Fry Founding Owner, Partner, Smallworks
Jake started Smallworks in late 2005 and became a strong advocate for the introduction of laneway housing. He established Smallworks Studios and Laneway Housing Inc. and worked with the City of Vancouver and other municipalities to help develop zoning by-laws based on his experience and interaction with hundreds of potential small home clients. Jake not only wanted to build small but to build sustainably. He brings together a team of dedicated people and develops homes that blend innovative techniques and incorporate modern building science and Flat Pac with hand-built finishes and millwork. "My desire in starting Smallworks was to build simple, elegant modern homes which, with basic maintenance, would look as good a generation after they were built as when they were new." Today, Jake focuses on finding new ways to broaden the range of housing types in Vancouver to create affordable options for single-family home ownership.
Ryan McKinley Senior Mortgage Development Manager & Retail Lead, Strategic Housing Initiatives, Vancity Credit Union
In addition to lending over 1 billion dollars and supporting >1,500 members in the last 5 years alone, Ryan supports Vancity’s housing impact agenda by designing and scaling innovative mortgage and lending solutions that increase housing supply and expand homeownership access. He bridges high-level strategy with frontline execution by translating affordable housing commitments into tangible retail offerings, including multiplex financing, shared ownership models, modular housing lending, and equity co-op solutions. Ryan serves as a cross-functional connector across retail, rommercial, impact, innovation, and external partners to unlock new housing markets and deliver tailored financial solutions that help more Vancity members achieve homeownership. He is also piloting and scaling innovative products that align policy with purpose, embedding housing impact into everyday banking services.
Dan Winer Co-Executive Lead, Industry Activation, Small Housing
Dan is a skilled leader, fostering collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. At Small Housing, Dan identifies and convenes interest holders nationwide to promote gentle density housing (GDH), leveraging his extensive experience in building partnerships for equitable housing solutions. Dan has acted as Project Director for initiatives advancing practical housing delivery and industry capacity. He oversees the InfillBuild program, which involves the design and delivery of applied training for more than 200 small-scale builders across the province. Dan oversees the Natural Resources Canada-funded project, which has involved the development of Small Housing’s education portal and creation of a Best Practices Guide to support high-performance GDH. He oversees the Building to Electrification project, which involves the development of implementation-focused industry guidance that addresses real-world utility, coordination, and delivery challenges in GDH projects.
- FREE
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Utilities and gentle density: resolving municipal policy conflicts
Location: Room 217
- Architecture
- Construction & Trades
- Homebuilding & Renovation
Streams: Economics, Legal, Regulatory & Risk Management
Tracks: Housing Solutions
Building Types: Residential: Multi-Unit
Provincial legislation requires municipalities to permit small-scale multi-unit housing on single-family lots, but local electrical servicing policies were never designed for this level of intensification. Builders pursuing duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes are encountering costly barriers rooted in underground conversion requirements, oversized service connections, and inconsistent utility policies that vary dramatically between municipalities. This session examines the friction between provincial housing mandates and municipal electrical servicing frameworks, and explores how builders, local governments, and utility providers can work toward practical resolution. Attendees will learn how to identify and anticipate common electrical servicing barriers, understand cost-sharing options, and advocate for proportional, right-sized policy at the local level. This session is designed for builders, planners, municipal staff, and housing policy professionals.
Speakers
Chris Higgins Senior Building Planner, City of Vancouver
Over the past 20 years, Chris has lead or worked on an exciting range of construction, program development, and policy projects. He found his calling in green building while constructing commercial green buildings with what was once Canada’s favorite outdoor retailer cooperative. Chris worked with Canada’s national green building council to develop a program called LEED Canada for Homes, which focused on improving thousands of new and renovated homes. For a decade, Chris worked with the City of Vancouver on better building code and policy to require or encourage deep green buildings, Passive House, CHBA Net Zero, and similar. In 2024, Chris shifted to making electrification easier and with a lower average cost. He works part time at BC Hydro offices and part time at the City of Vancouver offices with a goal to lower average cost, improve time predictability, and improve customer satisfaction to enable load growth.
Draydon Power Manager of Energy & Environment, City of Penticton
Draydan Power is the Manager of Energy and Environment for the City of Penticton, guiding initiatives in the energy sector to decarbonize and diversify community energy resources. Their background encompasses a range of roles within the energy and utility industries, demonstrating versatile expertise in electrical engineering and infrastructure management.
At the City of Penticton, Draydan also served as Electric Utility Manager. Prior to this, Draydan held the role of Manager, Ev Infrastructure & Investment at FortisBC. Within FortisBC’s energy environment, Draydan progressed through several roles, including Transmission & Distribution Standards Engineer and Electrical Engineer, Generation. These positions involved applying engineering methodologies to develop and implement electrical standards and manage power generation projects. Earlier in their tenure at FortisBC, Draydan served as a Training Engineer, utilizing their technical capacities to develop training programs.
Dan Winer Co-Executive Lead, Industry Activation, Small Housing
Dan is a skilled leader, fostering collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. At Small Housing, Dan identifies and convenes interest holders nationwide to promote gentle density housing (GDH), leveraging his extensive experience in building partnerships for equitable housing solutions. Dan has acted as Project Director for initiatives advancing practical housing delivery and industry capacity. He oversees the InfillBuild program, which involves the design and delivery of applied training for more than 200 small-scale builders across the province. Dan oversees the Natural Resources Canada-funded project, which has involved the development of Small Housing’s education portal and creation of a Best Practices Guide to support high-performance GDH. He oversees the Building to Electrification project, which involves the development of implementation-focused industry guidance that addresses real-world utility, coordination, and delivery challenges in GDH projects.
- Early
- $65
- Regular
- $85