Center for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS)
New Construction, 2010, Vancouver
CIRS is a multidisciplinary education and research facility and one of the world’s most sustainable buildings, operating with energy resources on site and from surroundings. CIRS is certified through two of the world’s foremost third-party green building certification programs: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and The Living Building Challenge (LBC).
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Review of design package for conformity with Part 5 of the Building Code
- Meeting with the client & architect to discuss building envelope matters
- Collaboration with the architect in designing envelope assemblies with minimal thermal bridging
- Review of building envelope shop drawings
- Periodic field reviews during construction for conformity with the design intent
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies & recommendations
- Field testing of glazing assemblies and envelope components
Pharmaceutical Sciences Building
New Construction, 2012, Vancouver
The Pharmaceutical Sciences Building is a quarter-million square foot, state-of-the-art learning and research facility made possible by an $86.4-million investment from the province of BC and the support of donors. The facility is built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification and has won several awards of excellence such as 2012 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence Winner, ACEC 2013 Award for Engineering Excellence, Ontario Association of Architects 2013 Design Excellence Award, & many more.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Review of design package for conformity with Part 5 of the Building Code
- Meeting with the design and construction team to discuss building envelope matters
- Recommendations to improve moisture performance of curtain walls
- Review of building envelope shop drawings
- Periodic field reviews during construction for conformity with the design intent
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies & recommendations
- Field testing of glazing assemblies and envelope components
- Consultation for MR Credit # 8 (Durable Building) as part of the LEED certification
BC Place Stadium, Ring Beam Waterproofing
Rehabilitation/Revitalization, Vancouver
BC Place stadium is the largest sports, exhibition and entertainment venue of its kind in British Columbia, Canada and is ranked in the top 100 stadiums in North America for capacity, with seating for 54,500, or expanded based on event configuration. Revitalization of the BC Place took place in two phases. As part of the phase I (prior to 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic opening), the existing roof over the ring beam was removed exposing the ring beam to elements. The ring beam then had to be waterproofed. Additional waterproofing was applied over the ring beam during the phase II (after the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics).
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Recommendations on waterproofing detailing/material/application at the ring beam
- Review of the ring beam waterproofing application, membrane adhesion & thickness
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies
- Meeting with the client, design and construction teams during construction to discuss issues of concerns
- Recommendations on creating a reasonably air tight separator between the ring beam and inside of the stadium to minimize the air pressure drop during removal of the ring beam roof
1249 Howe Street, Mclaren Housing society
New Construction, 2013, Vancouver
Howe street project is one of the 14 projects funded by the province of British Columbia on land owned by the City of Vancouver to create non-market housing for the homeless. The building is 12 stories high with a two level underground parking. It provides 110 units of supportive housing.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Project manager and the engineer of the record
- Review of design package for conformity with Part 5 of the Building Code
- Meeting with the architect during the design stage to discuss building envelope related matters
- Collaboration with the architect in designing envelope assemblies with minimal thermal bridging
- Review of building envelope shop drawings
- Periodic field reviews during construction for conformity with the design intent
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies & recommendations
- Field testing of glazing assemblies and envelope components
- Consultation for MR Credit # 8 (Durable Building) as part of the LEED certification
- Letter of Assurance to the City of Vancouver
Vancouver’s Salt Building
Heritage Rehabilitation, 2010, Vancouver
The Salt building is a very significant landmark in the Southeast False Creek neighbourhood. It is a heritage listed building with Heritage B certification, meaning it has significant heritage value. It was built around 1930 to refine raw salt and converted in the 1980s as a paper recycling plant, has sat empty for a number of recent years. The building underwent a restoration in the lead-up to the 2010 Winter Olympics, with the foundation upgraded, basement added, incorporating environmental control layers at the building envelope, installation of new curtain walls, etc. The building has received LEED Gold certification and has won a number of prestigious awards, including the Canadian Wood Councills Wood Works Green Building Award and the Canadian Institute of Planners Award for Planning Excellence.
Building Envelope Challenge!
Due to the heritage classification of the building, the exiting wood siding was considered a significant component and so its removal had to be minimized. Given this situation and in the absence of a weather barrier over the exiting diagonal sheathing, the building envelope consultant had to explore non-typical & unique approaches to improve the moisture performance of walls.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Collaboration in design of an innovative approach to improve the moisture management of exterior walls
- Analysis of moisture sensor readings
- Review of design package with respect to waterproofing, air leakage, vapour diffusion, condensation, heat loss, and precipitation
- Meeting with the architect and the general contractor to discuss envelope related issues
- Review of building envelope shop drawings
- Periodic field reviews during construction for conformity with the design intent
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies & recommendations
- Field testing of glazing assemblies and envelope components
- Co-author of a paper called “A Design Approach to Envelope Remediation of Heritage Buildings: Field Monitoring of Salt Building”, presented in 13th Canadian Conference on Building Science and Technology in Manitoba, Canada
Laneway Pre-fabricated Housing, Small Works
New Construction, 2009 till 2013, Vancouver
The city of Vancouver recognizes the challenges people face in providing liveable spaces to support family members and as such, through its eco-density program, the laneway housing was proposed as an affordable living solution. A laneway house is a small home or cottage-like structure located at the rear of a property lot. Smallworks is one of the builders involved in construction of Laneway housing. The wall and roof panels are pre-fabricated in the shop and then assembled on site.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Project manager and the engineer of the record
- Preparation of a building envelope package covering:
- Environmental control layers: air & weather barrier, vapour retarder, & thermal insulation
- Sequencing of panel installation with the focus on continuity of the environmental control layers
- A step-by-step guide for window/door installation and the waterproofing of the rough opening
- Fully exterior insulated wall assemblies with minimal thermal bridging
- Acceptable materials for manufacturing and assembly
- Meeting with the client’s design & construction team to explore optimum and constructible details
- Review of the manufacturing process of panels
- Periodic field reviews during construction for conformity with the design intent
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies & recommendations
- Letter of Assurance to the City of Vancouver for each house
The Fairmont Pacific Rim
Two-Year Building Envelope Warranty Review, 2012, Vancouver
The Fairmont Pacific Rim Estates is a 47 level high-rise with hotel use from floors 1 through 22, and residential use from floors 23 through 47. There are 175 strata units in the building. The construction completed in 2010. The two-year building envelope warranty review was performed by Morrison Hershfield in 2012.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the two-year building envelope warranty review:
- Engineer of the record
- Review of architectural drawings for familiarity with the original design intent
- Review of several units to investigate building envelope related concerns raised by occupants
- Visual review of building envelope assemblies including underground parkade
- Issuing of a report summarizing findings and recommended remedial actions
- Providing responses to questions raised by property manager and the Strata about the report
The Melville – 1189 Melville Street
Five-Year Building Envelope Warranty Review, 2012, Vancouver
The Melville is a 47-storey high rise building consists of 42 levels with 238 residential units and 4 retails. There are five levels of underground parking garage. There is a roof deck podium at level three, connecting the building to the adjacent hotel as well as one roof deck along the west side of the building. The construction completed in 2007. The five-year building envelope warranty review was performed by Morrison Hershfield in 2012.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the five-year building envelope warranty review:
- The engineer of record
- Review of architectural drawings and previous reports for familiarity with the original design intent
- Review of several units to investigate the building envelope related concerns raised by occupants
- Review of the building envelope assemblies including underground parkade
- Issuing a report summarizing findings recommended remedial actions
- Providing responses to questions raised by the property manager and the Strata about the report
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Rehabilitation, 2009 & 2010, Surrey
Kwantlen Polytechnic Universiiy at Surrey campus was constructed in 1990. There are several buildings in the campus. Three buildings (buildings B, C, & D) went under rehabilitation in 2009 & 2010. Buildings B & C are two-storey and building D is three-storey high. The rehabilitation involved replacement of the existing face-sealed stucco with new rain screen metal cladding, replacement of the existing window with new high performance windows and curtain walls, replacement of the existing roof membrane with new 2 ply SBS membrane, and application of new elastomeric coating over the exposed concrete blocks.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Project manager and the engineer of the record
- Building envelope condition assessment during the design stage
- Coordination of communications between the building envelope team, client, architect and contractor
- Review of design package for conformity with Part 5 of the Building Code
- Meeting with the architect during the design stage to discuss building envelope related matters
- Collaboration with the architect in designing envelope assemblies with minimal thermal bridging
- Review of building envelope shop drawings
- Periodic field reviews during construction for conformity with the design intent
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies & recommendations
- Field testing of glazing assemblies and envelope components
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Building Envelope Condition Assessment, 2011, Langley
Kwantlen Polytechnic University at Langley campus was constructed in 1993. There are several two-storey buildings in the campus. The walls are clad with brick and corrugated metal panels. The windows are double glazed, none thermally broken framed windows. The roof is waterproofed with 2 ply SBS membrane. In 2011, a building envelope condition assessment was performed throughout the campus to determine the condition of the envelope assemblies.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the building envelope condition assessment:
- Project manager and the engineer of record
- Building envelope condition assessment
- Issuing a report summarizing findings and recommended remedial action
- Meeting with the client to discuss findings and phasing of the future rehabilitation
Four Sisters Housing Co-operative
Building Envelope Condition Assessment, 2011, Vancouver
The Four Sisters is a seven storey concrete and steed stud framed building with 87 units, constructed in 1986. The building has roof decks on the 3th, 4th, 5th, and 7th floors. The walls are mainly clad with aluminum siding and brick. The windows are double glazed non-thermally broken aluminum frame. In 2011, a building envelope c0ndition assessment was performed to determine the condition of envelope assemblies.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the building envelope condition assessment:
- Project manager and the engineer of record
- Review of architectural drawing to become familiarize with the original design intent
- Review of several units to investigate the building envelope related concerns raised by occupants
- Review of building envelope assemblies
- Exploratory openings to investigate the condition of assemblies
- Issuing a report summarizing findings and recommended remedial action
- Meeting with the client to discuss findings, answer questions, phasing of the repair work, etc.
The Carlton, 1550 SW Marine Drive
Building Envelope Condition Assessment & Rehabilitation, 2011 & 2013, Vancouver
The Carlton is a four storey wood-framed building with 21 units, built in 1990. In 2011, a building envelope condition assessment was performed t0 identify the connition of envelope assemblies. Subsequent to that, the project went under rehabilitation in 2013 which involved replacement of the face-sealed stucco walls with rain screen stucco, replacement of all windows and doors with new energy efficient ones, replacement of the roof waterproofing membrane, and replacement of the waterproofing membrane at some balconies and roof decks.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the building envelope condition assessment, design, tendering & construction phases:
- Project manager and the engineer of record
- Building envelope condition assessment
- Design of building envelope package for the rehabilitation work
- Tendering the project to six pre-qualified contractors, and analyzed bids
- Contract administration
- Review of building envelope shop drawings
- Periodic field reviews during construction for conformity with the design intent
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies & recommendations
- Field testing of glazing assemblies and envelope components
- Letters of Assurance to the City of Vancouver
Bosa Centre for Film and Animation
Project Type: New Construction, 2011, North Vancouver
This $30.2 million building houses 97,000 sq-ft film centre that features sound stages, sound editing and mixing facilities, picture editing suites, green screen technology, high-definition and potential 3D screening rooms, a theatre, and classrooms and support spaces designed to accommodate up to 400 students per year. The building has achieved LEED Gold certification. The construction completed in 2011.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Review of architectural drawings for conformity with Part 5 of the Building Code
- Meet with architect during the design stage to discuss building envelope related matters
- Field reviews during construction to review building envelope mock-ups
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies & recommendations
- Review of building envelope shop drawings
- Field testing of glazing assemblies and envelope components
- Recommendations to identify system performance concerns during the field water testing
- Consultation for MR Credit # 8 (Durable Building) as part of the LEED certification
Rutherford Park, 175 East 10th Street
Rehabilitation, 2010, North Vancouver
The Rutherford Park is a four-story wood framed building constructed circa 1997. There are 51 units in the building. In 2010, the building went under building envelope rehabilitation that included replacement of the faced-sealed stucco cladding with new rain-screen stucco, replacement of the brick cladding at some sections, replacement of all windows and doors with new energy efficient units, replacement of the balcony waterproofing membrane, and replacement of the asphalt shingles on the sloped roofs.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the construction phase:
- Contract administration
- Review of building envelope shop drawings
- Periodic field reviews during construction for conformity with the design intent
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies & recommendations
- Field testing of glazing assemblies and envelope components
Charles Square Co-operative
Rehabilitation, 2011, Vancouver
Charles Square is a three-storey wood-framed building built in 1987. It is a non-profit co-op with 36 units. In 2011, the building went under major building envelope rehabilitation which involved replacement of the existing cladding with new rain screen cementitious siding, replacement of all windows and doors with new energy efficient units, replacement of the roof, balcony and roof deck waterproofing membrane, etc.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & tendering phases:
- Coordination of design package between various in-house consultants
- Peer review of design package
- Meeting with the client during the design stage to answer questions on the design package
- Preparing project specification
- Tendering the project to six pre-qualified contractors, and analyzing bids
MBA House
New Construction, 2009, Vancouver
MBA house is a four-storey wood and concrete framed building constructed circa 2009. It is the residency for the MBA students at the University of British Columbia. It was constructed following the Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP), a comprehensive UBC-specific green building rating system for mandatory application to all residential construction on campus.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Review of design package for conformity with Part 5 of the Building Code
- Meeting with the client & architect during the design stage discuss building envelope related matters
- Review of building envelope shop drawings
- Periodic field reviews during construction to review the work progress
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies & recommendations
- Field testing of glazing assemblies and envelope components
The EXO Panel (Pre-Fabricated)
New Construction, 2013
The EXO Building Panel System is a prefabricated roof and wall panel, consisting of steel framed structure, encapsulated in medium density polyurethane spray foam with an exterior sheet metal outboard of the foam to serve as cladding. The panel system was previously used in two projects in Chili. CSL Plastics was looking for an evaluation of this system in Canada for conformity with the requirements of National Building Code of Canada, and identification of the necessary modifications to make it suitable for use in Canada.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the code evaluation & design phases:
- Project manager and engineer of record
- Coordination of in-house meetings between building envelope, structural, and thermal modelling groups
- Comprehensive building envelope evaluation
- Detailed hygrothermal modeling of the wall and roof panels
- Issuing a report summarizing findings and recommendations
- Recommendations to reduce thermal bridging
- Meeting with the client’s design/construction team to address building envelope concerns
Sandcastle Villa, Vancouver
Rehabilitation, 2011
Sandcastle Villa is a three-storey wood frame building with 42 units built in 1982. The existing cladding was previously replaced with rainscreen siding in 2001. In 2011, all windows and doors were replaced with new energy efficient units complete with waterproofing of the rough openings.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Project manager and the engineer of record
- Design of building envelope package for the rehabilitation work
- Meeting with the client during the design phase to answer questions
- Tendering the project to 6 pre-qualified contractors and analysed bids
- Review of building envelope shop drawings
- Contract administration
- Periodic field reviews during construction for conformity with the design intent
- Field review reports compiling deficiencies
- Field testing of glazing assemblies and envelope components
- Letter of Assurance to the City of Vancouver
19 Blyth Hill Road
New Construction, 2007, Toronto
The house is custom-built, 4200 sq-ft, constructed in 2007. It is two-storey wood-framed with a concrete-poured basement. The cladding is the combination of the natural stone, brick, and painted wood panels. The roof shingles are cedar with some sections of cOpper. The heating is supplied through the combination of forced air and radiant tubes at the floor. The house was constructed following the majority of the R2000’s requirements, a voluntary standard administered by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) that sets energy performance requirements higher than those in the current Canadian Building Codes.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Construction manager and building envelope consultant
- Review of design package for conformity with Part 9 of the Building Code
- Preparation of a detailed scope of work for subcontractors
- Contract administration
- Comprehensive daily site reviews for compliance with project requirements
- Coordination of site safety measures
- Monitoring project schedule and cost during construction for conformity with project requirements
- Presentation the house as a case study for the Master of Engineering thesis, demonstrating step-by-step, sustainable building practices implemented during the construction phase
4 Cicada Road
New Construction, 2008, Toronto
The house is custom-built, 4700 sq-ft, constructed in 2008. It is two-storey wood-framed with a concrete-poured basement. The cladding is the combination of the natural stone, brick, and wood panels. The roof shingles are cedar with some sections of copper. The heating is supplied through the combination of forced air and radiant tubes at the floor. The house was constructed following the majority of the R2000’s requirements, a voluntary standard administered by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) that sets energy performance requirements higher than those in the current Canadian Building Codes.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Construction manager and building envelope consultant
- Review of design package for conformity with Part 9 of the Building Code
- Preparation of a detailed scope of work for subcontractors
- Contract administration
- Comprehensive daily site reviews for compliance with project requirements
- Coordination of site safety measures
- Monitoring project schedule and cost during construction for conformity with project requirements
272 Dunforest Ave.
New Construction, 2006, Toronto
The house is custom-built, 4200 sq-ft, constructed in 2008. It is two-storey wood-framed with a concrete-poured basement. The cladding is the combination of the natural stone, and Exterior Insulated Finishing System (EIFS). The roof shingles are asphalt with some sections of copper.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Construction manager and building envelope consultant
- Review of design package for conformity with Part 9 of the Building Code
- Preparation of a detailed scope of work for subcontractors
- Contract administration
- Comprehensive daily site reviews for compliance with project requirements
- Coordination of site safety measures
- Monitoring project schedule and cost during construction for conformity with project requirements
203 A/B, 205 A/B, 207 A/B Reglan Ave.
New Construction, 2004, Toronto
These six semi-detached custom-built houses are built in 2004. They are three-storey wood-framed. The cladding is the combination of stone and Exterior Insulated Finishing System (EIFS). The roofs are sloped, covered with asphalt shingles.
Services performed by Hamid Heidarali at the design & construction phases:
- Overall supervision of construction site
- Coordination of weekly site meetings with subcontractors
- Providing daily update to project manager
- Quantity take off
- Comprehensive daily site reviews for compliance with project requirements
- Coordination of site safety measures
