HDB Blog

Welcome to the HDB Blog. Launched in October 2016, this blog is about building science topics relevant to the construction industry. It’s a place to share new ideas, revisit and perhaps challenge common building practices, explain important concepts in everyday terms, and go over conflicting ideas and opinions to introduce clarity to the issues.

Whether you are a builder, an architect or consultant, an owner, a manufacturer, or just curious about high performance, durable buildings that minimize their impact on the environment while providing a superior experience for their occupants, this blog has something for you.

The HDB Blog will be updated on a regular basis. If you would like to receive notifications about new posts, subscribe to our newsletter below.

High Performance Building Envelope Workshops, Feb. 22 & 23, 2024
February 9, 2024
BC Energy Step Code encourages higher levels of thermal insulation and air tightness to improve the overall energy efficiency of buildings. While there are various ways to achieve that objective, locating all the thermal insulation and air barrier outboard of the building structure will allow the structure of energy efficient buildings be maintained at close to indoor…

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9 + 4 Must-Know Wood-Frame Roof Assemblies
February 9, 2020
When it comes to improving the energy efficiency of a building, the building envelope (walls, windows, roofs, etc.) should be given the first attention, and this is the spirit of newly introduced British Columbia Energy Step Code. This demands specific attention to insulating and air tightness strategies so that energy loss through the building envelope is…

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10 Must-Know Wood-Frame Wall Mock-Ups
March 20, 2018
When it comes to improving the energy efficiency of a building, the building envelope (walls, windows, roofs, etc.) should be given the first attention, and this is the spirit of newly introduced British Columbia Energy Step Code. This demands specific attention to insulating strategies and air tightness methods so that heat loss through the building envelope…

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“Building A Legacy” Hands-On Workshop, East Kootenay
November 12, 2017
Communities in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia are working together to elevate the knowledge and expertise of the building sector around the topics of energy efficiency, moisture management, and durability in new and existing buildings. To that note, the Regional District of East Kootenay is facilitating an initiative called “Building a Legacy”, the first…

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Long-Term Performance of Unventilated Wood-Framed Roofs Using Polyurethane Foam
October 5, 2017
Hamid Heidarali from HDB will be presenting at the 15^th Canadian Conference on Building Science and Technology in Vancouver on November 7, 2017. Hamid will be speaking on the topic of long-term performance of unventilated wood-framed roofs using polyurethane foam. The presentation will be primarily focused on the low-rise residential sector in the Lower Mainland of…

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Builders' Breakfast Series: Identifying Problematic Details & Exploring Practical Solutions
September 15, 2017
Hamid Heidarali from HDB is invited by FortisBC and the Greater Vancouver Home Builder Association (GVHBA) to present at the October 19, 2017 Builder Breakfast Series. Hamid will be speaking on the subject of “Identifying problematic building envelope details and exploring practical solutions through collaborative learning”. One effective method of intuitive learning…

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Builders' Breakfast Series: HVAC and Building Envelope Considerations in Modern Houses
May 3, 2017
Hamid Heidarali from HDB is invited by FortisBC and the Greater Vancouver Home Builder Association (GVHBA), to present at the May 25, 2017 GVHBA's Builder Breakfast Series. Hamid's talk will be focused on the HVAC and building envelope design/construction considerations in contemporary and modern Houses. Until several years ago, a typical wood-framed house, built…

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Building Science 101, Builders’ Super Week 2017, Canadian Home Builder Association of BC
March 11, 2017
Builders’ Super Week 2017, organized by the Canadian Home Builder Association of BC (CHBA BC), was held on March 8 to 10, 2017 in Hyatt Regency Hotel, Vancouver, British Columbia. Hamid Heidarali from HDB was invited to offer a 4-hour presentation at this event, on the topic of building science, and its application to building envelope…

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Interaction between Building Envelope and HVAC systems, FortisBC Trade Ally Network
March 3, 2017
Hamid Heidarali from HDB, has been invited by FortisBC to give presentations at several FortisBC Trade Ally Network since September 2016, held in various cities in British Columbia. Hamid’s talk at these events has been focused on “The interaction between the building envelope, and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems”, and the importance of proper…

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Steps to Reduce Condensation on New Windows: A Holistic Approach (Part 3)
November 24, 2016
As you recall from our discussions so far, the following factors can contribute to condensation on new windows: 1. Low thermal performance of windows 2. Window and wall insulation misalignment 3. Window attachment method 4. High interior Relative Humidity (RH) 5. Low Emissivity coating on the glass surface facing the inside of the building 6. Interior blinds 7. Insufficient exposure…

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Steps to Reduce Condensation on New Windows: A Holistic Approach (Part 2)
November 2, 2016
As explained in the previous post, we identified the following factors that can contribute to condensation on new windows: 1. Low thermal performance of windows 2. Window and wall insulation misalignment 3. Window attachment method 4. High interior Relative Humidity (RH) 5. Low Emissivity coating on the glass surface facing the inside of the building 6. Interior blinds 7.…

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Steps to Reduce Condensation on New Windows: A Holistic Approach (Part 1)
October 17, 2016
Condensation on the inside face of windows is problematic: it compromises the view; dealing with dripping water is a hassle for the occupants; and, most importantly, over the long term it can pose the risk of moisture damage to interior finishes and in some instances, to the wall structural framing. The window industry has come a long way in improving…

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