Fast + Epp

Check out the highlights from last week’s Perkins&Will x Fast + Epp Design Hive—a one day multi-disciplinary design sprint.    The challenge was to design a Marine Vertiport. In a single afternoon, teams developed concepts that addressed accessibility, resilience, and complex coastal conditions, then built models and pitched their ideas to a panel of judges.   Huge thanks to all the participants from both firms, organizers, Concept Lab for hosting, and our incredible advisors + judges. And a special thank you to our client judges, JR Hammond (Executive Director & Founder, Canadian Advanced Air Mobility (CAAM) and Daniel Sitnam (President & CEO, Helijet International Inc.), for sharing valuable real-world insight and feedback.   Stay tuned for the designs dropping next week 👀

Fast + Epp is pleased to share that our Senior Engineer, Rohan Schneider MEng PEng CEng MICE, will be serving as a member of the jury for this year’s Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF BC) Embodied Carbon Awards.     As part of our internal Sustainability Technical Group, he leads the measurement of embodied carbon performance at the firm, assessing and finding reduction strategies for early project designs. Rohan will serve as a judge for two of this year’s award categories—Strengthening the Practice, and Commitment to Circularity—bringing his expertise to support projects and initiatives that push forward meaningful progress in carbon responsibility.    Debuting in 2023, this event is the first awards program of its kind in North America, highlighting firms and individuals who drive embodied carbon reduction forward. This year, CLF BC is introducing the Embodied Carbon Symposium, featuring project showcases, panels with previous award winners, and an interactive workshop for attendees.     Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/g7xpiJCQ     #EmbodiedCarbon #StructuralEngineers #SustainableDesign #SustainableConstruction

We have officially broken ground on the new Activity Centre in Glenmore, marking an exciting milestone for one of the community’s fastest growing neighbourhoods. 🪏🎉 The new centre will bring much needed recreation, wellness, and community gathering space to Glenmore, supporting residents of all ages and strengthening the area’s role as a vibrant urban hub through the Building a Stronger Kelowna initiative. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gADfHJrn

An exciting milestone for the Burnaby Lake Overpass, now open to the public! Our firm was proud to contribute to the concept design, which helped establish the vision for the structure seen today. Congratulations to the entire project team on the successful delivery of this project.

We’re thrilled to see KlimaKover return to New York this summer, helping keep the public comfortable with its innovative modular radiant cooling system!

Timber is flying in at the new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity in Vancouver! Following completion of the concrete substructure—as well as stair and elevator cores—the hybrid mass timber structure is taking shape above. CLT floor panels and glulam purlins are going in quickly, adding warmth to the building, while concrete shear walls and steel frames provide strength and flexibility. As Canada’s first facility of its kind, the centre for health complexity will provide in-person and virtual care for children and youth with complex medical conditions, plus training for families, caregivers, and professionals. The accessible design features an open, light-filled atrium structured around a ramp to promote independence in movement. Upon completion, it will include 16 suites where children and caregivers can come for short, planned stays to receive in-person services. To learn more, visit: https://lnkd.in/gHBZW2Z3 Images courtesy of Seagate Mass Timber Inc. Provincial Health Services Authority | BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver | Diamond Schmitt⁠ | Ledcor | Smith + Andersen | Kalesnikoff | Seagate Mass Timber Inc.

This Earth Day, we’re reflecting on how project sustainability is shaped, from with material choices, systems, and performance goals—and continuing through to how buildings are used, experienced, and adapted over time.⁠ ⁠ Swipe through below to see a few projects highlighted that take a thoughtful approach to materiality, climate-responsive design, and high-performance building systems. ⁠ ⁠ KlimaKover – A solution for a changing climate, this pavilion offers radiant cooling and outdoor comfort without conventional AC. The prototype represents the intersection between climate innovation and a modular, adaptable structural design. ⁠ Henning Larsen | Skanska | SITU Image by Chris Perez, courtesy of Henning Larsen⁠ ⁠ 837 Beatty Street – The design retains a 1911 heavy timber structure and introduces a mass timber addition, balancing reuse with modern building performance.⁠ office of mcfarlane biggar architects + designers (omb) | ETRO Construction ⁠ Render by Norm Li, courtesy of omb⁠ ⁠ The Industrial Commons Innovation Campus – The campus is envisioned to be rooted in circularity and bring a sustainable lens to textile manufacturing. The first phase, the Accelerator Building, embodies these values with a low-carbon mass timber structure and the use of reclaimed and salvaged materials throughout.⁠ Mithun | James G. Davis Construction (DAVIS) Render by Mithun⁠ ⁠ VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre – Inspired by the form of a native orchid, this iconic structure uses an innovative timber approach to realize the complex geometry of its roof. It achieved LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge certification, becoming a landmark in sustainable design. ⁠ Perkins&Will | Ledcor Image by ⁠Nic Lehoux ⁠ SFU UniverCity Childcare Centre – At the time of its completion in 2012, it was the first childcare centre in the world to integrate the Living Building Challenge. Its design prioritizes renewable materials, and long-term environmental performance as both a net-zero energy and a net-zero water building. ⁠ hcma architecture + design.ca | Ledcor Image by ⁠Martin Tessler ⁠ #EarthDay #Sustainability #StructuralEngineers #SustainableDesign