Canada Post Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 PUSHING THE ENVELOPE CANADA A PUBLICATION OF THE BUILDING SCIENCE ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO FALL 2025 Groundbreaking Living Systems with Picoplanktonicsn n n TABLE OF CONTENTS ■ ■ ■ TABLE OF CONTENTS Pushing the Envelope Canada A publication of the Building Science Association of Ontario Fall 2025 Published For: The Building Science Association of Ontario 2800 – 14th Ave. Suite 210 Markham, ON L3R 0E4 Phone: 647-317-5754 Fax: 416-491-1670 info@bsao.ca www.bsao.ca © 2025 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Printed in Canada. BSAO does not specifically endorse the editorial, products or services contained within this magazine. These products and services are presented here as an indication of the various possibilities in the Marketplace. BSAO wishes to advise the reader that sound Building Science Practices should be applied to any and all product or service selections. BSAO does not make or imply any warranties as to the suitability of any of these products or services for any specific situation. Furthermore, the opinions expressed in this magazine’s editorial content may not necessarily reflect the opinions of BSAO. Building Science Association of Ontario 3 ON THE COVER: On this issueʼs cover we have the Living Room Collectiveʼs art installation Picoplanktonics. This groundbreaking exhibition isnʼt just about buildings; itʼs about building with life itself. Photo courtesy of Valentina Mori. Turn to page 9 to learn more. Canada Post Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 PUSHING THE ENVELOPE CANADA A PUBLICATION OF THE BUILDING SCIENCE ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO FALL 2025 Groundbreaking Living Systems with Picoplanktonics UP FRONT Message from the President......................................................................................7 Meet the BSAO Board of Directors............................................................................7 Upcoming Building Science Specialist Exam Dates.................................................8 FEATURES Picoplanktonics: Advancing Regenerative Building Systems Through Living Materials........................................................................................9 Rethinking Condominium Window Replacements: Design Considerations and Opportunities.................................................................................................12 Beyond Double: How a Third Pane Boosts Building Performance and Cuts Carbon............................................................................15 Where Glass Meets Roof: An introduction to Fly-By Curtain Walls and Parapets................................................................................................19 Guarding Against Failure: Hidden Vulnerabilities in Wood-Framed Balconies......................................................................................22 TAKE ACTION Join the Ontario Building Envelope Council............................................................25 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS ...................................................................................26Pushing the Envelope Canada A publication of the Building Science Association of Ontario Fall 2025 Published By: Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Return all undeliverable addresses to: 309 Youville Street Winnipeg, MB R2H 2S9 Toll Free: 1-866-999-1299 Toll Free Fax: 1-866-244-2544 www.matrixgroupinc.net Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 President & CEO Jack Andress Operations Manager Shoshana Weinberg sweinberg@matrixgroupinc.net Senior Publisher Jessica Potter Publishers Christine Scarisbrick, Julie Welsh Editor-in-Chief Shannon Savory ssavory@matrixgroupinc.net Editor / Social Media Manager Jenna Collignon Finance /Administration Lloyd Weinberg, Nathan Redekop accounting@matrixgroupinc.net Director of Circulation & Distribution Lloyd Weinberg distribution@matrixgroupinc.net Sales Manager Jeff Cash jcash@matrixgroupinc.net Sales Team Leader Colleen Bell Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Account Executives Ana Baez, Colleen Bell, Jackie Casburn, Chandler Cousins, Rich Cowan, Paolo Cruz, Rob Gibson, Wilma Gray-Rose, Jim Hamilton, Craig Hornell, Frank Kenyeres, Brendan Kidney, Sandra Kirby, Andrew Lee, Ian MacGregor, Brian MacIntyre, Chad Morris, Lynn Murphy, Monique Simons Layout & Design Travis Bevan Advertising Design James Robinson © 2025 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Printed in Canada. BSAO does not specifically endorse the editorial, products or services contained within this magazine. These products and services are presented here as an indication of the various possibilities in the Marketplace. BSAO wishes to advise the reader that sound Building Science Practices should be applied to any and all product or service selections. BSAO does not make or imply any warranties as to the suitability of any of these products or services for any specific situation. Furthermore, the opinions expressed in this magazine’s editorial content may not necessarily reflect the opinions of BSAO. MEET OUR EXPERTS ■ ■ ■ TABLE OF CONTENTS Building Science Association of Ontario 5 DOROTHY JOHNS, Ph.D., OAA, CPHC, Dorothy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Architectural Science at Toronto Metropolitan University and Director of the Catching Carbon Lab, which is an interdisciplinary research ground advancing decarbonization strategies in the built environment. Her research focuses on the use of bio-based materials in building envelope systems. STEPH TZANIS, EIT, M.A.SC., CPHC Steph is a Building Science Consultant at WSP and is passionate about decarbonizing the built environment without compromising on architecture or design. Their master's thesis, completed in 2023, was focused on circularity and, specifically, design for disassembly. CAROLYN SEDGWICK Carolyn, Vice President of VETTA Building Technologies Inc., has been recognized with the Canada Clean16/Clean50 award for her leadership in advancing carbon accounting and climate- related financial disclosure. Prior to joining VETTA, she served as AVP Corporate Strategy and Sustainability at Canadian Tire Corporation, Global Director of ESG at Clariant AG, and Director of Business Transformation at the Ontario Pension Board. KIM-MARIE DEGENKOLB Kim-Marie is a Project Manager at VETTA Building Technologies Inc., specializing in high-performance residential projects. Her research focuses on operational and embodied carbon estimation and life cycle analysis, using tools such as the OneClick LCA platform, BEAM Estimator, and advanced energy and envelope modeling software. MARIA RAGGOUSIS, P.E., CHPC, Maria is a Consulting Engineer for Simpson Gumpertz & Heger. She consults on building enclosure design, rehabilitation, and investigation projects for owners, architects, and general contractors. Maria also specializes in thermal and hygrothermal analysis for both new design and existing building projects to develop performance-based solutions in predicting, mitigating, or reducing moisture-related damage to building enclosures. SAM S. ZALOK, P.E. Sam is a Senior Project Manager for Simpson Gumpertz & Heger. He is experienced in new building enclosure design and consulting, building enclosure leakage investigations, and building enclosure rehabilitation designs, including below grade waterproofing systems, masonry and flashing systems, and roofing systems. Sam’s specific specializations include new construction building enclosure consulting, roof replacement design, facade rehabilitation design, and plaza waterproofing design. SHELBY HYLAND, P.ENG. Shelby is a Restoration Project Manager at Edison Engineers Inc., where she applies her background in structural design to restoration projects for residential and condominium clients across Southwestern Ontario. Specializing in the analysis and design of wood-framed residential structures, she has a strong understanding of practical repair strategies, ensuring clients navigate and feel confident in the decision-making and repair process. STEFAN NESPOLI, P.ENG., BSS Stefan is a Principal and Regional Lead at Edison Engineers Inc., where he leads technical teams delivering performance audits, reserve fund studies, and repair design projects for condominium and residential clients across Southwestern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area. With a background in both construction and consulting, Stefan supports clients in structural restoration, building envelope rehabilitation, and capital planning. His work emphasizes communication, transparency, and helping clients make informed, confident decisions about their buildings. MATT CHARBONNEAU Matt is a Principal and Shareholder at Edison Engineers Inc. He is passionate about improving people’s lives and adding value to the built environment by developing durable, comfortable, energy efficient, and aesthetic repair solutions. He provides building enclosure-related support across all offices. He delivers building enclosure projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe including condition assessments, engineering design and analysis, construction review, and project management. Matt has almost 20 years of building engineering experience and joined Edison in 2014. He focuses on guiding residents and owners through the construction process with integrity and clear communication.Building Science Association of Ontario 7 ■ ■ ■ UP FRONT Message from the President Daniel Aleksov Principal & Co-Founder Leading Edge Building Engineers A s we approach the fall of 2025 and the end of my term as president of the Building Science Associ- ation of Ontario (BSAO), it is important to reflect on what we have accomplished over the last two years and the future direction of this association. The building science industry in general is constantly evolving and facing numerous challenges such as economic turmoil, unpredictable weather, more stringent standards, higher compe- tition, labour shortage, etc. Our mission amid this changing landscape is to con- sistently provide high quality education and collaboration for our members. Thanks to our numerous volunteers, participants and sponsors, I can confidently say that we have held true to this mission while constantly working on improving the status quo. Some of the major initiatives completed during my term as president are as follows: • Launched our inaugural golf tourna- ment with Canadian Condominium In- stitute (CCI) Golden Horseshoe chapter and hosted our second annual tourna- ment this year. • Partnered with the Building Science Specialist Board (BSSB) and developed our first preparatory course for the mechanical systems exam adminis- tered for the Building Science Specialist (BSS) designation. • Held our first collaborative BES confer- ence with IIBEC last fall. • Rebranded from Ontario Building Envel- ope Council (OBEC) to Building Science Association of Ontario (BSAO). • Advocated BSAO’s strategic goals to the various ministries of the Ontario gov- ernment with the assistance of a lobby firm. The above accomplishments and re- sulting success could not have been pos- sible without the immense support of our board of directors, committee members, Association Concepts, sponsors, speakers, authors and our members at large. My heartfelt gratitude extends to everyone who has contributed to this association and continues to do so. We still have one major event scheduled for this fall which is our upcoming inaugural full day conference and AGM scheduled for October 8, 2025. Aside from the top calibre educational sessions and exhibitors we have planned, we will be presenting schol- arships and two of our prestigious awards which include the rising star and fellowship award to recognize exceptional individuals who not only have made an impact to this association but the building science indus- try at large. Our final effort before the end of the year will be to setup a BSAO tradeshow booth for the Building Show Conference on December 3 to 5 and invite members of parliament to tour some of the exhibitors who are manufacturing in Canada and sup- plying high performance innovative prod- ucts for the building science industry. It has been an honour and privilege to lead the BSAO board as president and will be passing the torch to Negar Pakzadian who will be taking on the responsibility and leadership for BSAO’s strategic goals. I am confident that Negar is committed and passionate to serve BSAO to the best of her ability and will drive BSAO to reach new heights. I am excited to continue to support her and the future board members as past president to help them conquer the next set of challenges and obstacles on their journey. My sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported the association and if you are interested in volunteering on one of our many active committees, please email us at info@bsao.ca. ■ President: Daniel Aleksov, P.Eng., BSS, Leading Edge Building Engineers Inc. Vice-President: Negar Pakzadian, B.Eng., M.Arch., MBSC., BSS, CPHD, Major Capital Project Manager Treasurer: Matthew Gelowitz, M.A.Sc., CPHC, LEED ® AP, Synergy Partners Consulting Ltd. Operations Manager: Sherry Denesha, Building Science of Ontario Directors: Mohammed Dawoud, P.Eng, M.Eng, BSS, CPHD, NFRC Certified Simulator, Ennova Facades Brandon Gemme, P.Eng., BSS, CPHD, Leading Edge Building Engineers Inc. Alessandra Valerio, B.Arch., PMP, BECxP, CxA + BE, Stantec Antoine Possik, Northern Caulking Inc. Stephanie Martin, M.Sc., P.Eng., MTE Consultants Inc. Shohreh Salimpour, M.Eng., P.Eng., M.Arch., OAA (Int.), LEED ® AP, PMP, OHE Consultants Kelsey Saunders, KPM8 Pushing the Envelope Canada • Fall 2025 UP FRONT MATERIALS EXAM & MECHANICAL SYSTEMS EXAM DATE October 16 and 17, 2025 TIME Exam is two hours 1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. EST LOCATIONS • BSSB Office, 2800 14th Avenue, Suite 210, Markham, ON L3R 0E4 (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET). • Kitchener/Waterloo area – EXP, 405 Maple Grove Road, Suite 6, Cambridge, ON (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET). • Ottawa area – BPA, 580 Terry Fox Drive, Suite 200, Kanata, ON (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET). • Edmonton, AB – Entuitite, 10055 106 Street NW, Suite 650, Edmonton, AB (9:00 am – 1:00 pm MT). BUILDING SCIENCE THEORY DATE February 20, 2026 TIME Exam is three hours 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. EST LOCATIONS • BSSB Office, 2800 14th Avenue, Suite 210, Markham, ON (1:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET). • Kitchener/Waterloo area – EXP, 405 Maple Grove Road, Suite 6, Cambridge, ON (1:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET). • Ottawa area – BPA, 580 Terry Fox Drive, Suite 200, Kanata, ON (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET). • Edmonton, AB – Entuitite, 10055 106 Street NW, Suite 650, Edmonton, AB (9:00 am – 12:00 pm MT). BUILDING ENVELOPE SYSTEMS DATE May 8, 2026 TIME Exam is three hours 1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. EST LOCATIONS • BSSB Office, 2800 14th Avenue, Suite 210, Markham, ON (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET). • Kitchener/Waterloo area – EXP, 405 Maple Grove Road, Suite 6, Cambridge, ON (1:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET). • Ottawa area – BPA, 580 Terry Fox Drive, Suite 200, Kanata, ON (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET). • Edmonton, AB – Entuitite, 10055 106 Street NW, Suite 650, Edmonton, AB (9:00 am – 1:00 pm MT). UPCOMING BUILDING SCIENCE SPECIALIST EXAM DATES BSAO is presently collaborating with other BECs nationwide to introduce the Building Science Specialist (BSS) designation. The BSAO will actively promote the BSS designation throughout Canada, enhancing its prestige and granting holders greater authority. As part of this initiative, the Professional Member category will be eliminated, and you will become an individual member with the BSS designation. Register today here: https://bssb.ca/bss-exam/bss-exam-application-2.Building Science Association of Ontario 9 FEATURE By Dorothy Johns, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Steph Tzanis, WSP Picoplanktonics: Advancing Regenerative Building Systems Through Living Materials T he future of architecture is alive. This past May, at the 19th Inter- national Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, the Canadian Council for the Arts unveiled Picoplanktonics at the Canada Pavilion. This groundbreaking ex- hibition isn’t just about buildings; it’s about building with life itself. Developed by the vi- sionary Living Room Collective, this project is a living experiment, proposing a novel, regenerative material that fundamentally re-imagines the potential of carbon seques- tration within buildings. At the heart of Picoplanktonics lies an innovative, bio-functional cyanobacterial material capable of permanent carbon se- questration. This therefore isn’t merely a static exhibit; it’s a dynamic demonstration of how living organisms can be integrated into the fabric of our built environment. The material itself is a result of interdisciplinary collaboration: 3D-printed structures me- ticulously embedded with live cyanobac- teria. These microscopic, photosynthetic organisms are renowned for their ability to capture and convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, effectively locking it away within their biomass. Robotic biofabrication platform, ETH Zurich, 2024. Photo courtesy of Beda Schmid.Next >