Date: Tuesday, May 17
Time: 2:45pm – 4:15pm
Education Stream: Building
Location: Songhees Suite
Presentation provided by: GHL Consultants Ltd. & City of North Vancouver
Presentation Title: Alternative Solutions
Presentation Description:
Alternative Solutions are an often-overlooked pathway to compliance in all Canadian Construction Codes. This presentation reviews the Alternative Solution administration process and highlights the use of Peer Reviews for advanced complex applications.
Presenters: Andrew Harmsworth and Tim Ryce
Presenters’ Bios:
Andrew Harmsworth – With 30 years’ experience in Fire Science and Building Code consulting, Andrew Harmsworth has developed specialized expertise in the application of Fire Science and Engineering of Building Code requirements. With a master’s degree in Fire
Engineering from UBC, Andrew’s expertise is recognized in his appointment to the Standing Committee on Fire Protection of Codes Canada of the National Building Code of Canada. His expertise is also recognized in his selection to be lead author
of the Chapter on Fire Design for the Design Guide for Tall Wood Buildings in Canada, a collaborative effort by the National Research Council of Canada, Natural Resources Canada and FPInnovations.
Andrew is the Principal in Charge on a number of innovative projects, including the Tall Wood Building at UBC, the tallest wood building in the world at the time of construction. He also led the GHL team that studied the risks involved in 5 and 6 storey wood frame construction in BC which led to the BC Building Code change in 2009. Andrew was most recently recognized as ‘Wood Champion’ by WoodWorks BC and has been involved in over 20 completed 6 storey wood frame buildings.
Andrew is familiar with recent developments, techniques and tools of Fire Science and Engineering which have assisted in the development and successful negotiation of numerous Alternative Solutions to Building Code compliance and the successful resolution of several legal disputes
Tim Ryce is a Professional Engineer and Chief Building Official for the City of North Vancouver. Previously, Tim worked as the Green Building Policy Engineer for the City of Vancouver. He has developed and implemented construction regulations relating to green building, energy efficiency, and accessibility, both at the local and national level. Recently, he introduced new performance-based requirements aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in new non-complex residential buildings while quickly adapting the City’s in-person and paper-based Permitting processes to the COVID-19 pandemic.
