Rapid Change in Building Enclosure Design to Address a Rapidly Warming Climate
Changing climate is a major challenge for the building enclosure industry because there is a need to rapidly reduce emissions related to the construction and operation of buildings and adapt the existing building stock to an uncertain future climate. Building enclosures and the way they are designed, constructed, and maintained, as well as the materials used, are critical to the industry’s mitigation and adaptation efforts. This session will discuss these issues and how building enclosure professionals can realize leadership pathways in this industry. Furthermore, the presenter will discuss his involvement in several ongoing industry-academic collaborations designed to promote awareness and action to address the climate crisis. He also will provide attendees with suggestions on ways they can participate.Learning Objectives
At the end of this session, the attendee will be able to:
- Define the renewed importance of building enclosure design in the context of long-term climate change.
- Discuss building enclosure greenhouse gas emission mitigation strategies to clients and project team members.
- Obtain future climate data and translate this into actionable information for new design and renewal work.
- Identify how small changes to planning for building enclosure design and renewal can add up to significant steps toward climate adaptation.
Presenter
Alex Lukachko
Assistant Professor, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design
University of Toronto
Director, Climate Design Initiative
Alex Lukachko is a building science consultant and climate change adaptation specialist, who has worked on high-performance, low-carbon buildings and building materials with clients in many parts Canada and the United States, including building material manufacturers, developers, constructors, and design firms. He is currently working with architecture firms to help them change their design and construction practice to address the climate crisis. Lukachko also teaches the integration of energy, building science, and design concepts in the architecture programs at the University of Toronto. He has active research interests in the development of future building enclosure systems and the design of high-performance, low-environmental-impact buildings. In particular, he is interested in the link between architectural design and quality assurance that ensures high building performance. These interests are part of a long-term pursuit of effective (and measurable) sustainable building practices.
Length: 01:02:14
Last Updated: April 28, 2025
