Live Webinar: Effective Step Code Practices for Quality, Comfort, and Resilience. This live online webinar, taking place on April 23 from 9am-12pm, introduces BC Housing’s new Builder’s Visual Guide to BC Energy and Zero Carbon Step Codes. The guide has been developed through interviews across British Columbia. Contributors include builders, trades, and technical experts.

High-performance requirements are on the rise, and when it comes to small-scale housing projects, delivery often breaks down between roles. Designers, mechanical contractors, building officials, and other professionals are being asked to meet higher standards, with tighter timelines and fewer opportunities for redesign.

This webinar series focuses on what other disciplines need from you—so projects move forward smoothly and get built right the first time. Sessions are designed to support multidisciplinary learning and better coordination across roles.

This course introduces architects and building designers to the foundational principles of designing with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) while demystifying their use within the built environment. Participants will gain a high-level understanding of ICF systems, including their benefits, applications, and design considerations, with a focus on the three core principles of design-ability, permit-ability, and construct-ability. The course provides an overview of how ICF impacts architectural workflows, from simplifying building assemblies to drafting considerations, and offers guidance on accessing key resources for successful implementation. By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped to confidently integrate ICF into their projects and collaborate effectively with contractors and stakeholders.

High-performance requirements are on the rise, and when it comes to small-scale housing projects, delivery often breaks down between roles. Designers, mechanical contractors, building officials, and other professionals are being asked to meet higher standards, with tighter timelines and fewer opportunities for redesign.

This webinar series focuses on what other disciplines need from you—so projects move forward smoothly and get built right the first time. Sessions are designed to support multidisciplinary learning and better coordination across roles.

High-performance requirements are on the rise, and when it comes to small-scale housing projects, delivery often breaks down between roles. Designers, mechanical contractors, building officials, and other professionals are being asked to meet higher standards, with tighter timelines and fewer opportunities for redesign.

This webinar series focuses on what other disciplines need from you—so projects move forward smoothly and get built right the first time. Sessions are designed to support multidisciplinary learning and better coordination across roles.

This years Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Thursday March 12, 2026.We will update members on the results of our current Board of Directors election as well as inform them of any changes to Director roles. A review of what we accomplished last year and what we have arranged for the next year will be included. We have some exciting news and updates to share.

ASTTBC has arranged a presentation and Q&A session for BCABD members to outline the registration process. This meeting will be particularly valuable for members with significant work experience, relevant education, or a combination of both. As Building Design gains recognition as a vital profession, discussions regarding reserved practice and registration requirements are becoming increasingly important. Current ASTTBC CTech members are also encouraged to attend to discuss whether upgrading to a Technologist registration is necessary. Additionally, the presentation will cover the new PST requirements for Architectural and Engineering services and how they impact Building Designers.

A team from BC Hydro will discuss high voltage electrical hazards. They will describe how utility-line driven clearances overlay on a typical energized distribution power pole, and talk about how these can be applied to dwellings being designed in proximity of existing power lines.

This fall Small Housing BC is delivering a series of Gentle Density Training for Builders across BC. The sessions are designed to equip Part 9 builders, contractors, designers, and developers with the tools to successfully take on multiplex (duplex, triplex, fourplex) projects under BC’s new gentle-density rules.

This fall Small Housing BC is delivering a series of Gentle Density Training for Builders across BC. The sessions are designed to equip Part 9 builders, contractors, designers, and developers with the tools to successfully take on multiplex (duplex, triplex, fourplex) projects under BC’s new gentle-density rules.

This fall Small Housing BC is delivering a series of Gentle Density Training for Builders across BC. The sessions are designed to equip Part 9 builders, contractors, designers, and developers with the tools to successfully take on multiplex (duplex, triplex, fourplex) projects under BC’s new gentle-density rules.

This fall Small Housing BC is delivering a series of Gentle Density Training for Builders across BC. The sessions are designed to equip Part 9 builders, contractors, designers, and developers with the tools to successfully take on multiplex (duplex, triplex, fourplex) projects under BC’s new gentle-density rules.

This fall Small Housing BC is delivering a series of Gentle Density Training for Builders across BC. The sessions are designed to equip Part 9 builders, contractors, designers, and developers with the tools to successfully take on multiplex (duplex, triplex, fourplex) projects under BC’s new gentle-density rules.

Not every code update increases costs. In fact, new brace wall band codes could save thousands on small homes and multiplexes.

Join us for a group forum and discussion about pricing structures and fees for design projects. Balancing how to charge enough to allow for the attention needed for a project with being competitive with your pricing can be challenging. Find out different options for determining pricing, what other designers across the Province are charging, and how to price different types of design projects.

In this webinar, you’ll gain insight into the design and manufacturing considerations involved in using glulam in buildings. As one of the oldest mass timber products used in Canada, glulam offers exceptional flexibility and can be incorporated into a wide range of building types—particularly where curvature and expressive geometry are key. Presenters will outline design and manufacturing strategies for creating efficient structures, showing how glulam can be used not just as columns and beams, but as the primary structure in today’s innovative buildings—whether architecturally driven or focused on value and efficiency. They will also cover the availability of glulam products across Canada and explain how to maximize the value of the timber used. Practical tips will be shared to help designers and specifiers take full advantage of glulam’s attributes in a cost-efficient way.

BCABD Peer to Peer Forum. Join us for a group forum and discussion on the challenges and considerations in the design of small multi-family and infill developments. Learn from experienced designers and share your experiences and questions. This event is open to BCABD members only.

Island ICF Foundation Supplies Inc. invites you to attend a day of training to become familiar with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) and find out about the NUDURA product line and its installation. This day of training is eligible for 7 CPD credits under the New Home Warranty Program and will lead towards becoming a trained installer. The course is being held twice this spring – in Victoria on May 21, 2025 (Four Points by Sheraton, Langford) and on May 22, 2025 (St. Andrew’s Church, Fitzwilliam Street, Nanaimo). Space is limited, so please register quickly.

Island ICF Foundation Supplies Inc. invites you to attend a day of training to become familiar with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) and find out about the NUDURA product line and its installation. This day of training is eligible for 7 CPD credits under the New Home Warranty Program and will lead towards becoming a trained installer. The course is being held twice this spring – in Victoria on May 21, 2025 (Four Points by Sheraton, Langford) and on May 22, 2025 (St. Andrew’s Church, Fitzwilliam Street, Nanaimo). Space is limited, so please register quickly.

This webinar will provide guidance on the design and construction of permanent wood foundations (PWF) based on the Canadian standard CSA S406-16 – Specification of Permanent Wood Foundations for Housing and Small Buildings. Topics will include site selection, backfilling, PWF floor systems, air and vapour barriers, insulation techniques, crawl spaces, and design considerations for high wind and seismic zones. The presentation will give attendees a comprehensive overview of the structural and building science requirements for designing and constructing PWF systems.

This webinar will focus on the recent changes to Part 9 of BC Building Code provisions. These changes introduce new lateral bracing methods to design for seismic loads. They also include updated climatic data that account for the effects of climate change, as well as specified wind and snow loads.  

Join us for this Gentle Density Network session as we explore BC’s new standardized design catalogue— what it is, why it matters, and how it can help planners unlock more gentle density housing in their communities.

Join us for the BC Association of Building Designers Annual General Meeting to be held ONLINE on March 12, 2025 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. The meeting will include the results of our annual election held in February as well as any changes in our administration. An overview of what the association accomplished last year as well as our plans for this coming year will be shared.

Learn more about embodied carbon, why it plays a significant role in building decarbonization, and how CLF BC can be a resource to support the BCABD community in achieving our mission of providing safe, affordable, and sustainable buildings.

The Building Officials’ Association of BC has invited members of BCABD to attend a Lunch and Learn Webinar explaining the new revision to the BC Building Code allowing single stair egress in multifamily buildings up to six storeys in building height.