Expand Your Knowledge

Upcoming Technical Summit in British Colombia

by Amy Roberts, FGIA Director of Canadian and Technical Glass Operations

(Editor’s Note: Amy Roberts oversees the FGIA Canadian standards and regulatory building and energy codes, as well as the Insulating Glass Manufacturers Association of Canada Certification Program for Insulating Glass Units.  She has more than 20 years of industry experience in glass and IG manufacturing, and in both residential and commercial window manufacturing.  She can be reached at aroberts@fgiaonline.org.)

For those in British Columbia, there is still time to register for the upcoming Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) Fenestration Association of British Colombia (FENBC) Region Technical Summit taking place November 6 at the Northview Country Club in Surrey, British Colombia.  FGIA’s regional events are where those with ties to a specific area can get hyper local content from speakers and authorities in the know.  With this summit being an in-person event, it doubles as a networking opportunity.

         Most importantly, industry education takes center stage at FGIA events, including regional ones like this Technical Summit.  Those who attend will walk away with the latest knowledge when it comes to codes in British Colombia, as well as both commercial and residential matters in the province.  Read on for more information about what to expect at this fall’s Technical Summit, which will feature a reception and will address British Colombia codes, the top priorities of glazing contractors, residential installation training, trends in commercial glazing, and more.

Speakers

         A Code Talkers Panel will feature FENBC Region President David Goldsmith (PlyGem Canada) and two other panelists.  They will cover the latest in British Colombia specific code developments and other timely legislative topics as they arise.

         David Vadocz from RDH Building Science will give a presentation on the future of commercial glazing.  He will discuss topics like climate change, step code, net zero, passive house, emerging technologies in glass, and mass façade systems, all of which are considered key in shaping this future.

         A session with Anton Van Dyk from Layton Consulting will present on how Part Five of Canadian building codes and North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS) currently are being used.  He will review how some jurisdictions enforce for Part Five for NAFS, and how to prepare for that level of enforcement such as through engineering and site testing.

         Among further tentatively scheduled activities is a meeting of the FENBC Region Glazing Contractor Services Task Group, focusing on the planning of educational materials for members to use at events and to encourage interest in the glazing field.  This task group was created to Identify and provide support in development of products, services, or educational programs specific to glazing contractors’ needs and requirements, as well as to identify the challenges presented by the industry and to propose education and solutions.

         Finally, a representative from the Home Performance Stakeholder Council (HPSC) is tentatively slated to lead a discussion on new installer retrofit hands-on installation training.  The HPSC offers a fundamentals course and a new advanced course on this topic.  The HPSC is a nonprofit facilitator for the home performance industry in British Colombia.

Schedule

         The event will kick off on Tuesday, November 5, with a welcome reception from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.  The FGIA will be providing appetizers, light food, soft drinks, and one alcoholic drink ticket.  All participants are encouraged to attend in addition to all FGIA FENBC members.  At the reception, participants will be given printed schedules and other materials for the following day.

         On Wednesday, November 6, the Technical Summit will begin with a breakfast, followed by an opening session.  There will be a lunch break and a 30-minute break dedicated to the event’s exclusive six sponsors who will be showcasing products at their respective tables.  There are several different levels of event sponsorship available to qualified corporate members at FGIA events.

After the Technical Summit this November, the next in-person FENBC Region event will be held April 1-2, 2025.  To stay in the loop on FGIA regional events and on topics of relevance to the area, be sure to sign up for the FENBC Region e-News here.