Set up for presale activations
Session 1 – Taking the Ash out of Ashnola
2 Hours (2 CPD)
A sobering review of the carnage of wildfire and an exploration of the improving wildfire resiliency.
Follow a discussion of the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) focusing on challenges and opportunities regarding forest fire resiliency. This session will draw from industry and Government interactions and detail the active fire suppression system as well as the layered approach that this design has taken to minimize loss and maximize the ease of rehabilitating this structure should it ever face a wildfire event like that which took our first demonstration build.
This session includes:
- Actual video documenting the approach and ignition of the “House of Tomorrow” in the wildfires of August 2023,
- A frank discussion of lessons learned and new strategies to shore up the resilience of this replacement build,
- An exploration of the changing nature of the forest, the reliance on fire services and the impact of the current capacity to fight wildfires,
- Regulatory impediments that may have contributed to the scope of destruction that occurred at the Phoenix Project location, and
- Some thoughts about the current thinking for the design and construction of structures at the wildland-urban interface.
For more information: The Phoenix: Designing and Rebuilding our House of Tomorrow
Session 2 – Defining Designing
2 Hours (2 CPD)
Broadening the Design Process to Embrace Modern Expectations
Considerations relating to what is practical for modern structures and exploring how to navigate changes to a 300-year history of lightweight frame construction in North America. In this session, 3D modelling and graphics combined with the actual construction elements will assist in the discussion of:
- Practical vs questionable design practices concerning energy, hygrothermal performance, carbon, soil gas, lateral loads, buildability, and durability,
- How much change is too much,
- Helping clients make informed decisions about cost vs. benefits of their wants and needs,
- Optimizing strategies to achieve the “Net-Zero” goal (Step 5),
- Adding professional design and oversight beyond Part 9 – the potential upsides and downsides,
- Working with the Authority Having Jurisdiction to avoid the imposed requirement for engineering when there is a Part 9 solution,
- How not to lose sight of comfort and design style while chasing performance philosophy for this project, and
- Redefining value by considering the true cost of ownership and carbon risk if the anticipated service life of the home doubles or triples or even extends out 10-fold.
For more information: The Phoenix: Designing and Rebuilding our House of Tomorrow
Session 3 – Defiance by Science: defying Nature’s wrath through Building Science
2 Hours (2 CPD)
What may appear as a “good idea” may be impractical or even be detrimental to the overall “wellness” of the final home. By including lots of complex graphics and visual examples of success built into the Phoenix Project build, this session focuses on an exploration of theoretical analysis of the concept and design choices.
- Wall profile selections (WUFI analysis)
- Potential condensation planes and decay risk.
- Performance evaluation.
- Overtime risk analysis of an assembly choice.
- Assembly analysis, such as window installation and penetrations (Therm analysis)
- Identifying thermal bridges.
- Proving out detail performance before construction.
- CSA F280 and Energy Use Calculations
- How accurately does this predict the reality.
- Correct sizing of mechanical.
- Practical Experimentation
- Testing for constructability and implementation in a real-world project.
- Identifying deficiency testing (example of gaps in sheets of continuous insulation and thermal flux measurements).
- Putting the detail to the test, building a mock-up and identifying where the pitfalls may exist, using third-party trades to confirm buildability.
- Learning from previous projects, always evolving design and construction methods.
- Communicating the plan with all parties before and during construction
- Explaining the details and why they are important.
- Addressing concerns at the outset, rebalancing the team if needed.
- Highlight the new techniques and details to the construction team and manage the resistance to change.
- Check with the AHJ prior to construction startup
- Identify details that may not be familiar to inspectors.
- Be upfront with design philosophies and how they conform to Codes and Standards.
- Continuous quality control during construction
- Be aware of pitfalls and traps that the build or installation crew may face.
- Continually check that details have not been “adapted” to fit an installer or crew experience and training that is contrary to the overall design criteria.
- Understand what is the critical path to a safe, comfortable and efficient building.
- Explain the design philosophy and how it works, reinforce the design expectation, and avoid allowing a drift back to old methods.
For more information: The Phoenix: Designing and Rebuilding our House of Tomorrow
Session 4 – Performance & Style: It doesn’t have to be one or the other
2 Hours (2 CPD)
An in-depth look into the design for the Phoenix Project. This part of the story will include lots of visual descriptions from the drafting table to the final built project.
An overview of the home's purpose and how to achieve this. Simplicity in the on-site construction aids in addressing the current challenges with affordability, build-ability, and the challenge of an overloaded skilled work force. Follow along as local environmental and weather conditions are factored into the design and detail decisions. The homeowner's wants and needs are implemented into the early Integrated Design Process (IDP) and continue to influence the design to the end of construction. An overarching respect is maintained for the Land Use agreement for the property, which reflects the priorities and traditions of the Ashnola River Band with whom we are honoured to share this magnificent land.
For more information: The Phoenix: Designing and Rebuilding our House of Tomorrow
Session 5 – Starting on a Solid Foundation
2 Hours (2 CPD)
Are screw piles a viable option for a traditional concrete foundation?
The choice to once again use screw piles reflects the fact that the original demonstration home was rock solid on its screw pile base, which was unscrewed from the ground as part of the clean-up leaving virtually no evidence of the structure having ever been there. So, what could possibly go wrong? Explore our challenge and resolution and learn more about the amazing capacity of this alternative solution as a foundation system when designed and installed correctly.
Both the initial design load calculations and the capacity assurances of this screw pile installation were technically flawed. Fortunately, the load capacity of screw piles can be confirmed either during the installation process by using the strong correlation of rotational torque generated while driving them into the soils, or after installation by applying field tested, factored load testing and measuring the compression and recovery rate of the supporting ground.
Witness both the installation process and the subsequent factored load testing using an ASTM D1143 compressive load test and the retesting of two replaced piles. The experience of using screw pile foundations for houses has raised many questions about their suitability and this study of design, installation and testing of load capacity answers many of those questions and addresses many doubts about their suitability in residential construction.
This session continues by comparing the impacts on design and construction, limitations and expanded opportunities of the technology, some history of the use of screw piles and a frank conversation about the costs and value of considering this alternate to Part 9, unreinforced concrete foundations.
For more information: The Phoenix: Designing and Rebuilding our House of Tomorrow
Session 6 – Component Modular: a New, Old Way to Build a House
2 Hours (2 CPD)
Part 1 - Putting in the floor cassettes
In our previous demonstration project, it was decided to explore the Glued Laminated Timber (GLT) floor slabs (the older technology) as opposed to the new kid on the block – Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) floor slabs. Both offer very similar qualities that offer a series of construction cost advantages. For this Phoenix project, it was decided that more traditionally framed floor cassettes showed tremendous promise in delivering on all of this project’s goals at a very competitive overall cost. Witness the fabrication, transportation and placement onto the foundation system of this project. Observe the process from initial concept through to final delivery and placement
Learn about transporting the cassettes, slinging/placing, and fastening from the discussion in the field during installation. Costing and the impact on the overall construction process round out this session.
For more information: The Phoenix: Designing and Rebuilding our House of Tomorrow
Session 7 – The Perfect Wall
2 Hours (2 CPD)
Part 2 - Putting in the wall cassettes
Witness the process of design, off-site fabrication, transportation, erection and attachment of structural wall cassettes that support the installation of all of the control layers in a many often referred to as “The Perfect Wall” assembly. Unlike the typical building enclosure of the late 20th Century, which was the result of the targeted and clumsy scaling of a 300-year old, lightweight design and construction without much consideration for unintended consequences, the design of the walls and all of the other structural and control systems included in the Phoenix Project strip down the idea of a lightweight wood frame home to its core, and completely rethink every design and construction element as a part of “the house as a system”. Follow the design and construction of the wall cassettes including:
- Wall cassette installation,
- The choice of offsite production,
- Transportation and logistics,
- Staging on site,
- The practicality of site installation of sections,
- Control layer installation,
- Window and Door installation including a picture framing of the rough opening to accommodate the continuous exterior insulation and the structural support of the installation of the windows within the thickness of the wall insulation,
- Details for the fenestration installation,
- The fabrication of the interior demising and bearing walls, and
- A review of the cost and efficiency of the final choices.
For more information: The Phoenix: Designing and Rebuilding our House of Tomorrow
Session 8 – The Monopoly House
2 Hours (2 CPD)
Part 3 - Putting in the roof cassettes
Follow the design and installation of the cassette-based roof system, which eliminates trusses and returns to dimension lumber and rafter framing techniques. Gone is the vented attic, and the reasons for this are explained in detail. Of great interest is the transition from dimension lumber and look-out framing for eave extensions and a new role for jack trusses to solve many of the challenges in designing and constructing a thick build-up of control layers and accommodating the extension of structural elements like eave extensions through this build-up. There will be much discussion on the dramatic reduction in engineered materials and assemblies and a return to long-used Part 9 lumber construction methods. The unique details for continuity of all of the control layers forming the building enclosure necessarily continue with this examination of the roof assemblies, and the session ends with an examination of the metal roof and solar PV installation.
For more information: The Phoenix: Designing and Rebuilding our House of Tomorrow
Session 9 – Layering the Onion
2 Hours (2 CPD)
Placing each carefully thought-through control layer over the structure in a progression that is rooted in providing each of the necessary functions (air tightness, vapour diffusion control, rainwater and precipitation control, resistance to cold and hot weather, noise, seismic and wind loading, resiliency to wildfire and designed to not only protect the occupants’ life safety for all expected exposures but also to allow any affected layers affected by major extreme events to be peeled away like an onion and rebuilt from the most inward damage back to the exterior. This far exceeds the minimum Code expectation that a home minimizes the risk to its occupants during and immediately after a major event, and that the home be capable of surviving the major event as well. Follow the design and construction of the following elements:
- Cladding and exterior appointment
- Fire resistant/resilient strategies,
- New/Existing material and assembly usage,
- Implementing strategies,
- Integration of the building envelope with limited thermal bridging and redundant lines of protection,
- Choosing a design theme to fit the local environment, flora, and fauna, and
- Achieving rugged and affordable durability without compromising the comfort and safety of the occupants.
For more information: The Phoenix: Designing and Rebuilding our House of Tomorrow
Session 10 – It’s All Kinds of Pretty
2 Hours (2 CPD)
Pretty cost-effective, pretty simple and fast to construct, pretty much net zero for everything and, well, just downright pretty as we finalize the construction and discuss the tale of the tape, including frank conversations about cost, comfort, durability, buildability and lessons learned from the Phoenix Project. Enjoy a tour of the final project with all of its’ interior and exterior design glory and learn about The Phoenix Project 2, where component modular explores high-end architectural and interior finishing and proves the range of this new attitude in home design and construction.
For more information: The Phoenix: Designing and Rebuilding our House of Tomorrow