The research and education component of the HPO is funded from contributions from sector organizations and from builder licensing.

Provincial Advisory Council on Homeowner Protection

The HPO receives advice from the Provincial Advisory Council on Homeowner Protection.  The mandate of the Council is to advise and make recommendations to the HPO regarding improving the quality of residential construction in B.C., research and education and consumer information.  The Council includes representatives from consumer groups, industry, local government, professional associations and labour.

Building Envelope Research Consortium (BERC)

The HPO is a member of the Building Envelope Research Consortium (BERC), and co-funds specific research projects.

Building Envelope Related Research and Information:

The HPO is partnering with various agencies, industry and CMHC to conduct building envelope research.  These projects include:

• High-Rise Envelope Details Study - The purpose of this project is to undertake a study which identifies factors contributing to envelope performance problems and successes in high-rise buildings, and to provide recommendations for addressing identified issues.

• Monitoring New and Remediated Wall Assemblies - The purpose of this program is to pilot a protocol which monitors the performance characteristics of both new wall construction and remediated wall construction using rain screen technology. The pilot will assist in undertaking monitoring of additional projects.

• Leak-Proofing Windows - The Leak-Proofing Windows study will address various issues including manufacturing of windows, transportation and storage, installation techniques and regulatory standards.

• Envelope Drying Rates Analysis - This research project undertaken through the Building Envelope Research Consortium (BERC) at Forintek will provide data on the drying rates of various wall assemblies under controlled laboratory conditions.

• Builder’s Toolbox - This is a pilot course curriculum and course training materials designed to train general contractors, super intendants and sub-trades in building construction practices that will enable them to construct, restore and upgrade the durability of the building envelopes of residential wood-frame buildings. Expected course delivery if for the Fall of 2001.

• Land Use Planning and Weather Protected Buildings - The publication serves as a best choices guide for local governments to review their land use bylaws and other policy or design related documents to determine how they impact the development of improved wall assemblies.

• Building Envelope Research Bibliography - The purpose of this study is to gather relevant studies on building envelope research and produce an annotated bibliography.

• Updates to the Best Practice Guide: For Wood-Frame Envelopes in the Coastal Climate of British Columbia - The Guide was originally developed by CMHC to provide architects, engineers, builders and others involved in the residential building industry with information on building practices that create effective building envelopes. The HPO is working with CMHC on updating this guide.

• Rehabilitation Guides - The HPO is working with CMHC on two rehabilitation guides which will be used to disseminate information to envelope consultants and condominium owners and managers regarding the rehabilitation of their buildings.

• Measuring Moisture Content in Wood - The HPO is working with CMHC and Forintek to produce a document that would set industry protocols for using moisture meters.

• A Building Envelope Test Hut in Coastal British Columbia: Feasibility Study - This project was a feasibility study for constructing a building envelope test hut facility in the lower mainland. The test hut would consist of a four sided test building, which would be constructed to study envelope performance under real conditions in real time. This study was completed in February 2001 and can be downloaded in PDF format by selecting the above link.

Last Updated: December 10, 2001