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.

• The Building Envelope Solutions Theory and Practice Courses (BEST Practices), previously known as the Builder’s Tool Box, is currently underway. This set of courses was developed by the Homeowner Protection Office in partnership with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of B.C. and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

  These courses are currently available through part-time studies and evening programs at the BCIT campus in Burnaby. The course is designed to provide participants with:

  • background building science to understand how durable building envelopes are constructed
  • practical knowledge and skills to build durable wood-frame envelopes, and
  • practical knowledge and skills to restore failed wood-frame building envelopes.

  Further information about the Building Envelope Solutions course is available on the BCIT Web site Registration can be completed on-line or by calling the BCIT part-time studies registration line at (604) 434-1610.

• 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.

• Annotated Bibliography of the Building Envelope - This bibliography contains a list of over 170 reference materials concerning the design, construction, and maintenance of the building envelope applicable to the context of British Columbia including references specific to the coastal climate.  It is for the use of designers, including architects and engineers, contractors, material manufacturers, strata councils, property managers, owners, and others involved with residential construction.   

• 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: June 27, 2002