Following the spread of COVID-19 and ensuing pandemic, offices across Canada shuttered as non-essential workers were mandated to work remotely. As economies reopen and employers invite their staff to return, it has become apparent many workplaces will not return to the pre-COVID status-quo. This once in an era disruption to the workplace and work has left many wondering what is next for the office, if a hybrid work model will work for them,  and by extension the impact on commercial real estate markets in our cities.  With uncertainty and speculation rife, we have amassed an expert panel to share crucial insight at a pivotal time and answer the following:

During this opening session, the expert panel will discuss:

• What will be the enduring changes to the ways we work?
• How have employee expectations changed due to COVID-19?
• What long term changes can we expect to workplace and real estate strategies?
• What are the impacts on office demand locally and nationally, and what does this mean for Calgary and Edmonton's downtown core’s high vacancy rates?

Moderator:
Robyn Baxter, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Workplace Advisory, Colliers Strategy and Consulting Group

Speakers:
Kim Green, Principal, Interior Design, Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd.
Romin Jarrah, Manager Corporate Real Estate, Stantec
Justin Mayerchak, Senior Vice President & Partner, Occupier Services Group, Colliers International

Both legislated and voluntary responses to the climate emergency are becoming more ambitious. Consequently, design teams, owners, and operators need to understand how they will be affected and what they need to do ensure the buildings and infrastructure they build today will ensure a more sustainable future for all of us. With the built environment contributing almost 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is imperative that AEC professionals understand the whole life carbon picture and what strategies exist to reduce carbon on our projects. This presentation includes an overview of climate policy targets, the benefits and client drivers for adopting sustainable buildings, and the carbon balance. We will discuss strategies for measuring and reducing both operational and embodied carbon, and review which approaches have the biggest impact on building performance.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Understand the severe impacts of climate change, the policies in place to address it, and where they fall short
• Understand key drivers for adopting sustainable buildings
• Identify synergies and differences between operational and embodied carbon as part of the carbon balance
• Develop their understanding of how to measure and reduce both operational and embodied carbon as well as what questions to ask of their design teams to ensure project success.

Speakers:
Emily King, Sustainable Performance Lead, Entuitive
Tristan Truyens, Building Performance Analysis Lead, Entuitive

How can you do more with BIM models using data visualization? As more and more parameters are needed in a BIM process, maintaining the quality of the data can be increasingly difficult. Learn how to integrate tools like the data manager and data visualization for your quality assurance workflow to help minimize data discrepancies with your 3D models. Join Luc Lefebvre and Sarah Barrett to learn how advanced BIM tools can enhance your workflow, reduce errors, and increase quality output for your 3D models.

Learning objectives:

• Explore various sources of data and determine how to use them with your model for optimal results
• Learn what data visualization is and how it can be used for data verification
• Discover the benefit of data mapping to improve your open BIM workflow with Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data
• Identify best practices to maintain consistency with your models

Speakers:
Neil Barman, Product Specialist, Vectorworks, Inc.
Sarah Barrett, Senior Architect Product Specialist, Vectorworks, Inc.
Luc Lefebvre, Architect Product Marketing Manager, Vectorworks, Inc.

When you ask a Canadian about air pollution, they may quickly point out that this is a foreign problem. On the surface they have substance to their argument, the World Health Organisation (WHO) states that 90% of the people on earth breathe polluted air but Canada ranks in the top 10% in the world for clean air. However, on average Canadian’s spend 90% of their time indoors and the pandemic has only amplified this trend. Consequently, we should be more concerned about indoor air quality, or our inmosphere™ rather than our atmosphere.

Join this session to find out why, and learn:

• The importance of Clean Air in a post-pandemic world
• How the focus on energy efficiency has compromised air quality
• How the convenience attached to parkades may be compromising the air we breathe throughout the building
• How building regulations and even Green Building Standards are failing us
• Why it is critical to ‘Flattened the curve on indoor air pollution’
• How exhaust gas monitoring sensors are working by luck, not design
• How wall coatings can help destroy toxic air pollution

Speaker:
Kae Shummoogum, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer, Gasonic Group Ltd.