by Rakesh Kumar

When we think of sustainable buildings, the conversation often begins and ends with energy efficiency and the integration of renewable energy systems, such as solar panels on the roof or high-performance insulation in the walls. A building is more than just the sum of its individual components, thinking in isolation. 

True sustainability can be achieved by designing buildings as unified systems. Energy, water, structure, exterior, and health don’t exist in isolation. A key focus should be on how energy, water, structure, and health systems integrate to create sustainable, resilient, and people-centred design. Usually, these individual building components interact in ways that are often unexpected. A truly sustainable building conserves resources while ensuring a healthy condition for its occupants. More holistic thinking is needed in the design and operation of buildings, moving away from isolated component-based design toward viewing them as a single unit.  

A unified building design encompasses five thematic areas and their interdependencies, which will be discussed in more detail below. 

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by Elisabeth Girgis-McEwen

When BC Housing asked me to speak about change leadership, I faced a familiar challenge: how do you measure progress when the path forward isn’t predictable? Construction professionals know this tension well : balancing immediate needs with the long-term, and working across sectors that don’t always speak the same language.

This week’s conversation at the MBAR roundtable (Mobilizing Building Adaptation and Resilience (MBAR) | BC Housing) ranged widely in approach: structured results pyramid, community consensus and personal sense-making. Each has its value. I chose to speak about why we in the BPiBS project are putting energy into learning KPIs.

Traditional KPIs have long served me well. When I first led a project and program management office, they gave clarity and accountability. Activities led to outputs, outputs to outcomes, outcomes to impact. That chain works for well-bounded projects. But the housing system is not a tidy chain. It is a shifting landscape.

The reality is: change is not easy. It means balancing priorities, stepping outside comfort zones, and moving forward even when the way isn’t clear. In my own work, this has meant championing the environment as a building code objective, drawing attention to under-representation in design, and supporting reconciliation through First Nations’ self-determination in asset decisions. None of these were in a plan, but each became possible by paying attention in the quiet moments, asking what would truly move the work, and trusting the skills and support around me.

BPiBS exists to mobilize best practice knowledge. The project is not a regulatory effort. It does not force actors to collaborate. Instead, it helps knowledge move across domains so the simplest path forward becomes more visible—even when it isn’t the easiest.

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Canada’s housing system is complex: it is shaped by regulatory, economic, social, and technological forces, all of which are interdependent on one another. There are numerous, diverse actors in this system, from builders, engineers and designers to planners, researchers and non-profit organizations. How can these actors more closely align to address the country’s pressing housing needs? And how can we ensure that emerging best practices in building—such as modular construction and mass timber—are adopted quickly and widely?  

The Best Practices in Building Systems (BPiBS) project is developing a data-driven roadmap that will support strategic coordination across these diverse spheres, while also facilitating the rapid adoption of emerging best practices in building. The roadmap will provide opportunities for scenario testing and ongoing inquiry related to building housing that is inclusive, accessible, sustainable, and resilient. BPiBS is an interdisciplinary, collaborative project led by BC Housing’s Research Centre, with the University of Victoria serving as a key research partner.  

BPiBS is designed to be responsive and dynamic, with a deep commitment to listening: the roadmap will be informed by engagement sessions and workshops with a diverse range of housing and building stakeholders. The project is also developing a database to organize insights about current challenges, future needs, and emerging opportunities in building systems, which will be incorporated into the roadmap. These insights will encompass a wide range of themes in building systems, including health and lifestyle elements, building exteriors and grounds, building forms and structures, water and waste systems, and energy and thermal systems. 

The roadmap’s design will continue to evolve as insights about building systems are collected. Follow our updates here to learn more about the project’s progress and the BPiBS team.

Credit: Makenzie Pratt
BPiBS, BC Housing