This work reflects the collective efforts of many people who have contributed in different ways over time. We are grateful to all who have shared their insights, experiences, and energy in shaping this work.
Core Research Team
Wilma Leung, Senior Manager, Technical Research & Education, BC Housing
Wilma Leung brings decades of experience in civil and structural engineering, environmental management, government administration, and building design and construction to the BPiBS project. At BC Housing, she leads research and education to systematically improve the quality of residential design and construction. As co-leader of the Mobilizing Building Adaptation and Resilience (MBAR) initiative, she is a recognized innovator and industry leader in energy efficiency and climate resilience for the housing and building sector.
Suzanne Jay, MA, MLIS, Digital Library Specialist, BC Housing
Suzanne is a librarian embedded in the BC Housing Research Centre. She brings a background in communications and research support to the BPiBS team. She leads the development of the Living Compendium platform, and supports contributor outreach grow the collection and strengthen its relevance over time.
Dr. Phalguni Mukhopadhyaya, PhD, PEng., FEC, FCSCE, FCAE, Professor (Building Science & Structures), University of Victoria
Dr. Mukhopadhyaya is Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Victoria. His work on building envelopes and structures is at the forefront of energy efficient building innovations and has influenced construction practices across Canada and internationally.
Dr. Thomas Froese, Professor and Chair of Department of Civil Engineering at University of Victoria
Thomas Froese is Professor and Chair of Civil Engineering at the University of Victoria with research interests across a broad range of project and construction management topic areas, including information and computing technologies for construction, sustainability and innovating teaching practices for engineering education. Thomas received a PhD from Stanford University and served 25 years on the faculty of the University of British Columbia before joining the new UVic Civil Engineering department in 2017.
Madelaine Prince, B.Eng, M.Des, Futures Impact Designer & Engagement Lead, University of Victoria
With a foundation in engineering and a Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation, Madelaine brings experience working at the community level as well as with non-profit, government, and private sector organizations. She specializes in community-based design, systems thinking, and strategic foresight. Her work bridges technical complexity with human-centered approaches, ensuring that innovative solutions are problem-driven and create tangible, real-world impact.
Elisabeth Girgis-McEwen, P.Eng., ing., MA (Public Administration), Strategic Outcomes Lead, University of Victoria
Elisabeth is Senior Manager at the Science and Parliamentary Infrastructure Branch of Public Services and Procurement Canada. She is currently on Interchange to the University of Victoria. As the Strategic Outcomes Lead for the BPiBS project, she brings her expertise bridging engineering precision with policy insight, as well as her experience managing cross-organizational teams on major public initiatives including updates to Canada’s National Building and Energy Codes. She is a member of the Steering Committee for the Ottawa Chapter of the Women’s Infrastructure Network and mentors in numerous forums such as the Rosie Initiative. Elisabeth also hosts the Better Ways to Build in Canada podcast, which is part of the BPiBS project.
Alex Dekin, Digital Innovation Specialist, University of Victoria
Alex is a Research Associate at the University of Victoria’s Civil Engineering Department. He has over seven years of experience across higher education and applied research, including as a Research Coordinator at Leipzig University of Applied Sciences in Germany. In his role as the Digital Innovation Specialist, he is developing BPiBS’ knowledge database. He brings expertise in Building Information Modeling (BIM) and digital infrastructure for knowledge mobilization, among other topics, to the BPiBS project.
Dr. Rakesh Kumar, PhD, Technical Researcher, University of Victoria
Dr. Kumar is a Building System Researcher in the University of Victoria’s Civil Engineering Department. He brings academic expertise and extensive research experience on clean and sustainable energy systems.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Research and Knowledge Initiative (RKI), delivered and supported by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada to advance housing and infrastructure projects across the country.
Our team works across the unceded territories of many Indigenous Peoples, including the Algonquin Anishinaabe (Ottawa), Mississaugas of the Credit, Haudenosaunee, and Huron-Wendat (Toronto), Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh (Vancouver), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Coquitlam), lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples (Victoria), and the Tla-o-qui-aht and Nuu-chah-nulth Nations (Tofino).
We recognize that land acknowledgment is not the work itself, but a reminder of our ongoing responsibilities—relational, material, and ethical—to the peoples and places that continue to steward these lands.
We commit to unsettling extractive habits in our work and to walking, with humility, toward deeper accountability.