REGULATORY LEARNING

 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023

How Engineers and Geoscientists Get in Trouble

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Two speakers from the legal department of Engineers and Geoscientists BC will discuss the important discipline cases over the past year, and what lessons can be taken away from those discipline cases. You can learn what not to do to stay out of trouble! Bonus Materials – There will be a brief presentation on how Engineers and Geoscientists BC protects against non-registrants using the protected titles or practicing engineering or geoscience. You can learn how to report non-registrants encroaching on title or practice. (The presenters will not be discussing ongoing investigations or active discipline cases.)

Speakers

Jesse Romano

Jake Schroeder

Success Oriented Supervision

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

This session will provide professional registrants and firms updated information on the current path to professional registration for engineers and geoscientists in the province of BC. We will highlight the importance of direct supervision in the modern working environment focusing on the validation of work experience competencies and mentorship. This session will include perspectives from an experienced supervisor of trainees. Lessons will be shared from the Accredited Employer Program which has resulted with nearly 300 trainees gaining professional licensure since its inception in April 2018. This program emphasizes the importance of supportive employers and supervisors who are knowledgeable about current registration requirements.

Speakers

Leila Lagroix

Leila Lagroix is the Accredited Employer and Trainee Program Administrator at Engineers and Geoscientists BC. She has been with the organization and with Registration since June 2015. Leila oversees the Accredited Employer Program, as well as other initiatives meant to help trainees obtain their professional registration, and is also responsible for the online training tutorials in the Knowledge Center and in Competency Assessment. She also does outreach presentations for Registration to various engineering/geoscience firms and volunteer groups. Prior to Engineers and Geoscientists BC, Leila was a regulatory compliance officer for the Private Career Training Institutions Agency and a multiple sclerosis clinical trials/study coordinator at the University of British Columbia.

Scott Campbell, P.Eng.

Scott Campbell is the Board Chair and Chief Administrative Officer at Binnie, an employee-owned consulting firm with over 350 staff. Scott serves as Responsible Officer and a Responsible Registrant for Binnie’s Firm Registration with EGBC. He also leads Binnie’s involvement in EGBC’s Accredited Employer Program, which has developed over 30 P.Eng. registrants since 2018. Scott currently is a member of EGBC’s Credentials Committee, and has previously volunteered as a Mentor, Applications Reviewer, and Chair of the Fraser Valley Branch.

BC Energy Step Code - Introduction of the Zero Carbon Step Code

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Recent amendments to BC Building Code 2018 include changes to minimum energy efficiency requirements for most Part 9 and Part 3 buildings, as well as an opt-in Zero Carbon Step Code for local governments. The introduction of tiered performance targets for greenhouse gas emissions intensity shares many of the core characteristics and goals of the BC Energy Step Code and affords local governments and industry a structured approach for adoption and implementation. This presentation will provide an overview of these amendments, professional practice considerations, and the updates to reporting tool (Part 3 Compliance Checklist).

Speakers

Susan MacDougall, P.Eng., FEC

Susan has worked in the building industry for nearly 20 years and started Focal Engineering in 2015. She is an experienced mechanical engineer, energy modeller and project manager with a passion for sustainability, which has been her career focus. Outside of Focal, Susan is an instructor with Passive House Canada and the University of Victoria, and regularly volunteers with organizations that focus on engineering, sustainability and inclusivity, including spending four years as an elected Councillor with Engineers and Geoscientists BC.

Hugo Wong

Hugo is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Building and Safety Standards Branch of the Province of British Columbia. He has supported policy development and consultations for the BC Energy and Zero Carbon Step Codes since 2019. He earned a BA in Political Science and Professional Writing from the University of Victoria, and was a local journalist and photographer before joining government. He is passionate about collaborative, consensus-oriented policy development to make cleaner, more energy-efficient buildings.

Regulation of Embodied Carbon and Professional Practice Resources for Structural Engineers

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

The City of Vancouver announced updates to its building bylaws that require embodied carbon calculation and reporting for Part 3 buildings, effective July 2023. To assist with the reporting, the City has developed Embodied Carbon Modelling Guidelines and has worked with the Carbon Leadership Forum Vancouver to provide resources and tools to accelerate the reduction of embodied carbon in buildings. EGBC has worked with the Structural Engineers Association of BC to develop a Practice Advisory on Embodied Carbon to provide an overview of practice considerations for Structural Engineers. This presentation will provide an overview of these requirements and practice resources.

Allison Chen, P.Eng.

As a Practice Advisor with Engineers and Geoscientists BC, Allison is responsible for managing the development of professional practice guidelines and practice advisories for a variety of different areas of practice, providing practice advice services, as well as liaising with industry stakeholders and supporting a number of advisory and working groups for the development of professional practice guidance. Allison is a registered professional engineer with experience in the structural design of buildings. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in civil engineering from McGill University. Prior to joining Engineers and Geoscientists BC, Allison worked as a project engineer designing a variety of buildings from high-end custom homes to recreation centres to mid-rise concrete towers. The majority of her experience is on the design and project management of custom high-end homes and estates.

Caroline Butchart

Caroline has over a decade of experience in the construction industry, working as a structural engineer on major projects in both the UK and Canada. Initially starting out in research, Caroline has maintained a strong interest in improving the way we build projects, especially with regard to our impact on the planet. While working as a structural engineer, Caroline focused on generating resources, raising awareness, and creating tools for structural engineers to lower their carbon footprint. She has successfully driven initiatives on multiple large-scale projects generating substantial carbon savings and inspired colleagues to follow suit. Caroline is the Program Manager of the Carbon Leadership Forum British Columbia, a program area of ZEBx and BC’s Embodied Carbon Centre of Excellence.