by Rob Wright

Many people may not think that R&D is part of construction. Most people think in terms of hi-tech, or medicine, or other scientific endeavours. However there is a surprising amount of R&D in the construction industry.

In the past, alot of it happened on site in your home. The result is that as things happened to the homes: i.e. they burnt down or collapsed, the standards changed. That is why homes today have some special electrical parts and truss roofs.

Today we don’t like to try things on people’s homes to see if they work. They get tested first and they get tested in the lab, on computers, and in test homes.  These labs mostly are at CMHC, NRC, CSA, ESA, and ULC.

In the labs, materials and assemblies get tested: i.e. does the window leak air and/or water; is the asphalt strong enough for the road? Or does the light fixture catch fire? On the computer, you can test design changes to see the potential difference in energy efficiency or the strength of a component when loaded. In the test houses, you can test side by side under the same conditions. Is the gas furnace more efficient than the electric? How much more humidity causes mould growth?

This work has allowed us to: produce the best housing in the world, question claims about a material’s abilities to perform, ensure various products are safe, and help our industry meet our Kyoto requirements ahead of schedule.

What is causing the construction industry concern is the changes and cut backs occurring at NRC, CMHC, and the other facilities here in Canada.  We will be losing some of our advanced technical knowledge and personnel we do have. We also will not be working some of the future issues for the housing industry.

After we lose this knowledge, the next issue will become what standards from other countries (U.S and others) will become our standards. This would not be a good thing as most other parts of the world do not have the severe climates we do.

About the Author

In the mid 1990’s Rob joined and took over Citadel Renovations in Ottawa. Since that time, Rob has helped many homeowners improve their homes. Rob has been active in the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association for many years and has acted as the Renovation Council Chair. Rob has presented seminars at local home shows on various renovations subjects. He is a featured contractor expert for the Home Renovation Guide’s “Ask the Expert” section. Visit his company website CitadelRenovations.com for more information.