Better Builder Magazine, Issue 29 / Spring 2019

ISSUE 29 | SPRING 2019PUBLICATIONNUMBER42408014
Energy-efficient post and beam
Discovery Dream Homes
Exterior insulation successes
Aligning the Ontario and
national building codes
Climate-resilient construction
INSIDE
Alternative
Building Systems
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BETTERBUILDER.CA | ISSUE 29 | SPRING 2019
16
1
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
2
The Winds of Change and
Alternative Building Systems
by John Godden
THE BADA TEST
3
Alternative Building
Structures and Systems
Improving Our Industry
by Lou Bada
INDUSTRY NEWS
6
Aligning the OBC to
the National Code
by Paul De Berardis
INDUSTRY EXPERT
10
Being Successful with
Exterior Insulation
by Gord Cooke
BUILDER NEWS
14
Building the Dream –
by Alex Newman
SITE SPECIFIC
22
Continuous Insulation
and Improvement
by Alex Newman
SPECIAL INTEREST
24
Stand Up to the Weather
with APA-Recommended
Building Methods
by APA Staff
BUILDER NEWS
26
Switching to the Panel Channel
by Rob Blackstien
FROM THE GROUND UP
31
Climate-Resilient Construction –
The Low-Hanging Fruit
by Doug Tarry
FEATURE STORY
16
Beaming With Efficiency
A Nova Scotia teacher with a passion for old-school building managed to build
a home that’s the model of energy efficiency.
by Rob Blackstien
26
ISSUE 29 | SPRING 2019
Cover: Beaming with efficiency,
courtesy of Andrew Parsons.
Images internally supplied unless otherwise credited.
14
3

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W
ith current extreme weather and wind conditions it’s hard to resist referring
to the fable of the three little pigs. Challenging market conditions, labour and
land costs, new technology and a changing climate is causing us to rethink
what we should build and how we should build it. The pig that constructed the brick
house seems to be the innovator. He/she invested more time and resources to build a
more resilient structure. The other two pigs, not thinking about the what and the how,
constructed enclosures that could not stand up to the forces of nature (the wolf).
Currently, a major driving force influencing builders’ choices in Ontario are
government structures like the building code and local municipalities who ask for more
through local green building standards. The new government has shelved the climate
change action plan (CCAP) and the mandate of NET Zero by 2030. The new provincial
emphasis will be on the harmonization of the Ontario Building Code (OBC) with the
National Code by 2020. OBC SB-12 energy performance levels may not change in 2022
because other provinces must catch up to Ontario’s 15% lead. A builder’s focus, in a
slower, more competitive market, could involve assessing lower cost durability and
resiliency features.
Lou Bada nails this topic down in this column. Simple anchoring methods and using
an exterior second plane of protection are “do”able for durability. On page 24 the APA out
lines its online resource with strategies for helping builders stand up to extreme weather.
Continuous insulation provides energy efficiency and savings but also protection
against condensation in a cold climate. Gord Cooke offers great science on choosing the
right thickness of exterior insulation and why.
The feature story on a post and beam home in Nova Scotia underscores the
complexity of decision making when bringing a traditional building form together with
a high-tech low carbon approach. There’s no shortage of ideas, the challenge is how
they get integrated into the building process. This project is a testament to the balance
between beauty and efficiency.
Lastly, Doug Tarry shares lessons learned from category 4 hurricane, Maria, in San
Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. Roofs are the most vulnerable parts of houses. Doug’s experience is
that small details can provide resistance to roof uplift in extreme winds. He believes this
is important for Canadian homes.
Looking forward, our greatest resource is our collective
experience, knowledge and practical application of new
technology. The winds of change will always blow and
howl. The question is, which pig are you in your story?
Are you the one who builds from sticks or straw, or the
one who builds a durable, resilient structure that will
stand the test of time? BB
The Winds of Change
and Alternative Building Structures
publisher’snote / JOHN GODDEN

Alternative Building Structures and
Systems Improving Our Industry
3
A
couple of years ago, I wrote
about the disruptive nature
of panelized light wood
frame construction. I extolled its
virtues in terms of quality, increased
productivity and reductions in
greenhouse gas emissions. The
innovations in and around off-
site construction are continuing,
thanks in no small part to some very
courageous and forward-thinking
individuals and companies – not that
I want to embarrass the likes of Tad
Putyra and H+ME Technology by
mentioning him (oops, too late).
What has always impressed me
about those in the field of off-site
construction is their openness to
new ways of thinking and doing
things. Nothing is off the table; they
are willing to consider everything
and they are not dogmatic in their
beliefs or actions. However, they are
determined. I would say these are
necessary attributes for innovation
and continuous improvement.
Change, however, does not have
to be radical in nature. I have a
colleague that is so skilled that he
could practically design a structure
of pre-stressed chicken skin and
make it work. But not all ideas have
to be revolutionary. In our efforts to
overcome the many challenges we
face today, we may neglect to look
at some of the smaller details that
are inexpensive, common sense
and simple to do. However, “simple”
shouldn’t be confused with “easy.”
thebadatest / LOU BADA
Off-site construction and
automated production lines can
make simple and better details easier
to implement. In panelization, we
only need to teach a machine to do
something once and it gets done
properly each and every time.
The Good Builder Score, which my
friend Paul De Berardis of RESCON
discussed in the Spring 2018 issue,
becomes much easier to put into
effect. An off-site building plant can
have its products CSA-approved,
thereby adding assurances to the
end user. In a world where we are
being asked to look at climate change
mitigation and consider building
resilience, we can now better sidestep
the unpredictability of an individual
tradesperson’s diligence.
COURTESYAPA–THEENGINEEREDWOODASSOCIATION
Often the proper fastening and anchoring of a
building’s structure from the roof continuously
down to the foundation is not as expensive in
time and material as one might think.

In many cases, the proper
fastening and anchoring of a
building’s structure from the roof
continuously down to the foundation
is not as expensive in time and
material as one might think. However,
the reluctance to change old practices
by framers and other tradespeople
is difficult to overcome. Often,
expensive hardware is contemplated
– as in the case of hurricane ties –
where simpler methods could work if
we could overcome our conventional
way of thinking and working.
The second plane on the exterior
of a building to control moisture from
infiltrating the structure, and proper
flashing techniques, are important
to the longevity and resilience of a
building. Roof and wall details should
also be considered, especially where
walls and roofs intersect. I believe
off-site construction is the best way to
address these issues.
We aren’t at the point where we can
start using pre-stressed chicken skin
on our buildings just yet – but with
the help of automation and machine
learning through off-site construction,
the future looks bright. BB
Lou Bada is vice-
president of low-rise
construction at Starlane
Home Corporation
and on the board of
directors for the Residential Construction
Council of Ontario (RESCON).
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not on ideology or a political agenda.

industrynews / PAUL DE BERARDIS
Through 2016 and 2017, the pre
vious government launched extensive
consultations on what would have
likely been the next edition of the OBC
in 2019 or thereabouts, with nearly 500
new proposed changes. Many of these
proposed changes reflected social
engineering policy directives of the
Kathleen Wynne government. This
represented a drastic departure for the
role of the Building Code, which was
largely technical in nature and had
addressed construction standards.
So, what was the difference at
the time? The previous government
was using the OBC as a policy tool to
implement its directives derived from
the provincial Climate Change Action
Plan (CCAP) when Glen Murray was
at the helm of the Ministry of the
Environment and Climate Change.
The policies in the CCAP
highlighted areas such as promoting
the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs)
in the marketplace, boosting low-
carbon technology in homes to reduce
reliance on fossil fuels for space and
water heating, and moving towards net
zero carbon emission new homes that
would have come into effect by 2030.
Downloading these policies into the
OBC would have been challenging for
production builders to implement and
costly for new home owners to absorb,
which we have explained in previous
issues of Better Builder.
Since the new government has
come into power, things have changed.
The ministry – now called the
Ministry of Environment, Conser
vation and Parks – has announced
that it will scrap the CCAP and will be
replacing it with the Made-in-Ontario
Environment Plan and its realigned
priorities.
From what I have seen expressed
by OBC users, regulators and building
officials, there is a lot of relief in
industry circles – including RESCON
– that the current government has
moved away from using the OBC to
enforce social engineering and policies
that were otherwise unenforceable or
unreasonably expensive.
Net zero carbon emission
small buildings
In my opinion, the previous govern
ment attempted to use the OBC as a
sledgehammer to push its political
agenda forward.
This was supposed to come into
effect by 2030 at the latest, with initial
changes to be effective by 2020. Now,
there’s no CCAP and no unreachable
net zero carbon requirements, but
there are lots of relieved builders
– and, ultimately, lots of lucky new
home buyers who will be able to keep
some money in their pockets during
an affordability crisis. We’ve written
about this in previous issues so we
won’t blather on.
EV chargers off the table
And then there’s the electrical vehicle
(EV) rebate. While huge taxpayer-
funded rebates on EV purchases were
Aligning the OBC to the National Code
T
he Ontario government is looking to adopt 192 changes to the Ontario
Building Code (OBC) to increase the harmonization of technical
requirements across Canada, ultimately by better aligning it with the
National Building Code (NBC). Most of the changes will be relatively minor, and
there are some advantageous changes – but there are a few that will rankle some
of this province’s home builders.
Before we get into what those somewhat controversial changes are, let’s look at
what brought about the harmonization efforts over these last few years.

available, EVs to this day remain an
expensive niche within the vehicle
market, representing less than 1% of
vehicles on the road.
To top off the costly rebate
program, the Wynne government
further forced its agenda by trying
to mandate EV chargers in all new
homes and buildings regardless
of affordability, cost or lack of
market demand. It was meant to be
implemented in all residences, high-
rise buildings and low-rise homes (but
it only made its way into the low-rise
market as an EV charger rough-in).
Many of our high-rise members were
relieved to learn that this is no longer
a priority, as many condo unit owners
didn’t even own a car, let alone need a
parking stall.
Radon mitigation and
hurricane straps
The previously flagged proposals on
everyone’s radar were radon mitigation
measures and the application of
hurricane straps. They are not
among the 192 proposed changes
going forward for the current OBC
harmonization. Both former proposals
caused many in the industry to
shudder because neither one was
absolutely necessary for every new
home in Ontario.
New government, new
direction
After the new government came into
power in June 2018, there was a period
of uncertainty on the fate of these
proposed changes which, up to this
point, had involved development of
the proposals, a public consultation
process and review by a technical
advisory committee, and were just
waiting for implementation into what
would have been the next edition of the
Ontario Building Code.
7
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The Doug Ford government then
put everything on hold as it decided
on how to proceed. It announced in
the fall that “provinces and territories
[will] focus on how to increase
the harmonization of technical
requirements across Canada.”
Updates from Minister Clark
More recently, in meetings with the
new Ministry of Municipal Affairs
and Housing, our industry has
received updates that future Building
Code proposals will have a focus on
further aligning the OBC with the
NBC, with the next edition of the NBC
anticipated for 2020.
Minister Steve Clark addressed
this at RESCON’s annual general
meeting. Among his comments, he
told RESCON: “Harmonizing our Code
to the national Code is something that
is very important to our government.
The previous government consulted
on the changes, but as of January 1,
2019, the changes weren’t finalized;
they didn’t come into effect. The
Code was the same on January
1, 2019 as it was on December 31.
We’re working again to update the
Building Code to reflect some of the
technological consultations and
some of the changes, some of the
expert research, some of the input
that was done as part of the national
construction code that was released
in 2015. I’ve been pretty consistent
when I’ve spoken [previously] to say
that we need to catch up. We need to
have that harmonization. We need
to do it for jobs, we need to do it for
interprovincial trade, we need to
do it to make it easier for Ontario
manufacturers and developers and
business to be operating in our
province, and for people to have that
consistency to be able to keep costs
down. Reducing red tape, having
efficient regulations, putting health
and safety in the window is something
that our government puts as our
priority.” (See the transcripts of his
speech at www.rescon.com/blog.)
The current provincial government
has a new focus on how to increase
the harmonization of technical
building requirements across Canada.
Therefore, of the nearly 500 previously
proposed OBC changes from earlier
consultations, only 192 remain which
seek to harmonize provisions between
the OBC and the 2015 NBC.
We predict the next update to the
OBC will likely be in the form of an
interim amendment to the current
2012 edition, with the next new edition
of the OBC being released sometime
after the anticipated 2020 NBC.
We recently met with the Ministry
to discuss these remaining 192
proposals, and the Ministry is open
to feedback with respect to timing
and possible challenges regarding the
implementation of these proposals.
Coming soon
There are two proposed changes
coming down the pike that we’d like to
flag to the industry.
Stair dimensions: After much
deliberation, this change is finally
coming. We’ve had this conversation
within the industry for the last few
years. Steps will have to be deeper – the
minimum stair tread run will go from
210 millimetres to 255 millimetres for
private home stairs within a Part 9
building and inside dwelling units.
Apparent sound transmission
class (ASTC): This means a single-
number rating of the airborne sound
attenuation of building assemblies
separating two adjoining spaces,
taking into account both the direct
and flanking sound transmission
paths. The new ASTC metric considers
flanking sound transmission, which
can be described as the sound that
passes around, over the top or under
the primary partition separating two
spaces. Flanking sound transmission
can be especially bothersome in
townhouses and multi-family
residential buildings.
While the harmonization is mostly
seamless, there are some changes we
must be ready for. In the meantime,
the best thing we can do is ask for
enough time to ease the transition.
But when you have a chance,
thank the government for scrapping
the CCAP. That would have been
a nightmare for affordability and
construction. BB
Paul De Berardis is
RESCON’s director of
building science and
innovation. Email him at
deberardis@rescon.com.
8
While the harmonization is mostly seamless,
there are some changes we must be ready for.
In the meantime, the best thing we can do is
ask for enough time to ease the transition.

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cavities because the exterior sheathing
stayed warmer.
The condensation potential curve
1 in the graph at right indicates that
when inside air is at 21°C and 35%
relative humidity (RH) (a pretty
normal inside condition), there is a
potential for condensation in the wall
cavity from about mid-November until
about mid-March in southern Ontario.
If you are wondering why you didn’t
used to see this moisture, remember
that there was less insulation in the
cavity in the 1990s and it was common
for the relative humidity to be lower
in houses in winter, until we started
adding humidifiers. Make no mistake:
if there is air leakage through the
wall assembly, there is a potential
for condensation. Some of it (in fact,
most of it) will be absorbed and held by
wood-based sheathing until conditions
are right that it can dry through to
the outside. If it is wet enough for long
enough, it will get mouldy and may
even eventually rot. The picture (next
page) shows some fairly minor mould
spotting on the sheathing behind
fibreglass insulation.
It is very common to find this
in walls, if you take them apart.
10
industryexpert / GORD COOKE
When I tell builders that, I typically
get two questions about insulated
sheathing. The first is: “Is it really okay
to put a foam plastic insulation on the
exterior of a wall in Canada?” This
is sometimes phrased as “Isn’t that a
double vapour barrier?” or “Everyone
knows a wall has to breathe.” I was
just at a house the other day where the
home owner showed me an email from
her builder that said “the building
department makes me put that on,
even though we all know it is causing
problems that we never had before.”
That house offers a good case study of
the science behind this first question.
The second question is usually
“Which is the best choice?” The
answer to that question has a number
of decision criteria to consider, which
I outlined in the summer 2017 issue of
Better Builder, just as the 2017 Code
was being implemented.
Let’s review the science – just as
John Straube (from RDH Building
Science and undoubtedly the leading
building scientist in Canada) did at
our recent Spring Training Camp in
Caledon in April. Here is the short
version.
Water in walls is never desirable
– it is the biggest risk to builders
everywhere, so keep it out. If it gets in,
let it drain and dry out. It is water in
liquid form that we are most worried
about. Rain is the biggest risk, and it
trumps vapour movement by far – so
do everything you can to keep it out.
But we will have to discuss rain in
another article.
In this article, we are going to
consider water vapour risks. Water
in vapour form is not an issue, but it
becomes an issue when it hits a cold
surface and condenses into a liquid.
Don’t let warm moist air hit a cold
surface. That’s where vapour barriers
come in. In theory, they stop water
vapour from diffusing through walls
from the warm side to the cold side. In
practice, there is far more (about 100
times more) vapour movement by air
leakage than by vapour diffusion. So
while vapour barriers may be good, air
barriers are far more important.
Make walls really airtight. In fact,
the more insulation there is in a wall
cavity, the colder the inside surface
of the exterior sheathing gets. We
should have more concerns about
walls today than walls 30 years ago
because we put more insulation in the
cavity. So make walls even tighter: the
more insulation you put in the cavity,
the more airtight you want to make
your wall. Put another way, we didn’t
need to make walls so airtight when
we didn’t put much insulation in the
Being Successful
with Exterior Insulation
A
s a building science guy, it is very encouraging for me to drive to new
home sites across Canada and see a variety of insulated sheathing
products being applied. I see blue, pink, silver, green and white – all
good choices and all of them dramatically improving the total thermal
effectiveness of exterior walls. However, there still aren’t enough builders
doing exterior insulation – and those who are need, in my opinion at least,
to put on more of it as we wander down the path to net zero energy homes.

Some moisture will dry through
to the outside because wood-
based sheathing is permeable (not
very permeable, but somewhat
permeable). If you look it up, typical
oriented strand board (OSB) has a
listed vapour permeance of between
45 to 120 ng/Pa.m2
.s (nanograms per
pascal of vapour pressure difference
per square metre per second). To put
this into perspective, when it is 21
°C and 35% RH inside and -10 °C and
100% RH (snowing) outside, about
a cup of water would dry through
a square metre of OSB (about the
size of one stud bay) over a period
of one to two years. In other words,
don’t let much warm moist air into a
cavity because it takes a long time for
water vapour to dry through OSB or
plywood. Walls with lots of insulation
need to be really airtight.
There is, however, another
strategy: warm up the interior surface
of the exterior sheathing. The more
insulation you put to the outside
(“outsulation”), the warmer the
interior of the exterior sheathing will
be. Any and all insulated sheathing
reduces the risk of condensation in
cavities because it warms up the first
condensing surface. In fact, if you
put on enough insulated sheathing,
the first condensing surface will be
above the dew point and there will
be no risk of condensation in the
cavity at all. If you think it through,
the more insulation you put in the
cavity, the more exterior insulation
you need to keep that first surface
warm. The less insulation in the cavity,
the less you need outside to avoid
condensation. This is what they are
doing in commercial construction.
In many cases, they have gone back
to 2x4 construction with R-12 or less
in the cavity and R-10 on the outside
with no risk of condensation in the
cavity in a central Ontario climate.
So it doesn’t matter if the insulated
sheathing is vapour permeable or not,
as long as there is enough insulation
on the outside to keep the sheathing
warm enough that there is little or
no condensation. The condensation
potential curve with R-10 exterior
insulation 2 in the graph above shows
the risk of condensation is reduced to a
few days during the coldest part of the
winter in southern Ontario.
Make no mistake though: if you put
an impermeable insulated sheathing
on the wall at less than R-10, and there
11
Outsulation reduces cavity condensation.
To compensate for the additional thickness,
wider jambs are required on the outer walls.
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
ºC
AMFJDNOSAJJM
DEW POINT 21ºC 35% RH
2X6 R22 BATT WITH R10 EXTERIOR INSULATION
MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURE
2X6 R22 BATT WITH OSB SHEATHING
SOUTHERN ONTARIO
INTERIOR SIDE OF SHEATHING TEMPERATURE
2
1
2
1

is air leakage through the cavity, there
will be condensation. Unlike OSB or
plywood, foam-based sheathing will
not absorb the moisture. You will see
it or feel it on the surface. Fortunately,
the moisture won’t damage the foam
sheathing itself – but if it is wet enough
for long enough, it will drip down
onto the plates, resulting in mould
and perhaps rot. Some moisture may
dry through the insulated sheathing,
depending on the type of insulation.
The permeability of typical insulated
sheathing is shown in the table below
(all at 1-inch thickness). You should
note the tremendous “forgiveness” of
the mineral wool insulation board. The
“dryability” of these products offers
a significant advantage in avoiding
moisture risks in wall cavities.
That house I mentioned earlier
had 1-inch, R-6 foil faced insulated
sheathing and there was some air
leakage – it wasn’t much, but the
bottom of the wall had enough mois
ture in it that I could squeeze water
out of the fibreglass batt insulation.
The right answer would have been to
add thicker foam sheathing (R-10) or
make the wall even tighter at the time
of construction. That, of course, is
not very helpful now that the house is
two years old. Short of tearing apart
the wall, the only short-term recom
mendation I could offer was to lower
the relative humidity in the house and
wait for it to dry out. They had been
keeping it at 40% to 45% RH because
that is what they were told to do by
their builder for the hardwood floors.
That’s the short version of the
science. If you are uncertain about
these statements above, I strongly
encourage you, your designer and
even your framers to attend a building
science training session like those
offered by groups such as EnerQuality,
talk to your energy evaluator or refer
to websites and apps such as www.
constructioninstruction.com.
There are lots of insulated
sheathing options to consider, each
with strengths and challenges. For
example, rigid mineral wool board
provides superior fire and sound
control, and it has great drainage and
drying capabilities. It would need
to be combined with a structural
sheathing, but due to its weight, it
would require careful thought as to
how to mount and attach it on a wall.
Compare that to the much lighter XPS
board, where structural integrity can
be accomplished with let-in bracing or
intermittent shear panels. In this case,
however, the low permeability of the
product requires that more thought
be given to water management and
a move to higher R-values to avoid
condensation risks.
As you consider your alternatives,
take a longer-term view. It seems really
clear to those of us watching Code
cycles and industry direction that we
are driving towards net zero homes
within the next 12 to 15 years. Thicker
insulated sheathing (R-10 or at least
R-7.5) simultaneously improves the
durability, comfort, health and energy
efficiency of your homes and can be
done very cost effectively. Partner with
insulated sheathing manufacturers
that offer application details, training
and on-site support to find the solution
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Gord Cooke is
president of Building
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buildernews / ALEX NEWMAN
Sharpe is the director of design for
the aptly named Discovery Dream
Homes. Based in Peterborough,
the company has a clientele that’s
notably geographically diverse – from
Muskoka, the Prairies and the Rockies,
up to Alaska, down to California and
Mexico, and as far away as China.
Founded by Ray King 16 years ago,
Discovery Dream Homes was an
offshoot of King’s father’s company,
Confederation Log Homes. Discovery
Dream started with a better, more
efficient log home process that focused
on custom cutting log and timber
frames using the machined process.
This manufacturing method is
what makes Discovery Dream unique.
All materials – logs and timber – are
precut, then shipped to the site for
a local contractor to piece together.
Everything is clearly labelled and
instructions are provided in order
to create a weathertight structure.
The price is based on design and
materials, but doesn’t include interior
fixtures, such as the kitchen, baths and
floors. The only variables in cost are
shipping, price of land, and cost of local
contractors and cabinetmakers.
The company is one of the few log
builders that is certified and approved
to use Forest Stewardship Council
(FSC) certified timber. “We have always
tried to consider renewable materials,
which is why we source FSC timber,”
says Sharpe. “We want to make sure the
timber comes from renewable locations
and that it’s not disturbing wildlife.”
Eastern white pine is used because it
has “a lot of character,” says Sharpe, but
also because it’s easy to work with. The
timber is air-dried for up to 18 months
to complete the settling, shrinking and
checking, so that future shrinkage is
minimal. (Discovery Dream will use kiln-
dried timber for items like interior stairs,
or sometimes for export outside of North
America.) The timbers are precision cut
by computer, and then shipped to the site
in packages that belong together.
Once the materials have all been
shipped, construction begins. The
process resembles an old-fashioned
barn raising, with several workers
with their mallets raised, hauling logs,
or operating forklifts, piecing it all
together on site. Check out the “Dream
Home Process” on YouTube.
Customers find Discovery Dream
Homes through a variety of channels:
online, trade shows, billboard ads or
word of mouth. If they’re local enough,
they then follow up with a visit to the
model home factory. Those who aren’t
local can still start the process online –
as Sharpe points out, “we can do quite a
bit with images and Google Earth.”
Purchasers need to come with a
must-have list: how many bedrooms
and baths, and the desired size of
common areas. Sharpe encourages
them to create their wish list after their
must-haves are decided. “Given our
concern with budget, we tend to work
backwards from that,” he says.
Building the Dream
A
rustic cabin perched on a rocky outcropping of the Canadian Shield, a
canopy of pine and maples in the background, and soft waves lapping at the
shore. This is an image that resonates with most Canadians.
It’s also an image that home owners can realize by purchasing property and
building a log home. As architectural technologist Jason Sharpe says, “Clients often
say they’ve been dreaming of this for a long time.”
COURTESYJASONSHARPE,DISCOVERYDREAMHOMES

There is considerable back and
forth during the design process.
Discovery Dream uses sophisticated
software that allows for a 3D walk-
through to help customers visualize
their designs. The company’s website
also has a huge gallery of past projects
so that buyers have a good sense of
what is possible.
Four types of log construction are
offered. Three of those – the traditional
round log profile, the square log system
and the D-log style – are milled with
a double tongue and groove ridge
for easy fitting, then precut to size,
and have either dovetail or lap lock
construction on the corners to ensure
a tight fit. The square log has a flat
planed interior and either a flat planed
or machined rough exterior.
The fourth type is a timber frame
structure, which can be purchased as
a standard package that brings you to
the lock up stage, or provides all the
materials necessary for turn-key. The
Pier One is a good example of this:
www.discoverydreamhomes.com/
dream-designs/pier-one/.
Discovery Dream’s homes vary in
size (from 400 square foot log bunkies
to 6,000 square feet) as well as in
appearance, with some consisting
of traditional chunky logs; others of
smooth, square-cut façades; and still
others that are additions snugged up
against century brick. It’s also not
unusual for buyers to incorporate
a mix of styles and construction
methods in the custom home design.
In one century brick home in Ontario,
for example, additions were made
in two different types of log walls
for a pleasing blend of materials and
historical accuracy. See the link: www.
discoverydreamhomes.com/gallery/
settlers-ridge/.
The difference between the systems
is mainly esthetic since all have the
same stringent airtightness standards,
says Sharpe. This is important, given
the bad rap log homes get on energy
efficiency. People who want a log home
want rustic, outside and in, at least on
the main floor. That means no drywall,
and therefore no insulation, which sets
them up for low R-values. But Sharpe
says this is unfair, since the homes can
now be built extremely airtight.
Admittedly, older types had issues
with air infiltration between logs, he
says. But Discovery Dream’s precision,
computer-driven construction creates
machined logs with double tongue and
groove ridges between the logs, as well as
a dovetail or lap lock corner construction.
Sealants are inserted between every
row, and a unique through-rod system
keeps constant pressure on the walls to
eliminate air infiltration.
The company’s head of purchasing,
Ted Lillico, lives in one of the company’s
log homes and says it’s airtight and
comfortable. “We did a blower door
test and it exceeded Building Code
requirements,” he says. “It has a lot
to do with the tongue and groove
process, as well as the concealed
gaskets. Combined with logs six or eight
inches thick, you’re getting a tightly
constructed wall.”
When you combine this with the
structural insulated roof panel – which
works with the timber frame roof that
Discovery Dream manufactures – you’re
getting a lot of R-value in the top of the
building as well, Lillico adds.
Because the company manufactures
the parts for the shell, it is up to the local
contractor to handle insulation and
fixtures (kitchen cabinetry, bathrooms,
plumbing and so on). Discovery Dream
will provide structural insulated panels
(SIPs), which are shipped with both the
insulated wall system and the timber
frame roofs. Insulated sheathing isn’t
used on the log walls, but it is used on
the gables or other framed walls.
Since so many of these homes are
built in rural areas, Sharpe says they
will help source local contractors, and
then provide follow-up guidance to that
contractor. “One of our staff has been
trained – by John Godden – in better
building methods, and is able to suggest
to buyers which kind of foundation or
HVAC system would work best with the
structure and the site.”
They also provide guidance on
potential area restrictions, such as
energy compliance to the Building Code.
“On a rural site, you might not have a
lot of choice how you get your energy,”
Sharpe explains. “Electric delivery
might not be very good, and natural
gas might not be available. Most of our
clients go with propane, some with
geothermal. There are others still who
come in with very specific ideas about
how to heat and cool the home, with
radiant heat, boiler systems, and so on.”
Building a log home that’s energy
efficient doesn’t have to be just a pipe
dream, says Sharpe. And it doesn’t have
to be just for the look, either. “There are
verifiable benefits – the studies show log
homes actually lower blood pressure.” BB
Alex Newman is a writer,
editor and researcher at
alexnewmanwriter.com.
15
A propane wood stove is the cabin’s
primary heating system.

featurestory / ROB BLACKSTIEN
Beaming With
IMAGESBYJOSEURIBE
Above: A modest front façade conceals an expansive interior. Lower left: It takes a village to erect a modern post and beam house.

BETTERBUILDER.CA | ISSUE 29 | SPRING 2019 17
A Nova Scotia teacher
with a passion for
old-school building
managed to build a
home that’s the model
of energy efficiency.
Efficiency
W
ho ever would have thought that
a home that was painstakingly
constructed by hand by an amateur
– which combined century-old building
techniques with modern energy-efficiency
practices – could wind up being good enough
to nearly win an award for energy efficiency?
The results are all the more remarkable
when you consider that its builder, Andrew
Parsons, is not a trained architect, designer or
professional builder.
But in reality, the quality of this
3,500-square foot post-and-beam home in
Melmerby Beach, Nova Scotia, was no fluke. It
was the culmination of a long-time fascination
with timber frame structures and an insatiable
appetite for self-education by its creator.
To understand fully how Parsons managed
to meld old-school design with new-school
technology to build a home with a HERS
score of 35 that was the runner-up in the 2018
RESNET Cross Border Builder Challenge, we’ll
need to go back in time.
Below: Inner beauty and exterior strength.
PHOTOSCOURTESYOFANDREWPARSONS

After earning his degree as a
guidance counsellor in the early ’90s,
Parsons went up to Nain in Northern
Labrador. It was there that he was
first exposed to timber frame cabins,
and he was instantly captivated
by their rustic charm. “They were
very austere and yet unbelievably
beautiful in their own right. And they
accomplished incredible things on a
very tight budget.”
A year later, he moved to Abbots
ford, British Columbia, to be a high
school teacher/guidance counsellor.
Honing His Craft
It was there that Parsons sharpened
his skills, as the metal and shop
teachers took him under their wings.
He was teaching regular academics,
but an opportunity arose for him to
cover a section of classes in wood
shop. The wood shop teacher taught
Parsons everything he needed to
know. The following year, the same
thing happened with metal shop,
helping to broaden his technical
expertise.
In 1996, after Parsons expressed
an interest in making one of those
cabins he saw in Labrador, one of the
teachers offered a spot on his land for
the two of them to build a 16 x 12-foot
post-and-beam structure.
Flash forward to Parsons returning
to the east coast, now as the depart
ment head for the Technology & Career
Education Program at the North Nova
Education Centre. His experience as a
guidance counsellor led him to work
ing with students who tend to struggle
in a traditional academic environment,
yet flourish when working with their
hands. In his class, they’ll often score
over 90 – “and that’ll be the first mark
in the 90s they ever got.”
18
The class has a pair of two-week
placements annually, in which Parsons
will assign students to a tradesperson
in a specific field they’ve shown
promise in, like plumbing, landscaping
or roofing. The students started
building baby barns, but eventually,
both they and he got bored by them, so
they moved onto timber frames.
In 2011, Parsons got the funding
necessary to fly to Colorado for a
10-day crash course in timber frame
construction, a class that culminated
in the creation of a timber frame
structure. There, he learned old-
school techniques, like using a boring
machine with a hand crank to drill the
slot, and then chiselling out the holes
to make the mortise.
The following year, Parsons ordered
the frames and built a 12 x 16-foot
structure with his students. Soon, a
community group was drawn to what
they were doing and asked him to
make a timber frame building that
would become the first overnight
structure for people to use on Nova
Scotia’s Cape to Cape Trail.
Passive House
Next, he took a Passive House builder
course in Vermont. The genesis of
net zero, Passive House originated in
Europe as a voluntary standard for
building energy-efficient structures
with reduced ecological footprints.
These homes are designed to gain
passive solar heat by having glass face
the sun, with virtually no windows on
the north side.
While Parsons wanted to emulate
the Passive House philosophies as
much as possible, these homes typically
employed triple-glazed windows that
had to be shipped in from Switzerland –
a huge added expense. He wanted to
do it just as well, but on a budget.
In 2016, Parsons again teamed
up with his students to build his first
timber frame/Passive House hybrid,
a 12 x 16-foot structure coined BL@M.
Essentially a test home, BL@M gave
him a sense of what did and did not
work, readying Parsons for his next
challenge: the Melmerby Beach house.
Still, questions remained. “How do
I modify what I learned in the BL@M?
Booming the BP structural insulated sheathing.

BETTERBUILDER.CA | ISSUE 29 | SPRING 2019 19
How do I do it on a bigger scale? How
do I take Passive House – this really
expensive, really amazing approach
– and combine it with timber frame,
which is super old school, and yet do
it with typical building materials (like
OSB, tuck tape and drywall, nothing
terribly exotic)?”
The process started in late 2016,
when Parsons talked to his second
cousin, John Godden of Clearsphere.
Parsons then enlisted a professional
timber frame company (run by a man
aptly named Forrest Rand) to draw up
his house plans – a design that Parsons
and his wife, Shauna, had literally
scribbled on the back of an envelope.
Prepping the Frame
Over the course of three weeks,
Parsons’ neighbour – who owns a
portable Wood-Mizer mill – cut the
entire frame for the home.
At the beginning of 2017, Parsons
received his first load of materials for
the new home. He would assemble
all the pieces for a pair of bents with
it lying on the floor, and then his
neighbour (who had a crane) and
seven or eight helpers would show up
for an hour. The crane would hoist
everything into position and they’d
attach the two bents together, which
would become a stable structure of its
own. Then the crane would drive away,
leaving Parsons another week to work
on the next section. “People would
have a little bit of barbeque and a beer,
and they’d be like, ‘alright, next Friday
we’re coming back,’” he recalls.
When it came time to put the
structure in place, it was akin to an
old-time community barn raising,
featuring friends, family, neighbours,
co-workers and former students all
pitching in. On the first day alone,
there were around 45 people there. “We
had people that were six and people
that were 76,” Parsons says. Barry
Godden – the brother of John Godden
and a second cousin of Parsons – was
there, pushing on a timber. John’s son
Josh, 18, helped out in the summer
to earn school credits. Even the
provincial Minister of Agriculture was
there, pulling on a rope.
Oh, did we mention Parsons
accomplished all this while retaining
his full-time teaching gig? He worked
every evening, every weekend and
through March Break. By the end of
August 2017, the final bent was erected
to finish the frame. Next, the rafters
and roof were built by hand, before the
crane came back for the final sections.
The timbers were in place by the end of
September, and the roof was weather
tight by the end of November.
Coincidentally, the dimensions
of the home were within a couple of
feet of the traditional Nova Scotia
vernacular barn. Parsons suggests
that it stands to reason, given that it’s
really form following function – when
working with spruce, you can only use
timbers that are so big and so long.
Still, it was yet another eye-opener for
him: “That was sort of one of those
weird twists we didn’t see coming.”
Many of the building materials,
Parsons adds, were locally sourced.
A Culmination of Decisions
While this wasn’t as extreme as an
amateur scientist building a rocket and
hoping it could safely carry him to the
moon, there was a similar leap of faith
here. Yes, Parsons had built five timber
frame structures before this, but never
on this scale.
He devoured every building science
article he could as he planned this, so
he believed it should work in theory.
But given that he’s not an engineer or
architect and that he didn’t have years
of building experience to lean on, he
really did rely on some pretty educated
authors, plus the help of people like
Godden and the technical support
from some key manufacturers (see
“The Machines Behind the Dreams”
sidebar, next page).
Hydronic heating distribution is installed throughout,
powered by a propane Polaris condensing combo heater.

The Machines Behind the Dreams
Several manufacturers lent both products and technical support to help Parsons’ dream home become a reality. This equipment helped
him build a home in which “the envelope kicked ass” – to the point that it achieved a HERS score of 35.
For the exterior sheathing 1, BP R5 XP – a brand new product at the
time – was employed. Parsons says it was a pleasure to work with, given
how easy it was to cut, install and seal. “It quickly provided an efficient layer,
keeping wind and moisture out of the building envelope while also adding
stability to wall framing.” As an exterior air barrier system, R5 XP contributed
to the structure’s airtightness. It tested in at .45 ACH at 50 pa, which
exceeds passive house level of .6 ACH.
Panasonic supplied the ERV and exhaust fans 2. Parsons said the ERV
is easy to monitor and maintain, and it “functions so efficiently and quietly
you are barely aware it is in use.” He was pleased with the fan’s ability to
quietly remove moist air from the bathrooms while helping to keep humidity
levels down in the home.
He was also very happy with the insulation 3. He used ROCKWOOL
Comfortboard 80, which installed quickly, was easy to cut and provided a
continuous layer of insulation between the cement foundation and wall fram-
ing for basement walls, eliminating any thermal bridging in this aspect of the
build. “The comfort batts retained their shape once squeezed through smaller
openings behind timbers or when stacked in large cavities,” Parsons says.
Additional vendors who lent support include DOW, which provided special tape, and AO Smith, which supplied a Polaris condensing
hot water heater 4 to act as the heating plant for the house. BB
20
Parsons was also grateful for
Donnie Hislop, an independent
electrician who he says “was
unbelievable.” Parsons wanted
to minimize penetration in the
envelope, and usually, he says,
“trades come in, and all they want
to do is drill holes in everything.” In
contrast, Hislop worked with Parsons
to figure out ways to run the wires
through the floor, thereby retaining
the airtightness of the exterior walls.
Even the services come up through
the floor, which is super insulated.
Parsons recalls that his local building
inspector struggled to assess his plan,
but ultimately determined that the
home had exceeded Code.
Also significant to this project was
Parsons’ decision to mostly eschew
high-priced local coal-fired electricity
(and the federal grants that incentivize
its use) and opt to employ propane for
the majority of the home’s heating.
Computer simulations proved that
doing it the way the grants specified
would have produced 11.03 metric
tonnes of CO2 per year, whereas his
method produces just 6.4 metric
tonnes per year. Parsons’ choice wasn’t
only more environmentally friendly,
but it was also cheaper.
While Parsons didn’t specifically
set out to make as green a home as he
could, the result was a culmination of
many of the decisions made along the
way. “Any time we had an opportunity
to look at the environmental impact,
we did,” he says. BB
Rob Blackstien is a
Toronto-based freelance
writer. Pen-Ultimate.ca
35
THIS HOME IS 59% BETTER THAN CODE
6091LittleHarbourRoad,KingsHeadNS
RatingDateAugust1,2018
2012SB-12REFERENCEHERS60
1 2
4 3

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sitespecific / ALEX NEWMAN
P
aul Lowes is a lifelong learner,
interested in how things work
– and how he can make them
work better. From his educational
background in health sciences and
business to his current position as
technical business development
manager at Building Products of
Canada (BP Canada), he has looked for
ways to improve products, sales and
information.
Today, he represents BP Canada’s
sales and product education team,
helping builders and architects
better understand building envelope
insulation practices. The company
manufactures essentially three
structural insulation sheathing
products that exceed both Ontario
Building Code and National Building
Code requirements. Lowes focuses
on Excel and R-5 XP – both of which
enhance drying potential in wall
cavities in residential applications.
Excel is a continuous insulation
panel, or sheathing, with an air barrier
membrane applied to a structural
high-resistance wood fibre panel. The
membrane resists water penetration
from the exterior while being perme
able to water vapour from the inside
of the house. Excel is free of volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) and has
excellent sound-deadening properties.
As Lowes explains, Excel is permeable
because the fibre board has natural
bonding agents but does not have
glues or resins (which would prevent
moisture from permeating through
and escaping to the outside).
Lowes’ other specialty, R-5 XP, is a
composite product consisting of foam
laminated to half-inch fibre board for
a total thickness of 1-3/16 inches. The
foam, an extruded polystyrene (XPS),
is just thick enough to allow moisture
to escape outward. The 5 in the product
name stands for its R-value. R-5 XP
combines the structural mechanical
properties of wood fibre panels with
the XPS’s insulation abilities and meets
energy-efficiency requirements for both
the Ontario and Quebec building codes.
“You can’t underestimate the
importance of eliminating moisture in
a home,” Lowes says. “When moisture
can escape the wall cavity, it keeps the
lumber and building materials intact
and does not encourage mould growth
or material breakdown. Oriented strand
board (OSB) has a relatively low perm
rating so you may have issues with
mould, which can lead to allergies and
other serious respiratory issues.”
These products are not to be
confused with structural insulated
panels (SIPs), which are both costly
and cumbersome. Lowes says that
BP Canada’s structural continuous
insulated panels wrap a structure in an
insulation “blanket,” reducing energy
loss through thermal bridging.
BP Canada’s products also perform
very differently from the more common
materials of OSB and plywood. OSB
traps moisture because of the resin,
Lowes explains. The other challenge
with OSB is that, while it takes longer
to get wet, it also takes longer to dry –
and when it does, there’s still swelling
along the edges where it got wet. With
its tendency to hold moisture, it also
breaks down faster.
In contrast, Excel and R-5 XP are
made in Canada from recycled and
renewable materials, give off no toxic
chemicals or VOCs and have a higher
perm rating, which enhances drying in
the wall cavity. Because they’re perme
able, they encourage moisture to escape
outward, thereby reducing condensa
tion on colder surfaces inside walls.
Lowes is very interested in the way
systems work, and to that end, he is
actively involved in improving his
product line with BP. Recently, the
company has undertaken exhaustive
testing on the structural stability on
their sheathing product, addressing the
capacity of the product to make houses
more resistant to changing extreme
weather forecasts in municipalities
across Ontario.
Lowes understands building science
not only from his academic background
– he holds a BSc from the University
of Toronto – but also through his
varied career moves since then. After
university, he had almost completed a
physiology and anatomy certification
at Humber College when he realized a
medical career wasn’t for him.
His first job out of school was com
missioned sales in giftware, which
Lowes says “was actually a pretty good
fit. People had always fascinated me.
But I also got really excited by the chase
of closing business. It’s something I
absolutely love, finding solutions, and I
can’t imagine ever retiring.”
With the economic downturn, the
giftware company restructured and
Lowes went to work for Imperial Oil as
Continous Insulation
and Improvement
Paul Lowes

a terminal operations analyst. This
position saw him involved with any
fuel product moving through Canada,
including the oversight of terminals.
“We’d be right there for a spill in
western Canada, or the power outage
of the early 2000s, when we had to
ensure hospital generators were up and
running or getting helicopters what
they needed when the fires raged in
Alberta and BC’s interior.”
It was an exciting job with a
lot of security, but when Imperial
Oil changed its internal structure,
relocating some operations to Calgary
and others to the east coast, Lowes
opted to take a severance since he
was a new dad and wanted to stay put.
From there, he moved into food – he
explains that he was “always about
the new experience.” But Lowes also
brought vital skills learned from
Ellen Scarrow – an amazing mentor
at Imperial Oil – about “identifying
problems and coming up with viable
collaborative solutions.”
That success led to being
headhunted for ENI, the Italian oil
company most famously associated
with Ferrari. Lowes spent eight years
building their key accounts, over
which time he observed the greening
of the economy on the horizon. He
subsequently moved to a company that
manufactured readily biodegradable
products in the mining, forestry, rail,
hydro electricity and utility segments,
with big clients that included the likes
of Metrolinx and the St. Lawrence
Seaway.
Although Lowes witnessed the
inroads the green economy had
made, he realized it would take a
couple of decades for that industry
to really catch up – so when head
hunters approached him for BP
Canada, he hit the research again.
“I have always been interested
in residential architecture and
construction, and I could see there
was growth in the housing industry,”
he reasoned. “And since the company
had once been owned by Imperial Oil,
I knew that process was an important
piece of their corporate practices.”
Within a month of starting at BP
Canada in 2017, Lowes was introduced
to John Godden of Clearsphere. “I
watched him closely, how he managed
people and their expectations, and
how incredibly well informed he is. I
appreciate his honesty, his candour,
his knowledge and his collaborative
approach – I’ve learned a lot and
continue to do so.” BB
23
Check out our website at www.gsw-wh.com

specialinterest / APA STAFF
Stand Up to the Weather
with APA-Recommended Building Methods
Raised-heel trusses, also known as energy-heel trusses,
deliver strength and cost-effective energy performance by
overlapping with wall sheathing. These trusses are easy to
build with, save money on blocking and insulation, meet
code and enhance structural performance. In addition,
they improve HERS scores and stabilize the internal
temperature of the home by not compressing insulation. BB
APA – The Engineered Wood Association is a non-
profit trade group that represents U.S. and Canadian
manufacturers of structural engineered wood products
through promotion, quality assurance, and technical and
educational support. Our website offers industry-best builder
tips, publications, product reports, webinars and more, free
of charge. To learn more, please visit www.apawood.org.
GRAPHICS COURTESY APA – THE ENGINEERED WOOD ASSOCIATION
U
sing APA-recommended building methods allows builders to construct homes with greater resilience to high wind
while also offering greater thermal performance. These methods often provide savings on material and labour costs
as well, making them a benefit to builders as well as home owners. Continuous plywood or oriented strand board
(OSB) wood panel sheathing and raised-heel trusses are two methods that can result in stronger and more efficient homes.
Continuous wood panel sheathing creates a home that
has two to three times greater ability to withstand wind,
weather, seismic and moisture challenges. This advanced
framing technique helps all components of the home –
walls, floors, roof and foundation – function together as
a unit for increased strength. Wood sheathing has the
ability to absorb stresses and impacts without weakening,
making it a superior building material to alternative
sheathing options.
RESILIENCE
RAISED-HEEL TRUSS
Overlapping
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Insulation space
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buildernews / ROB BLACKSTIEN
Jason Morin, vice president of
construction for Vaughan, Ontario-
based Arista Homes – one of the early
adopters of this technology – believes
the panelization trend will rise. He
says the upcoming Code changes
will push builders to use continuous
exterior sheathing (ENERGY STAR
already mandates this, he says),
which is what Arista does now in the
form of one-inch foam (particularly
SilveRboard).
Ron Protocky agrees. The general
manager of Maple, Ontario-based
Panelized Building Solutions (PBS)
says it’s gaining in popularity because
of the Building Code and the desire for
more thermal breaks.
Benefits
Erecting frames is so much faster with
panelization compared to traditional
stick framing. Protocky estimates
enclosing a panelized home would
take two to three days vs. one to two
weeks using stick framing. “We can get
from the top of the foundation wall to
the top of the building in a fraction of
the time it would take us doing it stick
built,” Morin says. That translates into
less weather damage as the house is
enclosed quicker.
The workmanship on wood floors
and walls is flawless, meaning a
panelized home is higher quality.
Thanks to more precise cutting and
fitting, energy efficiency is enhanced.
Protocky says that by putting code
board or foam on the exterior, the wall
cavity becomes a warm area, thereby
reducing condensation and mildew
inside the wall as “moisture always
goes from warm to cold.” A panelized
home is much more airtight, he says.
Builders also laud the consistency
of panelization, as “every house is built
the same way,” Protocky says.
For carpenters, the heavier,
backbreaking aspects of the job are
removed and automated in a factory.
The only thing they really have to
Switching to the Panel Channel
I
n our Spring 2016 issue, columnist Lou Bada described panelization as a
disruptive technology, one that could have a massive impact on the residential
construction industry.
Three years later, it’s time to see how much traction panelization has gained
while exploring the benefits and challenges of this building approach.
Beating the weather: With panel construction, buildings can be enclosed in a fraction of the time.

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move is the lighter interior walls – so,
because it’s not as hard on them, once
carpenters have done a couple of
panel jobs, “they really don’t want to
go back to stick,” Protocky says.
Fewer employees are needed,
Morin says. A traditional framing
crew consists of three or four workers;
in contrast, panelization can be done
with a two- or three-person crew,
which is a significant advantage given
the skills shortage.
“There is definitely an increase
in the element of safety on the site,”
Morin observes, as crews will build
safety railings on a floor panel while
it’s at grade, so that when it’s hoisted
up to the second floor, the railings are
already in place.
Approximately 26% less wood is
needed, and there are significant
savings with less waste, which means
sites are cleaner and safer. “You’ve
got very little excess material floating
around that has to be cleaned up and
shipped out,” Protocky notes.
There’s not only an economical
benefit, but an environmental one
too, as panel shops take those extra
pieces of wood that would be tossed
away on the site and use them for
blocking or other purposes.
Panelization is tailor-made for the
new six-storey wood framing form
factor, making building these structures
much more achievable, and helping
address density issues in urban centres.
Another huge advantage, Morin
says, is that no one ever steals panels.
“We get, like, zero theft on the site now
with respect to lumber.” He estimates
that losses from stolen lumber used
to average in the hundreds of dollars
per lot. “It was to the point that we
would never take a lumber delivery on
Friday,” Morin recalls.
Challenges
One of the key challenges restricting
the panelization trend is opposition
from unions that don’t want to drop
their pricing, despite the fact the work
is so much easier on the body because
of all the cranes used. “The problem
with the unions today is they want
their least skilled [person] to be making
the same money as their most skilled
person,” says Protocky. The fact is,
panel projects simply require fewer
workers, and that’s a fly in the oint
ment as far as unions are concerned.
Similarly, there’s been resistance
from some lumber yards, suddenly
forced to do something with the
material other than load it on a truck
and ship it to a site.
Because panel shops need
several weeks of lead time to design
customized walls, builders need to
sign off on the final specs earlier –
and given that the usual process is
to wait until the last minute to sign
window contracts (for example), this
will require a mindset change in the
industry. Builders have to alter their
process, Protocky says.
“There's a lot of front-end planning that
needs to happen in order for a panelized
site to run smoothly, but once you’ve done
it once or twice, it’s not magic anymore.”
Left: Manpower allows for more flexibility in sheathing choices. Right: Panelized walls with SilveRboard stacked and ready to go.

Morin concurs: “There's a lot of front-end
planning that needs to happen in order for a
panelized site to run smoothly, but once you’ve
done it once or twice, it’s not magic anymore.”
Panelization does cost more than stick framing,
but the difference is shrinking (Protocky estimates
it could break even this year), and those costs are
recouped through less waste, fewer workers, less
theft and better quality (fewer callbacks).
Another consideration is that, because paneli
zation is designed to fit a perfect square, the foun
dation must be done exactly to plan, Protocky says.
There are also several perceived issues with
panelization that are simply not accurate. For
instance, many believe that panels are not as rigid,
making it more challenging to boom onto trucks
at the factory. And because they’re seen as not that
structurally stable, many believe the panels are
harder to erect on the site as well. Protocky says
this isn’t the case. Because PBS builds its walls in
bundles, stacks them together, strips nails them
down and straps them in, “we don’t have any
problems with it.”
Many believe that panelization offers no
flexibility on design, but Morin says that’s not
true. And while people think it’s just great for
townhomes but not on detached, he says that’s
wrong as well.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt panelization will continue to
grow, regardless of resistance from unions and
lumber yards. It just may not happen overnight.
After all, Morin says, “The pace at which
construction tends to change is slower than a lot of
us would like to see happen.”
Protocky says more plants need to get involved
with panelization before it takes over the market,
but he estimates over 50% of homes will be built
this way five years down the road, up from 20% to
30% today. “It’s a better way of building; there’s no
question about it.” BB
Rob Blackstien is a Toronto-based
freelance writer. Pen-Ultimate.ca
29
SILVERBOARD®
ROOF/CEILING:
TAPED AND SEALED
TO ACT AS VAPOR
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SILVERBOARD® GRAPHITE
EXTERIOR ABOVE GRADE:
TAPED TO ACT AS A“SECOND
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PROVIDE CONTINUOUS
INSULATION
MASONRY VENEER
SIDING
SILVERBOARD®
UNDERSLAB:
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ACT AS VAPOR BARRIER
SILVERBOARD® GRAPHITE
INTERIOR BELOW GRADE:
DECOUPLE WOOD STUD
WALL FROM CONCRETESILVERBOARD®
EXTERIOR BELOW GRADE:
MAINTAINS CONTINUOUS
INSULATION

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fromthegroundup / DOUG TARRY
So what, if anything, do we do
about it?
Perhaps a little perspective is
needed. Like all industry stakeholders,
I deal with the constant barrage
of Code changes that come from
every direction. It has become so
overwhelming we’ve actually coined
the term “Code fatigue” to describe it.
Over the last decade in Ontario,
we have seen the continual march
towards more energy-efficient houses
and buildings, and the home building
industry should be proud of our
accomplishments towards reducing
our carbon footprint.
Participation in voluntary
programs, such as ENERGY STAR for
New Homes, has created the needed
capacity to enable us to continually
improve the new homes we build.
Today, more and more builders
are beginning to build houses and
communities to the requirements
of the Canadian Home Builders’
Association (CHBA) Net Zero Home
Labelling Program. To be sure, our
industry’s best efforts are still led on a
volunteer basis.
However, as I noted in my last
article, there is another part of the
climate change story: adapting
to the changes that are already
happening with more climate-
resilient construction techniques and
better planning for our geographic
locations. I thought it might be worth
looking at the low-hanging fruit that
can be adapted to Canadian housing.
David Foster at the CHBA office
in Ottawa is doing some great work
wading through the complexities of
these issues and helping to provide
a more simplified explanation. At
the 2018 Ontario Home Builders’
Association Conference, David
outlined our three greatest threats:
extreme rainfall and overland
flooding, interface wildfires, and
extreme wind such as tornadoes. He
explained that the major driver for
action is the rising cost of catastrophic
loss payouts by the insurance industry.
We have skin in the game, whether we
want it or not. If home owners can’t get
home insurance, it will be devastating
to our industry.
Over the last year, I’ve had
the privilege of leading a team of
volunteers to help the people of
San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico as they
rebuild after Hurricane Maria. While
our efforts were to provide shelter
capable of withstanding a Category 4
hurricane, part of our team’s mission
was looking at lessons learned and
working to apply them here in Canada.
We are not really worried about the
associated winds of a hurricane here
in Ontario, but tornadoes are fairly
common. While the 2018 Dunrobin-
Gatineau tornado was an EF-3, the
great majority that occur in North
America are an EF-2 or less. Even more
severe tornadoes have diminished
winds on the edges. So constructing
Climate-Resilient Construction
The Low-Hanging Fruit
I
t seems you cannot turn on the news anymore without seeing a story on a natural disaster of some type. From raging
forest fires and massive flooding affecting millions to the devastating effects of high-wind events and severe storms
like the Ottawa tornadoes last fall, we are bombarded with images of the devastation. While the news industry is often
accused of the dictum “If it bleeds, it leads,” it does not negate the reality that we are facing a climate that is changing.
31
TYPICAL STRONG-DRIVE® SDWC
INSTALLATION –TRUSS ALIGNED
WITH STUD (offset truss similar)
TYPICAL ROOF-TO-WALL CONNECTION
INSTALLATION ANGLE LIMIT
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SIMPSONSTRONG-TIE

Dr. Kopp’s research would show that
adding hurricane straps and changing
our sheathing nails from 2 inches to 2.5
inches would help builders construct
homes that are capable of withstanding
an EF-2 tornado. As building codes are
being reviewed, this would seem to be a
reasonable approach to achieving more
resilient new home construction.
One caveat is leaving room for
innovation and voluntary programs to
move industry forward. For example,
if we are able to use new technology –
such as the Simpson Strong-Tie 6-inch
screw in place of a hurricane clip – can
we reduce installation time and get
broader industry buy-in?
According to Sarah, “In our testing
we have found that small, simple details
can make a significant difference in
the uplift resistance of the roof. Things
like hurricane clips or screws at the
roof-to-wall connection are relatively
cheap, and easy to install in a new
build. Even I have done it myself in
the Puerto Rican heat!" (Sarah is off to
Cuba to continue her research, working
with the University of Holguín.)
As I noted earlier, our industry
has shown tremendous leadership
on a voluntary basis for energy
conservation. Perhaps it is time for
an industry leadership pilot project
on resilient construction. There is an
opportunity to get ahead of this and do
what we do best: lead, innovate, develop
best practices and build capacity. The
alternative may put our clients’ home
owner insurance at risk. That’s a risk
that we can’t afford to take. BB
Doug Tarry Jr is director
of marketing at Doug
Tarry Homes in St.
Thomas, Ontario.
32
a home that could survive an EF-2
seems to be a logical goal.
One of our team members,
Sarah Stephenson from the Western
University engineering program,
introduced me to Dr. Gregory Kopp,
the dean of the program and the
person responsible for blowing
buildings up at the Three Little Pigs
research project site in London,
Ontario. I asked Dr. Kopp about
low-hanging fruit and how we might
cost-effectively implement this into
residential construction in Ontario.
According to Dr. Kopp, “Our
research conducting damage surveys
following extreme wind storms in
Ontario indicates that the roof is the
most vulnerable part of a house –
particularly the roof sheathing and the
roof-to-wall (toe-nailed) connections.
This is consistent with wind tunnel
data and full-scale tests in our labs,
which indicate that longer sheathing
nails and use of hurricane straps will
mitigate this structural damage for up
to EF-2 tornadoes. This represents more
than 90% of all tornadoes, and can be
implemented for relatively little cost.”
“In our testing we
have found that small,
simple details can
make a significant
difference in the uplift
resistance of the roof.”

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3773

Better Builder Magazine, Issue 29 / Spring 2019

Better Builder Magazine, Issue 29 / Spring 2019

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Better Builder Magazine, Issue 29 / Spring 2019