• We recognize that Ottawa is located on the unceded territory of the Algonquin

Anishinabe Nation.
• We extend our respect to all First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples for their
valuable past and present contributions to this land.

Credit: Marriott Bonvoy

 Source: Nunavik Tourism Association

Sustainable buildings for climate resilience in

Northern communities
Lecture 1: Course outline and introduction
Dr. Miroslava Kavgic mkavgic@uottawa.ca
Source: Nunavik Tourism Association
 About me
• B.Eng. and M.Eng. Mechanical Engineering, Department of Thermal Science, University of Belgrade, Serbia, 2004
• M.Sc., Environmental Design and Engineering, University Colleague London, United Kingdom, 2006
• PhD, Environmental Design and Engineering, University Colleague London, United Kingdom, 2013
• Postdoctoral Fellow (2014-2016) and Assistant Professor (2016-2022), Associate professor (2022-present) in Canada
• 10 years of experience working in the construction industry as a design engineer and project manager
• Several years of teaching courses focused on sustainable building strategies and technologies
Research interests:

 Building envelope and composite materials

 Indoor environmental quality
 Sensors and advanced controls
 Renewable energy and thermal storage
 Numerical modeling and optimization
 About
you!
• What is your name?

• What is your program of studies?

• Why you enrolled on this course, and what are your expectations?
Game
time!
• Heat only flows from a cold object to a warmer one. FALSE

• Wood has lower thermal conductivity than aluminium. TRUE

• Radiation that comes directly from the sun is defined as diffuse radiation. FALSE

• Conductive heat loss in cold climates is best addressed through insulation. TRUE

• Sensible heat is associated with the rise of air temperature and moisture in space. FALSE

• The greater the surface area, the less heat loss through the surface. FALSE

• SI unit for thermal conductivity is W/m K and for overall thermal resistance is W/m² K TRUE

• All locations at the same latitude experience the same geometric relationship with the Sun. TRUE
 Course Information
CVG 6130 Special topics in Civil Engineering:
Sustainable buildings for climate resilience in Northern communities

Course details

Dates 13 Sept. 2021 – 6 Dec. 2021

Days &Times Tuesdays 2:30 – 5:20 pm

Units 3

Instruction Mode In person

Location 145 Jean-Jacq. Luss. (LMX) 219

Passing Grade B
IT IS ILLEGAL TO DISTRIBUTE RECORDED LECTURES!
 Course description
• Buildings contribute up to a third of total global greenhouse gas emissions, and therefore, their emissions
must be tackled with much higher seriousness and vigour than they have to date.

• In particular, a built environment exposed to extreme weather conditions has high energy consumption. For
example, Canadian buildings use considerably more energy for heating compared to structures exposed to
temperate climates.

• Especially buildings located in the Northern communities where weather conditions are harsher, the heating
seasons are longer, and in comparison to the rest of Canada have higher energy consumption. Furthermore,
buildings in remote communities often use carbon-intensive dirty oil, and typically they are built of materials
that are unsustainable and inadequate for the climate.

• Moreover, there is an extreme shortage of homes in the Northern communities in Canada, whereas the
existing houses are generic, culturally inappropriate, and have poor performance.

• Therefore, there is an urgent need for the implementation of energy-efficient design strategies and
technologies tailored to climate and occupants’ needs that will lead to the development of sustainable,
comfortable, and affordable buildings across Northern communities in Canada.
 Course Objectives

• The objective of this course is to provide the students and researchers who are involved in
interdisciplinary research with an introductory course on sustainable design strategies and
technologies appropriate for buildings exposed to extreme weather conditions, with a
particular focus on Northern communities.

• The students will also gain knowledge and understanding about Native American cultural
values of design and planning of the built environment we can see in each community
across the Americas.

• By the end of this course, students will have a necessary understanding and knowledge about
basic principles of heat transfer in buildings, energy-efficient building design and technologies,
climate-responsive building design, energy use in buildings, and indoor environmental quality.
 Textbooks

 Elizabeth Grant, Kelly Greenop, Albert Refiti, Deniel Glenn, D. The

Handbook of Contemporary Indigenous Architecture, 2018. Here is the
link to the e-book omni uOttawa Online Library

 Mitja Košir, Climate Adaptability of Buildings Bioclimatic Design in the

Light of Climate Change, Springer, 2019. Here is the link to the e-book
omni uOttawa Online Library

 Norbert Lechner, Heating, Cooling, Lighting, Wiley, 2001. Here is the

link to this e-book omni uOttawa Online Library
 Other resources
 Various technical and scientific documents related to the project topics and
course material will be available through the Bright Space.

 Robert Bisson et at., Cold-Climate Buildings Design Guide, ASHRAE,

2015.

 Elsa Lam. Canadian Modern Architecture, 1967 to the present, 2019.

 Ajla Aksamija. Sustainable Facades: Design Methods for High-Performance

Building Envelopes, Wiley, 2013.

 Kiddle, Rebecca, luugigyoo Patrick Stewart and Kevin O’Brien (Eds). Our
Voices: Indigeneity and Architecture. SanFrancisco: ORO Editions, 2018.
 Other resources
 Indigenous Clean Energy https://indigenouscleanenergy.com/ice-projects/project-videos/

 First Nations National Building Officers Association https://www.fnnboa.ca/

 Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation https://www.ofntsc.org/our-services/core-services/housing-infrastructure

 First Nations Housing https://www.afn.ca/policy-sectors/housing-infrastructure-water-emergency-services/housing/

 National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health https://www.nccih.ca/en/

 Mino Bimaadiziwin Partnership http://ecohealthcircle.com/reports/

 Nunaliit http://nunaliit.org/

 Ecotrust Canada https://ecotrust.ca/

 Future Cities Canada https://futurecitiescanada.ca/

 Canadian Wood Council https://cwc.ca/design-tools/effective-r-calculator/

 Building Science Corporation https://www.buildingscience.com/

 Cold Climate Housing Research Center http://cchrc.org/

 Passive House Institute https://passivehouse.com/

 National Institute of Building Science https://www.nibs.org/page/board

https://indigenouscleanenergy.com/ice-projects/

• Over 197 clean energy projects

Buildings
Major topics
 Evaluation
Assessment element % Grades %
A+ 89.5 - 100
Project 35
Technical report 25 A 85 - 89.5
Presentation 10 A- 79.5 - 85
B+ 75 - 79.5
Three quizzes 60
B 69.5 - 75
Class participation and preassigned 5 C+ 65 - 69.5
material C 60 - 64.5
D+ 54.5 - 60
Quizzes: Type of questions:
D 50 - 54.5
 October 4th worth 15% • Multiple choice
E 40 - 49.5
• True/False F 30 - 39.5
 November 1nd worth 20%
• Short answers To pass the course, the student
 November 29th worth 25% must pass the three quizzes
• Simple calculations (i.e., > 55%).
 Project
• Project will include investigating, learning, and preparing a report and presentation
on a specific topic.

• Students can choose between two topics:

o Building design
o Building technology
o Design assessment

• Students can choose between:

 Working in a group of two or three students

• Detailed information and guidelines about the report and presentation, including
type, structure, and marking, are available within Technical Report Guides and
Presentation Marking Rubrics documents uploaded to the Bright Space folder
"Project."
 Project topic: Building design

• Which Canadian Northern Community you selected for your project and why?
• Characteristics of the selected community (i.e., culture, demographics, location, natural
resources, etc.)
• Provide a detailed description and justification of project objectives and why you selected a
specific housing design:
 Housing Design for Single Adults,
 Housing Design for Families,
 Housing Design for Youth and Students,
 Housing Design for Elders, or
 FlexHousing.
• What is a high-performance, culturally appropriate building for the selected community?
 Project topic: Building design

• Design features (i.e., detailed house design description such as floor plan, size, etc.)
• Bio-climatic approach and incorporation of the passive solar design strategies
• Envelope technical characteristics (i.e., foundation type, framing method, insulation type and
value, windows and doors)
 Use of locally sourced materials for the construction of the house
 Use of low-carbon materials
 Shading and daylighting
 Use of solar energy
 Use of building simulation tools
 Project topic: Building design

The Atlas of Canada - Remote Communities Energy Database

https://atlas.gc.ca/rced-bdece/en/index.html

2016 Census Aboriginal Community Portraits

https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/abpopprof/infogrph/select.cfm?Lang=E

Report on trends in First Nations communities, 1981 to 2016

https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1345816651029/1557323327644
 Project topic: Building technology
o Low-E glazing o Hemp-lime concrete
o Advanced framing o Wood-cement composite
o Current and upcoming innovations in solar cell o Mycelium-based composite material
technologies o Wool insulation
o Air source heat pumps in cold climates o Wood-derived foam insulation
o Ground source heat pumps in cold climates o Cob-bauge
o Water source heat pumps in cold climates o Bio-bricks
o Is hydrogen the solution to net-zero homes? o Phase Change Materials
o Net-zero carbon buildings o Prefabricated Laminated Timber
o Energy-efficient building retrofit o Hemp fiber insulation
o Solar hot water o Biochar plasters and brick
o Combined Heat and Power (CHP) o Cigarette butts for bricks
o Aluminum Foam
o Wind turbines
o Translucent Wood
o Hybrid renewable energy systems
o Biomass heating
Project topic: Assessment of design and suggestions for improvements
 Project
Regardless of the selected topic, you should include detailed section about:

• Application in Canada and Northern communities (e.g., is the technology suitable for
use in Northern communities in Canada? if yes, how? if not, why not?).

The Atlas of Canada - Remote Communities Energy Database [Source: Government of Canada]

Section
Title page (mandatory)
Summary (mandatory)
Content (mandatory)
Introduction (mandatory)
Body of the report (mandatory)
Conclusion (mandatory)
References (mandatory)
Acknowledgement (optional)
Appendices (optional)
Project: Report
Description
Must include the title of the report, the names of those who prepared it, and the date
of submission.
A summary of the whole report should include essential features, results, and
conclusions
Lists and numbers all section and subsection headings with the page numbers.
Clearly states the objectives of the report and leads the reader from a general subject
area to a particular topic of inquiry.
Sections are organized into numbered and headed sections to separate different main
ideas in a logical order.
It provides a thought-provoking summing up of the most significant findings and
conclusions.
Details of published sources of material referred to or quoted in the text, including
any lecture notes and URL addresses of any websites used.
List of people who helped in the research and preparation of the report, including the
proofreaders.
They include any further material vital for a full understanding of your report (e.g.,
large scale diagrams, computer code, raw data, and specifications) but not required by
a casual reader.
 Project: Report

• If working in a group of two or three, the students should find their

partners and inform me by September 30th.

• The deadline for submission of the report is 13th December.

• The late submission penalty is 5% reduction in marks per day.

 Project: Presentation

• The students will present their topics in a clear, engaging, and concise
manner during the last two classes: November 29th and December 6th.

• The presentation must not exceed 10 min.

• Detailed information and guidelines about the report and presentation,

including type, structure, and marking are available within Technical
Report Guides and Presentation Marking Rubrics documents uploaded
to the Bright Space folder "Project."
 Project: Summary

1. Login to Bright Space and read the Technical Report Guides and Presentation Marking
Rubrics for Building design and Building technology topics.

2. Based on your interests, select the topic you will work on. If you have any questions
regarding topics or marking rubrics, contact me via email.

3. Based on your preferences, select working mode: in a group of two or three students.

4. By 30th September, send me an email with your chosen topic and group members.

5. The students will NOT be allowed to change their selected topic.

 Office hours & Course website & TA

• Once per week on Tuesdays from 1 pm to 2 pm

• For other times, please email mkavgic@uottawa.ca to schedule an

appointment.

• Bright Space is where I will post the lectures and other course related
material.

• The teaching assistants are PhD students Ms Yasaman Dadras and

Mr Eslam Elshorbagy

• Please send them an email @ Ydadr066@uottawa.ca and

eelsh039@uottawa.ca to schedule a meeting.
Questions so far?
Sustainable buildings for climate resilience in
Northern communities

Source: Nunavik Tourism Association

 What is sustainable development?
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtland Report,
1987)

Social sustainability is the Environmental sustainability Economic

ability of a social system,
such as a country,
organization or family, to
function indefinitely at a
defined level of social well
being and harmony.
is the ability of the
environment to indefinitely
support a defined level of
environmental quality and
natural resource extraction
rates.
sustainability is the
ability of an economy
to indefinitely support
a defined level of
economic production.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide measured at NOAA's Mauna Loa Atmospheric

Baseline Observatory peaked for 2021 in May at a monthly average of 419

parts per million (ppm), the highest level since accurate measurements

began 63 years ago, scientists from NOAA and Scripps Institution of

Oceanography.
Scientists have determined that if temperature rises surpass 2°C, this will lead to
substantial and dangerous climate impacts, which will hit the world's poor in
particular!
 Devastating fires in
Canada summer 2021
Sunrise in Toronto

Lytton Toronto star Lytton after fires

Toronto star

BC Natural Resources Canada, July 25th 2021

Vancouver Sun
 Catastrophic flooding in Europe
summer 2021

The New York Times

France 24

Friday, July 16, 2021, the Cologne district government shows the Blessem district of
Erftstadt in Germany. © Rhein-Erft-Kreis, AP
The Atlantic
World's Top 10 greenhouse gas emitters make up over 70% of total emissions
top ten
GHG
emitters
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration,
Annual Energy Outlook 2019 Reference case
 Residential energy use in Canada by end-use in 2018
Wood
Lighting Space cooling Othe 16%
r
3% 2% 1%
Appliances Heati
ng oi
13% l
3% Electricity
Heating
Wood 25%
oil
2%
3%
Space heating
64% Natural gas
53%
Electricity
25% Water heating
18%

Natural gas
70%

OEE, NRCAN, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb3DUOTya1E

 What are main objectives of sustainable building design?

“The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable

resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments” (U.S. General
Services Administration)
• Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment while providing
healthy and comfortable indoor conditions to building occupants, thereby improving the
overall building performance.
Sustainable building design
Sustainable
design
Four Rs:
-Reduce
-Reuse
-Recycle
-Regenerate

The size of each block represents the relative

importance of each approach to sustainability.
Source: “Heating, Cooling, Lighting” by Norbert Lechner 2015
 Reduce

Today’s houses in the US are significantly larger than those in France, the United Kingdom, or
larger houses in the US of the 1950s. Source: “Heating, Cooling, Lighting” by Norbert Lechner
2015
 Reduce
Often a small standard house is more sustainable than even a very energy-efficient
large house, due to less embodied energy and a smaller surface area with fewer
windows for heat gain and loss. McMansions
A certified Passive House in Massachusetts. Image Credit: Nick Gromicko, CMI®
Image Credit: John Moore

Unfortunately, often times an incorrect use of the energy utilization index (EUI) often
misleads and shows that larger house as more efficient and therefore more sustainable
(Heating, Cooling, Lighting” by Norbert Lechner 2015).
 Reduce
• Besides reducing the size of buildings, It is also crucial to reduce their energy
consumption.
• We already have the knowledge, tools, and materials necessary to design ultra-low-
energy buildings.
• Prove techniques in the areas of heating, cooling, and lighting can easily reduce
energy use in buildings by 50 percent, and with additional effort 80 percent
reductions are achievable.
McMansions
A certified Passive
Image Credit:
House in
Nick Gromicko,
Massachusetts.
CMI®
Image Credit: John
Moore
 Energy Utilization Index/Energy Use Intensity (EUI)

• EUI expresses a building’s energy use as a function of its size or other

characteristics.

• EUI is the total amount of energy (expressed in kBtu or GJ) per floor area (expressed
in square foot or meter) per year.

EUI = GJ (kBtu)/m² (ft²) • year, where kBtu = 1000 British thermal units

• The EUI is only helpful for comparisons of buildings of the same type (e.g., offices,
houses, schools) and of similar size, whereas, for different climates, adjustments
must be made.
 Reuse, Recycle, and Regenerate by design

“The greenest building is the one that already exists!”- Carl Elefante, architect

“New green buildings are not reducing global warming; they are only reducing the growth of
global warming. Instead, fixing buildings can reduce global warming.”- Carl Elefante

“In almost all cases, retrofit yields better environmental outcomes than demolition and new
construction.”(National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Cascadia Green Building Council)
1850's home converted to Net-Zero
“It takes from 20 to 80 years for a new energy-efficient
building to compensate for the environmental loss of the
building it replaces.” (Norbert Lechner 2015)

“Demolition and construction now account for 25% of the

solid waste that ends up in US landfills each year.” (Chicago
Metropolitan Agency for Planning)
The biggest blast in Ottawa’s history was over in seconds on Sunday July 14, 2014, with 420 kilograms of explosives reducing
the 11-storey Sir John Carling Building to 40,000 tonnes of rubble. https://youtu.be/a0vT5hnOFb4
⁓6 min https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3xdAY2wVv0

Hampshire County Council - low carbon building

 Hampshire County Council - low carbon building refurbishment: Discussion

• When is Hampshire County

Council built?

1967

• What was the renovation

approach selected? Source: Hampshire
Country Council
https://www.bre.co.uk/fi
lelibrary/events/Green
%20futures
Low-carbon refurbishment %20presentations/
Steve_Clow,_Hampshire_
County_Council.pdf

• Evaluation of the performance of

the refurbished buildings included:

Occupant feedback and monitoring

 Questions so far?

Knossos, palais. Greece

Sustainable buildings for climate resilience in
Northern
Northern communities
communities

Source: Nunavik Tourism Association

 Housing crisis

“I saw a lot of children with scabs around the mouths and hands. The mould in their homes
was outright visible” Sol Mamakwa

CBC News · Posted: Nov 28, 2011 5:10 AM ET | Last Updated: April 12, 2014

The availability of an affordable, quality-built environment plays a significant

role in supporting economic development and employment in the North.
(Centre for the North, 2012).
The Wasagamack HOUSING CRISIS ⁓2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgySkmyho1U&feature=youtu.be
min
 What are main issues with the housing of remote communities?

• Overcrowded due to lack of livable space

• Poorly designed and constructed

Source: CBC
• Inappropriate for the climate and Source: National Post

environment

• Made of inappropriate materials Source: CBC

• Energy inefficient
Source: Winnipeg Free Press
• Culturally inappropriate

• Expensive to build
⁓36 min Making Poverty – Dr Sylvia Olsen https://sylviaolsen.com/housing/
 Making Poverty – Dr. Sylvia Olsen: Discussion

• What are the main issues Dr Olsen identified through her research?

• What are the main fixes/solutions Dr Olsen identified?

 To learn more about issues surrounding Indigenous housing in Canada and
prepare for the next class discussion, see:

• Canada assumed Indigenous people were ‘dying out’: The

on-reserve housing crisis that never ends by Christopher
Read
https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/canada-assumed-indigenous-
people-were-dying-out-the-on-reserve-housing-crisis-that-never-ends/

• Living in shacks and under boats – Nunavut’s billion-dollar

housing problem by Christopher Read.
https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/living-in-shacks-and-under-boats-
nunavuts-billion-dollar-housing-problem/
Thank you for your attention.

Questions?