Building Knowledge Canada

Airtightness is often discussed in terms of comfort, durability, and energy efficiency. But it's also one of the smartest financial decisions a builder can make.

In this Construction Instruction video, Building Knowledge Canada's Andy Oding talks about the economics of air tightness in new homes and explains why airtightness should be viewed as a business strategy, not just a building science target.

Key takeaways:

✔️ Air leakage can account for 20–40% of a home's mechanical load. A tighter building envelope can often allow for smaller HVAC systems, reducing construction costs.

✔️ Dollar for dollar, improving airtightness often delivers greater performance gains than adding more insulation. Reducing air leakage can achieve results comparable to significant insulation upgrades, often at a lower cost.

✔️ Better airtightness means fewer comfort complaints, reduced condensation risk, and stronger long-term building performance.

The bottom line? Airtightness isn't an upgrade; it's a fundamental part of building better, more durable, and more cost-effective homes.

Watch the video: https://bit.ly/4owdMdI

Looking for data-driven insight on Net Zero in Canada?

The CHBA Net Zero Council 10-Year Impact Report highlights progress, lessons learned, and what’s ahead for builders chasing high performance. Essential reading and a powerful planning resource.

📥 Get the report: https://bit.ly/4jB4eKc

Building high performance homes shouldn’t mean higher costs or more complexity.

Builder 360° is BKC’s simple, integrated approach to navigating energy codes, carbon reduction, resiliency, and performance programs, while helping builders optimize costs and avoid expensive missteps.

By benchmarking where you are today and aligning energy modeling, mechanical design, site testing, and long-term goals, Builder 360° helps builders make smarter decisions that pay off now and in the future.

Less guesswork. Fewer surprises. Better margins.

Making it easy is a complex business, but we're here to help.

🎥 Watch the video where BKC's Gord Cooke and Andy Oding discuss how Builder 360° helps simplify complexity and deliver real value for builders:
https://bit.ly/4v4lduK

Building Knowledge Canada, in collaboration with Construction Instruction, Partel, and the University of Galway, is advancing a long-term field study on the real-world performance of water-resistive barriers.💧

This research compares in-field exposure across Toronto, Denver, and Galway with accelerated UV and humidity testing in Ireland. The goal is to better understand how WRBs perform under actual weather conditions and how those results align with lab testing.

Test assemblies installed across these climates are allowing for direct comparison of regional performance, with a focus on UV degradation, water holdout, and overall durability over time.

Two rounds of samples have been removed and sent to Partel in Ireland for analysis. The final samples will be removed in September.

More to come as the study progresses.

Four times a year. One smarter inbox. 📧

Get Canadian building science insights, code updates, events, and industry trends with BKC’s Quarterly Digest.

Subscribe: https://bit.ly/3uJmQQ2

🚀 Spring Training 2026 kicked off in April with Dr. John Straube’s Applying Building Science to Get it Right Now and Forever, a deep dive into identifying costly building defects before they happen and creating resilient structures that stand the test of time.

Blending practical building science insight with plenty of humour, Dr. Straube explored some of the industry’s most common and expensive failures, and how to avoid them.

Head to our website to download Dr. Straube’s presentation, along with all other Spring Training session materials.

https://bit.ly/49ncD1x

Do you know any graduate and diploma students from Canadian universities or colleges who are interested in sustainable buildings?

The Better Buildings Boot Camp, hosted by Sustainable Buildings Canada, offers a unique opportunity to work on a real building project alongside industry professionals and students from across disciplines.

Over one week, participants will:
✅ Learn from leading experts through interactive sessions and panels
✅ Collaborate in cross-institutional teams
✅ Observe a live professional workshop with a real project team
✅ Present recommendations directly to the building project team

The free in-person program will take place in the Kitchener-Waterloo area and is open to students from any field of study across Canada.

Explore the program:
https://bit.ly/3BsBtfe

Application form (deadline extended to July 1, 2026):
https://bit.ly/4dUMcSt

There's still time to join Construction Instruction Live's Applied Building Science 👀

This July, spend two hands-on days digging into how heat, air, and moisture really move through buildings. Explore what that means for enclosure design, durability, and performance on site. Led by Construction Instruction instructors Justin Wilson, Mark LaLiberte, and Sam Keefe, this course is built for construction pros who want practical, field-ready building science.

📅 July 15 - 16, 2026
📍 CI Experience Center, Denver, CO
🔗 Save your spot: https://bit.ly/4dDZy5c

Builders are being asked to think beyond minimum code requirements, toward long-term resiliency, durability, and performance.

Join Building Knowledge Canada's Andy Oding and Dan Sandink of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction for an insightful Lunch & Learn hosted by EnerQuality Corporation.

This practical online session will explore builder-focused strategies for:
✅ Moisture management
✅ Thermal resilience
✅ Risk reduction and durability
✅ Occupant comfort and long-term performance
✅ Future market and insurance considerations

As weather events and homeowner expectations evolve, resilient housing is becoming more important than ever.

Details: June 23, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Online

Reserve your spot today and gain practical insights you can apply to your next project: https://bit.ly/4wXE4JA

Designing for comfort means designing for people, not just systems.

We’re just days away from Designing for People: Thermal Comfort Principles and Practical Applications for Residential Homes & Buildings.

This two-part webinar goes beyond code minimums to explore the science behind real occupant comfort.

Featuring Robert Bean and hosted by Gord Cooke, this is a must-attend for anyone serious about better building performance.

Spots are filling up! Secure yours now:

Part 1
📅 June 15, 2026
🔗 https://bit.ly/41HoJOO

Part 2
📅 June 17, 2026
🔗 https://bit.ly/4dj1xO5