2017 BSS Recipients

Congratulations to the following members that have obtained their BSS designation in 2017 and have become Professional Members of the Ontario Building Envelope Council.

Ahmed Elsharawy

Ahmed is a civil engineer who graduated from Alexandria University in Egypt in 2004. Since then, he has been working on structure/infrastructure condition assessment, building audits and structural elements restoration in both Canada and Egypt. His experience also includes inspecting waterproofing systems and preparing maintenance programs for different systems. Ahmed is currently a technical field solution representative with Tremco Canada.

Andrew LeDrew

Andrew LeDrew is a Senior Engineering Technologist and currently a Team Leader for the Materials Testing & Inspection Division at Chung & Vander Doelen Engineering Ltd. (CVD), based out of Kitchener-Waterloo. He is responsible for providing inspection and consulting services on construction projects throughout South-Western Ontario. Andrew strives to provide technical and practical engineering in his field of expertise to his clients. Clients include: Universities (University of Waterloo, Laurier, Guelph), Cities (City of Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph), and Real Estate Developers (Drewlo, Prica Group, HIP, IN8). The scope of his projects generally ranges from Geotechnical Investigations, Materials Testing & Inspections, and Building Science Inspections to Consulting. Continuous education, mentoring junior technologists, and keeping relevant in the industry are important to him. He is proud to gain his Building Science Specialist Ontario (BSS) designation and looks forward to being involved with the Ontario Building Envelope Council (OBEC).

Anthony (Tony) Vella

Tony Vella received his Bachelor of Engineering degree from McMaster University in 2013, specializing in structural and geotechnical engineering. Prior to graduating Tony spent his summers working as a labourer with a respectable restoration Contractor gaining valuable insight of the Contractors perspective. Currently working as a Building Science Consultant with the Buildings Team at WSP, Tony has been in the industry of Restoration Consulting for the last 5 years. He has gained valuable experience by working on a wide array of projects ranging from heritage masonry and limestone restoration, parking garage restoration, and roofing. Through these projects he has developed his skills in contract administration, construction review, and project management. From this Tony has learned and is a firm believer that technical expertise and communication between all parties are the two most important aspects to a successful project. Gaining his BSS designation has allowed him to further his technical expertise in the field of restoration consulting.

Bradley Gascoigne

Brad graduated from Ryerson University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Architectural Science, majoring in building science. Brad is currently serving as a Senior Building Science Technologist with Brown & Beattie Ltd., where his focus is on the review, assessment, and repair of building envelope issues. His responsibilities include project management, reporting, design, specification writing, construction review, and contract administration. His work experience also includes overall building condition assessments, reserve fund studies, and performance audits.

Christopher Sardinha

Christopher graduated from Seneca College, studying Civil Engineering Technology with a focus on Building Design. He recently was accredited as a Certified Engineering Technician (C.Tech.) with the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT). He has been with the SPG Engineering Group Ltd. for approximately 6 years, and has managed various construction projects for condominiums across the Greater Toronto Area. His role as a Project Manager has given him a range of valuable experience in preparing condition survey reports, contract administration, specification writing, reserve fund studies, and construction review of various building envelope projects.

Claire Park

Claire Park is a civil engineering graduate from the University of Waterloo in 2013. She has since been working at IRC Building Sciences Group providing building envelope review and assessment of existing and new construction (waterproofing systems, EIFS, masonry stone/brick and metal siding cladding, glazing systems). Her experience also includes pavement rehabilitation, parking garage survey, preparation of tender packages, project coordination, and contract administration of various sites. She is excited to be part of OBEC as she continues to expand her technical knowledge through experience and involvement in the council.

Daniel Aleksov

Daniel is currently a project manager with Pretium GRG Building Engineers and specializes in the assessment, design and restoration/renewal of buildings across Ontario in a variety of sectors. After obtaining a bachelor degree of applied science in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University, he started his career providing structural design in the aluminum and glass facade industry and later in the field of building science. Daniel strives to provide leading edge technical and cost effective solutions for building envelope failures faced by building owners. Continuous education, mentoring, innovating quality control and learning tools are his passions and he looks forward to being a contributing and active member of the Ontario Building Envelope Council.

David Colussi

David is a director at Workshop Architecture, and a registered architect in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. Workshop Architecture believes in the value of applying sound building science principles to all aspects of building design, detailing and specification.

Ella Lin

Ella Lin is a registered Architect in Ontario with over 15 years of experience in both Canada and China. Ella has been working for a variety of projects from design through contract administration. Experiencing how important role building science plays for material selections and proper construction methods, Ella completed the Building Science Program at the University of Toronto. After obtaining the certificate, Ella is willing to continue education through membership with Ontario Building Envelope council as a BSS. Ella is also a LEED Accredit Professional and is currently a job captain/project coordinator for the Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit line which is the largest transit expansion project to date in Canada.

Emma Ruixian Qian

Emma Ruixian Qian, is an architectural technologist at WZMH architects firm, specializing on the building envelope. Her work has included many buildings with challenging building envelopes, including courthouses, shopping malls, schools, condominium residentially, etc. Emma graduated as a survey Engineer, and spent the early part of her career as a teacher at the Jianghan University in China, She teaches a few courses which included building survey, materials, structure, and so on. She immigrated to Canada at 1999, and graduated as a architectural technologist at the Ryerson University, and studied for building science at the U of T.

Geron Allajbeu

Geron Allajbeu graduated as Mechanical Engineer from ‘Polytechnic University” of Tirana, Albania. Geron finished “Building Science” certificate program from University of Toronto, School of continuing studies. He is a Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario.
Geron Allajbeu works as Program Supervisor for Toronto Community Housing Corporation at Building Envelope and Roofing Unit. He has worked in construction industry in Canada for 15 years. Specifically in: Punched windows, window wall, curtain wall, aluminum railing, EIFS.He has extensive expertise on Windows performance and design requirements, in the province of Ontario.

Jim Gerrard

Jim Gerrard is a Professor at Conestoga College in Kitchener, and operates a Drafting and Design business catered towards Residential and Small Commercial Clients. Jim has been in the Architecture and Building Science / Restoration industry since 1994. His first job, for 11 years, was for a Building Science Consultant where B.S. became entrenched in his blood and has served as his inspiration ever since. Jim enjoys spending time with his family and friends, and gives back to the community through his work with Skills Ontario, Scouting, Optimists, The Food Bank, Curling and his Church. Jim can be contacted at jgerrard@conestogac.on.ca or jim@gerrards.ca

Janette Meyrick

Janette is a Traditional Wooden Boatbuilder by trade. After returning from New Zealand and Australia where she studied and worked in the trade, she pursued Sustainable Building Construction and Design at Fleming College, with an emphasis on straw bale building. Through these studies, she connected with a sustainable renovations company in Toronto where she started as a carpenter and rose to position of Senior Construction Manager. During her years as Construction Manager, Janette pursued her Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) and Certified Passive House Builder (CPHB) designations with Passive House US, as well as completing the Building Science Certificate program at the University of Toronto. She currently works with WSP Building Sciences Group in Ottawa, providing building envelope services including: thermal modelling and thermal bridging analysis, building condition assessments, leakage evaluations, and various other building science related services. She is a Bachelor of Building Science Honours Candidate (2019) at Algonquin College in Ottawa.

Kent Schultz

Kent is a graduate of the Engineering & Management program at McMaster University and recently obtained his license as a Professional Engineer. Since graduating in 2013, he worked briefly in the Engineering Dept. at the Municipality of Chatham-Kent before moving to Oakville and starting his career in building science at Pretium Anderson Burlington. Kent has worked on a number of interesting projects during his time at Pretium, including suspended slab replacement within an underground parking garage, full building window wall replacement, EIFS over-cladding and a number of roof replacements. Through the BSS courses offered at the University of Toronto, Kent developed a greater appreciation for building restoration and the science behind. He looks forward to continuing his career and life-long learning in the fields of building science and building restoration.

Matthew Baker

Matt Baker Graduated from the Architectural Technology Advance Diploma Program in 2007 from Humber College. Since that time he has been working on structure/ infrastructure condition assessments, building audits, reserve fund studies, and preparation of maintenance programs. He has prepared and submitted proposals for various building science related issues followed by an investigation/ survey, submission of a technical report, producing accurate and detailed AutoCAD technical design drawings and preparation of specifications, followed by tendering and carrying out the contract administration duties.

Maxim Nikulenko

Maxim graduated from Centennial College with an advance diploma in Architectural Technology. He currently is accredited as a Certified Engineering Technologist (C.E.T.) with the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists as well as, a Building Science Specialist of Ontario with the Ontario Building Envelope Council. As a Project manager with Durabond Building Systems Inc., Maxim is responsible for design, development and construction of prefabricated building systems in Canada and overseas. He has over 10 years of construction experience related to building envelope, prefabrication, modular construction as well as project management.
Aside of Durabond, Maxim offers consulting services to his clients that include but no limited to preconstruction review, estimations, surveys of existing structures as well as assistance with various technical solutions.

Minesh Patel

Minesh is a Civil Engineering (Structural) graduate from McMaster University. Since graduation, he has been with Pretium Anderson Building Engineers as a Project Manager. He is currently a licensed Professional Engineer (P. Eng.) with Professional Engineers Ontario. Minesh is diligent, and determined to obtain the best possible solution for his clients. With OBEC, he is looking forward to being actively engaged and continuing his professional development.

Shawn Trudel

Mr. Trudel graduated from George Brown College in 2014 with an Ontario College Advanced Diploma in Civil Engineering Technology (Honours). As a Technologist with Brown & Beattie Ltd., he assists with the preparation of reserve fund studies, condition assessment reports and specifications. His construction experience includes construction review for a variety of projects including building envelope restorations, parking garage restorations as well as site repairs.

Vickilee Pinchin

Ms. Pinchin is a graduate of Mohawk College, obtaining a diploma in Architectural Technology. For more than 30 years, she has worked in consulting engineering all across Canada focusing on buildings in both structural and architectural fields. Currently, she works with IRC Building Sciences Group as a Project Manager, Building Sciences Specialist where her responsibilities include client liaison, building condition assessments, contract administration, construction review, preparation of reserve fund studies, specification writing, design and bid document preparation. Ms. Pinchin has volunteered on two Habitat for Humanity Builds at home and in Africa and strives to provide building science expertise through constant education and a wide variety of experience.

OBEC President, Marco Guzzo presents Claire Park and Ella Lin with their BSS Certificate at the May 10th, 2017 Dinner Meeting.

OBEC President, Marco Guzzo and the BSS Chair, Marianne Touchie presents Adam Mamon and Jim Gerrard with their BSS Certificate at the February 8th, 2017 Dinner Meeting.