Introba Teams up with University of Victoria Student Group on Passive Building Design Challenge

By Mat Loup

Our Victoria, Canada, team will be setting a group of female-identifying students at the University of Victoria (UVic) a unique challenge this fall. In partnership with WEST (Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology) — a student-led group that partners with academics and industry experts to enable students to take part in real-world design projects — we are offering 25 to 30 students the chance to work on a Passive Building Prototype (PBP) project.

Over three months, undergraduate engineering students will design and build a prototype structure to demonstrate how passive building design principles can deliver buildings that are comfortable and healthy for their occupants while also requiring minimal external inputs.

Other benefits for students taking part in the project include:

• Being mentored by industry leaders throughout

• Touring a LEED Platinum-certified building to see sustainable engineering in practice

• Attending the Women in STEM panel event

Participants will gain invaluable skills including:

• Fundamentals of high-performance passive building design

• Exposure to real-world building materials and products and their application

• Drafting, planning, and budgeting

• Hands-on building experience using hand and power tools

• Practice with RFP and RFI processes

• Project management

• Public speaking and networking

• Teamwork and communication

Following the preparation of an initial proposal, progress presentation, and building, teams will have an opportunity to live test their prototypes outdoors for five days, where they will be monitored via a building automation system. 

The project will conclude with a showcase event where students can network with project partners, industry members, and academia.

“When I graduated from university, I felt I hardly had a glimpse of the wide-ranging career opportunities in building design and construction,” says Andy Chong, Vice President Institutional and Victoria Office Leader. “When we were offered the opportunity to partner with WEST, our entire team was immediately enthusiastic about the prospect of connecting with UVic students and helping to introduce them to the work we do. We have prided ourselves in maintaining gender equality and maximizing the representation of women in our organization, especially in Victoria, and the choice to be an industry sponsor for this fall’s WEST program was an easy one.”

Our partners for the program include Olympic International, Jaga Canada, Island Temperature Controls, CBRE Ltd., Vancouver Island Construction Association, Jawl Properties Ltd., ROCKWOOL, and Cascadia Windows & Doors.

The closing date for participant applications is September 7, 2024.

Learn more about the project and how to apply.