Standards · Design principles · Practical applications · A Structural Engineer’s Guide to the Journey of Snow

Here we go again. The first heavy, wet snow of the season is plastering everything in sight, and you get that familiar call from an architect. “We’re looking at a large, flat roof on this new project. What kind of snow load do we need?”

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Standards · Engineered Precision (Part 4) vs. Prescriptive Paths (Part 9)

This post will focus on something fundamental to our everyday lives as structural engineers in Canada: the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) and, more specifically, how we navigate the structural design requirements of Part 4 versus Part 9. Ever found yourself scratching your head over whether a project really needs the full Part 4 treatment, or if Part 9’s prescriptive paths are sufficient? You’re not alone.

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Standards · Design principles · Industry insights · Practical applications · Part 4’s Leap vs. Part 9’s Sticking Point

In this post we’ll be looking at seismic. Specifically, let’s chew on something that’s been a hot topic since the NBCC 2020 dropped: the growing gap in seismic design philosophies between Part 4 (Structural Design) and Part 9 (Housing and Small Buildings). If you’re juggling projects that dance on the edge of Part 9’s limits or work across different seismic zones in Canada, this is a conversation you need to be in on.

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Standards · Practical applications · Design principles · When Does Part 9 End and Part 4 Begin in the NBCC?

Let’s talk about something that trips up even seasoned engineers from time to time: figuring out exactly where National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) Part 9, “Housing and Small Buildings,” hands off the baton to Part 4, “Structural Design.” Get this wrong, and you could be heading for a world of compliance headaches, or worse, an under-designed structure. Get it right, and you’re setting your project up for success from day one.

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Practical applications · When Part 9 Leans on Part 4 – A Guide for Complex Small Buildings

You’ve got a project that, at first glance, looks like a straightforward Part 9 building – a “house or small building” as the NBCC puts it. But then you start digging into the details, the architect throws in a few “features,” or the site conditions are less than ideal, and suddenly you’re wondering if those prescriptive Part 9 solutions are going to cut it.

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Standards · Design principles · Practical applications · Navigating Serviceability (SLS) in NBC 2020

We spend a lot of time ensuring our structures are strong enough (hello, ULS!). But what about how they feel and perform day-to-day? That’s where Serviceability Limit States (SLS) come in. Sagging floors, cracked partitions, or that annoying bounce when someone walks by – these are all SLS concerns. The National Building Code of Canada (NBC) 2020 has brought SLS criteria more formally into the main body of the code (Article 4.1.3.4.), underscoring its importance.

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