231st Edition – Zak World of Façades Canada

This will be the 231st edition globally and the 4th edition in Toronto which will showcase sustainable innovations and challenges in the construction industry pertaining to the building envelope and will also display latest technological solutions.

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Speakers & Panelists
Emily Pepper
Sr. Structural Engineer, Heritage Structures Local Market Lead, WSP Canada
Owen Coyle
President, IG Masonry Support Systems
Owen Coyle is a qualified Structural Engineer who graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2009. Shortly after, he joined the family business, Keystone Lintels – the UK and Ireland’s largest manufacturer of steel lintels – as a Technical Engineer. His...
Juan Carlos Portuese
Partner | Architect | Design Lead, DIALOG
Juan Carlos Portuese is an award-winning architect and design leader with extensive experience delivering complex institutional projects across Canada, the United States, and internationally. His work spans healthcare, civic, academic, and community architecture, with a particular focus on high-performance building...
Brian Porter
Principal, Two Row Architect
Brian Porter, from Six Nations of the Grand River, is a business leader with years of experience designing and managing projects for First Nation communities across Canada and the U.S. He focuses on culturally appropriate designs and maximizing the use...
Dan McTavish
Associate Principal, Perkins&Will
Dan McTavish brings a client-centric approach to every project, driven by the excitement of solving complex challenges through design. He finds inspiration in his clients’ work and enjoys learning about their industries. As a design principal, Dan fosters close collaboration...
Bruno Weber
Partner, KPMB
Bruno Weber joined KPMB Architects in 2000. He is committed to making architecture that cultivates community and brings diverse groups together to work for a better world. KPMB’s reputation has been enriched by Bruno’s influential contributions to a series of...
David Dow
Principal, Diamond Schmitt
David Dow is a principal with Diamond Schmitt Architects in Toronto. He enjoys tackling large and complex design problems to which he brings a pragmatic sensibility and creative flair. His demonstrated ability to work with developer, institutional and private owner...
Natasha Appel
Business Development Manager, EJOT
Natasha Appel is a Business Development Manager at EJOT, bringing over two decades of experience in architecture and façade systems. With a deep-rooted passion for building science, design, and high-performance building envelopes, she works closely with partners and clients to...
Matias Reyes
National Architectural Manager, Vitro Architectural Glass
With over 11 years of experience in the architectural and construction industry, Matias Reyes brings a deep understanding of both design intent and building performance to every project. For the past two years, he has been with Vitro Architectural Glass,...
Dima Cook
Director | Principal, EVOQ
Dima Cook leads EVOQ’s Toronto office. She has over 27 years of experience and specializes in project management. She has overseen many heritage studies, historic structures reports and building condition assessments where she led multi-disciplinary teams of architects, conservation experts,...
Jordi Marasse
Technical Project Consultant, Reynaers Aluminium
Jordi Marasse is Project Consultant Manager North America at Reynaers Aluminum. For the last 4 years Jordi has been coordinating the North American projects. Jordi consistently goes above and beyond to foster enduring partnerships with our esteemed architects, real estate...
Alex Josephson
President, Partisans
Alex Josephson co-founded PARTISANS in 2012 after studying architecture at the University of Waterloo and Rome, and the Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA). Alex is a native of Toronto. Prior to starting PARTISANS, Alex worked in the studio of...
Ravneet Saini
Regional Manager, Saint-Gobain Glass Canada
Ravneet brings over a decade of experience in the glass industry, specializing in façade glass solutions. Her career has spanned multiple countries, where she has collaborated with architects, designers, and project teams in India, UAE, France, and now Canada. Ravneet...
Martin Durivage
Architectural Project and Specification Manager, Saint-Gobain Glass Canada
Martin brings over 30 years of experience working alongside architects. Renowned for his passion for architecture and façade design, he has spent the past nine years creating, managing, and delivering optimized Saint‑Gobain Glass façade specifications. Prior to joining Saint‑Gobain, Martin...
Sudhir Bommu
Associate | Building Envelope & Facades Skills Leader, Arup
Sudhir is an Associate in the Arup Toronto office. He specializes in integrating architectural design, building physics, daylighting, and structural engineering through digital design skills to provide a holistic approach to building envelope design. Sudhir has worked with multiple disciplines...
Brian White
Technical Director – Global Building Adhesive Solutions, H.B. Fuller
Dr. Brian White is a Sr. Technical Director at H.B. Fuller Company, responsible for product development and innovation in the Building Adhesives and Sealant Industry. Brian joined H.B. Fuller in 2010 as a Senior Scientist in the Window industry. He...
Conference Agenda
  • Responding to and respecting a rich historical context with a contemporary architectural design
  • Integrating stone within a high-performance curtain wall system to unite traditional material character with modern building envelope technologies
  • Leveraging prefabricated modular façade construction to improve efficiency and installation precision
Speakers:
  • Sustainability strategy
  • The importance of operational carbon and embodied carbon: Need to go hand in hand to decarbonise
  • What really makes a building sustainable
Speakers:
  • Understanding biophilia
  • Designing with nature in mind
  • Glass as a catalyst for biophilia
Speakers:
  • Influence of the rainscreen attachment system
  • Benefits of stainless steel: Resistance to fire, thermal and energy, corrosion resistance
  • Sustainability
Speakers:
  • Understanding the importance of glass visualization in façade decision-making
  • Glazing comparison: Choosing the right glazing is not just about performance. Aesthetics and perception play a crucial role
  • New technologies that aid in selecting the best aesthetics bring us closer to the realistic appearance of the façade
Speakers:
  • How to best express and celebrate Indigenous culture and sovereignty on their lands
  • Case studies that demonstrate the full cycle of community engagement in the work
  • Translating the vision to subcontractors, adjusting budgets and materials as needed

Bruno Weber

Speakers:
  • How Canadian climate, high-performance energy targets and zero-carbon ambitions are shaping the balance between opaque enclosure and glazing
  • Treating transparency as a purposeful architectural act, placing glass where it brings daylight, views, connection and meaning rather than maximizing it by default
  • Lessons from a portfolio of zero-carbon and mass timber projects on creating facades that integrate envelope performance, material expression, and architectural identity
Speakers:
  • Next generation stainless steel masonry support systems
  • Realizing intricate brick features with prefabricated brick slip soffit systems
  • Case studies: Innovation in action
Speakers:
  • Carbon impact of insulating glass: Embodied and operational considerations
  • Role of edge seal durability in insulating glass performance
  • Reference projects
Speakers:
  • Criteria for Heritage Preservation | What are the key factors that guide decisions in building preservation?
  • Old meets new — how do you bring both together? How do you add something new while respecting the history of a place?
  • What role do local stakeholders and civic partners play in your projects?

Dima Cook

Speakers:
Event Details
  • 231st Edition – Zak World of Façades Canada, October 07, 2026
  • Start Date
    October 7, 2026 8:00 am
  • End Date
    October 7, 2026 5:00 pm
  • Status
    Upcoming
  • Location
  • Venue
  • Category
    • Sponsors

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