Entuitive’s mission of creating a sustainable built environment through engineering performance lies at the heart of the firm. It’s an ethos that works especially well in British Columbia, a province with a strong focus on energy efficiency, sustainability, and passive design when it comes to new construction.
Since 2017, Entuitive has had a permanent presence in Vancouver, offering our integrated suite of Structural, Building Envelope, Restoration, and Special Projects Services. Together with our expertise in Seismic Design, Timber Design, Advanced Performance Analysis, Energy Modelling, and Fire Engineering, our team offers the city and province a wealth of engineering expertise.
“We had wanted to open an office in Vancouver for quite some time. The lower mainland and BC as a whole is a great market for Entuitive given our firm’s expertise in mass timber and energy efficient envelope design,” says Mike Lembke, Principal and Building Envelope Specialist in that office. “Thanks to a serendipitous chain of events, we made that dream a reality and we now have critical mass and a growing team of very talented individuals with us in Vancouver.”
Entuitive’s One Company culture, meaning the right person will always be put on the right job no matter their location, together with boots on the ground in the city, has allowed the firm to deliver a range of exceptional projects within a relatively short time since opening the office.
Three examples include the University of British Columbia’s Brock Commons Phase 2, the Surrey Shelter and Transitional Housing project, and the Frances Street redevelopment project.
UBC BROCK COMMONS PHASE II
The University of British Columbia’s Brock Commons is the school’s new residence area at the Vancouver campus. Phase 2 of the plan involves a two-building development consisting of academic and institutional spaces in the building podiums, and student residence spaces above. The development also includes a childcare centre with a rooftop playground. Brock Commons will provide 1,000 student beds for upper year students at UBC.
As the Building Envelope Consultants on the project, our team’s scope includes consulting on all aspects of the building envelope, including below-grade and at-grade waterproofing, exterior cladding assembly, exterior glazing systems, and roofing assemblies for the two buildings. Our expertise in energy efficiency and materials has allowed our team to provide technical support and analysis to the design team to achieve a high-performing, sustainable building envelope for the project.
SURREY SHELTER & TRADITIONAL HOUSING
As the Structural Engineering Consultants on this important project, we were challenged to deliver a building designed to facilitate the integration of people experiencing homelessness into transitional housing. The ground floor contains ancillary support services while the second floor consists of 30 shelter units. The upper four floors feature 70 transitional housing units. The program helps individuals reintegrate into society within a supportive environment.
The upper five stories are wood frame above the ground floor with one level of below-grade parking. The project is funded by BC Housing with its strict design guidelines.
FRANCES STREET
The Frances Street redevelopment project will see three separate industrial buildings redeveloped into a new creative building of high-tech manufacturing, office, and retail spaces, as well as two levels of below-grade parking, totaling approximately 50,000 ft².
Located at 1254, 1258, and 1270 Francis Street in the reinvigorated Rail Town area of Vancouver, the four-storey building will be a mass timber structure and will include special design elements, such as a pass-through entrance and a full building height courtyard.
The design of the building seeks to maintain the historic industrial ambiance of the surrounding area, and will feature large openings for natural daylight, flexible floor plates, and natural ventilation.
Entuitive is providing full Building Envelope Consulting and Structural Engineering on this project from development permit through to construction completion.
Our team is excited to continue delivering high-performing and sustainable projects in British Columbia, as well as growing our Vancouver office with creative, collaborative, and advanced talent.
“We operate as One Company, but recognize that having people on the ground allows us to maintain a high level of service and responsiveness to our clients,” says Julien Fagnan, Principal and Structural Engineer. “We believe that collaboration is the best way to find the right solution for our clients.”
To explore the Vancouver office in more detail, including an in-depth look at our projects, services and team, click here.