b'BCBEC FOUNDATION AWARDS PROFILEBCBEC FOUNDATION AWARDS PROFILE: Abbas RangwalaBy Matthew BradfordT he BCBEC Foundation supports students in B.C. who areoutside of my studies at BCIT. These were extremely helpful as pursuing post-secondary building science education. In 2018,building codes and cities had begun adopting the BC Energy Step Abbas Rangwala was selected to receive the BCBEC EducationCode, Zero Emissions Building Plan and Passive House Standard, Foundations prize of $1,500 in support of his studies at theand attending them allowed me to better understand the direction British Columbia Institute of Technologys (BCIT) Architec- the industry was heading even before joining the workforce. As ture & Building Technology program. well, the BCBEC seminars provided valuable networking opportu-BCBCEC Elements reached out to Abbas to learn more about his career,nities with some of the best building scientists in the field. education and future goals. Of course, the BCBEC Foundation Award I received towards the end of my graduation provided that extra bit of confidence as I BCBEC Elements: What is your current role? transitioned from academia into the industry.Abbas Rangwala: For the past two years, Ive been working as a BuildingBE: Do you plan on giving back to the industry in a similar Envelope Consultant with BC Building Science Ltd., with a primary focusway down the road?on new construction projects. Here, my involvement starts right from the building envelope design stage and includes taking them though construc- AR: Definitely. I have already gone back to BCIT to share my tion while also conducting building energy modelling and buildingexperiences and knowledge about transitioning from school into envelope condition reviews. While I enjoy all aspects of building science, Ithe workforce with current students. In the future, I look forward have a particular interest and expertise in airtightness design strategies andto presenting at BCBEC seminars and possibly going back to BCIT whole-building airtightness testing. as an instructor.BE: What drew you to the building science industry?BE: What advice would you offer other students looking to AR: Ive always been an advocate for building sustainability. Evenenter the industry?during my time working in the Middle East, I got to implement activeAR: Never hesitate to ask questions. I would also recommend approaches to optimize mechanical system operations and buildingattending as many BCBEC seminars as possible to further your automation systems to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings in a heavytechnical knowledge outside school while also networking with cooling-dominated climate. industry professionals.The switch to building science came after I learned about numerousThis is the perfect time to be joining the industry. Numerous passive approaches to reducing building energy consumption. The inter- projects under the new BC Energy Step Code are already in disciplinary nature of building sciencewhich helps in designing durable,construction, with high-performance building envelope design at comfortable and energy-efficient buildingsaligned with my passion forthe forefront. sustainability and drew me to this industry. The BCBEC Foundation was founded in 2006 to support post-BE: How has your involvement with BCBEC supported your career?secondary students and apprentices who demonstrate excellence in their studies of building envelope design, construction and AR: The numerous educational seminars and Annual General Meetingstechnology. For a list of BCBEC Foundation award winners and conducted by BCBEC were instrumental in expanding my knowledgeinformation on how to apply, visit bcbec.com/bcbec-foundation.SPRING/SUMMER 2020 21'