PEOPLE POWER Q&A
These projects have also shifted my 
perspective toward low-carbon resilience 
and adaptation. It’s no longer just about 
reducing energy use, but about designing 
buildings that can perform under future 
climate conditions, maintain occupant 
comfort and remain durable over time. 
That broader lens – beyond just energy – 
has really shaped how I approach building 
performance and sustainability today.
BE: What would you consider to be the 
proudest moment in your career?
MF: One of the proudest moments in my 
career has been building and contributing 
to a strong national building performance 
team and seeing the level of impact we’re 
now able to deliver across projects. 
In parallel, being involved in the develop-
ment and application of tools like RJC 
Aspire has been very rewarding. It allows 
us to bring meaningful insights into proj-
ects at a much earlier stage and help teams 
make better, more informed decisions. 
RJC Aspire helps to determine opera-
tional carbon and embodied carbon 
at very early stages of a project, before 
there are very many details, which 
lessens the need for reworking designs 
later and optimizes the design process 
early on. It can also reduce the hard 
cost for the building owner. We’re very 
excited about this tool. 
Together, these reflect both the people 
side and the innovation side of what I 
value most in my work.
BE: What is the greatest challenge 
that you face in your line of work?
MF: One of the biggest challenges is 
bridging the gap between modelling 
assumptions and real-world building 
performance. There’s often a disconnect 
between design intent and what actually 
gets built. Closing that gap requires 
better coordination, testing and data-
driven feedback loops.
BE: Do you have any career goals? What 
are they and how do you see your 
career evolving in the future?
MF: I see my career evolving toward 
a broader impact, helping shape how 
buildings are designed at an earlier stage, 
integrating operational and embodied 
carbon and developing tools that support 
better decision-making. I’m also inter-
ested in continuing to contribute through 
education and industry engagement, like 
doing Lunch and Learns for architects and 
developers, so I can help get the word out 
about tools like RJC Aspire. Once others 
see this tool and its uniqueness they will 
see its utility and want to work with us. 
As far as I know there is nothing else like 
it in the industry right now. 
I want to help move this field forward.  
— 
BE PART OF  
THE SOLUTION.
EDUCATION  
FOR A  
COMPLEX  
WORLD.
Advance your career in building systems  
and sustainability with the BCIT MASc 
or MEng programs in Building Science. 
You’ll focus on practical studies, from 
fundamentals to industry applications.
bcit.ca/buildingscience
STRENGTHEN YOUR VOICE
REACH ASSOCIATION MEMBERS AND 
INDUSTRY PARTNERS ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY WITH TAILORED 
COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS
Robert Thompson, Senior Vice President 
robertt@mediaedge.ca   647-494-4229
SPRING/SUMMER 2026 9

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