I graduated from the University of Canterbury New Zealand with a degree in Structural Engineering and immigrated to Canada in 1967. I worked initially in Toronto on building design before starting a Construction Management practice – a key highlight in this time being work undertaken in Northern Ontario with Canada’s First Nations. I subsequently was appointed as Director of Structural Engineering for the 800,000 m² King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where I met my current partner Architect Paul Merrick. Paul and I formed Merrick Architecture in 1984 and have built the practice into one of British Columbia’s leading Architectural firms with a reputation for design excellence and the delivery of quality, cost conscious projects that capture the human scale. Much of the firm’s work has focused on the recycling of existing ‘heritage’ buildings where the approach to design has built on the traditional use of more natural systems – including natural ventilation, day-lighting and the creative reuse of building materials. The firm has embodied the principles of Green Design in its work over the past two decades and has been given the opportunity of expressing these principles through the LEED Gold Vancouver Olympic Village. This unique project comprises 1.4 million sq. ft. of market residential, commercial and affordable housing and represents the cornerstone of the City of Vancouver’s South East False Creek sustainable community initiative. Lessons learned through this project have provided the foundation for a recent commission to set the Sustainable Guidelines for the renewal of 18 city blocks in Edmonton’s downtown core.

As a founding principal of Merrick Architecture with the responsibility for marketing, practice management, financial operations and staffing, I have consistently advocated design solutions and construction methodology that embraces sustainable design. Over the past two years I have been directly responsible for the sustainable design vision for the Vancouver Olympic Village and currently hold the contract for the LEED™ Gold certification. This work has provided innovation in energy management, building systems, resource use and reporting and significant advancements to building envelope performance. Merrick Architecture, under my direction holds the contract for the implementation of Canada’s first Net Zero multi-unit residential building. I have been invited to speak at numerous national and international sustainable building conferences on the work undertaken for the Olympic Village including: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – Green Building ’07, Calgary SB07 Auckland NBIS Seattle Feb 2008 SB08 Melbourne USGBC Boston 2008 Gaining Ground, Victoria 2008 China Green Buildings 2008, Shanghai

• I have not previously been actively involved with Cascadia other than to attend past seminars • Hold a Cascadia Chapter membership • Merrick Architecture has, until recently, been working with Andy Kesteloo and other professionals on the implementation of sustainable architecture and green buildings including: St. Ann’s Academy, • SFU Segal Center for Management Studies, • University of Victoria Environmental Studies building – LEED™ Certified, • Whistler Olympic Nordic Centre – LEED™ Silver, • Vancouver Olympic Village – LEED™ Gold.

I have a background in Structural Engineering and construction management and have spent the past 23 years as the Managing Partner of Merrick Architecture. This practice has grown from its beginnings as a firm of five to its current staff of 70 including six partners. The firm has a reputation for design excellence and was recently awarded the commission for the design and construction of Vancouver’s 1.4 million sq. ft. Olympic Village. This project will be Canada’s first LEED™ Gold community. I have personally been responsible for the sustainable vision and the project wide coordination and management of the 150+ person consultant team. This background provides a cross-discipline understanding of the issues confronting the industry as we all move forward into this new paradigm. My background in public speaking and community work provides the basis on which these issues can be addressed in the political forum from where new policy must emerge to deal with our global future.

Cascadia provides an established and recognized forum for sustainable advocacy – as such it provides a framework in which to foster understanding of the principles and technologies that underlie this new field of design that is so critical to our future generations. The past two years have allowed me to engage with an extraordinary group of professional and community advocates dedicated to finding constructive solutions, within the building industry, to the global conditions of resource management and climate change. Cascadia offers the opportunity to share this experience, to learn from fellow practitioners and to further my personal commitment to community communication. And it feels like an opportunity to give back after a 40 year career in developing and implementing the built environment.