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The Engineering Smart Communities Working Group is committed to leveraging diverse expertise and perspectives to contribute meaningful and actionable recommendations to address the housing crisis in Canada. Through collaborative efforts, the group aspires to make a significant impact on the development of sustainable and resilient communities. The group aims to focus on various aspects, including energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, green building materials and technologies, integration of innovative green technologies, wastewater management, climate-resilient design and construction, and considerations of extreme weather events. Additionally, the group will incorporate principles of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) in all its deliberations.

The working group will consist of experts and professionals from diverse disciplines, including but not limited to:

  1. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Integration
  2. Green Building Materials and Technologies
  3. Integration of Innovative Green Technologies
  4. Climate-Resilient Design and Construction
  5. Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

Interested individuals will be invited to join the group based on their expertise, experience, and commitment to the objectives of the working group. Consideration will be given to individuals with a proven track record of working on projects related to sustainable housing, community development, and climate resilience. Participants should be able to commit to regular virtual meetings, contribute actively to discussions, and meet the outlined timeline for the project.

Emily Pepper, P.Eng. MASc. BSc.

ESC Working Group Chair
Emily Pepper is a structural Engineer at Arup in Toronto and holds the position of Arup Canada Materials lead and Heritage Structures Specialist. Specializing in structural assessment and retrofit of historic and modern structures, Emily’s expertise lies particularly in masonry and timber materials and analysis. She obtained her Master of Science in Structural Engineering from Imperial College London and her Bachelor of Applied Science in Structural and Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Ottawa. Emily’s research background encompasses timber and masonry design and analysis, with her Master’s dissertation focusing on Progressive Collapse Analysis in Cross Laminated Midrise Structures, and her Bachelor’s design project concentrating on timber-concrete composite structures. Recently, Emily has completed research on repointing methods in lime mortar and developed a technique for analyzing masonry arch tunnels using thrust line analysis methods.

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Please see OSPE’s most recent advocacy reports here.

Please see OSPE’s most recent submissions here.

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Interested in sharing your expertise? Email us at advocacy@ospe.on.ca.

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