EL12

55 Franklin – Innovative, Low-Carbon Strategies for Affordable Housing

5/14/2026|EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING|STRUCTURED

3.50 ConEd Learning Hours
2:00p.m.-5:30p.m.

Also available Wednesday afternoon, EL08

The developer, Architect, and project manager guide participants through a four-building affordable housing complex in Kitchener, while discussing structural innovations and sustainability strategies throughout the site. Each building serves as a prototype, testing different construction methods—including mass timber CLT and NLT and traditional wood stick frame construction—to reduce carbon impact while fostering community and resilience.

Learning Objectives
1. Explore mass timber’s role in low-carbon housing construction.
2. Compare different structural systems for affordable housing delivery.
3. Reflect on lessons learned in phased affordable housing design.
4. Learn from three completed CLT/NLT buildings, and a fourth due in 2026.

Dobrina Encheva, M.Arch, OAA, MRAIC
Architect, ABA Architects
Brent Smith
Architectural Project Manager ABA Architects
Mike Maxwell
President Maxwell Building Consultants

Activity Level: This session is Level 3 (Moderately Active) and involves walking. This is a walking tour that includes climbing six storeys of stairs. Dress for weather conditions and wear comfortable footwear and clothing (including a hat for sun protection). Consider bringing a refillable water bottle, high-SPF sunscreen, sunglasses, and your camera.  Please note: this is a construction site. Full PPE and safety equipment is required to join this tour (Hard Hat, Safety Glasses, Safety Shoes and High Visibility Garments) Shirts with sleeves and long pants are recommended.


Registrants will meet at the Kreitmaker Experiential Learning Departure Hub in the Conference Lounge to take a transfer to the destination.
 
To learn more about this session's speaker(s), click here.

To register, click here. 

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