INNOVATION May-June 2016

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engineers and three architects were granted the CP designation (See page 38). Five engineers-in-training also successfully completed the program and will receive the CP designation when they achieve Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) status. AIBC and APEGBC are planning on offering the next CP course in 2017. Assessing Public Infrastructure for Future Climate Change Impacts Kel Coulson, P.Eng., Harshan Radhakrishnan, P.Eng., Emma Hendry

BC Flood Hazard Mapping Guidelines to be Developed With funding support from Emergency Management BC, APEGBC is developing professional practice guidelines for flood hazard mapping. The guidelines are intended to provide guidance and information suitable for use related to flood risk management, land use planning and management, emergency planning, and flood insurance. The BC flood hazard mapping guidelines will support the development of flood maps in a consistent manner that uses best practices. Sections of the APEGBC Professional Practice Guidelines – Legislated Flood Assessments in a Changing Climate in BC may also be revised to align with the flood hazard mapping guidelines. The guidelines will outline a common approach to be followed for carrying out professional activities such as data requirements and input, appropriate use and interpretation of data and flood modelling, typical hazard assessment methods, and climate and environmental considerations. APEGBC develops guidelines to proactively address practice issues by establishing shared expectations regarding professional services for specific areas of engineering and geoscience. The guidelines clarify and define standards of practice. The flood hazard mapping guidelines are expected to be completed by spring 2017. Information about APEGBC guidelines is available at apeg.bc.ca/guidelines, or by contacting Lindsay Steele, P.Geo., Practice Advisor, at lsteele@apeg.bc.ca. Building Act Update The British Columbia Building and Safety Standards Branch recently released an information bulletin regarding upcoming changes to the Building Act . The bulletin provides preliminary information about changes under Section 5 of the Act , amending or repealing building requirements in bylaws, other aspects of the Act’ s implementation, and an updated timeline for building official qualifications. Full details can be found in Building Act Information Bulletin BA16-01 , available via apeg.bc.ca/News/Articles/ Building-Act-Update. Program Qualifies First Certified Professionals Thirteen candidates recently qualified for the specialist designation of Certified Professional (CP) under APEGBC’s and the Architectural Institute of BC’s (AIBC) Certified Professional Program. The CP Program provides an alternative to the conventional building permit and inspection process used by the cities of Vancouver and Surrey and other municipalities. Through the program, participating municipalities can issue building permits on the certification of a recognised registered professional engineer or architect—the CP. APEGBC and AIBC worked together to deliver the 15-session course, which ran from September to January. Sessions focused on Advanced Code Knowledge, with emphasis on Part 3 and relevant associated provisions of the BC Building Code and the Vancouver Building Bylaw, as well as topics closely related to CP practice. An intense two-day exam followed the course. Thirty-five candidates undertook the program. Of the candidates who successfully completed the program, five professional

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Engineers Canada’s Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee (PIEVC) developed the PIEVC Engineering Protocol in 2008 to provide a structured multi- disciplinary approach for assessing the risks to public infrastructure due to climate change. The protocol has been applied to highways, heritage buildings, coastal structures, schools, and sewage treatment plants across Canada. To increase awareness of the tool and facilitate multi-disciplinary collaboration in climate-risk assessment, the Planning Institute of BC, in collaboration with APEGBC and Engineers Canada, recently hosted a PIEVC risk assessment workshop in Vancouver. Participating engineers and planners worked to assess potential climate-related risks to the City of Victoria’s David Foster Harbour Pathway project. They learned from experts working to adapt to climate change in BC and saw how professionals working in multi- stakeholder teams can identify adaptation options. The collaborative approach highlighted the importance of drawing on multi-disciplinary teams to assess risk, and the unique perspectives that engineers and planners bring to the table. The PIEVC process also established common definitions and methods for assessing risks, allowing planners and engineers to speak the same language when communicating climate-related risks. In coming years, infrastructure design and planning will require due diligence in incorporating climate resilience into the planning and infrastructure design process in order to mitigate community vulnerability. The protocol provides an opportunity for APEGBC professionals to integrate climate resilience into Canada’s infrastructure. To learn more about the PIEVC Engineering Protocol, visit www.pievc.ca. More Tools for BC Engineers To further address the issue of climate risks to infrastructure, APEGBC is working with the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to develop guidelines that will outline best practices for incorporating climate resilience into highway infrastructure design . The guidelines will be consistent with the principles outlined in the protocol and in Engineers Canada’s Principles of Climate Change Adaptation for Engineers.

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