Sustainability, digital practice, and social innovation: we are KPMB’s research group.

Through research projects, speculative design proposals, and lecture series, the LAB works to integrate new ideas and skills into our professional practice.

Façade design and energy performance research from KPMB LAB featured in Construction Canada

Partnering with the University of Toronto to build a climate resilient future

Working together with seven researchers from the University of Toronto and 11 other architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) organizations, we’re researching new, innovative ways to provide public infrastructure to meet the demands of a growing population without further heightening the climate crisis.

Defining Whole Building Life Cycle Assessments by methodology to support carbon reduction in the design process

Together with Integral Group, we're proposing a classification system to reduce ambiguity around the methodology employed when discussing whole building life cycle assessments (WBLCAs) and, ultimately, support carbon reduction in design workflows.

KPMB LAB Partners on International Effort to Reduce Concrete’s Carbon Footprint

Modelling perimeter heating early in design stage optimizes occupant experience

High-performance building design increasingly focuses on façade efficiency. Using a Toronto multi-unit residential building as an example, we look at how thermal comfort and energy quantities can inform façade performance in the early stages of design.

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We’re helping Indigenous communities design healthy, resilient homes

Two Row Architect and KPMB LAB have partnered with Fort Severn First Nation to design durable, sustainable, and culturally appropriate housing as part of the National Research Council of Canada’s “Path to Healthy Homes” program. The project has been named the winner of the World Architecture Festival’s 2021 WAFX Social Equity award.

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Embodied Carbon Values in Common Insulation Materials

Analysis of the embodied vs. operational carbon trade-offs for XPS, Polyiso, Rockwool, Neopor GPS, fibreglass batts, and blown cellulose.

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KPMB’s Climate Statement

KPMB Architects declares their position on sustainability with a Climate Statement in the November 2020 edition of Canadian Architect.

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We’re using fluid dynamics to understand urban microclimate.

With support from the Mitacs Accelerate Fellowship program, KPMB is working with Ryerson University building science researchers to develop a suite of analysis tools that allow us to understand the micro-climate of a building site. With this understanding, we can incorporate climate considerations into our design process from the earliest concepts forward through detailed design. The result is higher performance designs, lower environmental impact, and optimized comfort inside and out.

We’re leading the conversation on next-generation building facades.

This fall, Facades+ partnered with KPMB Architects to bring their conference to Canada for the first time. KPMB Director of Innovation Geoffrey Turnbull and KPMB Senior Associate David Constable co-hosted the event in Toronto. For the full line-up of panel discussions and workshops, visit the event site, here.