Author Description

Two Decades of Innovation in Housing Technology, 1946-1965, which was published in 1994, chronicled the innovations which emerged in response to the post-War building boom. This report continues the story, highlighting the many advances which took place to address rising costs, energy and environmental impacts, occupant health and safety, durability and new niche markets. The 1966-1996 period was characterized by the continued and often rapid growth of Canadian cities, the impact of the "baby boom" generation on housing markets and fluctuating economic cycles. Interest in rehabilitating the existing stock led to renovation activity overtaking new construction in expenditure volume. Building codes and the development approvals process became more demanding. Federal and provincial housing policy evolved from being highly interventionist to being more targeted and market-sensitive. The most significant influence was the "energy crisis" of the mid-1970s, which prompted the development of air leakage control, advanced framing for increased insulation levels, heat recovery ventilators, high-performance windows and high-efficiency heating and lighting systems. The response to the energy crisis raised concerns in two other areas - indoor air quality and moisture-related deterioration. Innovations contributing to healthier indoor environments included the emergence of low-emission building materials, spillage-resistant combustion equipment, more effective mechanical ventilation and filtration sy.