Firm Overview

RDH has a research team that works extensively with government agencies as well as the design and construction industry. We assist manufacturers in the development and testing of new products. We are intimately familiar with the performance characteristics of the vast array of building materials and products on the market. Our research facilities and expertise is always available to project teams to assess new materials and systems in depth so that they can be used with confidence on projects. We are also involved in investigating many of the major building failures in North America and abroad. This experience provides valuable insight regarding performance and informs our practice.

RDH consists of not only building science engineers and architects, but also highly experienced construction personnel. We have a construction management team that focuses on the implementation of building enclosure construction. They bring valuable insights related to sequencing, cost effectiveness, and buildability of the enclosure to each project. Our staff have hands-on experience in the construction of building enclosure systems. This practical expertise includes those who have worked for curtain-wall and other manufacturers, as well as contractors and installers for roofing, metal cladding and other building enclosure systems.

We have a deep understanding of the interaction of the building enclosure with the exterior environment including climate change adaptation, ventilation systems and work with all building enclosure technologies. We believe that RDH's best value comes in the very early stages of a project helping to answer project team questions like “What are the alternatives?”, "Can we actually do this?", "What will this cost?", and "How can we optimize our systems?". The interaction between the architectural design, building enclosure performance criteria, energy performance, and ventilation strategies is carefully assessed by our team. We develop advanced and unique building façades, including the costs and constructability of these systems.

RDH staff have a deep understanding of building science. Many have advanced degrees in building science, are teaching at leading building science education programs, and/or are involved in practical research for the industry. This expertise allows us to explore new concepts for buildings from first principles, whereas others must rely on technology they have seen before. This means we can provide more creativity in exploring design alternatives.

We have built a presence as industry educators. We have developed many widely-recognized industry guidelines, including guides for wood frame building enclosures, precast enclosures, glazing systems technology, energy efficiency, cross-laminated timber construction, tall wood buildings, ventilation and HRVs, air sealing and insulation retrofits, and rehabilitation and renewal work. We like to say, “Would you rather work with the people who write the guidelines and standards, or those who read them?”