While SRG2020 will replace SRG3 and be in force following the February 10, 2023, workshop, there are seismic retrofit projects that are proceeding to the project definition phase now. Any engineers initiating Seismic Project Identification Reports (SPIRs) for school seismic projects before February 10, 2023, are urged to contact Phillip Chambers, Technical Review Board Manager at 250.216.8906, or at [email protected] for advice and direction on how to proceed. This applies to all projects, but is of greater importance for projects located on Vancouver Island or Haida Gwaii.
Chris Weech, P.Eng.
Thurber Engineering Ltd.
Mr. Weech is a senior project engineer, project manager, and review engineer for Thurber Engineering in Victoria, BC, with 23 years of experience in civil engineering projects. He has particular expertise in soft soils engineering, deep foundations, and seismic design. He is currently working on developing seismic site response analysis procedures that are compatible with the new seismic hazard model adopted by the 2020 National Building Code of Canada. He is currently a member of the Technical Review Board Steering Committee for the seismic retrofit of schools under the BC Seismic Mitigation Program and is also a member of the Task Group on Seismicity and Site Amplification for the 2025 Edition of the National Building Code of Canada.
Dr. Armin Bebamzadeh, P.Eng.
University of British Columbia
Dr. Armin Bebamzadeh, P.Eng., is an active structural engineer and a research associate at the Earthquake Engineering Research Facility (EERF) at UBC. He has more than 15 years of experience in structural analysis and performance-based design and has worked with various structural engineering firms and participated in several Canadian projects. Since 2009, Dr Bebamzadeh has collaborated with researchers at UBC and industry professionals from the Engineers and Geoscientists BC in the development of innovative and cost-effective seismic assessment and retrofit guidelines, entitled “Seismic Retrofit Guidelines.” He has more than 100 technical papers and reports related to the seismic behaviour of structures, and has also developed several tools to facilitate the seismic performance-based design of buildings.
Phillip Chambers
Phillip Chambers Consulting Ltd.
Mr. Chambers is a consultant that has been working with the Engineers and Geoscientists BC team on the Ministry of Education’s Seismic Mitigation Program (SMP) since 2015. Prior to 2015 Phillip was the Regional Director with the Ministry of Education responsible for delivering the SMP for 7 years. With Engineers and Geoscientists BC, Phillip is the Technical Review Board Manager, and also acts as a liaison between the Engineers and Geoscientists BC team and the Ministry of Education. Over the past 7 years, Phillip has also worked with a number of school districts with a primary focus on developing Project Definition Reports for seismic projects, as well as acting as the project lead during the implementation of capital projects.
Andy Mill, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., FEC
David Nairne + Associates Ltd. (DNA)
Mr. Mill is a professional engineer and designated structural engineer licensed by Engineers and Geoscientists BC, as well as a Fellow of Engineers Canada. Andy is Chief Operating Officer in the architecture, engineering, and planning firm of David Nairne + Associates Ltd. (DNA) and has over 30 years of structural engineering experience. He has had the privilege to sit on EGBC Council and numerous committees including Chair of the Seismic Peer Review Committee since its inception in 2004.
Peter Mitchell, P.Eng., FEC
Engineers and Geoscientists BC
As the Director, Professional Practice, Standards & Development, Professional Practice, Peter is responsible for overseeing Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s proactive quality assurance programs that support registrants in meeting their professional practice requirements under the Professional Governance Act. These include the development of professional practice guidelines and standards, the audit and practice review program, the regulation of firms program, the practice advice program and the continuing education program. In addition, Peter provides staff support to numerous advisory groups, task forces, and panels dealing with a wide range of professional practice issues and directs the organization’s response to various government legislation impacting the practice of professional engineering and geoscience in BC.
Lee Rowley, P.Eng., FEC
Herold Engineering Ltd.
Lee Rowley is Managing Principal of Herold Engineering Limited. Herold Engineering is a well-diversified Vancouver-Island-based consulting civil and structural engineering company which has worked on a significant number of school seismic upgrading projects on Vancouver Island. Lee is a member of the Steering Committee for the Technical Review Board of the school seismic upgrading program.
John Sherstobitoff, P.Eng.
Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc.
Mr. Sherstobitoff is a structural engineer with over 35 years of experience, focusing on seismic upgrade projects since 1990. As Principal, Seismic and Structures at Ausenco, he is the corporate seismic specialist. John was the chair of the Standing Committee on Earthquake Design for 10 years and continues as a committee member (committee responsible for seismic provisions for NBCC 2015 and 2020), chair for its working group regarding base isolation and damping (new clauses in NBCC 2015) and chair for its task group on resilience and performance based design (new provisions in NBCC 2020).
Dr. Graham Taylor, P.Eng.
TBG Seismic Consultants Ltd.
Graham Taylor is a practising structural consulting engineer who has specialized in seismic engineering over the past 30 years. Graham has been the engineer-of-record for the seismic retrofit of 9 schools for the Greater Victoria School District. Graham’s seismic engineering practice has been a combination of practice innovation and applied research. Graham’s applied research experience includes the 17 year Seismic Mitigation Program (BC Ministry of Education) and more than 20 years of collaboration with the University of British Columbia (UBC) on a range of applied research projects. Graham is a lead member of the Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia TRB Steering Committee for the Seismic Mitigation Program.
John Wallace, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., FEC
John A Wallace Engineering Ltd.
Mr. Wallace has over 45 years of design and consulting experience. He was the President of Pomeroy Consulting Engineers Ltd until his retirement. For the past 10 years, he has provided structural/seismic consulting services as John A Wallace Engineering Ltd. John is active with Engineers and Geoscientists BC on several fronts, including as a member of the Seismic Technical Review Board Steering Committee, Structural Qualifications & Credentials Advisory Group, and the Structural Practice & Competency Advisory Group.
Dr. Tim White, P.Eng.
Bush, Bohlman & Partners
Originally from Ontario, Tim moved to Vancouver in 1999 to pursue a doctorate in Civil Engineering at the University of British Columbia. After completing his PhD, Tim joined the UBC research team which were developing the earliest versions of the Seismic Retrofit Guidelines. In 2007 Tim was lured away from academia into the world of consulting engineering. Tim is a Partner at Bush, Bohlman where he spends much of his time working on the assessment, renovation, and retrofit of existing buildings.
