Articles & News

Embarking on the journey to become a Building Official in Ontario is an exciting and rewarding endeavor. RSM created this guide to provide a step-by-step overview of the process and the different pathways available.

An air-source heat pump is a device that transfers heat energy from the ambient outdoor air into a building, providing both heating and cooling capabilities. Learn about heat pumps and related building codes.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, RSM shifted their training from in-person to virtual sessions called “Let’s Talk About” where subscribers could attend bi-weekly interactive sessions that dive deep into specific areas of the building code.

When municipalities experience a shortage of staff or an increase in the number of projects requiring inspections, it has the potential to delay projects while waiting for the green light to proceed. RSM Building Consultants has been providing on-demand field inspectors to sites all across Ontario for the past 10 years, quickly filling in the gaps that municipalities are facing.

Municipalities usually accommodate plans examination and permit issuance in a timely manner, but sometimes they face a shortage of staff or have complex projects that exceed their capacity. RSM Building Consultants helps municipalities complete complex files and handle influxes of permit requests.

Craft breweries and distilleries have gained popularity in our communities. When reviewing building permit applications for these facilities, it is important to consider the scale of operations and address potential hazards. Questions related to malt crushing, vapor accumulation, combustibility, and quantities of combustible materials need to be answered to ensure proper life safety provisions are provided.

Fire separations provide critical protection in our buildings and ensure fire is impeded in its journey throughout a building. Ensuring the continuity of this fire separation is important as any small breeches will negate the work done on this assembly.

When discussing new accessory apartment conversions within existing residential buildings in existence for more than five years, I am always asked the same question: How do you come to the conclusion that a 15-minute horizontal fire separation is required between dwelling units?

The Ontario Building Code (OBC) replaced Supplementary Standard 5 with the new standard CAN/BNQ3680-600, “On-site Residential Wastewater Treatment Technologies,” which took effect on January 1, 2017.