James Bourget, BCIT instructor and Principal at RDH Building Science was recognized by the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) with the Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement in Education Leadership at the 32nd annual VRCA Awards of Excellence gala at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. James has been a pillar for zero energy and zero carbon emissions construction training for years. He is an instructor, tradesperson and building scientist.
As a part-time instructor with the Zero Energy Buildings Learning Centre (ZEBLC) in the BCIT School of Construction and the Environment, James had also received recognition for teaching excellence at BCIT and with the ZEBLC team, the Canada Green Building Council Inspired Educator Award.
During the pandemic, the ZEBLC team had to find a way to keep their part-time studies program “hands-on” despite being online. The solution included webcams, a selfie stick and 40 feet of USB cable for instructors like James Bourget who were “the hands of our students” performing all sorts of construction and deconstruction demonstrations live, in front of the camera.
James was instrumental in making the transition to online a success. He delivered highly engaging 2 to 4-hour live lectures where students learned “first-hand” the ABC’s of climate change and green construction. James taught the 10-week course three times during the pandemic (Spring, Fall and Winter Terms).
At every opportunity, James goes far above and beyond expectations. From a technical perspective, James is a master in delivering engaging hands-on learning experiences. To accomplish this, he evolves learning and teaching activities, hands-on construction demonstration props, and the use of elements in the BCIT High Performance Building Lab every term to ensure learners get the most current construction knowledge. His commitment to delivering industry-relevant training means that he spends many additional preparation hours developing case studies, discussion on high performance construction challenges and solutions, and presenting emerging research and practice in building enclosure design and construction.
His passion for inspiring learners to build better and smarter when tackling the increasingly efficient requirements of the BC Energy Step Code and Passive House Standard leaves learners empowered and excited. Whether teaching architects, builders, tradespeople, or building officials, James instills confidence and clarity by simplifying the complexity and the simplicity of approaches needed to make high performance construction standard practice. Our past students and industry partners hold James in highest regard, and the ZEBLC team receives consistent feedback that his experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm in the field of zero energy building construction are legendary.
His nomination included numerous, glowing testimonials from his colleagues at BCIT and RDH Building Science, peers and students from every region of British Columbia, 5 provinces of Canada, and even Australia.
Congratulations James!
Learn more about the Zero Energy/Emissions Buildings Learning Centre.