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Exploring new horizons at Top Glass

The ground is shifting in international commerce. It is a time of great uncertainty, but potentially also great opportunity. Join Glass Canada editor Patrick Flannery and a panel of experts to discuss the recently signed Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and what it might mean for Canadian architectural glass fabricators and contractors looking for business in Europe. Topics will include changes to trade and tariff regimes, differences between North American and European glazing standards and a review of the construction industry prospects overseas.As doubts swirl about the future of trade with the U.S., barriers are coming down across the Atlantic.

Riyaz Dattu, a partner at Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP,  advises multinational and domestic businesses on international trade policy and investment matters, international trade strategies and market-access concerns. On international trade regulations, he advises on all aspects of economic sanctions, export and import controls, national security, anti-bribery laws, government procurement, customs laws, transfer pricing and trade remedies such as anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard measures. Riyaz also acts as counsel in international trade and investment disputes involving the application of trade laws and regulations and the enforcement of treaties. He has acted as counsel from the time of the very earliest WTO disputes concerning Canada, and the first two investment arbitrations under Canada’s bilateral investment promotion and protection treaties. During his more than 25 years of practice, Riyaz has advised and represented leading businesses in a full range of industry sectors.

An alumni of both the Welsh School of Architecture in Cardiff, and the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow, Bruce Nicol, an architect with Dow Corning’s high performance building team in the U.K., has specialized in façade systems with an emphasis on glass as a material and structural element. Many years spent within the glass industry has lead to involvement in a range of highly interesting and diverse projects around the world. This experience proved valuable when Arup Facades decided to set up their original glass group. Dow Corning provides a forum to extend the knowledge into innovations that further refine façade systems whilst promoting better and more efficient performances in all areas.

Yvon Chiasson, building science specialist in facade engineering with Morrison Hershfield, has 32 years’ experience in the construction industry, including 12 years working in technical sales/R&D for manufacturers of building envelope systems and 20 years of consulting experience in new building design and existing building envelope restoration and performance failure investigation, assessment and rehabilitation. Yvon has managed projects for various commercial, high-rise, and institutional buildings, for both private and public sector clients. He specializes in cladding technologies with an emphasis on glazing technology (windows, window walls, curtain wall, and skylights), and in plant manufacture of unitized curtain wall systems and components.  He is active in the development of standards governing design and installation of fenestration systems in Canada, including CSA-A440.4-17 Fenestration Installation, CSA-A440.4-07 Window, Door and Skylight Installation, CSA-A440.6 High-Exposure Fenestration Installation (in progress). He has written articles for Façade Tectonics 2016 World Congress (Los Angeles), 8th Canadian Conference on Building Science and Technology (Toronto) and The International Conference on Building Envelope Systems and Technologies (ICBEST) (Ottawa, 2001) among others.

TOPIC / Over there: The opportunity for Canada’s glass industry in a new era of free trade with Europe

Presenters: Riyaz Dattu, Bruce Nicol and Yvon Chiasson