Member Area
Keynotes, Panels and Plenary Presentations
Sustaining the Industry for the Next Generation
Meaningful Accessibility for Lab Spaces – A Holistic and Sustainable Approach
Roman Romanov, Director, Accessibility Advisory Services, Rick Hansen Foundation
In Canada, 64% of people either have a disability or care for someone who does, yet many public spaces remain inaccessible. Building codes vary by province and often fall short of ensuring true accessibility. The societal costs of exclusion are immense, from higher healthcare expenses to lost economic potential. In this keynote, Roman shares his personal journey with an ocular disability and outlines how organizations can foster inclusive environments. He will discuss the importance of exceeding minimum codes and introduce solutions like RHF’s Accessibility Certification Program, showcasing practical examples of their implementation. Join us to learn how creating accessible spaces can drive growth, attract talent, and unlock opportunities. Let’s build a world where everyone can go anywhere! #EveryoneEverywhere
Thanks to BICASA North America for their sponsorship.
As an internationally experienced architect with an ocular disability, Roman Romanov brings over 15 years of lived and professional experience to his role as Director, Accessibility Advisory Services at the Rick Hansen Foundation. He oversees RHF’s social enterprise, where he is responsible for providing a range of advisory services, designed to support multi-site and large-scale public and private organizations on their journey towards increased accessibility and inclusion, in the built environment and beyond. Roman is sessional faculty at OCAD University, where he teaches architectural and inclusive design studios and seminars in the Environmental Design undergraduate program. Beyond OCADU, Roman has taught the Rick Hansen Foundation’s both professional certification course as well as RHF’s Accessibility Fundamentals course at Laurentian University, George Brown College, University of Alberta and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Alongside two other faculty members, Roman co-founded Creative Research Practices (CRIP) Lab, an inclusive practices research centre at OCAD University. As a leadership co-director, he leads and facilitates initiatives to advance inclusion and anti-ableist practices in research, art production and exhibition, university hiring, organizational policy, pedagogy, professional mentorship for workers with a disability, events, symposia, consulting, and more. As an architect and designer, Roman has worked on a myriad of building typologies in Canada, the US, the Middle East and Asia, using a sustainable accessibility and ageing in place lens at firms such as KPF (NYC), Hariri Pontarini (Toronto), and MP Architects (Tel-Aviv). He currently sits on Waterfront Toronto’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, where he assists Waterfront Toronto with implementing a holistic accessibility lens on what is considered the world’s largest waterfront redevelopment masterplan. Passionate about client success and meaningful business relationships, Roman speaks five languages, and has worked in customer success and advisory in industries such as banking, international relations, and hospitality. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Design degree from OCAD University.
Accessibility and Inclusion
From Conception to Realization
This panel brings together a diverse group of experts from various sectors across Canada to discuss innovative approaches to enhancing accessibility in the built environment. The conversation will delve into the development of pioneering standards and the implementation of creative solutions, addressing both current challenges and future opportunities.
Panelists will share insights on how to design laboratory spaces that are inclusive and accessible to people of all abilities. Topics will include the integration of universal design principles, the role of technology in improving accessibility, and the importance of exceeding minimum building codes to create truly inclusive environments.
Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of accessibility, from fostering a more inclusive community to driving organizational growth and innovation. The panel will also highlight successful case studies and practical examples of how accessibility initiatives have been implemented in various settings.
Join us to explore how laboratories can open their doors to everyone, creating spaces that welcome and benefit from the inclusion of people with diverse abilities. This discussion is essential for anyone involved in the planning, design, and operation of laboratory facilities, as well as those committed to advancing accessibility and inclusion in all aspects of the built environment.
Moderator: Roman Romanov, Director, Accessibility Advisory Services, Rick Hansen Foundation As an internationally experienced architect with an ocular disability, Roman Romanov brings over 15 years of lived and professional experience to his role as Director, Accessibility Advisory Services at the Rick Hansen Foundation. He oversees RHF’s social enterprise, where he is responsible for providing a range of advisory services, designed to support multi-site and large-scale public and private organizations on their journey towards increased accessibility and inclusion, in the built environment and beyond. Roman is sessional faculty at OCAD University, where he teaches architectural and inclusive design studios and seminars in the Environmental Design undergraduate program. Beyond OCADU, Roman has taught the Rick Hansen Foundation’s both professional certification course as well as RHF’s Accessibility Fundamentals course at Laurentian University, George Brown College, University of Alberta and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Alongside two other faculty members, Roman co-founded Creative Research Practices (CRIP) Lab, an inclusive practices research centre at OCAD University. As a leadership co-director, he leads and facilitates initiatives to advance inclusion and anti-ableist practices in research, art production and exhibition, university hiring, organizational policy, pedagogy, professional mentorship for workers with a disability, events, symposia, consulting, and more. As an architect and designer, Roman has worked on a myriad of building typologies in Canada, the US, the Middle East and Asia, using a sustainable accessibility and ageing in place lens at firms such as KPF (NYC), Hariri Pontarini (Toronto), and MP Architects (Tel-Aviv). He currently sits on Waterfront Toronto’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, where he assists Waterfront Toronto with implementing a holistic accessibility lens on what is considered the world’s largest waterfront redevelopment masterplan. Passionate about client success and meaningful business relationships, Roman speaks five languages, and has worked in customer success and advisory in industries such as banking, international relations, and hospitality. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Design degree from OCAD University.
Andrea Podruski, A/Chief Operating Officer and Director General of Standards and Research, Accessibility Standards Canada Andrea Podruski, currently the acting Chief Operating Officer and Director General of Standards and Research, has been with Accessibility Standards Canada since 2020 and is responsible for standards development and research funded by the grants and contributions program. She is also a part time instructor at the Canada School of Public Service for the Diversity and Inclusion curriculum and has a strong passion for accessibility and inclusion. Prior to joining the public service, she was a social worker and spent twenty years working in community and supporting the full inclusion of people with disabilities. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work and Masters in Philanthropy and Non-Profit Leadership. Andrea lives in Chelsea, Quebec with her husband and two teenage children, one of whom lives with multiple disabilities. As a parent to a child with disabilities she dedicates her personal time to volunteer in various capacities in the education and disability communities.
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Dean Collier, Senior Architect (Atlantic Region), Architecture & Engineering Resource, Public Services and Procurement Canada Dean Collier started with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) as a Project Architect for the Atlantic Region in 2016. As a licensed architect and member of the Nova Scotia Association of Architects (NSAA), Architects’ Association of Prince Edward Island (AAPEI), and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (MRAIC), he holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Dalhousie University (formerly TUNS). Prior to joining PSPC, Dean was with the Department of National Defence from 2005 to 2016, serving as the architectural team manager at CFB Halifax. There he was part of a team managing the upkeep of approximately $2 billion in assets ranging in age from the 1800’s to new construction. From 1996 to 2005, Dean worked in the private sector with a multi-discipline consulting design firm in Halifax, NS providing design services to private clients as well as various levels of government. Dean has had a special interest in accessibility since his early experience in the private sector and has continued to focus on its incorporation into design and renovation work throughout his career.
Carmen de Hoog, Director, Strategic Planning and Operations, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia Dr. Carmen de Hoog obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto and was a post-doctoral fellow in proteomics at the University of Southern Denmark. In January 2005, Carmen joined the University of British Columbia as a research associate. In 2008, she moved into a research administration role and in 2021 was appointed the Director of Strategic Planning & Operations in the School of Biomedical Engineering. She manages a team of 28 in a range of operational areas: HR, IT, finance, communications, facilities management, events, partnerships, and education.
I2SL Labs2Zero Update:
So Much More Than Just an Energy Score
Gordon Sharp, President, International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories
Learn how I2SL’s Labs2Zero decarbonization program has moved beyond the Energy Score introduced last year, paving the way for ground-breaking advancements. In May, we launched a powerful suite of tools, including a location based Operational Emissions Score, embodied carbon benchmarking, and an Energy Score Target Setter. These enhancements have driven significant adoption of the Lab Benchmarking Tool among key users. Also get an exclusive preview of the upcoming Labs2Zero Actionable Insights and Measures (AIM) Report. This pioneering resource will deliver high level, automated energy assessments for lab buildings, using facility and utility data provided by users or their consultants. The AIM Report will recommend targeted energy efficiency measures, showcase case studies of successful implementations, and calculate estimates of a measure’s costs and return on investment. It will fast-track and strengthen the business case for a user’s laboratory decarbonization journey.
Gordon Sharp is the President of the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL), a non-profit organization dedicated to decarbonizing and making laboratories more sustainable across the world. Gordon is also the inventor of many important, widely applied technologies that have had a significant impact on lab sustainability and energy efficiency such as sash sensing VAV fume hood and laboratory airflow controls, the electronic venturi airflow valve, and demand based control of lab ventilation. He is also the founder of two major companies in the lab sustainability field: Phoenix Controls, a well-respected laboratory airflow controls company, and Aircuity, a leader in healthy and energy-efficient ventilation for laboratory and commercial buildings. The many technologies invented by Gordon at Phoenix Controls and Aircuity are today saving well over $2.5 billion annually in energy use and cutting over 7.5 million metric tons annually in carbon emissions from thousands of commercial and laboratory facilities around the world. Gordon has over 35 years of experience and over 35 patents covering energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, laboratory controls, and even airflow-based kinetic artwork. Along with his efforts to decarbonize lab buildings, Gordon also founded and is the President of Airflow Kinetics, which creates large, airflow-based kinetic sculptures that are mesmerizing, educational, and designed to increase the public’s understanding and appreciation of airflow and building ventilation. Gordon is an MIT graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering. He is an ASHRAE Fellow and has been an ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer, and has served as a voting member of the ASHRAE Standard 170 on Healthcare Ventilation, the ANSI Standard Z9.5 on Laboratory Ventilation, the ASHRAE TC9.10 committee on Laboratories and the TC9.11 committee on Clean Spaces. He has also testified before the U.S. Congress on the topics of climate change and energy efficiency.
From Incubation to Commercialization
Canadian Lab Space Now and in the Future
Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization
Bethany Moir, Senior Director, Public Affairs, adMare BioInnovations
Maura Campbell and Bethany Moir will speak to their current work with the Wetlab Coalition and what some of the challenges have been to provide sufficient lab space to growing companies, as well as exciting new initiatives that look to drive the industry forward and keep companies in Canada.
Thanks to Siemens for their sponsorship
Dr. Maura Campbell is the President and CEO of OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization. Dr. Campbell has more than 30 years of experience in all key areas of biotech, including private and public companies, universities and research institutes, and government-funded public sector research organizations. With expertise in technology transfer and commercialization of intellectual property, Dr. Campbell has held various roles in senior management, most recently as the Vice-President of Intellectual Property and Contracts for Turnstone Biologics, which recently went public on the NASDAQ. Previously, Dr. Campbell served as: Director, Intellectual Property at VBI Vaccines; Research Program Manager, and Manager of Technology Transfer & Commercialization at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; Director of Intellectual Property for PainCeptor Pharma Corporation; and Manager of Technology Transfer at the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems National Centre of Excellence. Dr. Campbell has also served as an IP consultant to a number of Canadian start-ups including Neurochem, Conjuchem, Aonix, AMRIC and Sussex Research Labs. Dr. Campbell received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Ottawa, and an M.Sc. and a B.Sc. in biochemistry from Queen’s University in Kingston. Dr. Campbell is the Vice-Chair of Ontario’s Life Sciences Council, supporting a plan to make Ontario a top hub for innovation growth and life sciences investment. She also serves as a board member for FACIT (a business accelerator and investor established by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research), SPEC Labs and Capital BioVentures (federally funded life science incubators in Toronto and Ottawa) and Intellectual Property Ontario (a provincial agency providing IP support for Ontario innovators).
Bethany Moir is Senior Director, Public Affairs at adMare BioInnovations, a pan-Canadian organization that provides scientific and commercial expertise, specialized R&D infrastructure and seed capital to help build Canada’s life science industry from sea to sea. Prior to joining adMare, Bethany held a variety of roles covering research and insights, stakeholder relations, strategic projects and client services at Toronto Global, the foreign direct investment attraction agency for the Toronto Region. Since joining at the organization’s inception in 2017, she was proud to have contributed to many of Toronto Global’s key projects, including as core researcher and author of the Toronto Region response to Amazon's HQ2 request for proposals, securing more than $15 million in government funding, designing and implementing a new governance structure, authoring influential white papers, and initiating the Ontario Wet Lab Coalition that has helped raise awareness and secure government funding for multi-tenant lab space that supports graduation-stage life science companies. Bethany has previously held roles with municipal and provincial (Ontario) governments and started her career as a marketer with experience working in multi-national organizations as well as start-up and scaling Canadian tech companies. Her professional experience is complemented with an MBA, International Business and an M.Sc. Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics along with a global mind-set resulting from living in Canada, Australia, Italy, the UK, and China.
Successes and Hurdles to the Canadian Life Science Industry
Maura Campbell will take the group through a lively discussion that develops from the keynote and will explore the work that Seeker Labs and McMaster Innovation Park have been doing to expand laboratory space for Canadian born R&D companies, and support their expansion into manufacturing. The discussion will attempt to consider the Canadian Pharmaceutical space across Canada and how we can better ensure that these companies stay and grow north of the border.
Dr. Maura Campbell is the President and CEO of OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization. Dr. Campbell has more than 30 years of experience in all key areas of biotech, including private and public companies, universities and research institutes, and government-funded public sector research organizations. With expertise in technology transfer and commercialization of intellectual property, Dr. Campbell has held various roles in senior management, most recently as the Vice-President of Intellectual Property and Contracts for Turnstone Biologics, which recently went public on the NASDAQ. Previously, Dr. Campbell served as: Director, Intellectual Property at VBI Vaccines; Research Program Manager, and Manager of Technology Transfer & Commercialization at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; Director of Intellectual Property for PainCeptor Pharma Corporation; and Manager of Technology Transfer at the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems National Centre of Excellence. Dr. Campbell has also served as an IP consultant to a number of Canadian start-ups including Neurochem, Conjuchem, Aonix, AMRIC and Sussex Research Labs. Dr. Campbell received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Ottawa, and an M.Sc. and a B.Sc. in biochemistry from Queen’s University in Kingston. Dr. Campbell is the Vice-Chair of Ontario’s Life Sciences Council, supporting a plan to make Ontario a top hub for innovation growth and life sciences investment. She also serves as a board member for FACIT (a business accelerator and investor established by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research), SPEC Labs and Capital BioVentures (federally funded life science incubators in Toronto and Ottawa) and Intellectual Property Ontario (a provincial agency providing IP support for Ontario innovators).
Bethany Moir is Senior Director, Public Affairs at adMare BioInnovations, a pan-Canadian organization that provides scientific and commercial expertise, specialized R&D infrastructure and seed capital to help build Canada’s life science industry from sea to sea. Prior to joining adMare, Bethany held a variety of roles covering research and insights, stakeholder relations, strategic projects and client services at Toronto Global, the foreign direct investment attraction agency for the Toronto Region. Since joining at the organization’s inception in 2017, she was proud to have contributed to many of Toronto Global’s key projects, including as core researcher and author of the Toronto Region response to Amazon's HQ2 request for proposals, securing more than $15 million in government funding, designing and implementing a new governance structure, authoring influential white papers, and initiating the Ontario Wet Lab Coalition that has helped raise awareness and secure government funding for multi-tenant lab space that supports graduation-stage life science companies. Bethany has previously held roles with municipal and provincial (Ontario) governments and started her career as a marketer with experience working in multi-national organizations as well as start-up and scaling Canadian tech companies. Her professional experience is complemented with an MBA, International Business and an M.Sc. Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics along with a global mind-set resulting from living in Canada, Australia, Italy, the UK, and China.
Cary Solomon, Managing Partner, Seeker Labs Cary Solomon is a well-known real estate executive who has spent most of his 30-year career in development, management, and construction. After graduating from the Ivey School of Business, Cary joined a privately-owned real estate development company, and led its expansion into the high-rise and commercial office and retail sectors. Within a 12-year period, Cary constructed and renovated over 8,000,000 SF in both the Canadian and U.S. markets. Establishing Seeker Labs in 2022 and forming a joint venture with a leading Canadian institution to develop a portfolio of Life Science and innovation facilities across Canada, Cary and the Seeker Labs team are empowering scientific discovery and commercialization across Canadian ecosystems.
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Alex Muggah, Director, Synapse Life Science Consortium and Vice President Life Sciences, Innovation Factory Alex Muggah is a collaborative facilitator, with 20+ years of progressive leadership experience in complex private- and public-sector environments, including in an executive-level position enabling healthcare innovation and commercialization as the founding Director of the Synapse Consortium and VP (Life Sciences), Innovation Factory. He has been responsible for securing and managing federal government funding used to support 100+ collaborative projects between life science startups and a network of dozens of academic, hospital and private-sector partners across Ontario. With a proven record of bringing organizations and communities together to build robust innovation ecosystems, Alex executes initiatives to drive regional impact and economic development.
Gay Yuyitung, Interim CEO, McMaster Innovation Park Gay Yuyitung is the interim CEO for the McMaster Innovation Park (MIP) and was previously executive director of McMaster University’s industry liaison office (MILO) and business incubator (Forge). MIP is home to both those groups and companies such as Fusion Pharmaceuticals (an AstraZeneca company), OmniaBio (CCRM spin-off) and many growing companies, and plays a key role in helping innovators bridge the gap between research and industry to bring their ideas to commercial reality. The park has become an important economic driver for Hamilton and a champion for the Ontario life sciences, automotive and innovation ecosystem. Gay is involved in the Hamilton ecosystem and has been on the board of directors of local not-for-profit organizations such as Centre for Probe Development and Commercialization (CPDC) and Innovation Factory. She has helped to lead initiatives to create early-stage seed funds for start-ups and develop strong networks in the region.
SLCan’s Membership:
Insights and Opportunities
Ramon Renderos Soto, Lab Architect, Merrick Canada
Sadia Ahmed, Student, Carleton University
Laboratories, with their high energy and material consumption, significantly contribute to fossil fuel emissions. Addressing this challenge is crucial, as laboratories often use up to ten times more resources than typical office spaces. This session presents the findings from a collaboration between Carleton University’s Collaborative Specialization in Climate Change and Sustainable Labs Canada (SLCan) aimed at enhancing sustainability in existing and new lab environments.
Beginning in September 2023, this project engaged graduate and postdoctoral students from architecture, chemistry, and business in a year-long study. The primary goal was to gather SLCan members' perspectives on sustainable lab design and to identify opportunities for further research, education, and knowledge exchange. A secondary objective was to set a precedent for academic involvement in SLCan.
The student group used a sector assessment approach to categorize SLCan members into four roles: Lab Designers/Consultants, Laboratory Owners/Managers, Lab Operators/Researchers, and Product Vendors. A survey was created to collect insights from these groups, which were analyzed to inform sustainability practices, and provide SLCan with recommendations for focus points and engagement opportunities within the lab sector.
This presentation will outline the project’s findings and process, illustrating how interdisciplinary academic efforts can support sustainability in laboratories. Attendees will learn about integrating research with laboratory initiatives and how different stakeholders can reduce laboratories' fossil fuel footprint and advance sustainability goals.
Ramon Renderos Soto has ten years of experience in the design of laboratory projects for Federal Governments and Universities. At Merrick Canada, Ramon works on the design of CL2+/3 (BSL2+/3), CL2/3-Ag (ABSL-2/3) laboratories for human, plant and animal health research and diagnostics by programming, planning and producing architectural drawings and supporting design documents such as functional program reports, feasibility studies and laboratory design guidelines. At Carleton University, Ramon acquired a master’s degree in architecture, with a specialization in climate change where he and a group of graduate students collaborated with SLCan through the SLCan Ottawa Chapter.
Sadia Ahmed is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Policy at Carleton University. Prior to that she worked on developing growth strategies for sustainable businesses and on conducting research for the development of social enterprises. She has worked in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Economics.
A Fireside Chat with SLCan
Kevin Humeniuk, Incoming President, Sustainable Labs Canada
John Alberico, Outgoing President, Sustainable Labs Canada
Yvon Lachance, Past President, Sustainable Labs Canada
Join Sustainable Labs Canada's Incoming President, Outgoing President and Past President as they share an update on SLCan's current activities and their vision for the future of the association. They will also provide an overview of the initiatives that the SLCan will be working on collaboratively with I2SL as both associations work towards the goal of strengthening the sustainable laboratory community across North America.
This discussion will be moderated by Kevin Shea, President, SLCan Vancouver Chapter.
Kevin Humeniuk is Architecture49's National Sector Leader for Science & Technology. He is a design architect, having obtained his Masters Degree in Architecture from the University of Manitoba in 2000. Kevin is a registered member a variety of provincial architectural associations, as well as the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Kevin is also a proud SLCan board member and is a LEED Accredited Professional. Over his twenty-four years in architectural practice Kevin has gained considerable experience in a wide variety of roles and responsibilities. He has been a project manager and design team member responsible for client liaison, functional programming, laboratory planning, and architectural production work on a variety of science projects. For the past fifteen years, Kevin has been exclusively involved in research laboratory projects as a project manager, project architect and laboratory planner. Kevin has presented at various conferences and seminars, including at Tradelines, the RPIC National Workshop, and the Canadian Biosafety Symposium.
John is a Principal and Technical Director at RWDI, with a nearly thirty-year record of delivering high-performance buildings for laboratory projects. John is known for forming strong, highly functional links across project teams, enabling architects, engineers, planners and construction firms to deliver excellent, well integrated results on time and on budget. In addition to his building performance work, John has extensive experience as a sustainability consultant, and is a WELL Accredited Professional.
Now heading YLA Architecture, Yvon Lachance boasts nearly 30 years of practice in architecture. He has extensive experience in the realization of large-scale and complex projects. His portfolio of projects includes major institutional and public buildings, university pavilions, research centres (health, chemistry, physics) as well as contemporary and heritage building envelope renovation projects. He is a Fellow of Construction Specification Canada, a member of the International Association for Preservation and its Techniques, a member of the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I²SL), and he is the Immediate Past President of Sustainable Labs Canada. **** Aujourd’hui à la tête de YLA Architecture, Yvon Lachance compte près de 30 ans de pratique en architecture. Il possède une vaste expérience dans la réalisation de projets complexes et d’envergure. Son portfolio de projets comprend d’importants bâtiments institutionnels et publics, des pavillons universitaires, des centres de recherche (santé, chimie, physique) ainsi que des projets de rénovation d’enveloppes de bâtiments contemporains et patrimoniaux. Il est Fellows et 4e Vice-président de Devis de construction Canada, de l’Association internationale pour la préservation et ses techniques, de l’International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I²SL) et président sortant de Laboratoires Écologiques du Canada.
What Our Members Say
Marty Mihowich, Laboratories Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Sustainable Labs Canada exemplifies collaboration and innovation, making a lasting positive impact to all science infrastructure within Canada.