Interview with Elizabeth Darveau: Restoring Heritage Buildings

Inspired by a passion for restoring older buildings, Elizabeth Darveau shares why trends associated with a past era of construction are making a comeback, how the environment is driving innovation, and her latest award-winning renovation project.

Global | Friday, April 12, 2024
Reading Time : 5 minutes

What first inspired you to become an engineer and how did you get started?

I’ve loved buildings and architecture from a young age, as well as maths and science. My father is an engineer, so I grew up helping him build and renovate things around the house and went on to study engineering at Concordia University in Montreal. My first internship was in structural telecoms, which I soon found wasn’t for me, but my second internship – at WSP – gave me the opportunity to work on a whole variety of structures which is great. I’ve been here for eight years and specialize in restoration projects.

Do you have a favorite restoration project?

My main project right now is the McGill Strathcona Music Building in Montreal. It was built in 1896 and is one of the best-known music schools and cultural venues in the region. I’m very proud to be part of the team who helped to restore and strengthen its original brick interior walls – using a restoration system designed specifically for masonry.

It’s the first time the system has been used in Canada and I demonstrated it was suitable for projects of this kind as part of my Masters degree, which I completed while working at WSP. It’s been great to implement that on such an important heritage project and go on to win the International Concrete Repair Institute’s (ICRI) Award of Merit.

Elizabeth Darveau

Canada

Elizabeth has been working on the McGill Strathcona Music Building in Montreal.

What was the biggest technical challenge on the McGill Strathcona project?

The original building plans could not be found, so to understand the structure and build a digital model, we had to crawl into the spaces under floors, behind the walls and ceilings and measure everything by hand.

Our detailed knowledge of the building has seen us work on a range of projects over the last four years. We’re currently installing acoustic panels in the basement percussion rooms. Because the floors above are made of terracotta slabs, the panels can’t be anchored to the original ceiling, so we’re constructing a new drop ceiling structure underneath to hold them.

How has specializing in restoration shaped you as an engineer?

When you work on older buildings, you’re often surprised by what you find. Over the years, I’ve learnt to foresee potential problems and create flexible designs we can adapt quickly onsite. It’s important to be open to change. Older buildings are often protected as heritage assets too, which means we can’t touch their external architecture.

Specializing in restoration has also given me the opportunity to work with a broad range of materials including masonry, terracotta, timber, concrete and steel. It’s made me a multitasker and in my day-to-day role as a project manager, I work on a variety of large and small projects hands-on, from design and planning, to working with contractors onsite.

One of the first projects I worked on was the 48-storey Tour de la Bourse (Stock Exchange Tower) in Montreal, built in 1964. That was another project that involved crawling into the spaces behind the structure. In this case, to identify and analyze the original prefabricated panels that needed reinforcing.

What else has inspired you and what advice would you give to aspiring engineers?

We learn as we work in engineering, so having great mentors is important. I’ve worked with my manager, Nicholas Laidlaw for over five years and he’s my right arm on all my projects.

I’m also part of the Global Structures Next Generation Programme, which gives me the opportunity to share knowledge on a global scale. I’m currently working on a project with colleagues from South Africa, Australia and Sweden to explore how we can learn from each other and develop global tools that can be used locally to help our clients build more sustainably. I love being part of the programme and have learnt so much. It’s much easier to tackle challenges when you’re surrounded by a good team.

Elizabeth celebrating the Award of Merit from International Concrete Repair Institute.

What do you think is the built environment’s biggest challenge and how is the sector innovating?

Globally, the built environment needs to move a lot quicker to reduce its carbon emissions. The industry is shifting towards more sustainable ways of designing and building – including reusing and adapting existing buildings – and this will happen on a massive scale over the next five years. The sector needs to face forward, lead the discussion and drive change.

The need to make environmentally safe choices is driving all kinds of innovation. Here in Canada, we’re seeing new products such as carbon-capturing concrete being developed, alongside a return to trends associated with older buildings. For example, using a mix of materials to find the optimal solution for each project, and more timber – a local, renewable resource in many parts of the country.

What do you think makes a place and where’s your favorite place?

Home is always a favorite place and what makes a home is the people you surround yourself with. It’s the same at work too. If you’re not happy with your team, you won’t be happy in your work. I love working with my team and that’s why I’m still here after eight years!