Veronica Madonna, an associate professor and undergraduate program director in AU’s RAIC Centre for Architecture, was recently awarded a Natural Resources Canada GCWood program funding contribution to advance education and capacity of low-embodied carbon building practices using wood in sustainable construction.
The $393,150 funding contribution is part of $4.4 million in federal funding for projects that will strengthen the forest sector in Alberta and Manitoba by advancing manufacturing and processing, diversifying Canada’s forest products and their export markets, and supporting Indigenous groups and forestry businesses.
To meet the challenges of housing and climate, we need to rethink not just what we build, but how we build it.
Veronica Madonna, associate professor of architecture
Madonna plans to use the funding to develop modules to teach architecture students about incorporating wood and other biomaterials into sustainable construction. The modules will be available online, making them accessible to students no matter where they’re located.
“To meet the challenges of housing and climate, we need to rethink not just what we build, but how we build it,” Madonna said. “By advancing modern methods of construction alongside forest-based materials and life-cycle approaches, we can deliver housing that is lower carbon, more resilient, and better equipped to meet the needs of communities across Canada.”
Rural and remote architectural education
Madonna’s project is part of a greater mission by AU’s Faculty of Science and Technology to expand architecture education beyond traditional urban settings into rural and remote communities through the RAIC Centre for Architecture and the recently announced Open Architecture e-Studio.“We’re thrilled that Natural Resources Canada is investing in Veronica’s work—work that furthers our mission of increasing access to architecture education for students in communities across the country,” said Dr. Shauna Zenteno, dean of AU’s Faculty of Science and Technology. “We’re excited about what the future holds for our Centre for Architecture, and look forward to seeing Veronica’s work come to fruition thanks to this grant.”