More than 450 researchers, industry professionals, policymakers and students from 43 countries gathered at Concordia from July 20 to 24 for the 17th International Conference on the Durability of Building Materials and Components (DBMC 2026).
Co-hosted by Concordia and the National Research Council Canada (NRC), the conference drew participants from 205 institutions across six continents.
The gathering took place as extreme weather and a changing climate place increasing pressure on buildings and infrastructure. Researchers and practitioners explored how the built environment can remain durable and resilient while the construction sector reduces its environmental footprint.
Presentations addressed climate resilience, low-carbon materials, artificial intelligence, service-life prediction and the long-term performance of buildings and infrastructure. The program featured five keynote lectures, seven workshops, four technical panels, two laboratory tours and 294 technical presentations.
"Hosting DBMC 2026 reinforced Concordia's role as a hub for international collaboration in building engineering research," says Hua Ge, professor in Concordia's Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, member of the Centre for Zero Energy Building Studies and a conference co-chair
"What was particularly rewarding was hearing directly from participants that they had received valuable feedback on their research, developed new professional connections and identified opportunities for future collaboration. That is ultimately what an international conference like DBMC should accomplish."
Marzieh Riahinezhad of NRC, also a conference co-chair, says challenges such as climate resilience, durability and decarbonization cannot be solved in isolation.
"Bringing together researchers, industry professionals and policymakers from around the world allows us to share knowledge, learn from one another and accelerate progress."
Among 82 respondents to a post-conference survey, the event received an average overall rating of 4.53 out of five. Networking opportunities received an average rating of 4.36. More than 30 respondents identified networking and international collaboration as among the conference's most valuable aspects.
For Morgan Foster, a PhD student in mechanical engineering at Carleton University, those exchanges are already influencing future research.
"This conference proved to be an excellent opportunity to learn new research methods and hygrothermal assessment approaches from experts around the world," Foster says. "I received excellent feedback and questions about my ongoing research, all of which will help me improve my future work."
Laboratory tours gave visitors a closer look at Concordia's research in building science, energy efficiency, building envelopes and climate resilience. They visited the Centre for Zero Energy Building Studies, the Solar Simulator and Environmental Chamber, the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel and the Future Buildings Laboratory.
The conference also hosted international technical committees associated with the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction, CSA Group and the International Organization for Standardization. Their meetings advanced ongoing work on building durability and performance.
Industry participants also reported strong engagement. The Cool Roof Rating Council, which sponsored the event and contributed two papers and a workshop, connected with researchers already using its resources and others discovering its work on cool surfaces.
DBMC 2026 was co-chaired by Ge and Liangzhu Leon Wang of Concordia, Riahinezhad of NRC and Michael Lacasse, an adjunct professor at Concordia and retired NRC senior research officer. Ge also credited the organizing team, whose work over three years helped deliver the event.
For Sathya Ramachandran, a Concordia Building Engineering graduate and senior director of buildings for Western Canada at EXP, the gathering demonstrated the value of meeting in person.
"While the technical program was outstanding, one of the greatest highlights was reconnecting with old colleagues, meeting new friends, sharing ideas and enjoying the camaraderie that makes conferences like this so memorable," he says.
