RWDI

One of the first young engineers to be hired by Bill Rowan, Colin joined RWDI in 1974 when the firm was still known as Morrison Hershfield. He spent the next few years refining the water flume to predict drifting snow patterns.  He and his colleagues developed innovative techniques to control snow drifting around Arctic buildings and highways through North America. A few years later, Colin assisted with the construction of RWDI’s first wind tunnel. He then introduced Peter Irwin, a friend from his university days in England and a whiz kid who had developed a wind sensor for measuring pedestrian level winds, to RWDI.  Peter was hired from his position as a researcher at Canada's highly respected National Research Council. Soon RWDI's work in wind engineering exceeded what the NRC and universities were doing.

Predicting how snow and ice will interact with roofs and other building elements was a natural outcome of examining snow drifting at the ground level around buildings.  Colin has observed these effects for the past 35 years, both on actual buildings around the world and through specially designed cold room tests.  He has developed a unique skill set that he uses to advise architects and developers on the best approach for their proposed designs. 

Originally from England where frozen ponds are hardly ever seen, Colin watched with envy in the 1970s when RWDI colleagues would take time on winter lunch hours to skate on a local pond. So he learned, going as far as to play hockey with company colleagues.