Wind Effects on Buildings: Design Using the National Building Code

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Interpret and apply the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) wind provisions to the design of low-, medium-, and high‑rise buildings
• Evaluate wind loads on structural systems, cladding, and building components using analytical, experimental, and computational methods
• Assess when code‑based approaches are sufficient and when wind tunnel or advanced studies are required
• Analyze building aerodynamic behaviour and wind‑induced responses to inform safe, efficient design decisions
• Apply wind engineering principles to real‑world design scenarios involving buildings, pedestrian winds, and environmental effects

Description

Engineers are routinely required to design buildings that must safely withstand complex wind actions while meeting code, performance, and constructability requirements. Wind effects influence not only structural framing, but also cladding systems, pedestrian comfort, roof performance, and long‑term serviceability, often under conditions of uncertainty and site‑specific variability.

This course provides a practical, engineering‑focused introduction to wind effects on buildings, grounded in the requirements of the National Building Code of Canada. You will gain a clear understanding of how wind loads are developed, how buildings respond to wind, and how code provisions are applied, interpreted, and supplemented when necessary. Through case studies and guided design examples, you will examine the strengths and limitations of code‑based methods, wind tunnel testing, and alternative analytical approaches.

Participants will leave with a stronger ability to evaluate wind‑related design challenges, justify engineering decisions, and apply wind engineering principles directly to professional practice across a range of building types and site conditions.

Who This Course Is For

This course is designed for:

• Structural engineers and engineering technologists involved in building design
• Civil and building engineers responsible for wind load evaluation and code compliance
• Consultants working on low‑, medium‑, and high‑rise buildings, including complex or unconventional structures
• Early‑career through senior practitioners seeking to strengthen applied wind design expertise

Day I

Welcome, Introduction, Course Preview, Learning Outcomes and the Assessment Method

Introduction to Wind Engineering

• Wind flows around buildings; sources of information
• Code analytical methods
• Physical model methods: Wind tunnel vs water flume
• Computational approach
• When to perform wind tunnel tests

Meteorology

• General discussion on meteorology
• Building code and local meteorology
• Wind tunnel and local meteorology
• Meteorological data used for simulation
• How wind speed data is processed for analysis and design
• Wind climatology
• Extreme wind climate

Questions and Answers

Applications / Assignments

• Case Studies, Examples

Building Aerodynamics

• Wind-building interaction
• Mean and fluctuating wind loads
• External wind pressures on building cladding elements
• Roof wind loads (pavers, etc), mullions, canopies, parapets
• Internal wind pressures
• Discussion on techniques in estimating cladding wind loads
• Important design considerations for reducing cladding loads

Day II

Provisions of the 2025 Canadian Wind Code

• Changes from the previous edition of the Code and what is coming up next
• Provision description and rationale
• Alternatives to code procedures
• What about if a particular structure is not covered in the Code?

Applications / Assignments

• Wind pressure evaluations
• Questions and Answers

Wind Loads on Structures

• Building response to wind loads
• Large span roofs
• Discussion on techniques in estimating structural wind loads: Code analytical methods, wind tunnel methods
• Wind tunnel vs. code methods
• Aeroelastic studies
• Aerodynamic stability of buildings
• Applications

Wind Design Case Study

• Participants will work out the solution (under the Instructor’s guidance)

Solution of Wind Design Case Study

• Discussion and Comments

Day III

Pedestrian Winds

• Simulation techniques
• Criteria used to assess comfort and safety
• Application to planning and designing community
• Solution techniques
• Case history examples

Ground Level Snow Drifting and Snow Loading on Roofs

• Methods used to estimate loads
• Application to codes
• How recommended loads are applied to design
• Solution techniques
• Case history and worked-out examples

Applications / Assignments

• Specific evaluations

Design Examples

• Low rise buildings
• Medium rise buildings
• Tall buildings
• Other structures
• Topographical effects

Discussion of Design Examples

Specific Items of Interest to Participants and State-of-the-Art

• How to deal with specific cases

Group Discussion
A discussion will follow on the applications of the topics presented in this Course. The participants will be divided into groups, depending on their individual interests. They will be encouraged to present from their experience scenarios for discussion.

Questions and Answers and Feedback to Participants on Achievement of Learning Outcomes