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P R o M o t e D c o n t e n t A rchitectural vision is what makes buildings—and, by extension, cities—aesthetically pleasing. Adherence to building and other codes is what makes them safe. Frequently, there can be a discrepancy between a creative design vision and the likelihood of it meeting the safety requirements stipulated by various levels of government. The rules and regulations are so voluminous, ever-changing and open to interpretation that it takes a specialist irm to communicate the standards. That's where the team at Gage- Babcock & Associates Ltd. ( GBA) can make a difference. For architects and government policy makers alike, this consultancy has the acumen to bridge the gap between vision and compliance, without compromising either value. For 40 years, GBA has dedicated its building code, life safety and ire protection engineering expertise to clients across Canada. Its services include building code consulting; Alternative Solution development; Certiied Professional (CP) services; ire alarm/ sprinkler systems design; and security consulting and design. What makes GBA unique is its seamless integration of the life safety, ire protection and crime prevention disciplines. "Even though we have in-house specialists with speciic expertise, we're not segregated into different departments," says president Randall Kovacs. "When clients retain our services they gain access to our entire team, and their collective knowledge helps deliver successful projects." A quick glance at GBA's thick portfolio reveals projects that range from utilitarian to iconic, such as Department of National Defence facilities to special hazard industrial sites and sports complexes. There's no secret to the GBA team's proiciency: it boils down to hard work, the use of cutting-edge smoke modelling and egress software and a commitment to perpetual learning. "When adding new members to our team, we start by looking for people who have an inherent talent for problem solving, as well as good communicators," says principal Kevin Lau. Kovacs adds, "It's not easy inding these diamonds in the rough, and I'm not being critical. I graduated university as a chemical engineer in 1983 and didn't know what a building code was at the time. It takes considerable effort for a person desiring to become a code professional to become fully competent— GBA code consultants meet ire and life safety requirements while offering freedom and flexibility to clients and architects Bridging Design & Code G A G E - B A B C O C K RobeRt Stefanowicz GBA provided Certified Professional (CP), code consulting, and fire protection engineering services for the new Surrey City Hall