How Engineers Future Proof Buildings for Tomorrow’s Challenges
In a world where technology, climate conditions, and building systems are evolving at such a rapid pace, what does it mean when engineers say a design is “future proof”? The term is widely used in our industry but not often defined.
What does “future proofing” mean in design?
At first glance, it can seem like a futile pursuit, given the pace of technological advancement. Future proofing is less about predicting the future and more about designing for adaptability in the future, ensuring buildings can respond to change over time without requiring major interventions and disruptions.
“Its value becomes clearer when the concept is thoughtfully defined in relation to the client’s priorities. Are they focused on long-term durability, the capacity for future expansion, resilience to a changing climate, or protection against rising energy costs? Or some combination of any or all of these goals?” ponders Dave Jurkowski, Partner and Mechanical Division Manager in Winnipeg.
When it comes to electrical systems, designing with load growth and new load types in mind, without repeated rework or risky “available breaker” connections, is key. Graham Lovely, Partner in Vancouver, explains that it means standardizing distribution architecture, reserving physical space and pathways, and using metered demand data to size and allocate capacity.
“As designers, we need to take climate and site risk as important design inputs, with equipment placement and pathway design accounting for flood/water exposure, drainage, and recovery. The objective is longer asset life, fewer emergency upgrades, and lower lifecycle cost.”
The future and its weight on design
Future proofing is often grounded in conditions we can reasonably anticipate, considering how things might change over time, and in designing now so the building can accommodate those changes in years to come.
We consider questions such as how hot it will be in 2050 and how to respond, as well as increased rainfall. “An example: more wildfire events may require more filtration; larger air-conditioning systems, or at least the ability to add air-conditioning later; and stormwater systems designed for increased water volumes,” lists James Furlong, Managing Partner in Calgary.
Our teams are often asked early in projects to evaluate electrification versus more market-standard natural gas/boiler systems. “Clients are asking for options, understanding the cost implications, and making decisions early on in anticipation of not using gas in the future. We have seven projects underway that we’ve been asked to consider electrical systems and to ensure structures are ‘electric-ready’ for photovoltaics in the future. We also look at how the building may be oriented. There is a sense that we may not be able to do everything now, due to cost, but we want to design to preserve the option to do it later as effectively as possible.”
Building resilience
Designing for resilience requires understanding how a building is expected to perform today and for decades to come. By clarifying how the client envisions the building’s future function and performance, engineers can gain critical insight into which design strategies will best mitigate risk and ensure lasting resilience.
“Adopting a modular design of mechanical systems can provide options for seamless expansion and built-in redundancy but may come at a substantial increase in cost. Allowing more space in a mechanical room than the bare minimum may spark tough conversations, but it could be well worth the effort if it results in a more accessible service space and longer equipment life,” says Jurkowski.
There is never a “one-size-fits-all” solution in our industry. Establishing a strong understanding of clients’ priorities allows us to determine what our design should include to meet their needs, both now and in the future.
Where sustainability meets the future
In the face of changing utilities and climate conditions, concepts like seven-generational thinking also come into play, focusing on long-term impacts. Furlong highlights: “We always try to have clients consider what is regionally important to them. In some places, that might mean more snowfall; in others, different climate risks. Clients should be asking what conditions we are designing for and whether the building will be resilient to future scenarios. Considerations might include earthquake zones, tornado risks in the U.S., and overall emergency preparedness.”
Lovely highlights that clients should look for a design where the power capacity over time is measurable and connection limits are enforceable: an energy density assumption translated into a local demand allocation and checked against recent metered peaks. “The design would show feeder loading, transformer utilization, as well as pathway capacity. The design would follow defined power expansion sourcing rules and connection points rather than proximity-based tie-ins. Finally, the system should be able to be easily catalogued, and its information managed, including updated single-lines, panel schedules, metering points, labelling, and pathway records, so the system model remains accurate after turnover.”
So what should clients be looking for?
Long-term durability, the capacity for future expansion, resilience to a changing climate, protection against rising energy costs. Future proofing ultimately becomes a question of what is being built into the design today to support change tomorrow. “This isn’t a new conversation. I worked on the Richmond 2010 Olympic Oval, which was designed for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver and later converted for community use. Having the future state in mind adds value by enabling that transition later. That was something done over 15 years ago,” explains Furlong.
“It also comes down to incremental infrastructure costs. Think about the building 25 years from now. The goal is for engineers to make decisions today that preserve the ability to adapt the building in the future,” completes Furlong.
Desmond Lau, Partner in Toronto, also weighs that when clients evaluate whether technology systems in buildings are future proofed, they should look beyond the installed equipment and focus on adaptability, capacity, and lifecycle flexibility. “Technology changes far faster than buildings, so the goal is not to predict the future but to enable economic change over time.”
Future proofing begins with the physical infrastructure, so clients should consider spare conduit and pathway capacity, oversized telecommunications rooms and IDFs to accommodate future equipment, accessible cable pathways, and adequate vertical riser space for additional services. “Cabling and electronics can be replaced easily; pathways and space cannot without major renovation. In simple terms, a future-proofed technology system is one where infrastructure lasts decades, while technology can evolve every few years without major construction,” emphasizes Lau.
Future proofing is not about making sharp future predictions. It is about designing systems and infrastructure that can respond to change, whether driven by technology, climate, or evolving user needs. Prioritizing adaptability, capacity, and long-term thinking helps to design buildings that can remain functional, efficient, and relevant well beyond their initial design intent.