Photo © Colin Anderson. Photo courtesy Doug Hooton.

University of Toronto engineering professor, Dr. Doug Hooton, will provide research and lessons on designing for enhanced durability and sustainability of concrete as a building material in severe environments as the new NSERC/CAC Industrial Research Chair.

Dr. Doug Hooton, a University of Toronto engineering professor, has been named the school's new chair in concrete durability and sustainability.

The Cement Association of Canada (CAC) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada have named the concrete expert as Industrial Research Chair.

Hooton will offer approaches to improve concrete's environmental sustainability and durability, as well as provide leadership in developing specifications and industry standards. He will help focus research and teaching in an area critical to making informed choices in infrastructure renewal and addressing environmental and energy sustainability challenges facing the construction industry.

"The chair brings recognition to the area and the issues, due to the advanced effort resulting from the new faculty hired, and the raised number of students working in this focused area of sustainability and increased service life," Hooton told Construction Canada Online. "Having the chair should also help attract additional funds to enhance the research effort. It will also provide new opportunities to speak in various forums to spread the message about designing for enhanced durability and sustainability of concrete as a building material in severe environments."

The position's funding is valued at $1.8 million over five years, with contributions from CAC, NSERC, University of Toronto, Holcim Canada, and Whitemud Resources.