The Archive Stewards

Committed to preserving over 140 years of technical knowledge, architectural heritage, and engineering innovations that shaped Calgary's buildings against the prairie extremes.

Our Mission Meet the Team

Mission & Purpose

The Calgary Metal Roofing Archive is Western Canada's main resource for technical docs, heritage preservation, and research in building envelope science.

Our Mission

Our mission is to document, preserve, and share technical knowledge about metal roofing in Alberta's unique climate. Through research and digital archiving, we keep engineering innovations, traditional craft, and architectural heritage available for future builders, researchers, and preservationists.

Technical Documentation

Systematically recording material properties, installation methods, and performance data from Calgary's metal roofs from 1884 to today.

Heritage Preservation

Architectural analysis and conservation methods for Calgary's historically important buildings with original metal roofing.

Research Advancement

Collaborative academic research that helps innovate sustainable building design and climate-resilient construction.

Founding researchers examining historical building plans

Founding Vision

The Calgary Metal Roofing Archive started in 2019 after we realized Western Canada's unique climate challenges and building solutions weren't well documented. Dr. Arjun Patel's research into 1991 Halloween Blizzard building failures showed big gaps in historical performance data.

Working with city archives, engineering firms, and heritage groups, the project began collecting technical documents, oral histories, and physical samples that could have been lost. The digital archive went live in 2021, giving global access to this specialized knowledge.

"Calgary's extreme weather conditions have produced unique engineering solutions that deserve recognition and study. This archive ensures that hard-won knowledge isn't repeated with each generation of builders." — Dr. Arjun Patel, Founding Director

Research Team

Interdisciplinary expertise blending architectural history, engineering analysis, materials science, and digital preservation.

Dr. Arjun Patel, P.Eng.

Director of Archival Research

Former professor of Architectural Science at the University of Calgary (1995-2019) with extensive research in building envelope performance. Led investigation into 1991 Halloween Blizzard structural failures that prompted updated Alberta building codes. Published 47 peer-reviewed papers on cold climate construction.

Education & Credentials:

Ph.D. Structural Engineering, University of Toronto (1991)
M.Eng. Building Science, University of British Columbia (1987)
Professional Engineer (APEGA), Member since 1992
Research Chair, Cold Climate Construction (2005-2019)

Research Focus:

Structural analysis of metal roofing systems, snow load calculations, thermal bridging in building envelopes, heritage building performance assessment.

Elise Chen examining historical documents

Elise Chen, M.A.

Senior Archivist

Heritage preservation specialist with focus on Western Canadian industrial architecture. Managed digitization of Calgary Archives' construction document collection (2015-2021). Expert in archival methodology and historical building documentation standards.

Education & Credentials:

M.A. Historic Preservation, University of Victoria (2013)
B.A. Art History, University of Calgary (2010)
Certified Archivist (Association of Canadian Archivists)
Heritage Building Assessment Certificate (2016)

Research Focus:

Industrial heritage documentation, oral history collection, digital preservation standards, construction trade histories, architectural pattern analysis.

Marcus Thorsen working on technical drawings

Marcus Thorsen, C.E.T.

Technical Draftsman

Certified Engineering Technologist specializing in technical drawing and CAD documentation. Twenty-three years experience in architectural drafting with focus on building envelope details. Responsible for creating accurate digital representations of historical construction methods.

Education & Credentials:

Diploma Architectural Technology, SAIT Polytechnic (2001)
Certificate Advanced CAD Systems (2003)
Certified Engineering Technologist (ASET), Member since 2004
Autodesk Certified Professional (2019)

Research Focus:

Technical drawing digitization, construction detail documentation, 3D modeling of historical installations, blueprint archival scanning, CAD standardization protocols.

Research Impact

Quantifiable contributions to academic research, industry practice, and heritage preservation across Western Canada.

Academic Publications

Peer-reviewed papers and conference presentations utilizing archive research data.

Professional Consultations

Heritage restoration projects assisted with technical documentation and analysis.

Student Research Projects

Graduate theses and undergraduate projects supported through archive access.

Institutional Partners

Universities, museums, and professional associations contributing to collection development.

User Testimonials

Recognition from industry professionals, academic researchers, and heritage specialists who have utilized archive resources.

"The Archive's documentation on 1970s eavestrough standards was invaluable for our heritage restoration of a Beltline character home. The detailed technical drawings and material specifications enabled authentic restoration while meeting contemporary building codes."

Priya Sharma

Heritage Planner, City of Calgary

"As a structural engineering student at SAIT, the clear diagrams on snow load distribution provided perfect real-world context for my coursework. The archive bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in Calgary's unique climate."

David Kowalski

Student, Civil Engineering Technology

"Our firm's research into sustainable metal roofing solutions was significantly enhanced by accessing 50+ years of Calgary performance data. This archive represents an invaluable resource for evidence-based design decisions in extreme climate construction."

Dr. Sarah Mitchell, P.Eng.

Principal, Arctic Building Solutions

Research Access & Hours

Professional research services and archive access procedures for academic institutions, heritage organizations, and industry professionals.

Digital Archive Access

Comprehensive online collection available 24/7 through this website. Includes searchable document database, high-resolution technical drawings, and photographic collections with detailed metadata.

2,847 digitized documents
Advanced search capabilities
Download permissions for academic use
Regular content updates

On-Site Research Facility

Physical archive and research library located in Calgary with appointment-based access for researchers requiring hands-on examination of original documents and material specimens.

Research Hours:

Tuesday - Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM MST
By appointment only

Supervised access to original documents
High-resolution scanning services
Material specimen examination
Expert consultation available

Professional Consultation

Expert analysis and technical support for heritage restoration projects, building forensics, and specialized research requirements beyond standard archive access.

Available Services:

Heritage building assessments
Material identification and analysis
Construction method documentation
Expert witness services
Technical report preparation