The Building Performance Institute (BPI) of Malta, NY, reported today that Tony Woods, member of the BPI board of directors and founder of Canam Building Envelope Specialists and ZERODRAFT®, Mississauga, Canada, died on May 8, 2009, after a valiant battle with cancer.
From bungalow to skyscraper, school to government, and all points in between, Woods improved the performance of almost every type of structure. BPI sources called Woods a pioneer of building performance and the systems approach since the early 1970s.
Woods founded Canam Building Envelope Specialists Inc. in 1980.
Throughout his career, Woods developed many new and innovative ways to diagnose and correct building envelope flaws, as well as ways to calculate the energy savings that could be realized from retrofit air leakage control work. Seeing a need for higher-quality materials, he developed and launched the ZERODRAFT line of weatherization products in the mid-1990s. Today the network of ZERODRAFT approved applicators extends across North America and into Australia. Canam Building Envelope Specialists and ZERODRAFT were acquired by Tremco Inc. on April 1, 2009.
Woods served tirelessly in the industry as a volunteer board member with BPI and ACI. He was also the first Canadian to become a BPI Affiliate and brought the organization to the table with the Canadian Government. A mentor to many, he was constantly involved in training weatherization organizations and home performance contractors across North America.
In addition to his long-term service to BPI, Mr. Woods contributed to 10 standards committees covering air tightness testing, ventilation, combustion safety, window installation and sealants.
On April 28, 2009, BPI announced the inaugural winner of The Tony Woods Award for Excellence in Advancing the Home Performance Industry, a new initiative from BPI replacing the former BPI Awards or "Bippies" in honor of Mr. Woods. On the same day, ACI awarded Woods with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Donations may be made in memory of Mr. Woods online to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's "Light the Night Walk" at lightthenight.org.