‍Building Transformations Reveals Speaker Lineup for the 2026 Toronto Summit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Building Transformations Reveals Speaker Lineup for the 2026 Toronto Summit

Two-Day Event on November 4 and 5 Brings Together C-Suite Executives, Practitioners, and Innovators from Across the AECO Industry

TORONTO, ON, September 2026 — Building Transformations, North America's largest building technology and innovation community, today announced the addition of new speakers and sessions to the 2026 Toronto Summit, The Future of Design and Construction, taking place November 4 and 5 in Toronto, Ontario. This annual gathering brings together leaders and innovators from across the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) industry for expert panels, hands-on workshops, and industry-leading keynotes.

This year's speaker lineup includes voices from Metrolinx, IBM, PCL, Infrastructure Ontario, ALTO, Cadence, Advanced Performance Healthcare Design, and NORR, with additional speakers still being confirmed weekly. With participants and attendees from EllisDon, J.L. Richards, DPR, Autodesk, Augmenta, DIALOG, and more, the calibre of conversation in the room will be exceptional.

Two Ticket Streams

The Toronto Summit offers two distinct programming streams. The Senior Executive Leader Ticket provides exclusive access to the private Executive Leadership Forum on November 4, plus the Opening Reception and Innovation Spotlight Awards Ceremony. This experience is available to a limited number of senior leaders, with interested parties invited to join the waitlist through Eventbrite.

The Main Summit Ticket provides full access to practitioner-focused programming on November 5, plus the Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony. A Site Walk Tour package is also available for attendees who are in town on November 4.

Day 1: Executive Leadership Forum (November 4)

The Executive Leadership Forum brings together a select group of C-suite and senior executives for a day of high-level dialogue and peer connection. The centerpiece of the day is a panel on Risk, AI, and the Future of Construction Contracts, moderated by Chris Greene, SVP Innovation and Insights at American Global, with panelists including Jody Becker, Chief Capital Officer at Infrastructure Ontario, and Holynde Smiechowski, Corporate AI Lead at PCL.

The session will examine how contracts are evolving alongside new technologies, delivery models, and emerging risks in the built environment. This programming stream is available to Senior Executive Leader ticket holders only.

Day 2: Main Summit, Annual General Meeting, and Innovation Spotlight Awards (November 5)

The Main Summit opens with a keynote from Chet Shah, Senior EVP Integrated Delivery at Metrolinx, followed by a panel on Computational and Generative Design: From Concept to Construction, featuring Francesco Iorio, Founder and CEO of Augmenta, alongside other leading voices in computational design.

Afternoon sessions include a presentation by Mavara Turab, VP Engineering at ALTO, and Denis Andlauer, Deputy Project Director at Cadence, on the collaborative delivery structure behind Canada's high-speed rail network, a 1,000 km corridor from Toronto to Quebec. Blake Jackson, Director of Sustainability at NORR, will explore how interior fit-outs are being reimagined in the pursuit of net-zero carbon. Andrew Petrosoniak, President of Advanced Performance Healthcare Design, will discuss simulation methodology and the human side of immersive design in complex healthcare facilities.

The afternoon also features a hands-on workshop, AI in Action, led by Blair Groff, Principal Software Market Leader, AI and Business Automation at IBM. Attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops for a practical exploration of AI agents across the built environment.

Building Transformations members are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting, which will include key organizational updates, strategic insights, and opportunities to engage with the community.

The Innovation Spotlight Awards Ceremony is open to all ticket holders. This year's nominees and winners will be announced live, celebrating the organizations and projects shaping the future of design and construction. Nominees and winners are invited to stay on for a private reception to follow, while other attendees are encouraged to explore Toronto and keep the networking going.

Sponsorship and Exhibitor Opportunities

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Interested organizations are invited to review the Sponsorship Package and contact Building Transformations at events@buildingtransformations.org. A limited number of exhibitor spaces are also available through the Eventbrite registration page.

Registration

Tickets for the Main Summit start at $799. Active Building Transformations members receive 50% off, bringing the price down to just ~$399. Members should check their email for the discount code, or contact membership@buildingtransformations.org to request it. Registration is available through the Building Transformations website. Tickets are limited and expected to sell out.

About Building Transformations

Building Transformations is North America's largest building technology and innovation community. Our mission is to transform the built environment through innovation, knowledge-sharing, and advancing technology in architecture, engineering, construction, and operations. The 2026 Toronto Summit takes place November 4 and 5 in Toronto, Ontario.

Media Contact
Building Transformations
events@buildingtransformations.org
www.buildingtransformations.org

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