Construction and design innovators are among the latest inductees to the Order of Canada. Governor General Mary Simon announced the appointments of Richard Kroeker, a professor emeritus at Dalhousie University’s School of Architecture, and Osama Moselhi, a professor and director of Concordia University’s Centre for Innovation in Construction and Infrastructure Engineering and Management, in late December as part of her year-end bestowal of honours.
In total, she made 78 new appointments to the Order of Canada, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities, professional spheres and the well-being of others that enhance daily life and the national profile. It is one of the highest honours a civilian can receive, exemplified in the moto, DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM, which translates to “they desire a better country”.
“I greatly value the opportunity to celebrate individuals whose perseverance, ingenuity and community spirit have benefited Canadians throughout the country,” Governor General Simon observed. As governor general, I have seen first-hand that our communities are rich in both excellence and diversity, which we need to do our utmost to recognize.”
The citation with Kroeker’s appointment notes “his innovative leadership as one of Canada’s leading architects who uses multiple perspectives of Indigenous and Western artistic and environmental models in his work”. He is also a proponent of sustainable, energy-efficient buildings with current research focuses on energy modelling, envelope construction technologies and wood structures. That includes as a principal of MATCHBOX Energy, a modelling tool for calculating the energy consequences of design decisions and aiding in the pursuit of net-zero and regenerative buildings.
Moselhi is cited for “groundbreaking contributions to the field of construction engineering and management” over nearly 40 years with Concordia’s faculty of building, civil and environmental engineering, where he has authored or co-authored more than 400 scientific publications. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE), the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the International Association for Advancement in Cost Engineering. In 2019, CSCE renamed its annual award for the best paper in its construction division in his honour.
