About NSHDA

What is the Nova Scotia Home & Building Designers Association?

The Nova Scotia Home & Building Designers Association (NSHBDA) was established in 1995 to foster the growth and education for home and small building designers in the construction industry.

Nova Scotia Home and Building Designers Association is committed to providing knowledgeable and professional, custom home and small building design services, to meet the needs and objectives of the owner while maintaining the health and safety requirements of Part 9 of the National Building Code of Canada.

NSHBDA members are designers of residential and small buildings that fall within the scope of the National Building Code, Part Nine (this being a comprehensive law that specifies methods and use of materials for building construction for most types of small buildings in Canada). Members of the NSHBDA have been recognized provincially and nationally, having received several Nova Scotia Home Awards, CMHC’s Flex Housing Design Competition and Natural Resources’ Passive Solar Design Competition.

NSHBDA was formed to provide a professional organization that offers practicing professional designers further education leading up to a comprehensive certification program. The NSHBDA also provides a forum for discussion between designers, builders, engineers and Product Manufacturers (Corporate members), keeping the construction related industry updated with new and upcoming trends, technologies & products.

Since small buildings are the area of focus for designers, a broader range of expertise is possible within the profession. Many hold qualifications in heat loss/heat gain evaluation, materials specifications and ventilation designers, healthy home specifiers and R-2000 builders. This wide-ranging expertise ensures better designed, more energy efficient and environmentally friendly buildings.

NSHBDA

Mission Statement

The Nova Scotia Home and Building Designers Association is committed to helping its members provide current, knowledgeable and professional custom home and small building design services and to educating the public about a professional design alternative.

Designer Members
Corporate members
Approved 2024-2025

Executive & Board of Directors

Board Executive:

President – Nigel Collinson

Vice President – DJ Hanninen

Past President – John Connely

Secretary – Mark Gillis

Registrar – David Greenwell

Treasurer – Don Roscoe

Board of Directors:

  • Jennifer Proctor
  • Alicia Olschewski

Student Representatives

  • NSCC Ivany Campus –
  • First Year:
  • Second Year: Charles Deal
  • Dalhousie University –

Committee Members

Ethics Committee:
  • All members of Executive and Board
Finance / Audit Committee:
  • Don Roscoe (Chairperson)
  • Nigel Collinson
Membership Committee:
  • All members of Executive and Board
Public Relations Committee & Long Term Planning Committee:
  • All members of Executive and Board
Bylaw / Legislation Committee:
  • All members of Executive and Board
Education / Technical Committee:
  • Nigel Collinson (chairperson)
  • Mark Gillis
  • TBA – NSCC Representative
Design Competition Sub-Committee:
  • Nigel Collinson (Chairperson)
  • Mark Gillis
  • David Greenwell
  • John Connely
Event Sub-Committee:

(AGM, Winter Design Expo)

  • All members of Executive and Board
  • Mark Gillis
  • John Connely
Bursary Management Sub-Committee:
  • All members of Executive and Board
Home Show Sub Committee
  • TBA as required
Nova Scotia Building Advisory Committee, NSHBDA Representative
  • Marlin Plett
Nova Scotia Training and Certification Board, NSHBDA Representative
  • Nigel Collinson