Technology Designer Magazine Day of Discovery 2026
Technology Designer is back with another full schedule for design-build trades to join us as we explore the intersection where technology meets design. You must register for your show pass with CEDIA Expo. Please follow the link below, register as a design-build professional, and you will receive a Free pass the the Expo Hall if you’d like to walk the show. Additionally, you must register separately for the Technology Designer Magazine Keynote Luncheon on Wednesday, September 2nd. You will find registration down below in the Luncheon section. For our booth tours, see details below for RSVP sign up and download information.
Day of Discovery 2026 is composed of three elements for our design-build colleagues:
1.
The Technology Designer Magazine Keynote Luncheon
2.
TD’s Guided Tours and our new Curated Self-Guided Tours
3.
Free design-build education courses provided by CEDIA
Scroll down for details on these three events.
Technology Designer Magazine Keynote Luncheon
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
In the wake of a devastating house fire, the homeowners of The Phoenix House saw an opportunity to rebuild. Not just for today, but for a more resilient and sustainable future. Their journey led them to embrace the Integrated Design Process (IDP), bringing together a team of experts to achieve a home that goes beyond energy efficiency. The result? Phoenix House stands as one of only two British Columbia recipients of 2025’s Built Green Canada awards and is packed with performance home strategies that required the input from all of the design-build trades on the project.
Event Details
We welcome all architects, builders, designers, property developers and system integrators to join Technology Designer Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Douglas Weinstein as we explore one of the premier performance homes in North America. Joining Doug on stage will be Architect Nick Bray, Builder Todd Best, Interior Designer Josephina Serra, and Technology Consultant Mike Freedman in a conversation about the design-build process and how the trades worked together on this amazing home.
No matter what trade you are involved in, learn how to communicate and collaborate with your trade partners so you can maximize your scope and budget, and have a seat at the earliest discovery meetings, well before budgets have been allocated. Learn about why performance homes offer unlimited potential for all trades to elevate the built environment and deliver healthy, engaging, resilient and connected experiences for homeowners in the luxury residential market. Performance Homes represent the new luxury statement in residential architecture and building sciences. Come join us to learn about how can play a role in these amazing projects and become a market leader in your particular trade.
Nick Bray
AIBC, ARB, RIBA, MRAIC
Principal, Nick Bray Architecture Ltd.
Vancouver & Victoria, British Columbia
Nick Bray is a Vancouver-based architect and the founding Principal of Nick Bray Architecture Ltd., a progressive design studio known for its elegant, sustainable, and community-focused buildings. With more than two decades of international experience, Nick brings a deeply considered approach to architecture — blending design excellence, environmental responsibility, and practical performance.
Nick began his career after graduating from the Welsh School of Architecture in 2001, working on high-profile and award-winning projects in London, including a UK Housing Design Award-winning sustainable mid-rise residential building. In 2010, he relocated to Vancouver, where he served as lead designer on notable projects such as the O’Syiam Pavilion in Squamish, the Barrow Street industrial complex in North Vancouver, and the InGastown mid-rise residential building in downtown Vancouver before founding his own firm.
Under Nick’s leadership, his studio has earned significant recognition across British Columbia and beyond, including multiple industry awards for residential, commercial, and high-performance buildings — from Built Green Canada’s Maverick Award to CLF Embodied Carbon and Capital Region Building Awards. His work has also been featured in national and regional publications such as Western Living, Business World Magazine, SIPA Building Excellence Awards, and Vancouver Sun articles on green building and innovative design.
Nick is committed to sustainable design strategies, including Passive House principles, mass-timber construction, and low-carbon solutions, and regularly shares his expertise in lectures, industry panels, and professional mentorship opportunities. He has also participated in local architectural policy discussions and serves on technical committees that shape sustainable building practices.
As a designer, Nick prioritizes thoughtful collaboration, context-responsive solutions, and a holistic process that balances aesthetic clarity with performance and community benefit. His portfolio spans from energy-efficient single-family homes to multi-unit residential and commercial projects that seek to enhance health, comfort, and environmental stewardship.
Todd Best
Best Builders Ltd.
Delta, British Columbia, Canada
Todd Best is a highly respected custom home builder, craftsman, and industry leader based in Delta, British Columbia. As President and owner of Best Builders Ltd., Todd has spent more than three decades transforming exceptional residential visions into beautifully crafted homes that blend thoughtful design, quality construction, and enduring value.
Growing up on job sites with his father, master carpenter and company founder Garry Best, Todd’s passion for building was shaped early in life. He learned his trade through hands-on experience restoring heritage buildings and preserving architectural character, a foundation that ignited his appreciation for craft, structure, and detail. After earning his Red Seal certification in carpentry and a certificate in Construction Engineering Technologies, Todd established his own building practice in the mid-1990s and formally founded Best Builders Ltd. in 1995.
Under Todd’s leadership, Best Builders has become a cornerstone in the Lower Mainland’s custom homebuilding community. The firm is known for its award-winning homes, meticulous project execution, and client-centered process, where every project is approached as a unique expression of the homeowner’s lifestyle and values. Best Builders has received numerous industry accolades, including local recognition from the Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN), Georgie Awards, and Houzz design and service honors — reflecting a long history of excellence in craftsmanship and relationships.
One of Todd’s signature professional achievements was leading Best Builders to complete one of Canada’s first Net Carbon Zero homes, showcasing his commitment to sustainable building practices and future-focused workmanship. He champions high-performance construction methods and partners closely with architects, designers, and engineering professionals to ensure projects are both beautiful and resilient.
Beyond building homes, Todd is deeply invested in mentorship and community development. He has been active in local industry education, supporting apprentices and trade training opportunities, and engaging with youth to build skills and confidence in the construction trades. His involvement with industry organizations such as HAVAN — including contributions in spotlight features and educational series — underscores his role as both a builder and a mentor.
Clients and peers describe Todd as approachable, steady, and solution-oriented — someone who brings practicality, creativity, and integrity to every project. Whether he’s solving complex construction challenges or guiding clients through the building process, Todd’s focus remains on creating homes that reflect personal stories and stand the test of time.
Josephina Serra
Form Collective — Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Josephina Serra is a Principal Designer and Partner at Form Collective, a Vancouver-based interior design studio known for its thoughtful, client-centric approach to residential and commercial interiors. With over 15 years of professional design experience, Josephina has helped build a practice that combines rigorous design thinking with a warm, collaborative process — creating spaces that are both beautiful and deeply personal.
Since co-founding Form Collective with Lauren Webb in 2015, Josephina has guided the studio’s design philosophy: “design with you in mind.” This ethos places the client’s lived experience at the centre of every project, from early visioning through detailed documentation and construction coordination. The firm’s fixed-fee design packages offer transparent scope and process, encouraging clear communication and empowering clients at every stage of their project.
Under Josephina’s creative leadership, Form Collective’s work has been featured across architectural and lifestyle media, including Western Living Magazine and The Province, for its fresh interpretations of modern interiors and thoughtful problem solving in both residential and hospitality contexts. Projects led by Josephina have blended understated elegance with functional innovation, responding to unique client needs while pushing the bounds of materiality, proportion, and spatial experience.
Josephina also stewards Form Collective’s involvement in recognized multi-disciplinary collaborations. Recent press highlights include the studio’s role in award-recognised sustainable retrofit and new build projects — from embodied carbon leadership housing solutions to Georgie Awards-nominated renovations — reflecting her commitment to design that supports both community and environmental goals.
Known for her meticulous attention to detail and her ability to distill complex briefs into clear design solutions, Josephina is respected for creating spaces that are at once striking and approachable. Her collaborative approach — whether working with homeowners, builders, or creative partners — emphasizes listening before designing, and clarity before execution.
Mike Freedman
AI Technology & Design — British Columbia, Canada
Mike Freedman is a designer-innovator, technology strategist, and the founding Principal of AI Technology & Design, a consultancy focused on rethinking how technology integrates into architecture and living spaces. With a background bridging design, construction, and systems thinking, Mike has become one of the industry’s most outspoken advocates for elegant, minimally intrusive technology that supports — rather than disrupts — the built environment.
Mike’s approach challenges the default assumption that more gear means better performance. He believes that technology should disappear — that it should be felt, not seen, and experienced intuitively instead of dominating sightlines or interior spaces. This philosophy underpins AI Technology & Design’s mission: to bring clarity, efficiency, and beauty back into technology planning for residential and commercial projects.
Over his career, Mike has worked closely with architects, builders, designers, and developers to embed thoughtful technology solutions early in the design process. His work emphasizes Integrated Design, ensuring systems align with architectural intent and client goals rather than being tacked on as a late-stage add-on. By focusing on intentional design, strategic specification, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, Mike has helped teams reduce cost overruns, minimize complexity, and preserve design integrity across projects of varying scale and ambition.
Mike’s voice resonates beyond individual buildings. He frequently speaks and writes about the intersection of technology and design, advocating for a process-first mindset that anticipates needs rather than reacts to impulses. His advocacy for systems that are intelligent but invisible has garnered attention from industry peers, design publications, and collaborative partners who share a commitment to elevating built environments.
Clients and collaborators describe Mike as a thoughtful strategist with a contrarian streak — someone unafraid to say “no” to unnecessary complexity and “yes” to clarity, cohesion, and experiential richness. Whether refining user experience, simplifying systems architecture, or guiding teams through integrated planning, Mike brings design discipline, curiosity, and a bit of irreverence to every challenge.
At the core of his practice, Mike believes that great design doesn’t just look good — it feels good, functions beautifully, and recedes into the background so people can live their lives free from technological friction.
Technology Designer Booth Tours for CEDIA EXPO 2026
This year we are expanding our booth tour program. Many of you have been to Expo before and don’t need us to walk you around the show floor. So we’ve created downloadable curated tours by discipline (lighting, energy management, control, aesthetics and hidden technology, automated window treatments, and a wide-ranging general tour covering the top brands in the industry who work well with design-build trades.
We also have our guided tours for those new to the show and would like some context and guidance as we explore the intersection where technology meets design (all details below).
Guided Booth Tours
Wednesday, Septemer 2 | 1:30 – 4:40 p.m.
Thursday, September 3 | 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
For those design-build professionals new to CEDIA Expo and wish to be taken on a tour of a wide range of exhibits, this is for you! In small groups so you can get up close to see products and talk to presenters at each stop, we’ll guide you into the world of performance technologies that support and enhance your designs and built-environments. In order to guarantee attendance (it takes tons of planning to put on our tours and we need to feel coinfident those who sign up will show up. In other words, we need you to have skin in the game), this year we are charging $50 (non-refundable) that includes the following tour specials (including a $100 gift certificate):
1.
Three hour tour from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
2.
VIP Reserved Seating at the Technology Designer Keynote Luncheon (Wednesday)
3.
A $100 gift certificate (must go on the tour in order to pick up your gift certificate!)
Curated Self-Guided Booth Tours
For those design-build professionals who have been to CEDIA Expo before or are comfortable visiting our show and touring the show floor unescorted, we have downloadable PDFs of curated self-guided tour selections:
1. By category, and
2. General, wide range of various technologies
In the downloadable PDF created to be viewed on a smart phone device, you will see information regarding the company offerings, booth number and highlighted product Technology Designer thinks is worth your while investigating.
Curated, Self-Guided Tour information will be available for download in mid-August.
FREE Cedia Education Opportunties
For Design-Build Professioinals joining Day of Discovery 2026, our colleagues at CEDIA have put together a great group of FREE education tracks that explore and explain the world where technology meets design.
Below are four courses that you can register for when you visit CEDIA Registration and register for your FREE Expo Hall Pass. Additionally, make sure you also register separately for the Technology Designer Magazine Keynote Luncheon the registration page.
Finally, below each education courses is a down-loadable, curated self-guided tour schedule that mirrors the content of the education track. Take the course, hit the show floor, and then experience it live!
Invisible Innovation: Integrating Hidden Technology into Design
Date: September 2
Time: 11:00am – 12:30pm
Out of sight—but never out of impact.
In today’s most elegant spaces, the best technology is often the kind you don’t see. Invisible Innovation explores how cutting-edge solutions like hidden speakers, motorized lifts, architectural lighting, concealed screens, and flush-mount devices can seamlessly blend into any design without sacrificing performance.
This course is designed for the design-build community—architects, designers, builders, and integrators—who want to create cleaner aesthetics and smarter spaces. Attendees will learn why early collaboration is key to making hidden technology work, what products and systems are available, and how to plan for the structural, electrical, and system considerations these discreet solutions demand. When planned right from the start, invisible tech enhances the experience without ever disrupting the design.
Om, Sweet Om: Designing Wellness Rooms with Intention
Date: September 2
Time: 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Wellness spaces are increasingly requested in high-end residential projects, yet many are approached as aesthetic features rather than purpose-built environments. This session explores how to shape meditation, recovery, and decompression rooms where lighting, acoustics, air quality, control interfaces, and material choices work together to create a coherent sensory experience.
Discussion will focus on practical design decisions: tuning circadian-inspired lighting without overcomplicating programming, managing sound isolation and spatial audio for immersion, coordinating ventilation and humidity for comfort, and simplifying user interfaces to reduce cognitive load. The goal is to create spaces that feel intentional and restorative—without leaning on exaggerated claims or gadget-driven gimmicks.
Principles of Great Outdoor Entertainment Design & Installation
Date: September 3
Time: 10:00am – 11:30am
Speaker: Ben Ullmann, Sales Director, Atelier Luuxx
Outdoor spaces are now fully integrated extensions of the home, designed for entertainment, relaxation and year-round enjoyment. From immersive audio and landscape lighting to Wi-Fi coverage, all-weather TV and lots more, we’ll explore both existing and new and emerging outdoor technology systems, the steps to take in delivering a successful outdoor installation, the challenges you can overcome and the pitfalls to avoid. The session will focus on the US sector but reference some other global markets to provide some additional information and context.
Dreamhouse Team: Real-World Design–Build Partnerships
Date: September 3
Time: 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Our established designer–integrator teams examine how their collaborations hold up under real project pressure, where aesthetics, infrastructure, budgets and timelines don’t always align. Through side-by-side comparisons, the panel will unpack how each team navigates system visibility vs concealment, millwork coordination, lighting loads vs fixture intent, rack location compromises, network planning, and late-stage changes that affect both form and function.
Beyond drawings and specifications, the conversation will address client management: who owns which conversations, how technical constraints are translated into design language, how disagreements are presented (or not) to the homeowner, and how unified communication protects trust. Designers, integrators, builders and architects will gain insight into collaboration models that balance creative vision, system performance, and customer experience without eroding margins or relationships.
