Cassandra Lafond is a Senior Scientist and Project Leader in the Building Systems group at FPInnovations. With over a decade of academic and industry experience, she helps drive innovation in wood construction systems to support building decarbonization.

A trained wood engineer with a master’s degree, Cassandra is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in wood and bio-based materials engineering at Université Laval. Her research focuses on the hygrothermal performance of bio-based building envelopes, combining finite element modeling with in-situ sensor monitoring to track moisture in wood structures and reduce durability risks.

Her work bridges innovation and practice, with a focus on optimizing wood products and systems for industrialized construction. She also contributes to the development of national standards as a member of the CSA A170 technical committee on Volumetric Modular Construction. Through close collaboration with academic, industrial, and regulatory partners, Cassandra is shaping the future of sustainable building.