For the past six months Fanshawe building technology students have been hammering, wiring and constructing a two-story, 1,900 square foot house, while Western will huff, and puff, and blow it down.

“The Three Little Pigs” project is a $7 million research initiative taken up by the university to understand how homes can better withstand 200km winds and severe weather conditions.

Fanshawe students constructed the house inside a hanger at the Skyway Industrial Park with the London International Airport, while Western professors, students and researchers will use pressure boxes on the outside of the structure to simulate high winds to destroy it.


The project aims to develop more formulized techniques for weather-proofing and create better engineered homes in the future by testing building supplies, construction error, mold development and moisture penetration.

The two-story home is the first of it's kind in the world and is equipped with windows, doors, four bedrooms and even a furnace.

To document the destruction, the home will be closely monitored with video cameras and pressure sensors, which will help the engineers assess the integrity of the structure.

Funding for the project came from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Innovation Trust and donations from area suppliers.