ACEC Engineering - Issue 1565

ACEC

ENGINEERING IN BC www.acec-bc.ca @ACECBC

ACEC-BC Fall 2019 Message from the President and CEO

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Sound Business Decision-Making in a Changing Climate

2

Beyond Hard Infrastructure: Integrated Approaches to Climate Action

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Readying Real Estate for the Electric Mobility Revolution

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The Future Is Efficient: District Smart Energy Systems

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Blakeburn Lagoons Park

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Clean Energy Solutions: Hydropower Dams in B.C.

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The Future of Stormwater Design in the Face of Climate Change Uncertainty

10

Supporting Geohazard Risk Management Decisions in British Columbia

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Deltaport and Centerm Shore Power

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Going Beyond Engineering

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Practical Innovation Helps White Rock Adapt and Rebuild

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BC’s Engineers and Geoscientists Are Helping Address Climate Change

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Climate Shift – Engineering in a Changing Environment

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO

By Caroline Andrewes, president and CEO, ACEC-BC

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cross the country municipalities, First Nations and our federal government have made declarations acknowledging that changes in our climate constitute an emergency.

Consistent across these declarations is acceptance of the impact we have on the environment, and resolution that we are compelled to change our behaviours to counteract this effect.

Our changing climate brings about the need for innovation in the way we harness our natural resources and design, build and maintain our critical

infrastructure. Standards used in the past no longer hold; designs must be resilient to more extreme weather and more efficient in operations. The challenges are immense and complex, and require us to engage a broad spectrum of experts to seek solutions.

In BC, consulting engineering companies are at the forefront of delivering on our technical needs to counteract and limit the impact of climate change.

Whether through technology solutions to reduce emissions, innovative approaches to reclamation and remediation of natural spaces or development of tools to assist in understanding our natural environment, consulting engineering companies are leading the way on behalf of the citizens of BC. The articles in this special supplement help to highlight expertise ACEC-BC

members bring to bear on addressing the climate emergency.

In BC, harnessing the power of water gives us access to clean, renewable electricity. The impact of this prolific natural resource is profound and provides opportunities for integration of electricity into how we drive, and how we heat and power our homes. Readying and adapting our infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions also extends to our nation’s busiest port through the implementation of electric shore power.

When disaster strikes, how do we minimize the risk to the public? Resilient infrastructure requires expertise in understanding how to resist damage resulting from a natural disaster. Consulting engineering companies are developing models to understand how the environment around us may change under

different scenarios. These models inform the designs of new infrastructure, and the adaptation of existing infrastructure to protect the public.

Other articles in this supplement help to highlight innovations in carbon capture, remediation of contaminated sites to create diverse natural environments and approaches to support complex public and private development decisions.

A shift in perspective is needed to address our climate challenges. We will need the full depth of knowledge and scope of expertise that exists in BC’s consulting engineering companies.

ACEC-BC members working across the province, in every sector and in every phase of development, are already taking the lead in developing solutions that benefit all of us and our amazing province. ■

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ACEC ENGINEERING IN BC

Sound Business Decision-Making in a Changing Climate

By Malcolm Shield, P.Eng. Ph.D., PMP, Energy Planning and Emissions Specialist, and Jeremy Fyke, Ph.D., Manager, Climate Services, Associated Engineering (B.C.) Ltd.

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he rate of change in our climate is unprecedented. With accelerating climate change, no business, individual or government agency remains untouched, be it through physical hazards like heavier rainfall and flooding or policy changes such as more stringent emission regulations. Global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (climate change mitigation) will reduce the extent of climate changes.

At the same time, significant changes to our climate are assured because of the greenhouse gases emitted to date. We must prepare to respond to these changes (climate change adaptation) where the impacts may be chronic, such as sea level rise and temperature increase, or more immediate, such as severe weather events.

Climate change adaptation is essential to reduce risks and build resiliency to the severe impacts of the changing climate.

Effective climate change mitigation and adaptation are underpinned by sound

The consulting engineering industry’s collective experience in the design, construction, operation, rehabilitation, and deconstruction of the built environment places engineers at the nexus of society’s climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.

decision-making and substantive action.

Much attention has been focused on public-sector initiatives that span the local, regional, provincial and national governments, as well as the research community.

However, the private sector also has an important role in delivering effective solutions to a changing climate.

BC’s consulting engineering companies, which are responsible for the design and delivery of public and private-sector infrastructure, are often the bridges between the public and private sectors. The consulting engineering industry’s collective experience in the design, construction, operation, rehabilitation and deconstruction of the built environment places engineers at the nexus of society’s climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.

The rate of change in the climate challenges how codes, standards, regulations, training and best practice respond to the current and future physical realities of our changing climate. The response requires an integrated approach between government, policy-makers and professionals,

2D flood modelling of the Elbow River, Calgary, Alberta including professional engineers who have played, and will continue to play, a critical role in developing the response.

Today, BC’s consulting engineers are contributing to new codes, standards and guidelines, from buildings to bridge and highway infrastructure, assisting government agencies and regulators as they respond to the challenge of addressing climate risk. BC’s Energy Step Code will significantly improve building energy efficiency, while in 2018, Infrastructure Canada introduced the Climate Lens requiring owners to assess greenhouse gas emissions and climate change adaptation measures for infrastructure projects. Engineers Canada has also led the development of the PIEVC (Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee) Engineering Protocol, a guideline to assess the vulnerabilities of infrastructure to extreme weather events and future changes in climate. This protocol continues to be used to today to assist both public and private-sector owners to assess their infrastructure vulnerabilities to the changing climate.

Notwithstanding the work of regulators and professionals, climate considerations, when not well understood, are often viewed as a “nice-to-have” rather than a core value proposition and are perceived

as adding complexity without benefit since the true value becomes apparent only when a climate risk is realized or the financial return realized far into the future.

Implementing an appropriate response to climate change involves identifying potential physical impacts, tracking technological changes, and staying abreast of upcoming regulatory and professional requirements. This culminates in the need for sound decision-making in the face of a highly uncertain future.

Sound and structured decision-making must be fully integrated into the delivery of core services and long-term business planning. Consultants can work with owners to define the desired performance of a facility or piece of infrastructure, and the design criteria to reach that performance as well as the climate-related risks, risk tolerances, mitigations and potential costs. These factors are integrated into a risk and vulnerability plan that can help owners decide on the most appropriate way forward. Consulting engineering firms have extensive experience in using tools and rating systems such as Envision, LEED or Green Globes, which provide a structured and transparent decision-making process to consider sustainable solutions and address climate change.

To bring certainty to an uncertain world,

enhanced business processes, organizational management and project management tools must be brought to bear on the climate challenge. For example, building on corporate social responsibility efforts, many organizations have embraced corporate environmental responsibility to improve their environmental management, be more environmentally sustainable and curb the effects of climate change.

As a further example, consulting firm Associated Engineering developed a company-specific climate policy, including a commitment to be carbon neutral and consider climate change in every project it undertakes. A climate change task force, a comprehensive training program, recruitment of technical specialists, and careful tracking and communication of lessons learned have fostered the integration of climate change into the company’s corporate culture.

As trusted advisers, BC’s consulting engineering companies can leverage their collective experience and knowledge to pragmatically integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation solutions into public and private-sector infrastructure projects. In doing so, we provide a critical contribution to society’s global climate change response. ■

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BBA employees on site at Carbon Engineering in Squamish, BC.

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Beyond Hard Infrastructure: Integrated Approaches to Climate Action

By Robin Hawker, RPP, MCIP, Climate Change Adaptation Lead, and Ron Monk, M.Eng., P.Eng., Principal and Energy Sector Leader, Kerr Wood Leidal

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ngineers often work on the frontlines of climate change, designing infrastructure solutions that are resilient to changing conditions and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through more efficient and low-carbon energy systems.

Traditional engineering approaches tend to focus on hard infrastructure solutions for adaptation, such as raising dikes for higher levels or resizing pipes for higher flows. However, hard infrastructure, while sometimes necessary, is only a part of the emerging way of planning and designing climate adaptation projects.

An integrated lens encourages holistic climate change strategies that are lower impact and tailored to local priorities. This requires solutions developed by multidisciplinary teams.

When we talk about integrated approaches, we mean approaches that take a systems-level view, considering multiple factors simultaneously and prioritizing solutions that offer diverse benefits across economic, social and environmental systems.

From Planning …

As an example, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) in North Vancouver adopted an integrated approach for its Community Climate Change Resilience Planning initiative. The initiative draws on local and traditional knowledge to respond to climate change in a way that builds on cultural practices and enhances local ecosystems.

Phase 1 of the project assessed TWN’s vulnerability to more than 10 climate change hazards across many different community service sectors. Examples from the assessment include anticipating the impact of ocean acidification on shellfish and of coastal flooding on archeological sites.

Findings show that many of the community’s highest climate vulnerabilities aren’t related to built infrastructure at all, but rather have to do with impacts to natural systems or traditional sites and practices, all of which are a high priority for the Nation.

These findings will inform the development of diverse adaptation strategies, including nature-based structural solutions and policy initiatives to build community resilience in a holistic way.

Other communities in Metro Vancouver are adopting this integrated approach to climate action planning, including the City of Surrey, City of Vancouver, and communities and partners on Vancouver’s North Shore. … Through Design …

Nature-based Solutions (NBS) provide an integrated approach to use the services of nature (“ecosystem services”) alongside conventional adaptation approaches.

NBS have been gaining international recognition as a way to adapt to hazards while also restoring or enhancing natural ecosystems.

The United Nations Environment

Proposed Steveston Sea Gate and habitat restoration Programme defines NBS as “policies and measures that take into account the role of ecosystem services in reducing the vulnerability of society to climate change, in a multi-sectoral and multi-scale approach.”

For example, constructed tidal wetlands not only address erosion and flood effects from more frequent and severe storms and sea level rise, but can also improve water quality and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. NBS also typically offer lower-carbon solutions than more traditional approaches.

NBS often have fewer greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacturing, transportation and installation of materials used in construction. They can also sequester CO2 and filter other pollutants from the air.

The Steveston Sea Gate project in the city of Richmond is an example of how NBS can be combined with conventional infrastructure strategies. The conceptual design involves expanding intertidal area marshes on an existing offshore island to provide dual flood and erosion protection as well as natural habitat.

The project also involves features to enhance water circulation and quality, as well as tree planting for carbon sequestration and new habitat.

Hard infrastructure features of the design include building a dike on the island using dredged materials from the Fraser River and constructing a rotating sea gate to protect Steveston Harbour from storm surges. Together these features support flood protection while continuing to allow vessel traffic to navigate the river and enter and exit the harbour.

As another example, the growing community of East Fraser Lands in south Vancouver is responding to climate change through both NBS adaptation and emissions mitigation approaches. This includes flood protection works which combine a constructed wetland and flood management structures into an urban park. River District has built an on-site district energy utility in the community, with plans to meet the area’s heating needs with a lowcarbon source such as sewer heat recovery, geo-exchange or biomass extraction. … To Implementation Taking an integrated approach is not without challenges. Identifying cobenefits and incorporating diverse perspectives to design solutions adds new

complexities to already complex and technical projects.

At Kerr Wood Leidal, we work with communities and industrial clients across Western Canada to assess climate risk and vulnerability, develop integrated adaptation plans, and design innovative climate action solutions.

Our climate change practice is just one of our many areas of practice founded on integrated approaches, including flood protection, stormwater management and low-carbon energy system design.

Our multidisciplinary Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Team is made up of engineers, biologists, and planners who work collaboratively to navigate these complexities from project planning through to design and implementation. ■

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JANUARY 28 Transportation Conference 2020 Vancouver, BC

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Readying Real Estate for the Electric Mobility Revolution

By Brendan McEwen, Director of Electric Mobility and Low-Carbon Strategies, AES Engineering

The Explosive Growth of Electric Vehicles BC’s market for plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) is going gangbusters. In Q2 of 2019, EVs represented almost 11% of all passenger vehicle sales, and over 20% of car sales (excluding SUVs and trucks). This is growth of 174% over the same period last year. Uptake is yet higher in the Greater Vancouver region.

It’s no wonder – BC drivers are fast discovering that EVs provide a superior driving experience and greater convenience, at a fraction of the fuel and maintenance costs of the internal combustion engine.

Charging an EV at home is the equivalent of about $0.20-per-litre gas. A suite of provincial and federal incentives help reduce EVs’ ďŹ rst costs.

EVs will continue their exponential growth in the coming years. Technological innovation and economies of scale are causing the cost of EV batteries to decline inexorably. Sources as diverse as the International Council on Clean Transportation, Bloomberg New Energy Finance and the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association suggest that the unsubsidized cost of EVs will reach “sticker price parity� with gasoline or diesel vehicles sometime around 2025, and drop below thereafter.

Furthermore, a raft of government policies are ensuring the future of transportation is electric. Notably, in May the province of BC passed the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act, requiring that 10% of new light-duty vehicle sales by 2025, 30% by 2030 and 100% by 2040 be zero-emissions. The federal government has adopted the same targets.

With zero tailpipe emissions, the growing market share of EVs is great news for our air quality and health, as well as our climate objectives – with BC’s low-carbon electricity, EVs result in approximately 90% lower emissions than gasoline or diesel vehicles over their life cycle.

Preparing Real Estate Assets for an Electric Mobility Future With EV numbers accelerating, residential and commercial property owners and developers must invest in EV charging infrastructure to keep their real assets competitive. This means considering passenger vehicle charging needs for three use cases: “at home,� “at work� and “on the go.�

Access to “at home� charging is the most important factor enabling a household to choose an EV. Installing EV charging in a single family home’s garage is usually straightforward. However, implementing EV charging in multifamily buildings that have not been properly future-proofed can be challenging, and requires careful planning. For that reason, the City of Vancouver and other BC local governments now require all residential parking spaces in new developments to feature an energized outlet for EV charging.

AES Engineering is increasingly supporting stratas and rental building owners

to evaluate and design the most optimal means of implementing EV charging infrastructure in existing buildings. The key to optimizing cost and charging performance is often so-called “EV energy management systemsâ€? – such systems can ensure that we make the most efďŹ cient use of buildings’ available electrical capacity; optimize utility costs and demand charges; allow users to pay their fair share of monthly electrical costs; and allow any and all parking spaces to ultimately feature EV charging.

Commercial real estate managers are also providing charging in workplace and visitor parking. EV charging at work is a valuable perk for employees, particularly those with limited access to other charging opportunities. As such, “at work� charging is increasingly important to tenant recruitment and retention.

Likewise, leading real estate asset owners are deploying publicly accessible charging infrastructure. They may partner with EV charging networks, such as the Tesla Supercharger network, to provide fast charging, and/or equip longer-term parking with charging to attract customers to stay in the neighbourhood for a few hours.

Emerging Opportunities The electric mobility revolution extends far beyond passenger vehicles – the decline in batteries prices means that most transportation systems will transition to electric drivetrains. Each application entails different requirements and opportunities for charging. Ride-hailing (e.g- Uber, Lyft), future autonomous robo-taxis, and car shares will require fast-charging infrastructure in strategic locations. AES Engineering is working with bus eets to plan depot and in-route charging strategies that will support the transition of their entire eet to electric. Likewise, electric commercial goods trucking is expected to emerge rapidly, starting with urban delivery services; it is critical to consider the electrical design of loading zones and

logistics facilities to support these opportunities. AES is even engaging with ferry services and airlines planning for the transition to electric mobility.

The future of transportation is electric.

The time is ripe for condominium associations, building owners, property managers, and developers to plan for it. â–

Building Better Communities

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A Carbon Neutral Company

www.ae.ca

Associated Engineering, is pleased to welcome Dr. Malcolm Shield, P.Eng., Energy Planning and Emissions Specialist, to our Climate Services Team.

Malcolm has more than 16 years’ experience helping

planning and greenhouse gas assessments.

At Associated Engineering, our vision is to create

Our comprehensive approach integrates a wide range

services ranging from energy and emissions analysis and strategy, to climate analyses and resilient design.

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The Future Is Efficient: District Smart Energy Systems Dr. Michael Wrinch, P.Eng., President, Hedgehog Technologies Inc.

Securing and Cleaning Our Energy Supply Climate change is a growing topic in the wake of devastating hurricanes and melting ice caps. Communities around the world are starting to ask questions about how their energy needs are being met. There’s a growing dependency on energy usage which allows people to live prosperous lives, but the energy delivery systems aren’t as reliable and resilient as they could be. For example, recently a powerful windstorm in Nova Scotia disabled the electrical and heating services to residents-which resulted in widespread school and work cancellations.

The world is moving towards electrifying energy usage. While transportation and heating used to be almost exclusively based on fossil fuels, the advent of technology has allowed more environmentfriendly options to emerge. Today there’s a natural blending of heating, transportation and electrical services that are produced from less carbon-intensive sources.

Now for the unfortunate truth, electrical energy production accounts for only 17% of the total Canadian energy demand.

With 6 % going to other sources, the remaining 77 % is supplied by refined petrol-

During our transition to cleaner energy alternatives, we can increase the efficiency of our energy management at a community level.

eum and natural gas. During our transition to cleaner energy alternatives, we can increase the efficiency of our energy management at a community level. Through introducing district smart energy systems, there’s a potential to address our demand for cleaner energy while offering communities greater control over their power and heating needs.

Smarter Heat and Power To gain a better understanding of how a district smart energy system would operate, we have to look at its constituent components: district energy systems, cogeneration and smart microgrids. Here’s an overview of these three solutions.

District Energy System What is a district energy system (DES)?

District energy systems are networks of cooling and heating pipes that service buildings within a community. This method promotes energy efficiency by gathering the energy needed from external sources and distributing it locally,

Hartley Bay, British Columbia, site of Canada’s first smart microgrid therefore removing the reliance on individual heating and cooling methods.

DES is more efficient and produces lower emissions overall than individual households using their own boilers, electric baseboards, furnaces and water heaters fuelled by gas.

Consider a diesel generator burning fuel.

While it may operate at 30 % efficiency, the remaining 70 % of the energy consumed is lost as heat into the air. This wasted thermal energy could be diverted through a network of underground pipes to heat neighbouring homes.

The concept of district heating isn’t new.

The City of Vancouver and the University of British Columbia both reap the benefits of a district heating system which consists of heating and piping, heated liquids or steam by underground pipes directed towards buildings.

Cogeneration / Combined Heat and Power Combined heat and power support the electrical and heating needs for a community interdependently with the local utility service providers. Cogeneration uses an electrical generation system and wasted heat to satisfy the energy demands from other sources. Industrial plants frequently adopt cogeneration strategies to capture waste heat and emissions for the purpose of offsetting their coal or natural gas loads.

As new technology develops, it allows the industrial process to be scaled for residential use, lower its carbon footprint and provide cost savings. Many processing plants are familiar with cogeneration, but new residential units have only recently started to adopt a type of microturbine cogeneration that can be used as both an electrical generator and heating source.

Smart Microgrids Smart microgrids allow communities to co-operatively generate their own energy while providing renewable power, higher reliability and more information on peak usage and load demands which can be monitored and controlled. This is a collaborative effort that works in conjunction with the local utility providers. Another added benefi t is protection from main grid power outages as their own stored energy can be distributed during blackout periods to strategic locations.

One of my proudest accomplishments was pioneering Canada’s fi rst smart microgrid in Hartley Bay, British Columbia. The site can shed up to 15 % of the maximum energy demand by adjusting the wireless variable thermostats and load controllers on hot water heaters and ventilation systems for commercial

units. The solution reduced the community’s total annual use of diesel fuel by 77,000 litres.

District Smart Energy Systems One solution to improving our energy and emission challenges is combining district energy systems, cogeneration and smart microgrids. Together, they form a district smart energy system that provides cleaner, more reliable and more efficient energy for entire communities as opposed to individuals heating and electrifying their own homes. These changes require substantial organizational and government investment towards new technologies and rethinking our current infrastructure development policy in a feasible way. The future demands efficiency which impacts not only our neighbourhoods but future generations to come. ■

We are excited to welcome our new ACEC-BC members!

Corporate Members

Associate Members

HDR Corporation

Clark Builders

hdrinc.com

clarkbuilders.com

Onsite Engineering

Flatiron Constructors Canada

onsite-engineering.ca

flatironcorp.com

Senez Consulting

Vector Geomatics Land Surveying

senezconsultingltd.com

vectorgeomatics.com

TWD Technologies twdepcm.com

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Blakeburn Lagoons Park

By ISL Engineering and Land Services

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lakeburn Lagoons Park is a green infrastructure facility, wildlife preserve and public park in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.

This 11-hectare site was used as a sanitary detention facility until 1978 when it was decommissioned, fenced off and effectively abandoned. The lagoons, replenished with only rainwater, became stagnant and frequently dried up during summer months. Environmental assessments over the years revealed levels of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in the lagoon sludge exceeded regulation standards for urban parks. High cleanup costs deterred the site’s redevelopment.

The City of Port Coquitlam engaged ISL to undertake design and construction services for the project. The original goal was to convert the derelict lagoons into a public park. The ISL team composed of experts in stormwater modelling, municipal engineering, landscape architecture and environmental management proposed converting the settlement lagoons into ecologically rich, bioremediating constructed wetlands.

The proposed wetlands needed new water sources to be ecologically viable.

Hydrological models identified an opportunity to utilize stormwater runoff from an adjacent residential neighbourhood, an area that was prone to flooding. Diverting stormwater from the utility system to the

lagoons had the dual benefit of keeping the lagoons topped up with water while reducing neighbourhood flood risk. This model, coupled with the environmental requirements, helped the ISL team determine the shape, depth and surface area of the lagoons.

The site’s two engineered lagoons were deepened, reshaped and regraded to create ecological complexity and diverse wildlife habitats. Wetland construction involved 50,000 cubic metres of earthworks, achieving a cost-effective, on-site cut-fill balance. Hydrological improvements included a new stormwater inlet and outlet, and inter-lagoon linkage to facilitate water movement across the site. A stormceptor (a special inlet that effectively removes suspended particles, oil and floatables) and a settlement pond at the stormwater inlet, as well as biofiltration plants in the lagoons, help maintain high water quality throughout the system.

A naturalized shoreline shape was created to increase diversity of bird and amphibian wildlife. Four wildlife habitat islands in the lagoons, large woody debris, boulders, gravel beaches, bat boxes, tree snags and dense and diverse indigenous vegetation for wildlife habitat and food supply create an ecologically rich landscape.

Natural processes were used to remediate the lagoon’s sludge, which was placed in areas of the park with no public access, including the lagoons’ shorelines and habitat islands. This provided new plants with

a nutrient-rich growing medium. These areas were densely planted with phytoremediators – plants that absorb, stabilize and/or break down heavy metals in the soil and water. Fencing prevented public access to these areas. Publicly accessible areas were capped with clean imported soil to prevent public exposure to site contaminants.

Restoration planting included four hectares of over 100,000 indigenous shrubs and groundcover plants as well as over 1,300 indigenous trees while two hectares were planted with native grasses.

1.6 km of looped walking trails, viewing platforms and interpretative signage were laid out to optimize public viewing opportunities at the park while minimizing disturbance to sensitive wildlife habitats.

The park has become an educational facility for local schools, involving plant

Infrastructure Solutions for Tomorrow We build sustainability into our projects. Whether we're working on a road, a park, or a hospital, we see beyond the engineering to the communities that will use them—now and well into the future.

installation and wildlife monitoring. Since opening in spring 2018, the park has become a new “hot spot” for Vancouver-area birders, with over 135 bird species sighted there, along with a wide range of indigenous mammals and amphibians. Meanwhile, ongoing monitoring indicates that the level of heavy metals in the lagoon water has decreased significantly from pre-construction levels.

Blakeburn Lagoons Park, through the introduction of stormwater management infrastructure, natural remediation processes, wildlife features and public amenities, offers an engaging and immersive experience of ecological restoration and renewal. It demonstrates how a degraded landscape can be healed and how contaminated soil and water can be cleaned through the restorative powers of nature. ■

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Clean Energy Solutions: Hydropower Dams in BC

Mica Dam spillway, on the Columbia River north of Revelstoke, British Columbia

By Power & Transportation Group, Klohn Crippen Berger

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ritish Columbia’s hydropower dams have contributed to reducing the impacts of a shifting climate for more than 100 years. In 2019, hydropower continues

to be one of the best ways to meet the challenge of society’s demand for energy in a low-carbon, climate-protecting business environment.

Canada’s 2030 target to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 30% below 2005 levels is ambitious, but here in BC

Leading with Science® Tetra Tech’s innovative, sustainable solutions help our clients address their water, environment, infrastructure, resource management, energy, and international development challenges. We are proud to be home to leading technical experts in every sector and to use that expertise throughout the project life cycle.

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– the fourth-largest producer of electricity in Canada – we believe it can be done.

Achieving the target requires, among other things, phasing out coal-fired power plants across the country and switching to a mix of renewable electricity sources such as hydropower, wind, solar and biomass generation. In BC, where we’ve been drawing upon renewable energy sources for more than a century, we’re ahead of the game. In 2019, 90% of our electricity comes from hydropower, generating close to 16,000 megawatts annually.

BC’s GHG emissions in 2017 were approximately 62 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, or 8% of Canada’s total emissions, accounting for 13% of the population. The future of hydropower in BC continues to be very promising; the province will be a major player in helping Canada to meet its 2030 target.

In the early 1950s, Klohn Crippen Berger (KCB) worked on the Kenney Dam and the Kemano Generating Station on the Nechako River, built to supply power to the Aluminum Company of Canada’s aluminum smelter in Kitimat, and now operated by Rio Tinto. Later that decade, Glenn Crippen, one of KCB’s founders, completed an engineering survey of the

Columbia River to support negotiations between Canada and the U.S.about use of the river, which crosses the border between the two countries.

Under the Columbia River Treaty, three large storage reservoirs would be built on the Canadian side of the Columbia River, for flood control south of the border and for electricity generation. KCB was involved in designing two of the dams: the Hugh Keenleyside Dam in 1968 and the Mica Dam in 1973. The third dam at Revelstoke was built by BC Hydro in 1984.

Currently under renegotiation to address Indigenous rights, climate change and the reintroduction of salmon to the river, the Columbia River Treaty has resulted in a dependable international north-south electricity transmission grid stimulating development in BC and six western states since 1964.

Following the mid-1980s, BC continued to expand its hydropower capacity.

Provincial Crown corporation Columbia Power invested proceeds from the sale of electricity to the U.S. under the Columbia River Treaty to add a power generating plant to the Hugh Keenleyside Dam, and to add new powerhouses to the Brilliant Dam near Castlegar and the Waneta Dam near Trail. BC Hydro is currently constructing a third hydroelectric dam on the

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Peace River, the Site C Clean Energy Project, downriver from the W.A.C. Bennett Dam built in 1968 and the Peace Canyon Dam built in 1980. The Site C Dam is scheduled to generate about 1,100 megawatts of electricity annually starting in 2024 – enough to power about 450,000 homes in BC per year.

Complementing BC ‘s large hydropower facilities, smaller run-of-river hydro plants have powered mines, mills and towns throughout the province for decades. Run-of-river hydropower diverts the natural flow of a river downhill through turbines to generate electricity, without the necessity for a dam. This is a

growing source of renewable energy in BC . In 2014, according to Clean Energy BC, there were 56 run-of-river facilities in the province, and another 25 were in the planning stages.

BC Hydro continues to modernize its large hydropower facilities through seismic upgrades and other dam safety improvements, while enhancing its power generating capacity and efficiency. The John Hart Generating Station in Campbell River on Vancouver Island is a good example. In late 2018, the 70-year-old powerhouse was replaced and moved entirely underground to withstand earthquake forces and upgraded with new

turbines and a water bypass for fish during facility shutdowns.

Looking to the future, adding other renewable energy sources to hydroelectric facilities and storing power for on-demand electricity transmission will reinforce the sustainability of our hydropower resources. Pumped-storage hydropower uses electricity generated from other sources, such as wind turbines, to pump water from a lower elevation to a reservoir at a higher elevation. During periods of high electricity demand, the stored water is released through turbines to generate power.

In BC, a feasibility study is underway

for a pumped-storage facility that would pump water from Lake Revelstoke to a reservoir in the Monashee Mountains in what is known as a “closed-loop” system.

In 2017, the world’s first ultimate hybrid “solar-hydro” power plant was developed in Portugal by floating a solar panel array on the reservoir, feeding 332 megawatt hours into the transmission grid, enough to power 100 homes for a year.

These ideas are models for Canada’s future, as BC’s energy producers and engineering community continue their efforts towards meeting society’s demand for energy in a low-carbon, climate-protecting business environment. ■

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Design with community in mind

10

ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES BRITISH COLUMBIA

ACEC ENGINEERING IN BC

The Future of Stormwater Design In The Face of Climate Change Uncertainty

By Simon Dale-Lace, Senior Project Coordinator, and Elise Paré, Senior Project Manager, WSP

O

ur climate is changing. With a quick search on the internet you will find frequent and widespread reports of the largest, most destructive and intense flooding ever recorded across the globe, as well as here in Canada. Predictions for the future include the intensification of the impacts of climate change and provide an impetus for real change, with many local governments and organizations declaring a climate emergency. However, progress and spending on adaption (and mitigation) are significantly behind the pace of actual climate change.

WSP was commissioned by the District of Elkford and the City of Fernie, BC, to update their rainfall design standards to incorporate the effects of climate change.

Challenge Rainfall pattern design curves, known as intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves, characterize a storm’s intensity and duration with the frequency at which it can be expected to occur (i.e., every year, every five years, every 100 years, etc.). IDF curves are used for the planning, design and maintenance of municipal infrastructure, such as a storm sewer pipe designed to

convey a 10-year storm. They are produced based upon statistical analysis of historic rainfall observations – inherently representative of past rainfall events, rather than future climate change influenced events.

A variety of approaches have been taken to incorporate-climate-change into IDF curves, but these typically focus on a

singular “climate change factor” which can have some significant challenges: Data limitations: Remote communities often have limited historical weather data to base IDF curves on.

Climate projection: An area of science that is relatively new and still maturing, with no universally agreed-upon methodologies.

This issue is compounded by the requirement to represent critical storms, rather than average conditions. As a result, projections from different methodologies can vary significantly.

Infrastructure design life: Infrastructure can have a variety of design lives, ranging from 10 to over 100 years. However, the impacts of climate change are progressive and therefore will change over time, and one stationary value does not represent this.

Constrained municipal budgets: Funding to meet today’s asset management needs, let alone the future, is frequently reported across Canada as inadequate. Allocating additional spending to account for climate change (such as a larger storm sewer size) needs to consider this spending in the context of broader priorities.

We need to plan for an uncertain future.

However, overdesigned infrastructure will lead to increased capital costs, or conversely underdesigned infrastructure could lead to property damage, economic impact and even risk to life. We need to make pragmatic and risk-based decisions to allocate the available funding.

Approach The approach taken by WSP recognizes that there is not one answer to this problem and should be directed based upon the potential consequences of climate change. Four climate projections were produced, low to very high. A guide was produced to lead the user to the appropriate climate projection, based upon the impact of failure and the potential for adaptation in the future. The four-stage process can be summarizd as: Determine time frame: Determine the design life or remaining asset life. Two time frames were determined (2050s and 2080s) to correlate to typical infrastructure design

lives and climate projections.

Consequence analysis: Identify and assess the magnitude of consequences due to failure. For example, flooding could impact roads and private property. Specific consideration of cascade impacts, such as flooding and failure of an electricity substation, followed by subsequent impact to local industry which was not flooded. Individual consequences are then combined to determine the project rating.

Adaptive management potential: Adoption of mitigation measures or different operational policies could be used to mitigate the impacts in the future, when they are better constrained. This step assesses the potential, looking at the cost-benefit ratio, availability of land and future disruption in the example of expanding a roadside ditch.

Climate projection: Combining the time frame, consequence rating and adaptive management potential directs the user to an appropriate climate projection. Those situations where there would be catastrophic impacts with low adaptation potential would result in the very high climate projection. Those with little impacts and infrastructure that could easily be adapted would lead to a low projection.

Conclusion Our approach acknowledges that climate projection is an evolving science and hence has associated uncertainty, but that engineering decisions need to be made now. The approach does not increase the technical confidence in the underlying climate projection, but seeks to systematically address and prioritize risks, based on the best evidence currently available.

We believe that this approach represents a significant improvement from the singular value approach, which potentially results in under-and overdesigned infrastructure.

Ultimately, as climate projection science develops, we must ensure that we account for the level of confidence, and potential consequences of getting it wrong, in our decision-making. Ideally this approach would be combined with a broader change, putting resilience, rather than level of service, at the forefront of decision-making. ■

11

ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES BRITISH COLUMBIA

ACEC ENGINEERING IN BC

Supporting Geohazard Risk Management Decisions in British Columbia

By Kris Holm, P.Geo., and Matthias Jakob, P.Geo., BGC Engineering

M

geohazard characterization and decision-support tools for multi-geohazard risk management across large regions.

and oceans alike. For geoscientists and geological engineers who are interested in modern-day processes shaping the Earth’s surface, it is not only changing temperature but also precipitation that is of interest. For example, increases in rainfall volumes or intensities can change the runoff rate and flow depth in a creek or river. As it does so, banks may get overtopped or eroded, leading to damage. Unfortunately, nature is complicated.

As temperature rises, some watersheds that are mostly snowmelt-dominated may become so-called hybrids, namely those that will have their biggest floods not only during the spring freshet, but perhaps also during fall rainstorms. Watersheds that are already hybrids may become purely rainfall-dominated as snow will become rarer and rarer. Each watershed will respond differently to hydroclimatic changes and thus needs to be analyzed separately. Of particular issue is the predicted increase in both the frequency and magnitude of extreme rainfall. This means that a rainstorm shedding some 100 millimetres of rain in 24 hours today, may produce 130 mm in 24 hours by the end of the century. Turned around, a

collaboration with climate change researchers and access to climate change models, we are able to systematically account for climate change in our prioritization. As development pressures and climate change collude to increase risk to human life and infrastructure, applying the

tools presented becomes increasingly important to help local governments make decisions that reduce harm and increase benefits to society through the management of geohazards. ■

Ore Waste

Now

BGC’s study provides consistent

100-millimeter rainstorm may today have a return period of 50 years, but by the end of the century it may occur, on average, every 20 years. This change has farreaching consequences. Floodplain maps will need to account for future changes in runoff and be redrawn. Developed areas above the 200-year return period floodplain may be more frequently inundated, acknowledging climate change. Another issue associated with climate change is that hotter temperatures and drier summers, as predicted in many regions in BC, will be accompanied by more severe and larger wildfires. The fire seasons of 2017 and 2018 were the most catastrophic ones in BC’s history. Such fires not only destroy a large forest cover, much of which may already be damaged or killed by beetles, but also change the hydrology of various watersheds. Runoff becomes more abrupt and can more easily mobilize large volumes of sediment, especially if a big rainstorm occurs within two years of a big and intense wildfire. The higher the sediment concentration, the easier it is for a creek to pick up even more material.

When such an event reoccurs, a large population and infrastructure will be at risk, perhaps with little or no warning.

In the interior of BC, where so many so-called alluvial fans (half-moon-shaped landforms at the outlet of steep creeks) are developed densely with homes, road and other infrastructure, the change in precipitation and wildfires is likely to result in ever more damaging events. This requires prudent planning and appropriate mitigation in the form of engineered structures or land use zoning.

British Columbia does not have the resources to mitigate on all fans and floodplains alike, especially if mitigation is a moving target. Our work is slated towards prioritizing floodplains and fans by hazard and ultimately risk, supporting taxpayerfunded investment in risk reduction where it is needed most.

BGC’s study provides consistent geohazard characterization and decision-support tools for multi-geohazard risk management across large regions. Through

2015

ountainous regions and valleys of British Columbia suffer from damaging floods, debris floods (a flood with very high sediment transport) and debris flows (a liquid landslide) that often result in property damage, sometimes in loss of life and frequently in the interruption of crucial transportation corridors. Despite the high frequency of damaging geohazard events in BC, systematic identification and assessment of geohazard risk has not yet been completed at a provincial scale.

With local government partners, we are characterizing developed areas exposed to clear-water flood, debris flow and debris flood geohazards across approximately 200,000 square kilometres of southern British Columbia. We prioritize areas using the principles of risk assessment, considering how often a damaging event can occur and what the likely damage would be. The study results will support government partners tasked with long-term geohazard risk-informed development planning, bylaw enforcement, flood resiliency and emergency response planning.

It is now beyond any reasonable doubt that human-caused greenhouse gas emissions have heated up the atmosphere

Tımes change.

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12

ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES BRITISH COLUMBIA

ACEC ENGINEERING IN BC

Deltaport and Centerm Shore Power

By Alex Cosovanu, P.Eng., and David Black P.Eng., PBX Engineering Ltd.

T

he Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) is responsible for the largest and busiest port in Canada, the Port of Vancouver. Its mandate, as outlined under the federal Canada Marine Act, is to contribute to the competitiveness, growth and prosperity of the Canadian economy, while providing a high level of safety, environmental protection and response to local needs and priorities.

In support of this mandate and in alignment with a vision to be the world’s most sustainable port, the VFPA and the federal government provided funding for the design and installation of shore power facilities for container vessels at two terminals in BC: Deltaport in Delta, operated by GCT Canada, and Centerm in Vancouver, operated by DP World Vancouver. Container vessels have a continuous power demand and run their diesel-burning engines nonstop while at berth to provide power to essential loads, such as refrigerated containers housing perishable goods, and propulsion, heating, ventilation, navigation and emergency systems. Prior to the implementation of shore power systems, container vessels would employ their diesel generator engines to power vessel loads and, as a result, would significantly contribute to local air and noise pollution. Shore power is an innovative solution that allows container vessels at berth to plug directly

into the local hydroelectric grid and shut down their diesel-burning engines, saving fuel and reducing emissions.

The challenge in developing shore power systems for both Centerm and Deltaport

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terminals was to design a power distribution system capable of supporting various sizes and types of vessels while also taking into account the unique existing infrastructure at each container terminal.

Centerm, for example, had existing conduits to run electrical cables to its berth face, while Deltaport required new duct banks, which involved direction drilling and coring under and through existing rail foundations to establish a path for routing electrical cables to the berth face. With this new infrastructure in place, Deltaport now has all of its shore power distribution equipment at the berth face while the equipment at Centerm is at a separate substation. Additionally, in order to accommodate existing electrical distribution voltages, the Deltaport shore power system was designed with a primary distribution voltage of 69 kV versus Centerm’s 12.5 kV. These, and other, unique pre-existing conditions at each terminal were taken into consideration at each step of the design and construction phases. Furthermore, shore power systems are required to be designed in compliance with rigorous international standards set by a collaboration of industry subject matter experts from around the world.

PBX Engineering Ltd. reached out to the international working group that developed and administers the IEC/ISO/ IEEE 80005-1 International Standard for High Voltage Shore Connection (HVSC) Systems, before initiating the design for the Centerm shore power project. PBX engineers gathered information regarding the best practices from industry experts to maximize the ability for ships to connect to the shore power system, achieve uninterrupted power load transfer during the transition from diesel generation to electrical power, and improve the safety for operations personnel involved in the connection process. These collaborative meetings helped to clarify various aspects of the project design, vessel commissioning requirements, shore power connection, vessel mooring position,

and protection and co-ordination requirements.

The benefits of the shore power systems at Deltaport and Centerm are significant.

The elimination of continually running diesel engines from vessels at berth greatly reduces noise levels for those living and working in proximity to the ports.

Vessels connected via shore power are ensured adequate electrical supply from BC Hydro’s clean electrical power grid – in 2016, BC Hydro announced that 98.3% of its power generated came from clean or renewable resources.

For each large ship at berth for 60 hours, it is estimated that around 90 tonnes of air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions will be eliminated by utilizing shore power.

To put this in perspective, each vessel connection is the equivalent of removing approximately 20 passenger vehicles from Vancouver’s roads for one year.

To incentivize vessels to undergo shore power conversion, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority offers shore power-specific discounts on harbour dues. As a result of more vessels being provided with shore power connection infrastructure and the continuous growth of vessel sizes, the projected emissions savings will increase proportionally.

The design prepared by PBX sets a high benchmark for the safety and effectiveness of future shore power projects in Canada.

Building upon the implementation of the Centerm system, Deltaport Shore Power is one of the first of its kind in the world to adopt a direct ship-to-shore control link, enabling a safer and more reliable connection process. This innovative system serves as a model for other Canadian terminals considering shore power, supports Federal and provincial green energy goals, attracts ships with shore power infrastructure and encourages unequipped ships to install shore power systems. It is an industryleading, innovative, made-in-BC solution that applies local engineering expertise – preserving the natural environment and the health of the general public. ■

13

ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES BRITISH COLUMBIA

ACEC ENGINEERING IN BC

Going Beyond Engineering

innovative energy thinkers to design, pilot and demonstrate disruptive technology, by seeing carbon as a commodity, rather than a conundrum, in order to protect the public and environment from devastating climate change.

The global population needs air and

technologies, will result in interrupting the negative global climate change.

Steve Oldham, Carbon Engineering’s CEO, at the Montreal Movin’On conference in May 2018 stated, “On a nice sunny day, take your kids for a car ride. Roll up the windows and turn the heat on. What do you think is going to happen? The temperature is going to get higher and higher and your kids are going to tell you, ‘Mom, turn the heat off.’ So the good news is that we are turning the heat off by finding ways to reduce emissions. But pretty soon, your kids are going to tell that it’s still kinda hot in the car. You open the sunroof and that is what CO2 removal does.”

Carbon Engineering’s technology (www. carbonengineering.com) removes CO2 from the atmosphere by using an industrially scalable direct air capture (DAC) technology to produce a stream of pure, compressed CO2 that can be stored underground or be used to produce clean synthetic fuel with its Air to Fuels technology, which ultimately reduces emissions. Simply, a Carbon Engineering plant breathes in CO2 and exhales clean-burning transportation fuel. The 2018 global CO2 emissions were estimated at around 37 billion tons per year. One Carbon Engineering plant will do the work of 40 million trees (equivalent to 1 Mt of CO2 at an economic scale of $100 to $150 per tonne) to remove CO2, which means it would take merely 37,000 Carbon Engineering plants to maintain global CO2 emissions.

Carbon Engineering has refined both of its innovative, trademarked technologies (DAC and Air to Fuel) at its pilot plant in Squamish, BC, and is currently building a demonstration-sized plant.

Steeper Energy, however, has its innovative rethinking focused on developing advanced biofuels from low-value waste (e.g., wood waste, green matter, plastics,

waste treatment facilities, just like water treatment facilities. We need to rethink how to move molecules around to create a public and environmental benefit that would otherwise be harmful. The facilities need to address cost, and be measured, demonstrable at a large scale, environmentally beneficial and sound in terms of engineering. In British Columbia, we have many different types of waste that require many different ways to transform these conundrums into commodities. BBA Engineering is working with innovative engineers from two disruptive organizations (i.e., Carbon Engineering and Steeper Energy), both with slightly different approaches to using CO2. They both focus on seeing molecules differently, which, with global execution of their

sewage, agricultural waste) with its trademarked technology called HydrofactionTM (i.e., hydrothermal liquefaction) that was first piloted in Denmark (https://steeperenergy.com/). This proprietary technology has the ability to mitigate waste accumulation and reduce typical biofuel feedstock supply risks as well as the demand for other types of biofuel sources (e.g., corn) that would otherwise interfere with the human food supply, meanwhile reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the biofuel produced from HydrofactionTM by an estimated 70% to 78%. Basically, the hydrothermal liquefaction technology involves high-density, supercritical water with recirculation of organics to oil.

The distinctly higher pressures and temperatures applied during HydrofactionTM,

By Trina Hoffarth, EP, ISSP-SA Project Manager – Environment, BBA

T

he No. 1 principle of the BC engineers’ Code of Ethics is to hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and the protection of the environment.

In British Columbia, engineers feel that incorporating climate change mitigation strategies (e.g., carbon capture and sequestration, carbon emission reductions, efficient use of carbon) into their design work is premised on that principle, and that innovating processes that enable the public to adapt to the rapidly changing climate (e.g., extreme temperatures, weather events, rising sea levels, drought) is equally critical. Engineering firms are merging their expertise with the expertise of passionate climate change makers and

The global population needs air and waste treatment facilities, just like water treatment facilities.

Steeper Energy’s Hydrofaction™ process relative to the critical point of water to maintain a high-water density, enhance the properties of supercritical water as a reaction medium for biomass conversion to renewable oil. With engineering underway for strategic demonstration plants in both Canada and Norway, Steeper Energy will leverage learnings and further derisking, and plans to operate its first commercial plant by 2024.

Engineers in innovative organizations like Carbon Engineering, Steeper Energy and BBA Engineering will likely be revered for their dedication to their No. 1 principle and remembered for their contribution to progressive air and waste treatment solutions that moved molecules around in different ways than ever before, not only turning down the heat, but opening up the sunroof in the car. ■

14

ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES BRITISH COLUMBIA

ACEC ENGINEERING IN BC

Practical Innovation Helps White Rock Adapt and Rebuild

By Daniel Leonard, Vice-President, Westmar Advisors

I

n late December 2018, a powerful storm swept over the Lower Mainland. As the storm raged during the day, media reports provided continuous updates on the worsening situation at the White Rock waterfront, including a dramatic helicopter rescue of an individual who had become stranded on the far end of the severed White Rock Pier.

At the time of the storm, Westmar Advisors had been assisting the City of White Rock with planning studies related to the pier. As the gravity of the situation at the pier became apparent, city staff reacted quickly and contacted Westmar Advisors to seek assistance in assessing the impact of the storm in the hopes that any damage could be repaired in a timely manner.

The decision was made to conduct an immediate inspection that night, with a focus on the badly damaged White Rock pier. The entire waterfront had been severely impacted, with extensive damage to the shoreline protection and washedup logs covering the landscaped areas.

The marina and the vessels within it were 90% destroyed and a 100-metre section of the pier was missing. It was clear from the results of the inspection that a quick fix was not going to be possible and that

www.westmaradvisors.com

Adapt with Innovation Practical Solutions For Marine Infrastructure In a Changing World

an informed, strategic approach would be needed.

A review of the storm concluded that most of the damage was due to a large storm surge that coincided with the highest tide of the day and strong winds.

Once the extent of damage was understood, the storm was analyzed, and a discussion was held to examine the potential for similar storms to increase in frequency over the years as a result of sea level rise and climate change. It was determined that it would not be adequate to return things back to the way they were before the storm and that any new structures would need to be more robust and be able to accommodate a rise in sea level.

Time was of the essence to reopen White Rock’s main attraction. Work began immediately to remove debris from the beach and to raise areas of the shoreline that had been inundated with waves and logs, as well as areas that were washed out during the storm. Simultaneously with the beach and shoreline repairs, work began to reconstruct White Rock’s iconic pier.

The design requirements for the new pier sections were challenging. The new sections would require a stronger design that could resist future storms, accommodate sea level rise, withstand the seismic event specified by current codes, and support an emergency vehicle. A big part of the challenge was that the new sections of the pier could not be built higher than the existing sections but had to enable the pier to be raised in the future to account for sea level rise. In addition, the design had to be cost-effective, quick to install and structurally and visually compatible with the existing pier.

Westmar Advisors’ solution was to design the reconstructed pier with steel pipe

piles that matched the look of the original timber piles. The steel pipe piles were filled with concrete and topped with precast concrete pile caps. Detailed computer modelling of the soils under the beach utilized data from a borehole drilled into the beach during a midnight low tide and a geophysical survey to prove that ground improvement would not be required to mitigate against soil liquefaction.

Modular deck panels made of precast concrete were combined with timber decking and timber handrails to match the look of the original Pier. The deck panels use an innovative design that allows them to be unbolted and spacer blocks to be placed on top of the pile caps to efficiently and economically raise the elevation of the Pier in the future.

The beach and shoreline repairs were completed by mid-April and the pier opened to the public on August 27, in time for the Labour Day long weekend. It was a significant achievement that within months of the decision to proceed, and without any permits in place at the start of the project, 100 metres of new marine structure could be successfully installed.

A large part of the success can be credited to the engagement and working dynamics of the project team, including city staff, multiple stakeholders and Westmar Advisors’ subconsultants (Hatfield Consultants and EXP).

The White Rock Pier reconstruction project is an example of how practical approaches and project execution can be combined with design innovation to effectively replace aging or vulnerable waterfront infrastructure. This provides a way to meet current functional and budgetary requirements while planning to economically adapt to future sea level rise and climate change impacts. ■

15

ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES BRITISH COLUMBIA

ACEC ENGINEERING IN BC

BC’s Engineers and Geoscientists Are Helping Address Climate Change

By Engineers and Geoscientists BC

T

he province’s engineers and geoscientists play a key role in developing solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change, and they are facing increasing expectations from clients and employers to address climate change in their professional work.

Engineers and Geoscientists BC—the regulatory authority for all 37,000 engineers and geoscientists in BC—has officially committed to increasing awareness about this issue among its registrants, and to providing more resources to engineering and geoscience professionals about how to consider the impact of climate change in their work.

A recent survey showed that a clear majority of engineers and geoscientists in BC want to consider climate change in their work; 64% are already taking action, but many (43%) find it difficult to do so.

That’s why Engineers and Geoscientists BC is dedicated to educating professional registrants about climate change, and equipping them with tools to consider climate change implications in their work. Our Climate Change Advisory Group, comprising senior engineers and geoscientists with subject-matter expertise on this issue, has worked diligently to build resources for professionals to assist

them in expanding their knowledge and skillset.

We’ve created an online portal with extensive resources and tools that influence and guide engineering and geoscience projects. We’ve also participated in initiatives to advance energy codes, reduce emissions and improve infrastructure resilience, while establishing dedicated staff resources to support climate-related initiatives. And we’ve developed practice guidelines that help establish the standard of practice on climate considerations for highway infrastructure design, building code requirements, and water system risk management planning.

In April, we committed to an action plan that will lead to more support for engineers and geoscientists as they address climate change in their work. We’re committed to building the knowledge and skillset of our registrants in this area, and clarifying their regulatory obligations as professional engineers and geoscientists.

Our work on this issue intends to support a future where engineering and geoscience projects can be counted on as part of the solution. ■

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