Canadian Consulting Engineer August September 2014 by Annex Business Media

For professional engineers in private practice

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contents

August/September 2014 Volume 55, No. 5

features Cover: Jasper Place Library, Edmonton. Photograph courtesy Williams Engineering Canada. See story p. 16

Finance. To Lease or Buy? See story p. 50.

departments Comment

Up Front

ACEC Review

Products 60 Advertiser Index

Next issue: 2014 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards! Full coverage of the 20 winning projects.

Symphony of Design - Jasper Place Library. The building systems and bold architecture of an Edmonton library work in concert. By Bronwen Parsons

Edmontonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nerve Centre. The city manages the HVAC systems of 145 buildings from a central control. By Nordahl Flakstad

Natural Balance. The acoustical design for the Thunder Bay Courthouse departs from standard practice. By Steve Titus, P.Eng., Aercoustics

Justice Upheld. Security systems are critical at the Waterloo Region Courthouse in southwest Ontario. By Bronwen Parsons

Tight on Energy. Valley Waste Resource Management Administration Building in Kentville, N.S. By Tom Watson, CBCL & Keith Robertson, Solterre Design

The Evolution of Lighting Controls. New design possibilities, but more proprietary systems. By Andrew Parker, P.Eng., Salex

Climate Change and Buildings. The PIEVC five-step protocol helps to predict the life of structures. By Gerald R. Genge, P.Eng., and Brian Burton

Overcladding. Sturdy 1960s apartment towers in Toronto would benefit from having a new skin. By Gerald R. Genge, P.Eng., and Brian Burton

on topic Engineers & the Law. Rooftop Farms. By Laura D. Kumpf, Miller Thomson LLP 46

Finance. To Lease or Buy? By Kelly Kolke, Grant Thornton, LLP

Business. Quality Management Systems. By Shirley McLaren, Klohn Crippen Berger 48

Conversations. Kristen Poff and ACEC-Manitobaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TWICE committee.

August/September 2014

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engineer FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE

comment

C A N A D I A N C O N S U LT I N G

Editor

The Internet’s advance: utopia or dystopia?

uch is the advance of communications technology that our computers, cell phones and other devices now enable watchers to see where we go, what we buy, what we Skype and what we write. The watchers are apparently government bodies, corporations and hackers. The fact is, as soon as you go online, you’re a potential open book. The vast communications network that now covers most of the world is a wonder. At the Pan Am Games in Toronto next year, 40 venues spread over a 200-kilometre radius will be linked to a feed that will instantly transmit highdefinition images of the athletes in action. Every bead of sweat, every taut muscle, every grimace and every triumphant air punch can be beamed live over the internet to millions of viewers worldwide. Maybe I’ve read too many dystopian novels. Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Huxley’s Brave New World, Orwell’s 1984, and more recently Collins’ The Hunger Games, all have a population kept malleable and dulled by a constant diet of entertainment – life lived vacariously by watching others suffer on a screen. There has been much discussion recently about the impact of electronic communications on our brains. Books warn that our thirst for distraction creates shallow thinking. Multi-tasking is counter-productive, they say. Others agree that constant connectivity is indeed changing how our brains are wired, but that it could be a good thing. An article in Maclean’s (July 21) entitled “Get Ready for Generation Z” quotes pediatrician Michael Rich of Harvard. He says that while children today are “rewarded for not staying on task, but for jumping to the next thing,” this frenzied activity is useful. “What we’re actually watching is adaptive reflexes – faster switching and more active working memories.” Baby boomers are awed by young people’s ability to multi-task and swiftly navigate the digital world. During a panel discussion at the ACEC Summit in Winnipeg in June, a grey haired presenter said how impressed he was to find his son up at midnight writing an engineering proposal while simultaneously playing chess online with someone half way around the world. So why am I so uneasy with all this digital chit chat and creativity? Why do I recoil from the idea of Michael Jackson revived as a hologram, or Arup’s computerized human OVE that “has a skeleton, a respiratory system, sweats, gets hungry and even has a heart.” Why does it seem a little too strange that doctors are treating patients with anxiety disorders in “caring rooms” where they are surrounded by walls projecting colourful electronic images of flowers, stars and “colourful bubble making machines.” And what’s wrong with surveillance? After all, if you’re not a criminal, not a terrorist, and if you’re not viewing child pornography, what is there to fear? Don’t the watchers simply keep us safe? And isn’t the Internet helping to open up all our minds to different cultures and countries? Yes, but at the same time I can’t help thinking that we are losing something deeply human within ourselves when we become obsessed by the digital world. And an organization capable of monitoring your every move, is also presumably capable of subtly controlling it. That might seem far-fetched today, but please do remember that it is possible. Bronwen Parsons 4

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Bronwen Parsons E-mail: bparsons@ccemag.com (416) 510-5119

Senior Publisher

Maureen Levy E-mail: mlevy@ccemag.com (416) 510-5111 Art Director

Ellie Robinson Contributing Editor

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Vince Naccarato E-mail: vnaccarato@ccemag.com (416) 510-5118 Editorial Advisors

Bruce Bodden, P.Eng., Gerald Epp, P.Eng., Chris Newcomb, P.Eng., Laurier Nichols, ing., Lee Norton, P.Eng., Jonathan Rubes, P.Eng., Paul Ruffell, P.Eng., Andrew Steeves, P.Eng. Circulation

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President, Business Information Group (BIG)

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80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9 Tel: (416) 442-5600 Fax: (416) 510-5134 CANADIAN CONSULTING ENGINEER is published by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. EDITORIAL PURPOSE: Canadian Consulting Engineer magazine covers innovative engineering projects, news and business information for professional engineers engaged in private consulting practice. The editors assume no liability for the accuracy of the text or its fitness for any particular purpose. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Canada, 1 year $60.95; 2 years $91.95 + taxes Single copy $8.00 Cdn + taxes. (HST 809751274-RT0001). United States U.S. $60.95. Foreign U.S. $60.95. PRINTED IN CANADA. Title registered at Trademarks O ffice, Ottawa. Copyright 1964. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the copyright owner(s). ISSN: 0008-3267 (print), ISSN: 1923-3337 (digital) POSTAL INFORMATION: Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept., Canadian Consulting Engineer, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9. USPS 016-099. US office of publication: 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY 14304-5709. Periodicals postage paid at Niagara Falls, NY. US Postmaster: send address changes to Canadian Consulting Engineer, PO Box 1118, Niagara Falls NY 14304.

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August/September 2014

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Harbourside Engineering.

up front

PROFESSION

Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge, Ottawa.

Stranderd-Armstrong Bridge opens A new bridge across the Rideau River in the south end of Ottawa was being hailed as a landmark at its opening on July 12. Delcan, now Parsons, designed the bridge, while Harbourside Engineering Consultants of Charlottetown, P.E.I. were engineers for the contractor, Horseshoe Hill Construction. Harbourside did the conceptual, preliminary and detailed construction and erection engineering. Erecting the bridge was complicated. The Rideau River is a designated UNESCO world heritage site, which meant the construction’s environmental impact had to be strictly controlled. The navigation channel also had to remain open from May to October, during which no overhead work could take place from Friday to Monday. Since traditional construction methods were not possible, Harbourside designed an innovative erection method which allowed 90% of the steel superstructure to be erected on temporary supports on the east approach. The structure was then launched into place across the river. COMMUNICATIONS

PanAm Games hungry for bandwidth The organizing committee of Toronto’s

2015 PanAm and ParaPan games reported in July that construction is “hitting the home stretch.” The TO2015 Committee said that overall the venues are under budget and most will be completed this fall. Meanwhile, a vast communications network is being set up to connect the venues, which are spread out over the Golden Horseshoe, from Hamilton and Welland in the southwest, to Oshawa in BP/CCE

TRANSPORTATION

OIQ investigations dropped The Quebec Order of Engineers (OIQ) has decided not to lay disciplinary charges in 11 of the 12 cases it has been investigating over the fatal collapse of an overpass in Laval. When a 20-metre slab of concrete fell from the De la Concorde overpass in 2006 it resulted in the death of five people who were travelling on Highway 19 below it, and injuries to another six. Chantal Michaud, the head of the OIQ disciplinary syndicate, said the cases were closed because it was not possible to build an airtight case involving a project whose design went back to the 1960s. BUILDINGS

PanAm Athletes’ Village under construction last year.

the east, and north to cottage country. The network links not just competition venues, but also facilities such as the Games’ main operations centre, the technology operations centre, and Pearson International Airport. Jeff Seifert, chief technology officer with Cisco, which in combination with other sponsors is providing the communications technology for the Toronto Games, says the infrastructure has to cover an area with a radius of about 200 kilometres. This is much

Lower Mainland calling for building energy use reports A group of local governments in the Lower Mainland of B.C., including the City of Vancouver, has approved a motion, “Benchmarking Tools for Building Energy Use.” The resolution supports requiring large building owners to report their facilities’ energy consumption, likely on an annual basis. The information would be published on a website for public consumption and comparison.

continued on page 8 6

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Do your best work.

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continued from page 6

larger than the 20-kilometre radius for the Commonwealth Games heldthis summer in Glasgow. The infrastructure must carry an enormous stream of data for a host of systems: competition scoring and timing systems, high-definition television broadcasting, two-way immersive teleconferencing, and data such as security information for 20,000 volunteers. “Where the bandwidth really becomes hungry,” says Seifert, “is in the combination of spectators and the media — not just broadcasting, but also photographers with their digital cameras firing off thousands of pictures.” In a stadium of 15,000 to 20,000 people, about half the spectators could be on the internet through their mobile devices at any one time. Dedicated fibre optic cabling, or “Dark Fiber,” will stream 10 gigabytes per second over the network. The data will be processed in two data centres that are geographically separated, as well as in the Cloud. Today the technology is so miniaturized says Seifert, “What 10 years ago used to take up 1,500 square feet of space in a data centre, can now fit in one cabinet. “The building systems, whether it be lighting, security, a badge reader, the CCTV video surveillance — all these are going on the internet protocol and on the same network. So [the challenge is] how you keep all these things on the one network very reliable and also very secure.” Another issue is overcoming wire-

less radio transmission difficulties in stadiums with heavy concrete structures and large masses of people. “People are mostly made of water, which, like concrete can absorb a lot of radio wave,” says Seifert. “So large sporting events and venues necessitate a specialized kind of skill set that is a crossover of technology engineering and understanding structural engineering.” NATURAL RESOURCES

First Nations ruling could scuttle resource projects The Fraser Institute of Vancouver issued a scathing response to the Supreme Court ruling related to Tsilhqot’in Nation at the end of June. That ruling gave the First Nation title to 1,700 square kilometres of land in the interior of British Columbia. On July 10, the Institute wrote: “This Court ruling all but guarantees increased uncertainty for natural resource projects in Canada.... In provinces like B.C., future natural resource projects may be scuttled, and existing projects may be halted or shut down. The Institute noted that this is the first time in Canadian history that a declaration of Aboriginal title (the right to land or territory) has been recognized outside an Indian reserve. And unlike previous judgments, the ruling states that Aboriginal title can extend to all traditional territories and is not limited to specific villages. This is particularly important in B.C. where one-third of the country’s First

Nations reserves reside and where outstanding claims involve more than 100 per cent of the province’s land. COMPANIES

AECOM buys URS In July AECOM announced a definitive agreement to acquire URS Corporation. The transaction is expected to close in October. URS is based in San Francisco, but has 60 offices across Canada. The transaction was worth US $6 billion and was “expected to realize US$250 million in annual cost-saving synergies, nearly all of which will be achieved by the end of fiscal year 2016.” PEOPLE

Quebec’s Desrochers leaves Johanne Desrochers, who was president-director general of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Quebec (AICQ) for 28 years, left the association in May. She gave a Johanne final address at the as- Desrochers sociation’s annual conference in Montreal on June 10. Canadian Consulting Engineer published an extensive interview with Ms. Desrochers in the March-April 2014 issue (p. 44). She discussed the allegations of corruption in the construction industry in Quebec, and said how she hoped to build up confidence in the engineering sector again.

Patrick Bernath/Cdn.Press/CCE

up front

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www.canadianconsultingengineer.com August/September 2014

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW

CHAIR’S MESSAGE

As an industry, let’s embrace diversity

s the new Chair of ACEC, I am both honoured and excited to be taking over the leadership of this dynamic organization. I look forward to working with the ACEC Board of Directors to tackle the concerns of our Member Organiza tions (MOs) and member firms and col lectively taking action. The first step will be to ascertain needs through listening and dialogue. We must help our MOs – and consequently the national organization – build and retain membership through strong engagement. I know that some of the MOs are looking carefully at what constitutes a member firm in the context of their current by-laws. As an extension of this, we must also ex amine the overall structure of ACEC and our MOs and determine if there are structural changes that would allow us to act with more agility and demonstrate value to our members. In line with this, I believe that we must under take a discussion about the diversity of member firms, our

MOs and our industry in general, recognizing the chang es in our industry over the past decade. On the subject of diversity, I was recently privileged to attend a reception showcasing a marvelous initiative in Manitoba – Technical Women in Consulting Engi neering (TWICE). It was a wonderful eye opener, rein forcing the fact that diversity is indeed a huge chal lenge in our industry. It is not just a question of women; it is a question of diversity in all aspects of our Canadi an population. I am very excited by this and would like to see ACEC supporting more initiatives like TWICE across the country. If, by embracing diversity, we are indeed bettering society then we must take an active part as this builds on our mis sion to recognize and reward our members’ expertise and contributions to society. These are exciting times for our industry and I very much look forward to the year ahead. ANNE POSCHMANN, P.ENG. CHAIR, ACEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MESSAGE DE LA PRÉSIDENTE DU CONSEIL

En tant qu’industrie, il nous faut accueillir la diversité

titre de nouvelle présidente du conseil d’adminis tration de l’AFIC, je suis honorée d’avoir été choisie pour diriger cette organisation dynamique. C’est avec beaucoup d’enthousiasme et d’engagement que je travaillerai avec le conseil d’administration pour traiter des enjeux qui sont importants à nos organisations membres (OMs) et à nos firmes membres, et pour prendre des ac tions collectives pour le bien de notre industrie. Dans la première étape de mon mandat et du nouveau conseil, nous évaluerons les besoins de nos membres par l’écoute et le dialogue. Nous devons aider nos OMs à ac cueillir de nouvelles firmes membres et à conserver les membres existants en les engageant dans nos activités. Certaines OMs ont entrepris d’examiner ce qui constitue une firme membre selon leurs statuts. Dans ce contexte, nous devons aussi examiner la structure de l’AFIC et de nos OMs et déterminer si des changements à ces structures nous donneraient plus de flexibilité tout en nous permettant de démontrer notre proposition de valeur à nos membres. En visant ces objectifs, je considère qu’il nous faut entrepren dre une discussion sur la diversité de nos firmes membres, de nos OMs et de notre industrie en général, reconnais

sant les changements dans notre industrie au cours de la dernière décennie. Toujours sur la question de diversité, j’ai récemment eu le privilège d’assister à une réception organisée pour mettre en valeur une merveilleuse initiative au Manitoba, soit la création de la Technical Women in Consulting Engineering (TWICE). Cet événement très révélateur a renforcé le fait que la promotion de la diversité demeure un énorme défi dans notre industrie. Et ce n’est pas seulement une question des femmes en ingénierie; c’est une question de diversité dans tous les aspects de la population canadienne. Je suis très motivée par l’occasion qui m’a été donnée de relever ce défi, et j’aimerais que l’AFIC appuie d’autres initia tives comme TWICE partout au pays. En adoptant la diver sité, et si nous améliorons ainsi la société, nous devons pren dre une part active dans l’atteinte de cet objectif qui fait d’ailleurs partie de notre mission qui est de faire reconnaître l’expertise de nos membres et leurs contributions à la société. L’avenir de notre industrie demeure très prometteur et je vois la prochaine année avec beaucoup d’optimisme. ANNE POSCHMANN, P.ENG. PRÉSIDENTE DU CONSEIL DE L’AFIC

August/September 2014 Canadian Consulting Engineer

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW

ACEC Members Adopt Principles for Business Integrity

y way of a resolution passed at its annual general meeting, the mem bers of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - Canada (ACEC) unanimously adopted a State ment of Principles and Polices pertain ing to business integrity and transpar ency. The adopted principles were recommended by an ACEC Task Force led by outgoing ACEC Chair Jason Mewis and are consistent with those of the International Federation of Con sulting Engineers (FIDIC). The full text of the resolution is as follows: ACEC Statement of Principles and Policies: Business Integrity and Transparency The vision of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies Canada (ACEC) is a successful, trusted and sustainable consulting engineer ing industry. This will be accomplished based upon five principles: • Delivering value to society as an in dustry and as a profession; • Providing a national voice for our members; • Promoting integrity and transparency; • Providing strategic leadership; and • Promoting quality, innovation and sustainability. ACEC recognizes that consulting engineering firms make a vital contri bution to the economic, social and en vironmental well-being of people and institutions across Canada and globally. Consequently, consulting engineering firms occupy a unique position of re

sponsibility and trust. The onus is on the consulting engineering sector to live up to this responsibility and trust. In joining the worldwide effort to combat corruption, ACEC has joined the International Federation of Con sulting Engineers (FIDIC) in support ing anti-corruption initiatives, pro moting the highest ethical standards, and recommending the development and implementation of best practices in integrity management. ACEC and FIDIC both advocate the following principle: The consulting engineering sector has zero tolerance toward bribery, extortion, coercion, fraud, collusion, conflict of interest and activities that may attempt to influence the selection or compensation of the company or affect its impartial judgment. In keeping with this principle, ACEC further recommends that mem ber firms: • Formulate and subscribe to an inter nal Code of Conduct for all employees; • Develop and implement their own Integrity Management Systems and Best Practices focusing on the preven tion of corruption, fraud, collusion, and conflict of interest; • Recognize that the system must demonstrate the commitment of se nior management to integrity and should involve the entire staff; • Associate themselves only with other companies, organizations and clients that share similar ethical standards; • Co-operate with clients, stakehold

ers and authorities including those responsible for regulating profes sional services which seek to re duce corruption; • Recommend to their clients the most appropriate procurement pro cess or delivery system, consistent with the demands of the project; • Notify clients and/or relevant proj ect funding or delivery agencies of any irregularities in procurement; and • Ensure that their employees and agents are aware of local laws regard ing corruption and promptly report criminal behaviour to the proper authorities. In addition, ACEC will work with its Member Organizations to: • Assist member firms in developing appropriate Integrity Management Systems and Best Practices by provid ing access to guides, tools, training and general support, recognizing that the required level of detail and com plexity may vary among firms; • Advocate for legislation in their re spective jurisdictions aimed at curbing and penalizing corrupt practices; • Cooperate and collaborate with other organizations, industries and agencies including Engineers Canada which seek to reduce corruption; and • Determine appropriate responses to any known criminal or unethical be haviour to the proper authorities. These principles and polices are based in part upon Guidelines for Integrity Management in the Consulting Industry, Part I – Policies and Principles, 1st Edition (FIDIC, 2011).

Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Canada (ACEC-Canada), 420-130 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5G4, tel: (613) 236-0569, fax: (613) 236-6193, info@acec.ca, www.acec.ca. ACEC Member Organizations: Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – British Columbia, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Yukon, Consulting Engineers of Alberta, Consulting Engineers of Northwest Territories, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Saskatchewan, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Manitoba, Consulting Engineers of Ontario, Association des Ingénieursconseils du Québec, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – New Brunswick, Consulting Engineers of Nova Scotia, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Prince Edward Island, Consulting Engineers of Newfoundland and Labrador. 12

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW

ACEC Leadership Summit 2014: Business Innovation for the 21st Century

eaders and emerging leaders in Canada’s consulting engineering sector were on hand in Winnipeg, June 19-21, for ACEC’s 2014 Leader ship Summit – three days packed with valuable learning sessions, networking opportunities and social events. The conference kicked off with a technical tour of Winnipeg’s awardwinning Manitoba Hydro Place, rec ognized for excellence in design and energy efficiency. With a focus on in novation, the two-day business pro gram featured sessions on: the state of business innovation in Canada; trends and outlook for the consulting engi neering industry; leveraging innova tion through project delivery; manag ing risks and creating opportunity; fostering an innovative culture in the workplace; and success strategies for the age of innovation. At ACEC’s annual general meeting on June 20, Anne Poschmann as sumed the leadership of the associa tion’s Board of Directors as Chair for 2014-2015. Ms. Poschmann is a Princi pal and Geotechnical Engineer at Golder Associates Ltd. and is the first female Board Chair in ACEC’s 89-year history. In her remarks to ACEC members, Ms. Poschmann noted her priorities for the coming year: devel opment of a strategic member en gagement plan; review of ACEC’s or ganizational structure to identify op portunities for membership growth and retention; working together as an industry to demonstrate value to cli ents; and addressing the issue of diver sity within the industry. Contributions to industry and ACEC recognized At an evening gala, outgoing Chair Jason Mewis presented the Chair’s Award to Susie Grynol for her excep tional contribution to ACEC and the

Top: ACEC’s Leadership Summit: a unique industry conference that focuses on the business of consulting engineering. Above left: AECOM’s David Nagy is recipient of the 2015 Allen D. Williams Scholarship award. Above right: Jason Mewis hands over leadership of ACEC’s Board of Directors to new Chair Anne Poschmann

consulting engineering industry. During the nine years that Ms. Grynol served on ACEC’s staff, she was a dynamic and tireless champion of the association and the industry. As Vice-President of Policy and Pub lic Affairs, she played a major role in many of ACEC’s key initiatives, in cluding government advocacy and public relations. AECOM’s David Nagy was awarded the 2015 Allen D. Williams Scholar

ship. Awarded annually, the scholar ship is provided to a Young Profes sional employed by an ACEC member firm who demonstrates a commitment to the consulting engineering indus try in their province or territory. Mr. Nagy will receive funding to attend the annual conference of the Interna tional Federation of Consulting Engi neers (FIDIC). The scholarship com memorates Allen D. Williams, a PastChair of ACEC.

August/September 2014 Canadian Consulting Engineer

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW

ACEC Supports Members’ Right to Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

he Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada (ACEC) is aware that there are mu nicipalities (and other public agen cies) that are prohibiting engineering firms and contractors from participat ing in procurement opportunities with the municipality, sometimes for an extended period of time, if they are or have been engaged in either litigation or alternative dispute resolu tion (ADR) with that municipality. ACEC categorically opposes this prac tice. In support of its members, ACECCanada’s Board of Directors has for mally adopted the following position

on procurement during litigation and alternative dispute resolution: Every Canadian has the right to go to court, this being one of the fundamental freedoms enjoyed by Canadians by way of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Consequently, ACEC-Canada believes that its member firms have the legal and contractual right to engage in litigation and/or alternative dispute resolution (ADR) with their public clients and have the right to defend themselves without threat. ACEC therefore opposes the practice by public owners of excluding firms from participating in procurement opportunities or otherwise penalizing them for past or cur-

rent claims and disputes with that owner or other owners. ACEC believes such sanctions by public clients effectively coerce member firms into not exercising their legal rights (both in law and contractually) by threat of barring them from participating in projects if they are or have been legitimately involved in litigation, arbitration or alternative dispute resolution. ACEC member firms are entitled to due process. Further, such sanctions penalize firms even when litigation or ADR shows that the firms have been proven to be in the right, or even when clientlaunched actions are proven to be frivolous and vexatious.

2014 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards Gala October 23, 2014, Ottawa, Ontario Showcasing exceptional talent and achievement in Canadian consulting engineering The Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards are the showcase of our business. They are instrumental in making known the great work that engineers do, and our companies do. It’s of great value to our clients and inspirational to our young professionals.

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ACEC member firms are invited to attend a celebration in recognition of Canada’s finest engineering accomplishments. Co-sponsored by ACEC-Canada and Canadian Consulting Engineer magazine, the awards gala is a premier networking event that brings together government and industry leaders and other dignitaries for an evening of excellence and elegance.

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August/September 2014

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buildings

SYMPHONY OF DESIGN

JASPER PLACE LIBRARY

The building systems and architectural form of a new library in Edmonton work in concert. BY BRONWEN PARSONS

The building has a striking presence with its undulating concrete roof above a transparent glass front.

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buildings

“A

chieving a tight integration with the architecture was one of the most memorable achievements in this project,” says Chad Musselwhite, P.Eng., of Williams Engineering Canada. “In the open areas of the library there are no heating, ventilation, controls, lighting, power or anything on the underside of the concrete ceiling. It’s completely open as far as the aesthetics go, which is something the architects wanted to achieve and which was a challenge for us as mechanical-electrical engineers.” Musselwhite was project manager with Williams Engineering (WEC) for the Jasper Place Library built in Edmonton last year. The 1,394-m2 (15,000 sq.ft.) branch of the Edmonton Public Library, located at 156 Street NW and 90th Avenue, replaced a smaller predecessor built on the site in 1961. Despite a renovation in 1988, the older structure could not serve the library’s evolving needs. “There was an analysis done for adding to the old facility and renovating it, but in the end a complete rebuild was required,” explains Musselwhite. The new library exerts a striking presence in the neighbourhood. Its large undulating concrete roof “floats” over a completely glazed front wall. The roof has deep overhangs, and below it projects a rectangular solid volume marking the entrance. Across the upper half of the wall’s glazed front is a series of horizontal sunshades. Inside is a large, bright open public area. There are areas for book collections, children’s activities, quiet study areas, and computer stations. There’s also a terraced informal seating area. Beyond this open space are the more enclosed administration areas and a community multi-purpose room.

Williams Engineering Canada

Expressive and functional If the architecture of the library is expressive, it is also functional. The forms not only create an open and light-filled interior, but also play a role in the building’s ventilation and cooling systems. The integration of architecture and function is thanks to the collaborative approach taken by Dub Architects, Hughes Condon Marler Architects, Fast + Epp structural engineers, and WEC as mechanical-electrical engineers. The design process started with a design charette in which library and city department staff also participated. The result is a building that has 90 per cent of its spaces lit by daylight, that can rely on natural ventilation for certain periods of the year, and that according to computer models uses 51 per cent of the energy used by a standard equivalent building designed to Canada’s National Energy Code for Buildings. The building is mandated to be certified as LEED continued on page 18

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UponorGetC

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Silver, but it is still under review by the Canada Green Building Council, and the designers are hoping it will be certified as LEED Gold. Access flooring and displacement ventilation: a good combination The last thing the architects wanted was to have the dramatic exposed concrete roof in the main space cluttered with mechanical and electrical equipment. The solution was to use an 18” high access flooring system. Into that raised floor space is channelled all the electrical and communications cabling. The access floor also distributes the ventilation air through diffusers. The system delivers the air at low velocity which allows the air to spread out along the floor. The air rises as it warms and is displaced by fresh air entering behind it. This nonturbulent air flow gathers both waste heat and contaminants generated by people and computers and pushes the stale air upwards and away from the occupied space. WEC's description calls this a “naturally balancing and highly effective” process that achieves high indoor air quality “with the least expenditure of mechanical energy.” By contrast says WEC: “Traditional systems focus on creating a well-mixed volume of air within a space and in doing so trap the waste heat in the occupied zone, rather than letting it evict itself from the cooling equation.” Operable windows scoop out stale air Edmonton generally has a mild climate in the summer, spring and fall, so when outside temperatures are between 18-24°C most of the mechanical ventilation systems for the large open area can be turned off altogether. At these times the space can be naturally ventilated with air entering from low operable windows on the north end of the space, then rising naturally to be swept upwards along the sloping roof. The air exits through the high south wall via operable windows. Even when the days are too hot and mechanical air-conditioning is required, the win-

Jasper Place Library Structure The library’s shape and palette make it a sparkling landmark, visible from blocks away. The unusual structural design consists of a thick concrete roof slab that cascades into concrete columns at two sides. It is supported by light steel columns at the front and back. The roof relies on the deep wave form to clear span the space. It also includes generous skylight openings. There is no need for additional shear walls or bracing for lateral stability. The result is a structure that appears to float and allows daylight to flood the interior. The city solicited an expert opinion to advise whether the design was sound and constructible. Fast + Epp showed precedent cases of complex concrete structural forms and explained the inclusion of post-tensioning in the trough regions to control any deformations. Close collaboration with the contractor to establish the forming and pouring procedures was critical to the project’s success. The cantilevered roof over the entry incorporates thermal isolators imported from Germany. These allowed the concrete to be exposed inside and out while avoiding the detrimental effects of thermal bridging in the cold Alberta climate. The main roof itself is 300 mm thick concrete, topped with insulation of approximately 125 mm and metal cladding. — Fast + Epp, Vancouver, structural engineers

dows automatically open at night to allow the building to be naturally cooled. “This is the other benefit of integrating the systems with the architecture,” says Musselwhite. “Displacement ventilation works really well with access flooring, but it also works well with high ceilings. It’s really neat how all these things are working together. That’s not always the case. Sometimes there is a trade-off where the mechanical and electrical systems have to continued on page 20

Above: the exposed concrete roof clear-spanning the space assists the air flow and minimizes temperature swings.

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Williams Engineering Canada

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buildings

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make a building livable where it might not be so otherwise, where systems are working to counteract the effects of one another rather than working in the same direction.” Overhangs and heat loads The large expanse of south glazing creates challenges due to solar heat gains, so the roof has a deep overhang to provide shade in summer when the sun is at its peak. The external sunshades are designed for the same purpose. WEC did an analysis for the architects to determine their size. The goal again was “to minimize the heat load rather than compensating for it by maximizing the size of the chiller equipment.” The exposed concrete roof not only looks dramatic, but also plays a useful role in balancing the interior temperature swings. In an age-old system, the concrete acts as a thermal mass, soaking up and storing either hot or cold energy and taking the edge off any sharp shifts in the outdoor temperature, which are common in Edmonton. For cooling the ancillary spaces and for times when it is so hot outside that mechanical systems are required to cool the main space, there is an air cooled chiller and a single make-up air unit in the mechanical room. It has a heat recovery wheel, variable frequency drives and MERV 13 air filtration. Sensors measuring carbon dioxide and occupancy levels help to make the system operate as efficiently as possible. Heating in the building is provided by three modulating, high-efficiency condensing natural gas boilers. The open area has recessed low-temperature convection heaters around the perimeter. These prevent condensation developing on the inside surface of the glass and protect people sitting in those zones from cold downdrafts. Controls monitored by the city The building management system (BMS) that orchestrates all these systems is based on a BACnet protocol, which is open and non-proprietary. What’s unusual is that the BMS ties into a wider campus network that is operated and controlled centrally by the City of Edmonton (see story, p. 21). “The City of Edmonton operations and maintenance people can look into the facility over the internet and see how everything is running. They can manipulate the sys-

Jasper Place Library Design Team Owner: City of Edmonton, Edmonton Public Library Prime consultant: Dub Architects, HCMA Architects Mechanical & electrical engineer: Williams Engineering Canada (Chad Musselwhite, P.Eng., LEED AP) Structural engineer: Fast + Epp (Derek Ratzlaff, P.Eng.) Contractor: Stuart Olson Dominion Construction

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tems to address any issues that occupants are having,” explains Musselwhite. “What we design has to be compatible with the city-wide system. There is a short list of vendors that have been preapproved,” he says. “Having that consistent approach allows the city to have energy measurement and verification software that can extract trends for this building and for their building portfolio as a whole.” Clean ceiling, indirect lighting The architects’ desire to have the concrete ceiling unencumbered by equipment meant conventional lighting was out. “From the electrical side there were challenges,” says Musselwhite. “So we had to work with the architects to find a location for the lights on the perimeter walls and columns.” These lights shine upwards to spread indirect ambient light. There are also task lights integrated into bookshelves and furniture “so you have the light where you need it,” he says. The maximum energy consumption is 10 W/sq.m. A fire sprinkler system would have obscured the ceiling lines, but the architect and code consultant were able to show that occupant safety is achieved in other ways. The building has conventional security systems, including camera surveillance monitoring. Emergency lighting is provided in the general lighting, using an emergency lighting inverter. This eliminates the need for battery packs and emergency light heads on the walls and ceilings. After careful analysis it was decided that a rainwater recovery cistern and a grey-use water re-use system were too costly and that the savings could be applied more usefully to other “green” elements. Nonetheless, thanks to its low-flow plumbing fixtures the building uses only 52 per cent of the potable water that an equivalent standard building would use. Another green feature is a charging station for electric vehicles in the parking lot. A library must be flexible “A part of sustainability that’s not talked about much is that if a building is very flexible it can be a useful building for much longer,” points out Musselwhite. A building that is durable means an efficient and more sustainable use of the earth’s material resources. The access floor brought benefits in this durability aspect as well. The electrical, computer and other cables it contains are modular and can be easily changed as needed. “Using the access floor worked out not just for our [electrical and mechanical] systems, but for the flexibility of the building in the long term,” says Musselwhite. “Today libraries need to adapt to many different space functions from one day to the next. They are rapidly changing in terms of whether they have books or more digital forms of information exchange. Since we can’t predict what will be required of a library in the future, the more adaptable and flexible the building is, the longer it can serve and function.” CCE

August/September 2014

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building controls

Edmonton’s Nerve Centre Alberta’s capital has a centralized campus system to control and monitor the HVAC systems of 145 municipal buildings.

BY NORDAHL FLAKSTAD

Restricting providers About 15 years ago the city found itself challenged by having to manage the increasingly varied systems supplied by

Nordahl Flakstad

unshine streams into the northeast corner of Edmonton’s pyramid-profiled city hall where staff quietly monitor computer screens. Despite a hot summer day outside, the temperature remains comfortable in the room. That is as it should be, since this happens to be the nerve-centre of Edmonton’s Building Automation and Energy Management Network (BAEMN). From this hub the HVAC systems and associated parameters (e.g. temperature, humidity, pressures) at 145 city-owned facilities are controlled. In a city of 800,000 people that sprawls across 700 square kilometres, BAEMN's central monitoring covers approximately 15 per cent of around 1,000 municipally-run properties. (Alarm/access and lighting in city buildings are monitored through separate systems.) Locating BAEMN’s control centre in the city hall makes practical and symbolic sense. When it opened in 1992, the building included what were then state-of-the-art, automated building controls. But they were stand-alone systems, with monitoring and adjustments occurring on-site. The evolution of the Web, as it began to crawl into different facets of our lives, opened new options for the remote control of sites. Bryant May, who oversees BAEMN and is a mechanical supervisor with Edmonton’s Facility Maintenance Services, explains that the development of BACnet protocols further facilitated the remote control of buildings. University campuses – often with buildings in close proximity – were pioneers in incorporating such remote-control networks. However, May considers Edmonton a leader in applying this approach to a large urban municipality. BAEMN’s control extends to a variety of facilities, including recreation centres, libraries, fire halls, police stations, offices and transit barns. Its wide range adds complexity but also promises potentially greater overall savings than in a relatively compact university setting. May observes, “As far as I know, we’re one of the first cities to create a 'campus' within an entire city.”

Above: Bryant May, who oversees the network from Edmonton City Hall. All the locations on the system are accessible from a single Web page.

around 10 building controls providers. “They all had their own flavour in terms of programming and other aspects, and it became difficult for us as technical people to learn every single system,” says May. To simplify matters, the city required all companies responding to requests for proposals on new buildings to work with one of three designated suppliers of HVAC controls. The approach gave flexibility and competitive bidding, but also simplified things. That became even more critical as the city under May’s leadership began to upgrade stand-alone sites to make them Ethernet accessible. Advantages of central monitoring The BAEMN monitoring team, consisting of eight engineering technologists and people with building automation backgrounds, is on 24-7 standby to respond to irregularities at the 145 sites (twice the number of 10 years ago). All the locations are accessible via a single Web page, allowing the operators to troubleshoot the buildings’ systems and subsystems, individual pieces of equipment, and even specific components. Thousands of check and adjustment points are being constantly updated. continued on page 22

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Alarms are given priority based on a three-point urgency scale: critical (winter-time heating-system failures, high temperature, sump or server room failures); maintenance (problems with lower priority); and notification (units operating sub-optimally). Alerted to problems, BAEMN staff can either adjust controls remotely or, if mechanical repairs are needed, prepare a work order to dispatch trades people to sites. Previously that would have entailed a two-step process. First it involved sending control technicians – each with a laptop – to verify issues and make database or hardware adjustments. Then, if the problems were mechanical, the technician would call in trades people. In far-flung Edmonton each call could easily entail two hours of travel plus on-site time. “Time-wise,” says May, “it [central control] really streamlines our trades operations.” Furthermore, now only a single, licensed copy of each program is needed, housed on BAEMN’s server and made accessible through mobile devices or desktops. May stresses that buying single licences (and updates) rather than copies of each program for individual laptops – at up to $1,500 a pop – “is a huge, huge saving to us.” Besides signalling breakdowns, BAEMN provides predic-

tive-failure warnings. In this way the system prevents unscheduled shutdowns of civic facilities, such as recreation centres. BAEMN also recently launched an ambitious project to digitize operations and maintenance manuals, making them accessible from the field. Expanded monitoring and policies A recently installed computer platform – from CopperTree Analytics – sits on top of BAEMN. The platform allows the storage of large amounts of data that can produce trend logs and allow comparisons between the energy use and system optimization at different sites. It also supplies data and analysis on the broader energy consumption at BAEMN facilities, which will help the city’s Office of Energy Management to develop policies. The full benefit of this enhanced knowledge will depend on resources and personnel being made available to prioritize and fix shortcomings. And that, says May, “will lead to buildings running according to their best energy criteria, happier customers and citizens, and [our] getting the best bang for the buck.” CCE Nordahl Flakstad is a freelance writer based in Edmonton.

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acoustics

NATURAL BALANCE THE NEW THUNDER BAY COURTHOUSE SOLVES SPECIAL

ACOUSTICAL ISSUES THAT FACE THESE SPACES. THE RESULT IS BRIGHT ROOMS WHERE NATURAL SPEECH CAN BE CLEARLY HEARD. BY STEVE TITUS, B.A.SC., P.ENG. AERCOUSTICS ENGINEERING

raditionally, courthouses were prominent buildings at the core of a community, usually edifices constructed of stone and wood. The acoustic environment in the courtroom was “live” in order to allow a judge and courtroom participants to project their speech. Over the years,

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however, as modern technology evolved and the needs of the courts changed, these grand spaces became closed-in, oppressive rooms. They had limited access to natural light and poor acoustics. It was difficult for people to hear the proceedings at a time when every word was critical.

Shai Gil/Adamson Associate

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Courthouses in the City of Thunder Bay were in a similar predicament. Therefore, rather than retrofit two separate courthouses – the Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Justice – the Ministry of the Attorney General sought to consolidate these services under one roof in a new building. In April 2014, a state-of-the art, sixstorey, 23,690-m2/255,000-sq.ft. courthouse opened in downtown Thunder Bay. With enhanced security features and an increased number of courtrooms, the centrally located facility offers more convenient public access to various justice services under one roof. Toronto’s Aercoustics Engineering was part of the Plenary Group/Adamson Associates team involved in redefining the presence and performance of the modern day courtroom in this project. It was an opportunity to solve multiple issues. The Ministry needed to balance restoring the grandeur and presence of historical courthouses while avoiding any oppressive ambience and poor acoustics. This was also the first new provincial courthouse to be built using steel construction. From an acoustic and vibration perspective, steel-framed buildings pose distinct challenges when trying to achieve high degrees of sound isolation. Departure from existing guidelines The first requirement was to design a courtroom that allowed a judge to be heard without the need for an electronic audio-visual (AV) system. Existing courthouses give A/V equipment precedence over natural acoustics. The courtrooms are often kept dark and quiet to accommodate trial recordings and equipment. But the Thunder Bay Courthouse designers took the opposite approach by focusing on the natural acoustics first and then integrating A/V. While A/V has its place in the courtroom, there needs to be a balance between the technical requirements and natural speech. Aercoustics accomplished this balance by using acoustical treatments to ensure voices could be heard without any A/V enhancement. This approach was a complete departure from existing guidelines and the result was bright, open rooms with enhanced natural acoustics. The space has a high signal-to-noise ratio and ensures that the acoustical energy is distributed through the courtroom space. The speech level has to be much higher than the ambient noise in the room, so background sounds like ventilation noise or external noise are kept to a minimum. For example, the

Steve Titus/Aercoustics

acoustics

Left: the Aboriginal Conference Settlement Suite posed special acoustic challenges due to its circular plan and dome roof. Above: the large complex consolidates court services downtown.

mechanical system was designed with low velocity ductwork and by selecting equipment that was silenced to meet the background sound level goals. In addition, perforated acoustical wood panels were located in key locations on the wall, and acoustical ceiling tiles were used to ensure that speech intelligibility was relatively uniform throughout. The parameter that was used to characterize speech intelligibility is known as Distinctness (D50). The D50 is defined as the fraction of energy that arrives within the first 50 milliseconds of the direct sound. It is presented as a percentage, where a D50 of 50% usually represents good speech intelligibility. The courtrooms here tested on average at a D50 level of 70%. As a result, the rooms are exceptionally quiet, enabling people to speak normally and hear clearly without the need for technology, but allowing for full functionality of the A/V system. The A/V system is used to record trails and must accurately record the proceedings, otherwise mistrials can be granted. Also it is used for remote witness testimony. The equipment includes microphones, speakers, cameras and sophisticated control units with advanced algorithms. To overcome the acoustical challenges of the building’s steel structure (in steel structures there are often cavities in the flutes where walls meet decks, for example), Aercoustics had to specifically determine the concrete thickness for the floors and ceiling assemblies to ensure that STC-55 could be achieved in the courtrooms. To ensure there were no percontinued on page 26

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Shai Gil/Adamson Associates

Aercoustics

acoustics

single ameter, ve: a he Bar-

Left: courtroom with daylight and enhanced natural acoustics. Above: acoustical computer model of the Aboriginal suite.

ceptible vibration levels from pedestrian traffic outside the courtroom, Aercoustics also reviewed the structural design and developed a finite-element model of the courtroom structure and a feature staircase.

Aboriginal Conference Settlement Suite The Thunder Bay Courthouse is also the first in Ontario to incorporate an Aboriginal Conference Settlement Suite. The suite was designed with input from elders and leaders within the aboriginal community. The space pays tribute to their traditions and is designed to support the healing process. The suite was perhaps the most challenging aspect of this project due to its unique shape – a circular room in plan, with an elliptical dome above. Unlike round council chambers, where generally the speaking people are on one side and the audience on another, here speakers are seated all around the room. Aercoustics was tasked with creating the best acoustic design for a room with no front or back – which meant that speech could come from anywhere in the room. There were concerns that the unique shape of the suite would result in negative acoustical effects known as “whispering” or focusing, which is defined as a phenomenon that creates a high concentration of energy at a specific location. The solution was to design a unique geometric relief of wall panels around the circumference of the room. The panels retain the architectural and cultural importance of the circular format and consist of vertical wooden slats of varying depth. Carefully designed to an exact geometry and size, these optimized panels diffuse or break up the sound waves to distribute the energy and prevent a whispering and focusing effect. In addition, the elliptical dome was treated as acoustically absorptive because reflections from this surface would have made it difficult to hear anyone speaking. Keeping out noise from the atrium Beyond serving the judicial process, the new courthouse incorporates an atrium that that is also meant to be used for community functions, which can be noisy. Using a 3D computer model of the central atrium, Aercoustics was able to continued on page 28

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Shai Gil/Adamson Associates

acoustics

Above: discreet acoustic treatments confine noise inside the atrium, which is a public space. Even when drumming was performed during an Aboriginal ceremony the noise did not reach inside the adjacent courtrooms.

predict the impact of noise intrusion into the courtrooms and created cleverly hidden acoustic treatments. Perforated metal in the balustrade, for example, helps to absorb some noise, and doors have seals to protect the noise from spilling from the public area into the courtrooms. As a result, any conversations or events taking place in the atrium do not disturb court proceedings. For example, Aboriginal drumming performed in the atrium during the courthouse ceremonial opening could not be heard inside the courtrooms. The 15 accessible and barrier-free courtrooms have sophisticated infrared hearing equipment for those who are hearing impaired, and braille signage. Most courtrooms also have simultaneous interpretation, with one booth permanently built into a jury courtroom. Aercousticsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; philosophy has always been to design great rooms that work without amplification or reliance on A/V systems. One of the key lessons learned from this project was that the appreciation of rooms with excellent natural acous28

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tics where A/V can also be integrated is universal. We have extensive experience of creating such spaces for performing arts centres, but it is only in recent years that we see other sectors embracing this approach as well, such as educational and institutional buildings like this courthouse. CCE Steve Titus, B.A.Sc., P.Eng., is president of Aercoustics Engineering in Toronto. E-mail stevet@aercoustics.com. Building owner: Ministry of the Attorney General Architect: Adamson Associates Acoustical design: Aercoustics Engineering (Steve Titus, P.Eng., Sarah Mackel, B.A.Sc., Kiyoshi Kuroiwa, P.Eng.) Structural engineer: Read Jones Christoffersen Mechanical engineer: VRM Engineering Electrical engineer: H.H. Angus Audio-visual: Sight N Sound Design Contractor: Bird Construction

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fire & security

By Bronwen Parsons

The security systems were a key component of the design for the Waterloo Region Courthouse in southwest Ontario.

S L

Justice Upheld

he imposing Waterloo Region Courthouse at Duke and Frederick streets in downtown Kitchener, southern Ontario, is one of five new courthouses that Infrastructure Ontario has completed recently. Four of these are “consolidated” courthouses; that is, they bring together courts that previously operated in dispersed older structures and move them into a single facility that has the most advanced systems and technologies. The Waterloo Region Courthouse of the Ministry of the Attorney General consolidates the Ontario Court of Justice and Superior Court of Justice in a seven-storey, 41,340-m2/445,000-sq.ft. building. Located on a 3.3 acre site, it

has 30 courtrooms, including a highsecurity courtroom for complex criminal cases. It also contains holding cells. Built between March 2010 and January 2013, and occupied in the spring of 2013, the courthouse was a designbuild-finance-maintain project by a consortium known as Integrated Team Solutions (ITS). The consortium included Fengate Capital Management/ LPF Infrastructure Fund, Ellis Don, SNC-Lavalin Profac and CIT Group Securities. On the design side NORR was the architect and structural engineer; Hidi Rae was mechanical engineer; Mulvey + Banani were the electrical engineers; and Ellis Don managed the design and construction. SNC-Lavalin has a 30-year contract to main-

tain the building. The net present value of the 30-year concession, including construction, operations and maintenance is $370 million. The courthouse site is landscaped in curvilinear forms using an architectural theme that recalls the local Grand River. This curving river theme is carried through into the brightly lit three-storey atrium inside. Materials are stone, zinc and custom concrete. Overall the building is designed to LEED Silver level. Designed for high risk Security systems are naturally one of the most critical aspects of the building design — and also one of the most sensitive.

EllisDon Corporation

continued on page 34

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Above: Waterloo Region Courthouse atrium, designed to be non-threatening to the public. The architecture follows a “Grand River” theme.

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Bleed

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fire & security

continued from page 30

“The building has been designed with both passive and active security features to mitigate potential risks,” says Frank McCarthy, who was one of the project managers with EllisDon. “The goal was to integrate the systems into the architectural design so that the building is perceived as a welcoming, non-threatening place for the public.” “I can’t give you too many specifics,” he continues, “but I can tell you that the building is a modern, very sophisticated building with an integrated security system that has access control throughout.” The structure of the building is robust and has been reinforced at numerous points, including in the cladding, landscape features and access gates. Airport level screening Everyone entering the building has to go through the same single checkpoint. “As standards have progressed, basically there is now airport level screening for everybody who enters the courthouse,” McCarthy explains. The screening equipment includes magnetometers (metal detectors) and X-ray machines. Once inside, there are two levels of access control, one for the detention areas which have special heavy grade locking systems, and another for the rest of the building which have simple swipe cards and touch Waterloo Region Courthouse Project Team Design-build-finance-maintain consortium: Integrated Team Solutions (ITS) Architect, structural engineer: NORR Mechanical engineer: Hidi Rae Electrical engineer: Mulvey + Banani Design-build contractor, design & construction manager: EllisDon

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screen monitoring. Almost all the doors are monitored. Wherever you move around in the building you are tracked on camera. “There is an extensive video surveillance network,” says McCarthy. “It’s virtually 100 per cent coverage throughout the building.” The building exterior is also monitored, including cameras that are discreetly incorporated into the landscaping. High quality A/V Inside the courtrooms technology plays an important role for presenting evidence. “The audio-visual systems are as cutting edge as they can be,” says McCarthy. Each courtroom has been provided with a high definition projector and integrated A/V system that allows multiple inputs including HDMI and legacy formats. There are projectors and inputs for the judge, clerks and lawyers. The video monitors are “high-definition, very bright, and excellent quality,” says McCarthy. The monitors have to be seen by everyone when the full house lights are on in the courtroom. Video conferencing and video remand systems allow witnesses to give evidence from remote locations. Also defendants can appear remotely for routine bail and remand hearings. CCTV is also used to allow vulnerable witnesses to be questioned from a secure remote testimony suite that is within the building but outside the courtroom. The courtrooms also have an “audio uplift” system whereby microphones are dispersed throughout the room to pick up soft voices and ensure that everything is heard and “put on the record.” The system even amplifies soft voices in the gallery. There are also infra-red hearing assistance devices and provisions for translation if required. Fire protection The building has a two-stage fire alarm system and is fully sprinklered. A dry suppression system is used in

the computer server room. The project team, Waterloo Regional Police and the Ministry of the Attorney General worked on an extensive fire plan. “Obviously it’s a big building and can have a large number of occupants. There is also a detention component,” McCarthy notes. As a condition of occupancy, a full scale evacuation of the detention area was required by the Kitchener Fire Department. A demonstration was carried out with local college students to prove that the integrated fire alarm and security systems worked. Reliable power In case of a power outage the courthouse has a full system of back-up generators. Most buildings would have back-up power just for the lifesafety systems, but the courthouse also has redundant systems for the mechanical and electrical systems. An automatic transfer switch triggers the emergency supply when necessary. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system has also been provided for critical IT and A/V systems to ensure court proceedings are not disrupted during a power failure.

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Handover “One of the big things with any of the security systems is the handover and the transfer — making sure that the keys and other equipment are managed with a proper chain of custody,” says McCarthy. To ensure that the transfer was secure EllisDon worked closely with the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Waterloo Regional Police Service. Indeed, close collaboration with the police and other authorities was essential on the project from the beginning. Says McCarthy: “Throughout the design development there were extensive meetings with the stakeholders and users, and consultation all the way through, including building a fullscale operational mock-up of a courtroom off site to prove the systems worked as designed." CCE

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buildings

TIGHT ON ENERGY The Valley Waste Resource Management Administration building in Kentville, Nova Scotia, is the first office building in Canada to be certified to the rigorous Passive House energy standard. BY TOM WATSON, CBCL AND KEITH ROBERTSON, SOLTERRE DESIGN

he Valley Waste Resource Management (VWRM) Administration Building in Kentville, Nova Scotia is a showcase for sustainable design. One of the first Passive House-certified buildings in Canada, it is the first office building in Canada to be certified by this international standard. The building uses an array of recycled and reused materials and less than one-third of the energy of a typical office building in Atlantic Canada. The Passive House energy standard originated in Germany as “PassiveHaus." It is a rigorous voluntary energy standard that dramatically reduces the energy requirements for a building. The building must have a heating requirement of no more than 15 kWh/m2 per year and an air infiltration test of no more than 0.60 air changes per hour — 60% lower than the well-known R-2000 standard. A more accurate translation of PassiveHaus would be “Passive Building.” The standard goes far beyond residential buildings and has been used to certify commercial, institutional, industrial and educational buildings internationally. 36

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The design team and owner of the VWRM building collectively decided to use the PassiveHaus standard, in addition to LEED, believing that it would reinforce the intent to create an exceptionally low energy building. (The VWRM building was certified under the U.S. Passive House Institute. Today in Canada the standard is now administered by the Canadian Passive House Institute. An energy simulation, verified by a third party, predicted energy savings at the building of over 50% compared to an equivalent building that complies to the ASHRAE 90.1-2007 energy code. The result provides a score of 19 out of 19 LEED optimize energy efficiency points without any contribution from renewables. The building architect is Solterre Design. CBCL provided mechanical and electrical building engineering, energy simulation, LEED consulting and commissioning. Orientation, form and envelope Located in an industrial park on the west side of Kentville,

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buildings

Left: the building is oriented to the south for maximum solar exposure and has an extremely tight envelope. Above: interior is brightly lit from the clerestory dormer windows.

the building lies adjacent to the VWRM sorting and recycling depot. The depot processes general household and business waste from 83,000 residents and 38,000 households throughout the Annapolis Valley region. VWRM represents one of five waste management regions in the province. The administration building contains offices for staff and also serves as the meeting place for the VWRM Board. The building is the main point of contact with the public and serves as a focal point for facility tours. The site has excellent solar exposure to the south, and views to the Annapolis Valley to the north. The design team paid particular attention to the building mass, orientation, and high performance envelope as key passive energy measures. A north-facing slope allowed for a two-storey scheme, with an earth berm on the south side, and grade-level access at both floors. A hip roof with a clerestory dormer on the south side allows passive solar heating and daylight into the central

open office space. Daylight is provided to all spaces. The wood truss roof, supported by a steel frame, has ample depth for the R-96 cellulose insulation. Materials were selected with a mind to energy performance, environmental performance, low maintenance, and durability. The VWRM Authority was also interested in materials that would showcase its role in recycling and waste reduction, such as salvaged doors, hardwood, hardware, and recycled bottle glass, recycled tires, gypsum board and steel. The project tendered in the summer of 2011 with multiple bids significantly under budget, and was completed on time in 2012. By creating a building that would be recognized as a showcase for environmental sustainability Valley Waste Resource Management set out to develop a facility that reinforces the environmental stewardship part of their mission. Dramatic energy savings The Passive House standard was used as a guide and target for maximizing energy efficiency and points under the LEED optimise energy efficiency credit. Passive House uses an early energy simulation and sets specific limits on energy use as follows: • Maximum of 15 kWh/m² annual space conditioning energy. • 120 kWh/m² total source (or primary) energy consumption, including total electricity. • Airtight building envelope, air tightness <0.6 ACH @ 50 Pa (approx. 0.1 cfm per square foot @ 50 Pa), third party verified. continued on page 38

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Canadian Consulting Engineer

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single ameter, ve: a he Bar-

buildings

continued from page 37

Above: component energy costs predicted by the LEED energy simulation.

• Balanced, highly efficient mechanical ventilation system (>80% efficiency), and a minimum of 30 cubic metres of fresh air per person, per hour. The VWRM project exceeded this ventilation rate in order to meet and exceed the minimum requirements of ASHRAE Standard 62. Design details To achieve the targets the building’s design team used: • Superinsulation. Slab-on-grade insulation of R27 (high density extruded polystyrene EPS), foundation walls R34 (insulated concrete forms, with additional EPS and mineral wool), above-grade walls R50 (mineral wool in wood framing with 9” thick EPS structural insulated panels), roof R96 blown-in cellulose recycled newspaper insulation, and triple glazed windows at between R3.6 to R5.1. Thermal bridging was minimized, including in the fibreglass insulated window frames, so that these thermal resistance values represent the overall resistance to heat transfer of the building assembly. • Measured air tightness of 0.42 Air Changes Per Hour (ACH) at 50Pa in the initial test and a final test value of 0.33 (ACH). This exceptional performance is from the careful selection of high performance windows and doors, and from rigorous attention to detailing the air barrier — especially at connections and penetrations. The walls use a continuous air barrier of oriented strand board with taped seams. The barrier is located outside the stud framing so it is not interrupted by electrical penetrations. • Air source heat pump (ASHP), variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heating/cooling system. The ASHP consists of a single nominal 10-ton refrigeration capacity outdoor compressor/condensing unit connected to eight individual indoor wall and ceiling mounted fan coil units. The heat pump system is a full heat recovery type, allowing for simultaneous heating and cooling on a zone by zone basis. In this way the building’s server room or spaces on the south side can be in

cooling mode when the spaces on the north side need heating. The heat removed from areas requiring cooling is effectively “moved” to the areas requiring heating, resulting in much lower compressor energy use. • 90% efficiency thermal mass type heat recovery ventilation (HRV) unit. The HRV is a regenerative “push/pull” type of system where the fresh air drawn into the building and the exhaust air removed from the building is cycled through heat sinks. So in each 60-second cycle one heat sink is being heated by the warm exhaust air, while the other is giving up its heat to the cold fresh air coming in directly from the outside. • Mixed mode natural ventilation system. A natural ventilation mode for the building consists of operable windows throughout the facility. High level windows in the dormer clerestory are operated by electric actuators. The building’s direct digital control system senses when the interior temperature is above the heating set point (i.e. the heating is off) and the outside temperature is cooler than the inside temperature. In this event the system illuminates a green “natural ventilation” lamp in the main open office area which alerts the occupants so that they can disable the air conditioning at their ASHP thermostat and open the windows to be comfortable without the need for any cooling energy consumption. In this mode a system of actuated dampers ensures that exhaust air is still drawn from the washrooms, and the lower level of the building is still mechanically ventilated. But mechanical ventilation is cut off from the upper level of the building, further saving energy by reducing the fan power. • LED and high efficiency fluorescent lighting is used throughout, along with automatic controls for occupancy, time clock and daylight dimming. A wireless control system was also used to limit the cost associated with wiring the various lighting control devices. Standalone exterior LED solar lighting was used in the parking area. Actual performance so far

The total energy use of the average Canadian office building is 333 kWh/m² . The actual energy use in the VWRM administration building during the first year of operation, was less than 90 kWh/m² /year. Post construction monitoring and ongoing adjustments to the control systems and building operations are expected to further reduce energy consumption, with the goal of getting much closer to the 44 kWh/m² / year predicted by the Passive House energy simulation, or the 56 kWh/m² /year predicted by the third party-verified LEED energy simulation.

It is anticipated that the reasons why the building has a higher energy use than what was predicted by the simulations are: higher process energy use in the server room and by office equipment; longer building operating hours; and perhaps a lower than predicted use of the natural ventilation system. continued on page 40

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buildings

continued from page 38

Above, left to right: window construction; roof construction; concrete floor with recycled glass; backfill of tire derived aggregate.

The dramatic heating energy use reduction is a function of the super-efficient HRV, air source heat pump system, and the fact that conductive heat loss and uncontrolled infiltration have been almost eliminated by the building envelope design. Fan energy savings are a result of very efficient fans in the small individual fan coil units and a control strategy that switches the fan coil unit fans based on building heating and cooling loads, not occupancy. This approach is acceptable as the ventilation air is supplied independently and directly to the space. Water savings The plumbing fixtures were selected for their water conservation characteristics and reliable performance. The average water consumption for BOMA Best certified buildings is 0.98 m3/m2; the baseline water consumption target calculated for this building’s LEED application is 0.12 m3/m2. The water consumption prediction for the VWRM building, calculated using the LEED method is 0.07 m3/m2. Recycled, salvaged and re-used materials Since VWRM’s primary activity is the collection and disposal of waste, the owner was motivated to have the building exhibit the potential for recycled and salvaged materials to be used in new ways. Following are a few examples of how this was achieved. Tire Derived Aggregate. Nova Scotia is a world leader in developing a 100% post-consumer aggregate from used vehicle tires. The VWRM project used Tire Derived Aggregate (TDA) as a replacement for traditional backfill materials. TDA helps to solve the problem of what to do with old tires, but also it has a thermal resistance value of R5 per foot, increasing the building’s insulation value. TDA also drains well, helping to keep the building’s foundation dry. Environmental concerns for TDA tend to centre on TDA in water or saturated soils, and in elevated temperatures. 40

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The TDA used as backfill in this case is in a low moisture and temperature environment. No special measures were taken except to surround the TDA with a geotextile fabric. Post-consumer recycled glass. The concrete floors at the VWRM building incorporate post-consumer glass as an aggregate, creating an attractive exposed floor that showcases this innovative use of old glass. Asphalt and shingles. Asphalt used for the building parking areas was made from recycled sources, as were the roof shingles. The outdoor furniture was made from recycled post-consumer plastic bags. Recycled newspaper for insulation. The R-90 roof is filled with 8,000 cubic feet of cellulose insulation, made in Nova Scotia from recycled newspaper. Salvaged and reused materials. Inside the building, salvaged and reused construction materials were used for doors, wood paneling and interior windows. As of July 2014 the building has been submitted to the Canada Green Building Council for evaluation under the LEED Green Building Rating System and is in the first review stage. CCE Owner: Valley Waste Resource Management Authority Architects and LEED consultant: Solterre Design (Keith Robertson, Jennifer Corson, David Gallaugher) Mechanical and electrical engineer, energy simulation and commissioning: CBCL (Tom Watson, P.Eng., Darryl Kasun, EIT, Tim McLeod P.Eng., Jared Smith, EIT, Matthew Rodgers, P.Eng.) Civil/structural: Sherwood Enterprises Landscape: Outside! Passive House consultant: Passive House E-Design Project management: Gantline General contractor: Roscoe Construction Supplier: Tempeff (HRV)

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lighting

The Evolution of Lighting Controls THE ADVANCE OF LIGHTING CONTROLS HAS INCREASED THE POSSIBILITIES FOR DESIGN, BUT HAS ALSO RESULTED IN THE PROLIFERATION OF PROPRIETARY SYSTEMS. Image courtesy of Crestron

BY ANDREW PARKER, P.ENG. SALEX

ntil recently, lighting controls were predominantly systems of relay panels with low voltage switches and some form of scheduling or time clock. Occupancy sensors provided automatic switching of relays based on detecting the presence of a person in the space. These systems used line and low voltage components, but the communication technology was based on an analogue platform and typically a high (on) or low (off) signal. The technology limited the type and amount of data that could be exchanged, but was essentially an open protocol that allowed a high degree of com-

patibility between manufacturers. Analogue wiring was cumbersome and usually required low voltage wires to be “homerun” connected from each occupancy sensor or low voltage wall switch back to the relay panel. The connections within the panel, usually defined (or limited) the associations between the devices and the zones that they controlled. What changed? Technology innovations have brought about a revolution in lighting controls by leveraging a change from analogue to digital communications hardware and protocols. The result equates to

simplified installation and increased capabilities. Energy codes have also become more stringent in a stepwise progression with available technology and in response to increases in demand. While it was once enough to add occupancy sensors to automatically turn lights on and off, the new codes require far more, including: • Manual ‘on’ • Bi-level lighting via switching or dimming • Automatic ‘off’ by time schedule or vacancy sensor • Daylighting, under certain circumstances. continued on page 42

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Canadian Consulting Engineer

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continued from page 41

Image courtesy of Wattstopper

lighting

Examples of updated codes are: Ontario Building Code Supplementary Standard SB-10; ASHRAE 90.1-2010 Standard for Energy Efficiency for Commercial Buildings; and Canada’s National Energy Code for Buildings NECB 2011.

Image courtesy of Wattstopper

Above: analogue control systems can be onerous to configure to meet new requirements.

Encelium Polaris 3D by Osram Sylvania

Above: digital control systems simplify hardware and installation.

Digital vs. analogue Digital communications protocols and hardware simplify the architecture of systems designed to meet the new requirements. Added intelligence allows hardware devices to be integrated (e.g. two or three relays in one “powerpack”), and it simplifies installation by allowing the daisy chaining of devices rather than the customary homerun wiring method. In addition, the sequence of operations may be programmed by software rather than defined by wiring or dipswitch settings. Digital technology makes addressable devices and wireless mesh networks feasible and further enhances capabilities by allowing local dimming solutions that don’t require a large dimming panel infrastructure. But while the perceived advantages of digital are indisputable, available technology is also facilitating a departure from previously established standards and a proliferation of proprietary systems. This divergence is likely to continue and will further constrict interoperability amongst manufacturers until the market drives a change. Fortunately, proprietary communication can be adapted to include dimming drivers or ballasts that use open protocols such as 0-10V or DALI. These systems can also be adapted via gateways to other building systems using common building automation protocols such as BACnet or LONworks. Wireless technology Wireless technology promises a further simplification of control systems, allowing for less time, and wire, to install. A number of factors must be addressed, however, when considering wireless, including: • The design of the system. Is it

Above: floorplan-based graphics enable intuitive system programming and control.

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continued on page 44

Isn’t it ir pain to designe Talk to

Making

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Seriously, isn’t it about time somebody got controls under control?

Isn’t it ironic: lighting controls are supposed to make everybody’s life easier but they’re a pain to install. That’s why we created SmartCast™ Technology, with controls and sensors designed right into our fixtures, all provisioned by our simple OneButton™ setup. Talk to an expert at 800-473-1234. Or get more information at cree.com/canada/smartcast

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Making Success a Fixture in Your Business

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lighting

continued from page 42

open protocol, allowing for interchangeable components and manufacturers, or is it proprietary and designed as a single system? Think PC vs. Mac. • Power supply. Is it self-powered, wired, or does it require batteries? • Is it secure? Since the control is broadcast over the air, can an outside “hacker” take control of the lighting or, worse, use the system as an access point to the computer network? • And reliable? Can the system rebound from loss of communication or loss of a device on the network? • Interference. Is the system susceptible to other systems' radio frequency interference (RFI) or unintended electromagnetic interference (EMI)? New wireless protocols EnOcean is a technology supplier of

energy harvesting (self-powered) wireless modules to OEMs. It is based on the open standard ISO/IEC 14543-310, Wireless Short-Packet (WSP) Protocol and is interoperable among different manufacturers and devices. Used in switches, sensors, gateways and more, it is notable for its batteryfree wireless light switch. ZigBee is an open standard, RF (radio frequency) based protocol that uses low-power digital radios at a low data rate. The protocol provides long battery life over a secure digital network. It is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard for wireless personal area networks (WPANs), and commonly used for indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures, sensors and switches. It is notable for its self-organizing mesh network. To ensure compatibility, products using the technology must be ZigBee certified.

Software applications and interface As the complexity of control systems increases, efficient software with userfriendly interfaces becomes paramount. Applications, especially browser-based or mobile, have flourished. Central control via drop-down menus or interactive floor plans is in widespread use. In addition, touch screens and personal Apps can provide local control from a user’s workspace. Software offers much more than just lighting system monitoring, with additional features like operation, configuration, energy reporting, outages and lumen maintenance reporting topping the list of added intelligence. SB-10 Code update Effective January 1, 2014 and included in Volume 2 of the Ontario Building Code 2010 revision, Supplemen-

WE SERVICE THE EQUIPMENT YOU HAVE FACTORY AUTHORIZED SALES AND SERVICE

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lighting tary Standard SB-10 has been updated to include the 2011 National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings as a compliance path. The updated code also makes changes to the ASHRAE 90.1-2010 prescriptive compliance path, including: • excluding the requirement for automatic receptacle controls in private and open offices; • clarifying the surface parking area lighting control requirement to reduce lighting power by 30 per cent within a zone of lighting. The code previously implied the stepping down of lighting power within each fixture; • eliminating stairway lighting controls where lighting has been designed to meet minimum levels required by the building code. The future of controls So what will the future of lighting controls look like? Fixtures with dimming capability and integrated wireless controls are already being introduced to the market to provide cost effective personal control in individual workspaces and to enhance energy savings. In addition, building design is providing better access to ambient sunlight, requiring better daylighting systems to capture the energy saving opportunity. Addressable dimming systems will unobtrusively maximize the effect. Other anticipated advancements in technology include software that learns operating patterns and suggests ways to maximize energy savings. Time wise adjustment of correlated colour temperature (CCT) to match our circadian rhythm is expected to improve hospital recovery times and provide more comfortable lighting. Also, load-shedding functionality to ease supply shortfalls is becoming feasible and will be a better alternative to unscheduled outages. Eventually, a balance of open protocols and proprietary systems will facilitate the integration of these new applications and gently wean us off the most widely understood, open protocol, analogue control – the line

voltage toggle switch!

CCE

Andrew Parker, P.Eng., LC, LEED AP, is a controls and lighting specialist at Salex in Toronto and a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. Salex is the largest lighting agency in south-

ern Ontario, distributing and facilitating commercial lighting systems for architects, engineers and designers. www.salex.ca This article is the first of two. Part II about the evolution of dimming control systems will appear in December 2014.

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ENGINEERING ADVANTAGE

Canadian Consulting Engineer

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engineers & the law

By Laura D. Kumpf, Miller Thomson LLP

Initiatives are growing to have building roofs become urban farms.

Rooftop Farms

nvironmental degradation, urban sprawl, waning water name a few: Lufa Farms has a 31,000 sq.ft. rooftop greenhouse resources, increase in population, and dependence on in Montreal (www.lufa.com). In Vancouver, the downtown imports are all factors putting significant pressure on YWCA Metro Vancouver has a rooftop food garden which had the food supply. Urban rooftop farming, pioneered by local a harvest of 720 kilograms in 2012 (www.ymcavan.org). food and sustainable agriculture movements, has developed In terms of opportunities, rooftops represent an abunto alleviate some of that pressure. dant farming resource in dense urban areas. Rooftop farms The rooftop farming trend is more prominent in the U.S., reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing transportawhere many municipalities have retion costs and environmental imsponded with favourable bylaw and pacts. They allow the absorption of Rooftop farms reduce zoning amendments to create stormwater which reduces the greenhouse gas emissions by urban agricultural districts and perstrain on drainage systems, and mit farming in residential zones. reducing transportation costs and they cool urban air temperatures. Brooklyn Grange operates the Rooftop farming also supports environmental impacts. world’s largest rooftop soil farms local businesses and the local food located on two roofs in New York City operating under 10 supply industry. It creates sustainable and economic opporand 20 year leases. One of the farms is 43,000 square feet tunities for repurposing unused spaces, lends itself to crecontaining approximately 1.2 million lbs. of soil. Brooklyn ative leasing arrangements and is a natural progression for Grange grows over 50,000 lbs. of produce per year. the design and construction of green buildings. Canadian municipalities are beginning to respond to the Consequently, municipalities should expand their efforts growing demand for urban agriculture and rooftop farm- to accommodate rooftop farming. Doing so would counter ing. The City of Edmonton’s "fresh: Urban Food and Agri- public concern over the decreasing areas of green space. culture Strategy" (October 2012) identified rooftop garEngineers who may become involved in designing roofdens in the inner urban area as an opportunity for food top farms should consider the following: production and recommended that the municipality assess • municipal plans, bylaws and strategies for urban agriculture; regulatory barriers for green roofs. • municipal zoning and permits In November 2013, Toronto City Council adopted the • municipal laws for pesticides, fertilizers, water contaminaToronto Agricultural Program, which included the Urban tion, landscaping and noise pollution Agricultural Workplan. A component of the plan is promot- • existing building integrity including structural capacity, ing urban agriculture on rooftops through the Eco-Roof access and drainage Incentive Program. Toronto also has a Green Roof Bylaw • building code specifications for structural integrity and requiring green roofs on new commercial, institutional and requirements for plans and drawings residential developments with a minimum gross floor area • weight capacity including for soil, vegetation, irrigation of 2,000 square metres, to be built in accordance with the and equipment with allowances for seasonal impact Toronto Green Roof Construction Standard (Toronto Mu- • sufficiency of the waste management system • insurance requirements and allocation of risk in leasing nicipal Code, Chapter 492, Green Roofs). Similarly, a Green Roof Bylaw in Port Coquitlam, B.C. agreements requires new commercial or industrial use buildings having • incentive programs and tax benefits. While the concept of rooftop farming is relatively novel, a building area of 5,000 square metres or more to have a green roof on at least 75 per cent of the roof area (Zoning it stands to become more prevalent, providing an excellent opportunity for cutting-edge engineers to be proactive and Bylaw, 2008, No 3630, s 12.1). CCE Zoning and bylaws, including green roof bylaws in most to contribute to urban initiatives. Canadian municipalities, are not specific to rooftop farming. However, the absence of such specificity has not prevented Laura D. Kumpf is an associate at Miller Thomson LLP in the establishment of urban rooftop farms across Canada. To Edmonton. 46

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p46-50 CCE AugSept14 LawBusinessFinanace.indd 46

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business

By Shirley McLaren, Klohn Crippen Berger

Implementing a quality management system that is audited by a third party has helped Klohn Crippen Berger ensure that their projects run successfully.

Quality Management Systems

etting corporate standards is by far the easiest part would also be a mechanism for identifying problems early of improving the way a company operates. The most so that corrective action could be taken. By 2002, KCB started to see a turnaround and by challenging part is implementing those corporate standards. Doing so requires communicating expecta- 2013, the company won BSI Canada’s Award of Exceltions to staff, reinforcing standards through strong leader- lence in Quality Management for the implementation of ship, and routinely checking that standards are followed their system in multiple sites. Bryan Watts, chief executive officer – time and time again. of KCB, says: “Our management sysIn the 1990s Klohn Crippen tem is the cornerstone of our financial Berger (KCB), a global engineering success, proven by the fact that our consulting company based in Vanwrite-offs are now less than one per couver, found itself working hard cent a year, which I attribute directly on challenging projects. Meanwhile, to the implementation of our QMS.” however, the company was struggling to maintain profitability and Vigilance is key grow sustainably. There is nothing magic about imThe company leaders at the plementing quality management time recognized that project mansystems. It comes down to taking agement practices were not consisthe time to determine what’s imtent, and that a project’s execution Steve Hsiung, BSI Canada Auditor (right) interviewing and profitability were only as good Laura Bennett from Klohn Crippen Berger during an in- portant to the organization, writas the person who was managing tegrated management system audit in Calgary in April. ing it down in short and simple procedures, setting out benchthe project. This was a problem. It was clear that inconsistent project management tech- marks to measure success and communicating expectaniques were resulting in increased project write-offs and weak tions to staff on a continual basis. The most important piece of the puzzle is to follow profit margins. Although the company had quality control manuals, they were not being effectively and consistently im- through on the implementation and improvements. KCB works with BSI Canada as its third party auditor to ensure that plemented company-wide. Something had to change. In the mid 1990s, the leadership team decided to devel- their QMS is effective and that corporate goals are being met. op a series of best practices for managing projects and framed it in a Quality Management System (QMS). This Applying lessons learned in new areas process laid the foundation for altering the culture and di- KCB has recently extended its ISO registration to other rection of the company. By implementing a QMS, KCB areas of the business. In 2014, the company was certified to the ISO 14001 showed its project managers and technical staff what was expected of them and what they were accountable for, while standard for environmental management systems and the OHSAS 18001 standard for occupational health and safety giving them the tools to execute projects successfully. systems. Now all areas of the organization are managed Solidifying best practices with ISO certification through an integrated system that includes quality, health KCB took their QMS to the next level by registering it to the and safety, and environmental components. ISO 9001 standard in 1999. The standard requires a system KCB describes its integrated management system in an to routinely measure client satisfaction and to check on the annual sustainability report which details how the company company’s performance through third party audits. considers social, environmental and economic aspects in its KCB invested in ISO registration because the leader- business operations. CCE ship team saw the benefit of having third party auditors regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the QMS and sug- Shirley McLaren is the quality manager at Klohn Crippen Berger in gest improvements on how it was being implemented. It Vancouver. www.klohn.com 48

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finance

By Kelly Kolke, Grant Thornton, LLP

To Lease or Buy? Before you acquire new office equipment, you need to consider the different taxation rules that apply.

Illustration by Michael Eddenden

t some point as you grow your firm’s business and need to invest in new equipment, you’ll no doubt ask yourself: should I lease or should I buy? There’s no clear cut answer. Lease or purchase decisions depend on your current cash flow situation, the length of time the equipment is needed, and other business factors and tax considerations. Leasing might be the best option if you simply don’t have the cash on hand, since many leases require little or no down-payment. Likewise, leasing may be the best option if the equipment is only needed for a relatively short term, such as for a specific project, or if the equipment could become obsolete relatively quickly (such as computers or other high-tech equipment). If you are considering leasing, though, talk to your banker and accountant about whether or not the lease obligations could adversely impact any pre-existing financial covenants or restrictions you may have. You may prefer to purchase equipment if your firm has the upfront cash to pay in full, since the interest charges on a lease can ultimately drive up the cost. However, it’s not all about the price. Let’s consider some of the main tax considerations as well.

How capital cost allowance deductions work While an equipment purchase itself isn’t a deductible expense for tax purposes, you can deduct depreciation on the equipment for each year that it is available for use in the business. Depreciation for tax purposes is called “capital cost allowance” (CCA). Under Canada’s Income Tax Act, depreciable assets are grouped into more than 50 classes according to their type and use, and each has its own rate of depreciation. To give some examples, furniture, photocopiers, and telephone equipment are placed into Class 8, which has a maximum annual rate of depreciation of 20%. Application software, such as specialized design software or Microsoft Office Suite, go into Class 12, which has a 100% CCA rate. The CCA rate for computer hardware and systems software (such as Microsoft Windows 8) has gradually increased from 30% (before March 2004) to 55%. These are now placed into Class 50. Data network infrastructure equipment (servers, data switches and routers), operating to support telecommunication applications such as e-mail, instant messaging, web hosting and browsing, are placed into Class 46, which has a 30% CCA rate. continued on page 52

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finance

continued from page 50

Although there are many different rates of depreciation for tax purposes, most classes of assets are depreciated on what we call a declining-balance basis. This rule means the rate is applied to the depreciated value of the item (not the price you paid when you first bought it) each year. Also, for most classes, the maximum amount of CCA that can be claimed in the year the asset is acquired is half of the normal CCA rate. This is known as the “half-year” rule. If you borrowed money to finance the purchase of equipment used by your firm in its business, you can generally deduct the related interest expenses, but make sure that the terms of the loan are eligible for the interest deduction. The terms will almost certainly be eligible if you borrow from your bank, but if you borrow from friends or family, get your lawyer to draw up a legal agreement that meets the criteria for interest deductibility. Tax rules for leasing If you decide to lease equipment instead of buying it, be aware that the tax treatment depends on how the lease is treated — either as an “operating lease” or as a “financing lease.” For tax purposes a “financing lease” is considered a sale. The difference is in the legal relationship created by

the terms of the lease agreement, not the underlying economic reality. In other words, if the legal agreement is clear that it is a lease — and not a purchase and sale agreement — it will be treated as an operating lease for tax purposes. Under an operating lease arrangement, lease payments (both principal and interest components) are fully deductible in the same way you’d deduct, say, rental expenses. However, you cannot claim any CCA since you don’t own the asset. As soon as the legal title of the asset has been transferred (at any time during the lease term), the transaction is then treated as a purchase and as the owner you can claim CCA. Under a financing lease arrangement, you cannot deduct the lease payments, but you can claim CCA on the asset on Schedule 8 of the corporate tax return. You are also allowed to deduct the interest portion of the lease payments. This treatment of leases from a tax perspective may not be the same treatment for financial accounting purposes. As you can see, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so professional advice is recommended before you make a final decision to lease or buy. CCE Kelly Kolke, C.A. is a partner with Grant Thornton LLP. He is based in Nova Scotia. E-mail Kelly.kolke@ca.gt.com.

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environment

CLIMATE CHANGE AND BUILDINGS A look at how the PIEVC protocol of Engineers Canada can be used to assess the effect of climate change on buildings. BY GERALD R. GENGE, P.ENG. AND BRIAN BURTON

uilding design has traditionally relied to a considerable extent on accumulated historic climate data to provide design criteria for building components, such as the structure, cladding, windows, site drainage and HVAC systems. There are indications, however, that our climate may be beginning to change. Putting aside the question about what may be the cause, if our climate is indeed changing as many experts believe, this historic data may no longer best serve us for designing buildings to have a long service life. Over the next 40 years, if buildings do experience different environmental loads (temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, snowfall, wind pressures, and UV radiation), these changes could have a significant impact on our building stock. Engineers Canada and its Public

©Victor Zastol`skiy/Hemera/Thinkstock

Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee (PIEVC] have developed several models for studying the potential effects of climate change on buildings and infrastructure. The PIEVC committee has been overseeing the execution of climate change vulnerability assessments on four key asset categories. In addition to looking at public and multi-unit residential buildings, PIEVC is assessing transportation assets, storm/waste water treatment/collection and water resource systems (www.pievc.ca). Following is a summary of the fivestep protocol used to assess the effects of climate change on buildings and the risks to their components. PIEVC Climate Change Assessment Protocol The assessment protocol established by PIEVC includes a rigorous review of climatic parameters that are expected to change over the next 40 years, along

with assessments of the impact these changes may have on buildings. The protocol steps include determining the most important building components, identifying the climate change parameters and values, the probability of occurrence (extreme or otherwise), and a risk assessment. In most cases, recommendations on specific building systems as well as on their operations and maintenance can then be derived. As applied to a sample building selected from the residential high-rise stock in downtown Toronto, the process proceeded as follows: Step 1 | Project Definition. This step developed a description of the building, including location, age, infrastructure details, historical climate loads, and other relevant factors. It also included developing a component inventory, a time horizon (40-50 years), relevant climate parameters, and a continued on page 54

August/September 2014

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Canadian Consulting Engineer

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environment

continued from page 53

baseline and determination of the cumulative effects of climate change. Step 2 | Data Collection. This step identified which building components were to be assessed and climate factors to be considered. The climate projection information was derived from a variety of sources, including the Canadian Climate Change Scenarios web site and peer-reviewed studies applicable to Ontario cities. See www.cccsn.ca Components were sorted by major building systems and then into subsystems grouped under the following headings: site, structure, building envelope, HVAC, plumbing and drainage, electrical, vertical transportation, life safety and finishes. Step 3 | Risk Assessment. This step involved identifying how vulnerable building components may be and the consequence on a particular building component based on specific aspects of climate change. A key aspect was the input from a facilitated focus group, including designers, owners, property managers, insurers of property, building repair and maintenance people, and climate change specialists. Step 4 | Engineering Analysis. Some risk assessments may require an analysis of various climate impact scenarios to determine the level of vulnerability. The sample study identified gaps in assessment protocols and made recommendations. Step 5 | Recommendations and Conclusions. Based on the results of Steps 1 to 4, the Step 5 recommendations included: action to upgrade the infrastructure; management action to accommodate changes to building capacity; performance monitoring; and recommendations for additional research and analysis. Components at Risk After completing Steps 1 to 4, a preliminary analysis suggested that the components of the building that were 54

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p53-56 CCE AugSept14 Pievc_OverCladding.indd 54

HISTORICAL (1971-2000)

COLLECTIVE PROJECTIONS (2050)

# days ≥ 30°C

# days ≥ 35°C

0.5

NBCC 2.5% July drybulb design temperature

31°C

34°C

NBCC 1% January drybulb design temperature

-20°C

-16°C

30-year period extreme high temperature

37°C

40°C

Annual average cooling degree-days

356

640

Annual average heating degree-days

3,520

2,900

~ 40

TEMPERATURE PARAMETER

Average annual freeze-thaw cycles Average annual days < -20°C

1.4

0.3

Average annual heat related mortalities

120

280

PRECIPITATION PARAMETER

Average annual # wet days Extreme annual precipitation (for a 30 year period)

113

~125

1,828 mm

~1,940 mm

Average annual precipitation

835 mm

~ 890 mm

Average annual rainfall

710 mm

~> 800 mm

NBCC 10 year return period 15 minute rainfall

25 mm

Likely increasing

NBCC 50 year return period one day rainfall

97 mm

Increasing ~ 60%

Average # days with > 25 mm rainfall

4.2

Maximum consecutive dry days/year

~13

Likely increasing

Driving rain wind pressures (5 year return period) NBCC design ground snow loads Rain on snow events, snowmelt

160 kPa

Likely increasing

Ss-0.9, Sr=0.4 kPa

Rain with snow events and intense snowstorms may increase

No parameter

Increasing

EXTREME WIND GUST

NBCC 10 year return period wind pressures

0.34 kPa

Likely increasing

NBCC 50 year return period wind pressures

0.44 kPa

Likely increasing

26 (GTA)

Average # hours/year with gusts > 80 kph

5.9

~ 7 mostly spring and fall

Average # hours/year with gusts > 90 kph

1.0 h

~ 1.9 h

No parameter

May increase

Average 1-2 days/ year

Potential increases

Average # hours/year > 70 kph (for 1994-2007)

Tornado risks Severe thunderstorm (convective) winds

Above: Current Climate Design Parameters and Consolidated Opinion and Collective Prediction of Change. Table compiled by GRG Building Consultants.

considered at “medium risk” to climate change included: • the building envelope, particularly with respect to moisture management and heat/cooling losses. • the mechanical drainage systems, at risk of inducing flooding. • the emergency electrical supply systems associated with capacity to deal with power outages. • the grounds and site, deemed to be at risk. However these are addressed by other PIEVC studies.

Reports and presentations from case studies using the PIEVC protocol are available for download at www.pievc.ca CCE Gerald R. Genge, P.Eng., is principal of GRG Building Consultants of Toronto and Newmarket. He is a past president of the Ontario Building Envelope Council. www. grgbuilding.com. Brian Burton is with Award Bid Management Services, specializing in technical business writing. http:// award-bid-management-services.com

August/September 2014

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building envelope

By Gerald R. Genge, P.Eng., and Brian Burton

Sturdy 1960s apartment buildings can benefit from having a new thermally effective skin installed outside their existing walls.

OVERCLADDING

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com

p53-56 CCE AugSept14 Pievc_OverCladding.indd 56

GRG Building Consultants

reasonable than demolilose to 2,000 hightion and reconstruction; rise residential • does not require vacant towers were conpossession; work can be structed in the Greater carried out while the Toronto Area during the building is still in use with early 1960s and 1970s. minimal impact on occuThis was a time when pancy and with limited Canada was experiencdisruption to the fabric of ing a remarkable buildthe building. ing boom, along with • improves energy effirapid urbanization. ciency, thermal perforOne of GRG Building mance and air tightness; Consultant’s recommen• optimizes use of therdations in a 2012 PIEVC mal mass and enables case study report1 was to transfer of dew point consider “overcladding” as a way of extending the Above: 1970s building in southern Ontario with overcladding. The original build- outside structural wall ing had an R8 wall assembly fabricated with interior insulated system materials. elements; service of these 50-year Air leakage prevention and energy performance were greatly improved. • renews aging facades old towers. This solution and improves appearance; was also part of the soluExcellent candidates • reduces maintenance costs and altions considered in the Toronto Tower lows upgrading of services; Renewal Guidelines.2 The robust exterior masonry walls of The skill and effort that was inthe structures provide an excellent • improves general comfort levels; volved in constructing the 1960s-era substrate for the support of overclad• increases life expectancy of the towers was remarkable. With various ding systems. Combined with other building; improvements in techniques and energy saving measures, ovecladding • preserves the “embedded energy” technologies, workers were able to put can substantially cut their total energy contained within the existing structure. an average of 40,000 apartment units requirements and significantly reduce Thermal overcladding has been on the market every year! Toronto has their carbon emissions. accomplished in over 15 European the highest concentration of these Overcladding refers to the instalcountries with documented success. buildings of any city in North America lation of a new thermally effective The European models involved interoutside New York, so they represent “skin” installed over the existing faacting with both tenants and properan extremely valuable asset. çade of a building. The new skin is ty managers with regard to health However, when these buildings fabricated from high quality cladand safety issues, and the maintewere designed and built southern ding materials. Typically an overcladnance of what amounts to “new built” Ontario was an entirely different ding project also involves replacing construction. CCE design and construction environthe fenestration components. And 1 ment from what we see today. Enbecause the buildings have a reGRG Building Consultants’ PIEVC ergy consumption was not a prioriduced energy demand their HVAC protocol-based Climate Change Vulnerabilty. Also our expectations of buildsystems can be downsized. ity Assessment of a 16-story residential ings were quite different. The matower at 285 Shuter Street in Toronto is at jority of these buildings, for examAdvantages of overcladding www.pievc.ca/e/casedocs/Shuter/285_ Following are some of the benefits ple, were constructed without cenShuter_Final_Report.pdf 2 of overcladding: See Tower Renewal Guidelines, http:// tral air-conditioning, and most had • more financially and ecologically www.daniels.utoronto.ca/trg minimal insulation. August/September 2014

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manufacturer case study

pumps

BC Hospital Retrofitted with Energy Efficient Booster Thanks to Grundfos Pump Audit

ocated seaside off British Columbia’s lower mainland in White Rock is Peach Arch Hospital: a six-floor, 146-bed facility owned and operated by Fraser Health. Since a single booster system served the entire hospital with domestic water, it was crucial that it be replaced when the existing 20-year old system began having operational issues. Ultimately, the controls were no longer operating the pumps in an efficient manner. Due to their past success with Grundfos products, Fraser Health contacted Grundfos to carry out a pump audit that would “right size” the system for potential energy savings. During the audit process the existing system’s flow, pressure and power consumption were logged. The data collected revealed that all three pumps were running in auto mode on a total of 57.5 HP. Pump one was running the majority of the time, and supplementing pumps two or three were being turned on prematurely. Once the profiles were analyzed Grundfos recommended the installation of a Hydro MPC (multi pump controller) BoosterpaQ system, with a projected annual energy consumption of 123,629 kWh (97%), and savings of $8,654. It consists of four CR10-2 vertical inline multistage pumps, with motors totalling 6 HP and each equipped with a variable frequency drive (VFD). Installation of the new system had to be carefully scheduled. It involved the temporary shutdown of the hospital overnight, during which booster pumps from another building were used to supply the Acute Care tower with water. The Hydro MPC BoosterpaQ was recommended for the following reasons: • The booster system has a smaller footprint, therefore is more cost effective to purchase and operate over time, when compared to the selection of a “liked sized” system. • CR pumps provide the best foundation for the system. They are extremely reliable, have one of the highest efficiencies when compared to any other pump of their kind in the market, and they have a long life span. • The MPC specially designed by Grundfos controls the parallel connected pumps, as well as the individual CR’s. It alternates between lead and lag pumps, ensuring equal run hours on all of the pumps. • The built-in pump curves identify if it’s more efficient to operate two pumps at slower speed, rather than one pump at full speed. • The VFD located in the MPC adapts to variations in water flow, allowing the CR’s to continuously regulate speed while maintaining pre-set constant pressure. It ensures the CR’s run only when demand is detected, therefore extending the lifespan of the pumps and ultimately reducing energy consumption. • The system comes preassembled for easy installation, is tested prior to delivery and requires minimal to no maintenance. Elafon Mechanical installed the BoosterpaQ in February 2014. Peace Arch Hospital’s Chief Engineer claims that the system has been performing very well. One week’s power consumption has been reduced to 5 kWh in comparison to 88 kWh with the old system. The system upgrade has an estimated payback period of five years and qualified Fraser Health to receive a projected $19,533 incentive amount from BC Hydro. Fraser Health is presently looking to install a similar system in another building at the hospital.

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The Canam InfoTech Express bulletin, aimed at the consulting engineering community, is intended to keep decision-makers informed about the various products Canam fabricates. By consulting Canam InfoTech Express, designers will learn how to make optimum use of Canam products for the benefit of their customers. Registration is free of charge at www.canam.ws/engineers. For more information, contact us at www.canam-construction.com SUPPLIER: CANAM

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If you were planning to rout and seal your asphalt joints after they fail, think about the added costs of repairing what you’ve already done. Denso Re-instatement Tape is a polymer modified bituminous strip that is cold applied and designed to seal the joints between asphalt, concrete and steel, the first time. Re-instatement Tape seals around catch basins, manholes, utility cuts and next to concrete curbs prior to paving. Do it right the first time with Denso Road Products. For more information contact: Blair Slessor at 416-291-3435, email: Blair@Densona-ca.com, or visit our website at www.densona.com SUPPLIER: DENSO NORTH AMERICA INC.

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OVER 20 YEARS AGO, FLEXHEAD INVENTED THE FIRST FLEXIBLE FIRE SPRINKLER CONNECTION.

NEW PUMPS CAN CUT ENERGY COSTS BY UP TO 80%

CANADA’S SOURCE FOR BIG SUPPORT

WEG E-CATALOG MOBILE APP

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SAMSUNG 2 MEGAPIXEL PTZ DOME CAMERAS

Engineered to exceed the specifications for a wide variety of Variable Air Volume (VAV) applications, the Reliable Controls® MACH-ProAir™ is a fully programmable BACnet Building Controller (B-BC) with numerous downloadable standard codes and flexible I/O options, all priced to meet a modest budget, as it continues the Reliable Controls® tradition of intrinsic simplicity, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. www.reliablecontrols.com/products/ controllers/MPA SUPPLIER: RELIABLE CONTROLS CORPORATION

Samsung Techwin has introduced the industry’s first 32x 2-megapixel PTZ dome cameras, the new SNP-6320/6320H. Featuring the ability to zoom rapidly while maintaining perfect clarity enabling smooth tracking for evidence capture, these new dome cameras provide 2 megapixel HD images indoors and outdoors even in challenging lighting conditions. Both the SNP-6320 (indoor) and SNP-6320H (outdoor) cameras feature Wide Dynamic Range of 120dB and true day/night capability to deliver clear, high-quality images in challenging or varying lighting conditions. SUPPLIER: SAMSUNG

SIMPSON STRONG-TIE OFFERS IN-PLACE REPAIR SOLUTION

THE COMMERCIAL HYDRONICS EXPERTS

That system was used in protecting billion dollar clean room facilities. Now, we’ve applied the same technology and quality to the commercial marketplace, and offer flexible fire sprinkler connections designed for use in suspended ceilings. FlexHeads are fast and simple to install; requiring no measuring, no cutting and no infield assembly. Benefits include simplified project management, faster occupancy, easier retrofits, and cost effective code compliance. FlexHead has also been seismically qualified for use in seismic areas and offer green benefits to building owners. Call us at (800) 829-6975 or visit www.flexhead.com for more information. SUPPLIER: FLEXHEAD INDUSTRIES

Atlas manufactures and supplies HSS in sizes from 1" to 22" square, including corresponding rectangular and round sections. All sections are available in grades CSA G40.21 (classes C and H), ASTM A500 and A1085. To learn more about Atlas Tube’s HSS sizes, call 800.265.6912 or visit atlastube.com SUPPLIER: JMC STEEL

The Simpson Strong-Tie® FX-70® Structural Repair and Protection System is an innovative solution for severe structural damage of concrete, steel and wood piles commonly found in marine environments. This system makes in-place repair of damaged piles possible and practical. By eliminating the need to dewater the repair site or take the structure out of service, FX-70 dramatically reduces the overall cost of restoring the damaged structure. For more information, visit http://www.strongtie.com/rps SUPPLIER: SIMPSON STRONG-TIE

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A Grundfos pump system refurbishment can deliver fantastic savings and performance improvements in older buildings – even without changes to the building envelope or piping. Learn more at www.thinkingbuildings.ca/ grundfoscrew SUPPLIER: GRUNDFOS

This application will allow WEG Electric Motor customers in NEMA markets to search an electronic catalog for motors and produce data sheets and technical drawings. The application will also allow the user to download or email PDF data sheets and drawings. The app is available for iOS, Blackberry, Android. Go to www.pamensky.com/downloads SUPPLIER: V.J. PAMENSKY

Taco system solutions offer a comprehensive, convenient, single-source to HVAC application challenges. Based on the highest industry standards and built with Taco's extensive experience, a Taco hydronic solution assures seamless integration and efficient operation. You can count on high quality and proven performance, whatever your HVAC application challenges. To learn more visit: www.commercial.taco-hvac.com or call 905-564-9422 www.taco-hvac.com SUPPLIER: TACO CANADA

14-08-19 8:02 AM

UP TO 90% ENERGY EFFICIENCY WITHOUT FROST

Building owners know that conditioning ventilation air in the Canadian climate is very expensive. It is also extremely important to insure building health, occupant health along with increased comfort and productivity. Tempeff’s proven design offers up to 90% efficiency without requiring any form of defrost strategy, allowing owners to meet or exceed legislated minimum ventilation requirements without “ Braking the Bank”. Canadian built for the Canadian climate. Learn more at www.tempeffnorthamerica.com SUPPLIER: TEMPEFF NORTH AMERICA

VIC-FLEX™ STYLE AB6 ASSEMBLY FOR COLD STORAGE

The NEW VicFlex V36 Dry Sprinkler with Integral Style AB6 Assembly eliminates the need to measure and cut hard pipe, as well as wait for foam seals to dry, simplifying installation. The VicFlex bracket eliminates condensation making it a safer option for cold storage applications and combats differential movement between ceilings ensuring no compromise in the event of seismic activity or any settling of a building. With VicFlex, the sprinkler will move with the activity and adjust accordingly. For more information, see Victaulic publication PB-AB6, submittal 10.90 and online at: www.victaulic.com/vicflex SUPPLIER: VICTAULIC

products

UPONOR HYDRONIC DISTRIBUTION PIPING SYSTEMS PRODUCT GUIDE

With more than 40 years of proven performance, Uponor Wirsbo hePEX™ is the durable, cost-effective solution for transporting water to terminal units such as chilled beams and fan coil units. This full-color, 8-page brochure offers a comprehensive overview of product details, codes and standards, system applications and installation methods for hydronic distribution piping systems featuring Wirsbo hePEX pipe. To learn more, visit www.uponorpro.com. SUPPLIER: UPONOR

CANADIAN CONSULTING ENGINEER 2015 MEDIA KIT

Canadian Consulting Engineer magazine provides high quality editorial coverage of the most pertinent and timely issues that affect engineers across Canada. The magazine reaches the consulting engineers who make the critical decisions on building and construction projects. This is exactly the audience you need to reach. Advertise your product or service with us. Be seen and be specified! To order your 2015 media kit, please send along your request to Maureen Levy at (416) 510-5111, email: mlevy@ccemag.com or visit www.canadianconsultingengineer.com

professional directory

FIRE PROTECTION & SECURITY

Notifier/Honeywell’s XAS Air-Sampling Detector is designed for harsh and hard-to-reach areas where the smoke detector must be mounted outside the protected space. It combines air sampling with addressable spot detection. www.notifier.com

Experts in Measurement, Analysis & Control

The FX-3500 Series systems from Mircom are powerful, intelligent fire/agent release control units. They provide up to three DCLs/SLCs and support a fast new AP protocol, 954 intelligent devices, and CLIP devices. www.mircomgroup.ca

905-826-4546 answers@hgcengineering.com www.hgcengineering.com

The SX-2000 Series from TOA Canada Corporation is a scaleable audio management PA system, especially suited to large-scale installations. Features include an integrated public address and voice alarm, digital surveillance and decentralized capability. www.toacanada.com Samsung 2 Megapixel PTZ Dome Cameras SNP-6320/6320H are the industry's first 32x2 megapixel camera and can zoom rapidly, maintaining perfect clarity in varying light conditions, indoors and out. www.samsung-security.com 60

For information on placing an advertisement in the Canadian Consulting Engineer Professional Directory, contact Maureen Levy, Senior Publisher, 416-510-5111, email: mlevy@ccemag.com, or Vince Naccarato, Sales Manager, 416-510-5118, email: vnaccarato@ccemag.com

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com August/September 2014

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ad index

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Title

Telephone

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BC Hospital Retrofitted with Energy Efficient Booster Thanks to Grundfos Pump Audit

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conversations

Kristen Poff is the person behind a new ACEC-Manitoba organization that aims to build up the number of women in consulting engineering.

TWICE

risten Poff, EIT, is a project engineer with WSP in Winnipeg, a company that she has been with since 2006. She works mostly in municipal civil works and is currently pursuing a M.Sc. in civil engineering at the University of Manitoba. Among her numerous volunteer activities, Poff is involved with ACEC-Manitoba and won its 2014 Rising Star award. Most recently she was the brains behind a new committee known as “Technical Women in Consulting Engineering,” or TWICE. CCE spoke to Poff in July.

percentage of women is never over 20 per cent. Right now we’re hoping to promote awareness. Lots of people believe that there are no issues — that the stereotypes, the biases and the lack of advancement do not exist, regardless of what the statistics say. Q. Are some of the sceptics women who have achieved successful careers in engineering so they don’t have a lot of sympathy for those who complain? Yes, especially if you start to talk about work-life balance. Which is a really hot topic.

Q. Is it larger companies that tend to Q. How did TWICE come about? have good work-life balance policies? It came about last summer. I had "Lots of people believe that there are no issues — I don’t think it depends if it’s a been thinking about it for a while. that the stereotypes, the biases and the lack of larger or smaller company. I think Our provincial licensing organiza- advancement do not exist, regardless of what the it depends what the culture of the tion has a committee that studies statistics say." company is and whether they have the enrolment and retention of aligned themselves more with Genwomen in engineering and geoscience that I also sit on. But eration X and Y viewpoints. I think you’re seeing a lot more that committee is more focused on statistics and research, as Generation X and Y, whether male or female, looking for opposed to networking and professional development op- flexible work policies and a collaborative work environportunities. So there was a void and it needed to be filled. ment. To them work isn’t the only thing in their life. TWICE’s original vision was to increase diversity in the consulting engineering sector, and to foster the increased Q. There are lots of women who are part of the Young Profesretention of women — in consulting, but also in the broad- sional Groups in the consulting engineering associations. Why er engineering and construction industry. did you need to go one step further with TWICE? We held our first event in December 2013. It was a great Because statistically women leave their careers after seven to success and attracted both males and females, from various 10 years, and at ACEC-Manitoba most of our young professionals tend to be in the first four to six years of their caACEC member firms. Our second event, in March, was an industry reception. reers. Another primary difference is that the sessions We sent invitations out to anyone involved in the engineer- TWICE plans are geared towards women. We’re hosting a ing sector, whether they work for a consultant, a construc- seminar in September, for example, which is geared towards tion firm, the provincial or federal governments, or the City helping women select a leadership style that works for them of Winnipeg. We feel that there is value added, especially on without taking on a male style. the networking side of things, if we branch out to the other And our networking social events are activities that organizations that we work closely with, as the majority of women are more attracted to. They’re just an opportuthese sectors are male-dominated professions. If you look at nity to mix and mingle and develop a network and a CCE the statistics, whether it is engineering or construction, the sense of community. 62

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com August/September 2014

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