Canadian Consulting Engineer August/September 2013

For professional engineers in private practice

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013

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contents

August/September 2013 Volume 54, No. 5

features Cover: Bridgepoint Healthcare, Toronto.

Photograph by Maris Mezulis.

See story p. 32

Project Katebi.

See story p. 48

departments Comment 4 Up Front

6

ACEC Review

13

New Products

52

Advertiser Index

57

Next issue: Winning projects in the 2013 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards.

Now 20 winners and five special awards!

BIM and Energy Modelling - Interoperability Incomplete.

Can’t Building Information Models and Energy Models find a way to get along?

By Brian Tysoe, P.Eng. and Laura-Lee Moran, MCW Consultants Ltd.

18

Learning Through Transparency. Dynamic lighting and electrical design in the Trades and Technology Complex at SAIT in Calgary.

By Laura Eley, Crossey Engineering

26

Bridgepoint. Toronto’s new long-term care hospital shines as an example of beautiful design, HVAC ingenuity, and of how teams collaborate in the P3 process.

By Bronwen Parsons

32

RBC WaterPark Place. How a speculative office complex on Toronto’s waterfront is made energy efficient.

By Michael Pires, P.Eng., Enermodal/MMM Group

40

Specifying Security Systems. Advice for consulting engineers fromexperts in the security systems industry.

By Bronwen Parsons

46

Project Katebi. A group of architects and engineers in Toronto are helping to produce a sustainable building in the troubled Democratic Republic of Congo.

By Rosalind Cairncross, P.Eng.

48

on topic FIRE SAFETY 2010 National Building Codes - Heads Up.

By André Laroche, Eng., NRC.

42

BUILDING AUTOMATION Not Smart Enough.

By Lindsey K. McCaffrey 44 August/September 2013

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ENGINEERS & THE LAW Negotiating a Master Services Agreement.

By Chad Eggerman, Miller Thomson LLP 54 ETHICS Whistleblowing.

By Tom Sisk, P.Eng., FEC, APEGNB Canadian Consulting Engineer

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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

Elliot Lake Inquiry prompts soul searching

C

atching a few minutes of the live video stream from the Elliot Lake Inquiry or reading the transcripts is fascinating and yet painful. Of particular interest to engineers are the hearings on June 6 and 7, when Robert H. Wood, the former engineer and owner of M.R. Wright & Associates, is on the stand. Wood was the person who last inspected the Algo Centre mall and declared it sound.

We must wait for Justice Bélanger’s report to draw its conclusions about the whole mess that resulted in two deaths when the mall collapsed June 23, 2012.

What we do know from the forensic NORR report is that the immediate cause of the collapse was the failure of a beam connection due to severe corrosion.

We’ve seen the video that shows the car driving across the roof parking lot, the crease appearing in the road surface, then the ground beside it tumbling down. More recent footage showed the two female victims, one holding a shopping cart, chatting happily at the lottery ticket booth in the upper mall moments before their world caved in. This age of video surveillance certainly brings things home.

But if we know what caused the collapse, the question of who is responsible is a lot more muddy. Wood was the last man at the scene, but the mall had been leaking chronically almost since it was built 30 years ago. Was it the original roof design that was at fault, with its hollow precast panels and concrete topping? Or was it partly the fault of the mall owners who didn’t fix the problems adequately, concerned about costs? The city issued an order to have the place fixed two years before the collapse, but soon backed off after receiving a report from M.R. Wright. When people who worked in the mall had concerns (things were so bad, the Zellers had tarps permanently hung from the ceiling), the Ministry of Labour gave them a 1-800 telephone number. You can see how things add up. Several engineering firms did inspections over the years. They wrote reports, and made recommendations, but to little avail.

Hoping to avoid a recurrence of the tragedy, Professional Engineers of Ontario has put some proposals to the Inquiry. They want to see a specialist designation for engineers doing structural inspections, similar to the Struct.

Eng. instituted in British Columbia following the Save-On-Foods mall collapse in 1988. PEO also wants guidelines or requirements on how building inspections should be done. For example, they don’t want owners to be able to limit the scope of the work. They want timelines for when recommended work should be completed, and reports to be submitted to municipalities.

Would such provisions have prevented the tragedy that happened in Elliot Lake? Possibly. But rules are still subject to an expert’s interpretation and judgement. Wood, who graduated in civil engineering in the U.K., spent his early career in the industrial sector, including the steel industry. It’s difficult to follow the rambling arguments, but at various points in his testimony Wood suggests that based on his experience he was not concerned about the health of the steel below the leaking parking lot partly because it was thick steel and partly because the drywall below the failed connection was not damaged. He chose not to uncover and measure the connection. He points out there were 2,000+ connections in the structure. He says many other things, like: “I did what I thought I was expected to do.” I leave it to you to read the rest. http:// www.elliotlakeinquiry.ca/transcripts Bronwen Parsons

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

Rosalind Cairncross, P.Eng. Advertising Sales Manager

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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Alex Papanou

President, Business Information Group (BIG)

Bruce Creighton Head Office

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August/September 2013

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up front

COMPANIES

Artist’s rendering of new Walterdale Bridge, Edmonton.

BRIDGES

Edmonton builds new Walterdale Bridge

By Nordahl Flakstad The Walterdale Bridge that was built in 1913 to link Edmonton’s downtown across the North Saskatchewan River to the southside community of Strathcona, is being retired. Some 33,000 vehicles rumble across the bridge daily, but it is being replaced by a new one under construction and slated for 2015 completion.

The new thrust-arch bridge has a 230-metre long deck and a single span.

It is located several metres east of the existing bridge, crossing the river at an angle so that it will align with 105 Street to the north.

One of the bridge’s most unique features is the curved bicycle-pedestrian pathway that runs along the east side. The pathway is separated from the vehicular bridge by a gap which ranges from 2 to 8 metres across, but the pathway is supported by the same arches as the vehicular bridge.

DIALOG has been involved in the project since 2011. Associate Kris Lima, P.Eng., was deputy project manager of the design team and is now serving as the owner’s representative as construction manager.

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The North Saskatchewan River Valley provides valuable green space in the city, so Lima notes it was important that the new bridge should not become “overly intrusive.” Furthermore, the designers didn’t want the structure to shift too much attention from the nearby High Level Bridge, a century-old landmark that dates from a year before the old Walterdale.

The thrust-arch design of the new bridge eliminates the need for in-stream piers and facilitates ice movement on the river. The diameters of the arch ribs taper from about 2.5 metres at the base to about 1.4 metres at the top of the arch, which extends 43 metres above the bridge deck and 55 metres above normal river levels. The two arches incline toward each other at about 14 degrees off the vertical, adding to the structure’s aesthetics.

Less apparent to casual observers will be the stationing of massive 400cu.m concrete thrust blocks 15 metres below-grade in the underlying shale and limestone bedrock. With glacial till and clay so prevalent in the Edmonton area, engineers have tended to resort to deep pile foundations, so using thrust blocks amounts to a new departure for an Edmonton bridge.

GENIVAR announces positive results In its financial results for the first six months of 2013, GENIVAR, based in Montreal, reported total revenues of $995.1 million compared to $344.9 million in 2012. This represents an increase of 188.5%. For the same period, net revenues were $833.5 million, providing a 190.6% increase compared to 2012.

The company said its revenue growth was due to the acquisition last year of WSP, a large U.K.-based company.

SNC-Lavalin suffers from North African problems On August 2, SNC-Lavalin of Montreal reported a net loss for the first six months of this year.

The company attributed its losses partly to a $70-million claim against it for late penalties on a project in Algeria, and to a risk provision it had recorded for a project in Libya. The company’s executives said they are seeking to clarify and sort out both situations.

Despite the losses, company revenues for the six months had increased by 4% to $3.8 billion compared to $3.7 billion for the same period in 2012.

A few days later the company reported several new contracts in Canada.

W s

W yo D us

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www.canadianconsultingengineer.com August/September 2013

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Hammond Manufacturing is known for their high levels of standard inventory. But when standard just doesn’t match the spec, rest assured that Hammond is here to help!

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We make it very easy for you to specify our product!

When you browse to www.hammondmfg.com you can easily download technical drawings in STEP, DWG and PDF formats, without the need to log in. Let us help you design your spec.

For over 95 years, Hammond has been known for designing and manufacturing enclosures, racks and cabinets, power distribution and accessories of exceptional quality and workmanship. Whether you require an off-the-shelf or customized solution, Hammond has the capabilities to support your project from design to delivery. Made in Canada!

Members of these Industry Associations:

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up front

continued from page 6

Martin Tessler, Courtesy of Acton Ostry Architects

Consultants involved include: ISL Engineering and Land Services as prime consultant, DIALOG (bridge design, urban design and construction management), Buckland & Taylor (subconsultant to DIALOG for bridge design), Al-Terra (roadwork), Thurber (geotechnical) and Spencer Environmental Management Services (environmental). Contractor is Acciona Pacer.

The old bridge is scheduled for demolition in 2016.

PROFESSION

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Christ Worship Centre, Surrey The 36,000 sq.ft. Christ Worship Centre in Surrey, B.C. includes a “Lobby of Light” in wood and coloured glass as the primary point of arrival. The centre includes the worship space, a fellowship hall, and also day cares, classrooms, a library, dance studio, dining area and offices. Green features include geothermal heating and cooling, and the use of bioswales throughout the parking area to cleanse and retain stormwater. Acton Ostry are architects, Fast + Epp are structural engineers and Stantec are mechanical-electrical engineers.

sentatives of employers, and regulatory bodies should not: require applicants to have prior work experience in Canada to be eligible for a particular job; assume that an applicant will not succeed in a particular job because he or she lacks Canadian experience; discount an applicant’s foreign work experience or assign it less weight than their Canadian work experience; require applicants to disclose their country of origin or the location of their work experience on the job application form; ask applicants questions that may directly or indirectly reveal where their work experience was obtained; ask for local references only.

The program consisted of a $57-million new combined sewer overflow system that feeds into the city’s Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant. Upstream, upgrades were made at four sites and ranged from installing new monitoring equipment, to adding an underground gate. The Woodward plant itself was upgraded with a primary clarifier and sedimentation process. AECOM were consulting engi-

INFRASTRUCTURE

New clarifiers at the Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hamilton, Ont.

Ontario’s steel town cleans up for harbour On June 26 the city of Hamilton celebrated the completion of an $80-million program to improve the quality of storm and wastewater released into the city’s harbour. Known for decades as “steel town,” Hamilton has a population of 520,000 and sits west of Toronto on Lake Ontario.

City of Hamilton

Requiring work experience deemed discriminatory The foreign-trained “engineer working as a taxi driver” syndrome may become a thing of the past in Ontario if the Ontario Human Rights Commission has its way.

The commission issued a new “Policy on removing the ‘Canadian experience’ barrier” on July 15. That policy deems it discriminatory for anyone to apply a strict requirement for “Canadian experience” when hiring an employee.

Currently Professional Engineers Ontario requires that for someone to qualify for an engineering licence, they must have four years of experience, one of which must be obtained in Canada.

In announcing the OHRC’s new policy, which was written in partnership with KPMG, Chief Commissioner Barbara Hall said: “Ontario attracts highly-skilled immigrants from all over the world, but if they have to meet a requirement for Canadian experience, they are in a very difficult position — they can’t get a job without Canadian experience and they can’t get experience without a job. In most cases, that is discrimination under Ontario’s Human Rights code.”

Consequently, Hall said, immigrants turn to volunteering, internships or low-skilled survival jobs to meet the requirement for Canadian experience.

Among other things, the OHRC’s new policy says that employers, repre-

neers for the treatment plant upgrade and Stantec were engineers for the collection system upgrades.

Another $2.4 million component saw the addition of a de-chlorination system and other improvements for the city’s Dundas Wastewater Plant. continued on page 10

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com August/September 2013

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Clear solutions for water, energy and the environment tetra tech’s scientists and engineers are developing sustainable solutions for the world’s most complex projects. with more than 3,500 employees in Canada and 14,000 total employees worldwide, we have grown to become one of north america’s largest engineering firms—and that’s just the beginning. from water and transportation projects, to renewable energy and mining services, tetra tech provides clear solutions in consulting, engineering, program management, construction management, and technical services worldwide. www.tetratech.com

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up front

continued from page 8

Hatch Mott MacDonald were consulting engineers.

At the east end of the harbour at the mouth of Red Hill Creek, the Windermere Basin has been transformed from a degraded industrial area into 13 hectares of wetland and aquatic habitat. The $20.6 million rehabilitation involved constructing hydraulic controls, a fishway, islands, containment dikes and landscaping. Cole Engineering were the engineers.

MAILBOX

“Bundling” work is just a symptom Re. “Bundling, skills shortages, loading of risk, creating concerns for consulting engineers at ACEC summit,” CCE website news, June 22.

The skills shortage with public sector managers, the infrastructure deficit, and project bundling, are all related issues.

The problem is that the need for infrastructure renewal is challenging the most skilled of public sector managers, let alone those without the “real life” experience required to understand these issues. Bundling is a symptom of the problem. As municipalities struggle to find ways to approach the infrastructure deficit there is a general failure in the understanding of how such approaches will affect the availability of services. For example, as more projects go to larger firms, smaller local firms will eventually be forced out of the market place. While

this may reduce costs in the short term, the lack of competition that is created by the failure of many firms will likely eventually lead to increased prices due to the resulting competition deficit. Add to this the skill and understanding deficit that results from younger, less experienced public sector managers making decisions and you have a recipe for long term decline in both infrastructure and the engineering industry that traditionally services its needs.

Two factors further complicate the issue: declining prices for engineering services resulting both from the lack of appreciation for the value of experience by less experienced public sector managers, and our industry’s willingness to accept and go along with the low price trend.

The bottom line here is that if we as an industry do not promote the value of our services and begin to refuse to devalue our own worth, we will eventually become irrelevant. This will in turn lead to an eventual reduction in quality of the infrastructure that we are now renewing, leading to earlier failures of these systems and compounding the problem we now face.

ACEC and the industry as a whole, have a responsibility to understand these issues and come together to stem and reverse these trends for the good of both society and the engineering industry.

W.R. (Bill) MacMillan, P.Eng. Hatch Mott MacDonald, Moncton, N.B.

POWER

Undersea cable between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia wins approval Nova Scotia’s utility approval board agreed in July to a 180-kilometre subsea cable “Maritime Link” from Newfoundland across the Cabot Strait into Nova Scotia.

NSP Maritime Link, a wholly owned subsidiary of Emera of Nova Scotia, is designing, engineering, constructing and financing the 500MW transmission project. The project already received a release from the federal environmental assessment process and environmental approvals from the provinces of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

The link is part of a larger plan for Newfoundland to develop hydro power along the Lower Churchill Rover in Labrador, partly for export outside the province. The plans include an 824MW power plant at Muskrat Falls that is now under construction.

A longer transmission line, the “Labrador-Island” link,” is required to bring the Churchill Falls power down from Labrador to the island of Newfoundland.

The Labrador-Island line will run for a total of 1,100 kilometres overland from Central Labrador and then underwater for 35 kilometres across the Strait of Belle Isle to Shoal Cove, Newfoundland. In late June Nalcor won an environmental release from the province for the project.

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW

CHAIR’S MESSAGE

Delivering value for our members

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n recent years, ACEC has matured and taken on many exciting initiatives supporting the consulting engineering industry. Our vision is a future where our industry is more successful, trusted and sustainable. I truly believe that this vision is achievable and worth striving for.

Firms that provide services to private sector clients represent a large part of the consulting engineering industry across Canada. A key priority for this year is to focus on new initiatives to add more value to that sector and try to increase participation and membership of these firms.

We will continue to improve how we communicate with our members. With technology and tools changing so quickly, managing that information effectively is one of the biggest challenges some of us face in business. ACEC’s challenge is to get important information to our members through those inundated channels to ensure that the message about all the value we provide as an association is received and will inspire

more involvement in our initiatives and events.

Most importantly is a focus on delivering and demonstrating value to members. We need to regularly evaluate the usefulness of our services and products. In the last year we have implemented a new governance model that is allowing our board to be more strategic and forward thinking. We want to know what our members want from us and to be able to focus on issues that our members may not even be aware of yet. Businesses need to make spending decisions now more than ever based on a return on investment, and we will always look to prove that membership with ACEC is good value.

We have a strong governance model, a solid strategic plan and the drive to make these a reality. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that will come this year.

And I really look forward to meeting our members across the country as we work towards the best consulting engineering industry possible.

JASON MEWIS, P.ENG. CHAIR, ACEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MESSAGE DU PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL

Procurer une valeur à nos membres

C

es dernières années, l’AFIC a grandement évolué et a lancé plusieurs initiatives stimulantes à l’appui de l’industrie du génie-conseil. Notre vision est un avenir où notre industrie sera encore plus prospère, plus durable et toujours digne de la confiance de nos clients. Je crois sincèrement que nous réaliserons cette vision et qu’elle mérite donc d’être poursuivie.

Les firmes qui procurent des services à des clients du secteur privé représentent une importante partie de l’industrie du génie-conseil partout au Canada. L’une des priorités de cette année sera la mise en œuvre de nouvelles initiatives pour ajouter plus de valeur à ce secteur et pour accroître la participation et l’adhésion de ces firmes à notre association.

Nous continuerons aussi d’améliorer nos moyens de communication avec nos membres. Comme la technologie et les outils de communication changent très rapidement, une gestion efficace de l’information est l’un des plus importants défis qui se présentent à notre industrie. Le défi que l’AFIC doit relever est de transmettre des renseignements importants à ses membres par des voies de communication inondées afin de nous assurer que le message relatif à la valeur que nous procurons en tant qu’association soit

bien reçu et qu’il encouragera une participation accrue à nos initiatives et à nos événements.

Le plus important, c’est de démontrer et de procurer une valeur à nos membres. Nous devons régulièrement évaluer la pertinence de nos services et de nos produits. Au cours de la dernière année, nous avons mis en place un nouveau modèle de gouvernance qui permet à notre conseil d’administration d’être plus stratégique et plus proactif. Nous voulons savoir ce que les membres attendent de nous et nous concentrer sur des enjeux que nos membres n’ont peut-être même pas encore identifiés. Plus que jamais, les entreprises doivent prendre des décisions fondées sur le rendement de leurs investissements, et c’est pourquoi nous chercherons toujours à démontrer que l’adhésion à l’AFIC est une bonne valeur.

Nous avons un modèle de gouvernance bien pensé, un plan stratégique solide, ainsi que la volonté de réaliser nos objectifs. C’est avec enthousiasme que j’entends relever ces défis et saisir les occasions qui se présenteront à nous cette année. Il me fera également plaisir de rencontrer nos membres partout au pays alors que nous travaillerons à bâtir la meilleure industrie du génie-conseil qui soit.

JASON MEWIS, P.ENG. PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL D’ADMINISTRATION DE L’AFIC

August/September 2013

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW

ACEC welcomes FIDIC delegation to Ottawa, Canada

T

he leadership of FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers) received a warm welcome when it met in Ottawa in the spring.

Ottawa, with its capital status, prestigious historical buildings, and renowned Parliament Hill, provided an excellent backdrop for the group of engineering business leaders.

FIDIC’s governing executive committee met in Ottawa on May 8 to discuss issues affecting the global engineering market and how consulting engineering can make a greater contribution to the economic, social and environmental quality of life for people around the world. Topics discussed included promoting sustainability, fostering innovation, building industry capacity and ensuring business integrity. The executive committee is elected by the FIDIC membership and currently has representation from the UK, Spain, Tanzania, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Sweden and Canada.

ACEC Past-Chair, Murray Thompson (third from right), with the FIDIC Executive Committee.

“We are honoured to host such a distinguished group of engineering executives in our nation’s capital,” said ACEC President, John Gamble.

“It’s been a real pleasure engaging FIDIC on global issues facing our industry and recognizing the very important work of consulting engineers across our country and abroad.”

To showcase the important role of the consulting engineering industry

in Canada and internationally, ACEC’s national office organized and hosted a number of meetings and events, including a 90-person reception with parliamentarians, ambassadors, industry leaders and corporate partners on Parliament Hill. The event allowed ACEC to maintain its strong presence on the Hill and the chance to reconnect with relevant parliamentary officials.

ACEC discusses CIDA/DFAIT merger with Minister Fast

I

n April of this year, the Federal Government made the move to merge the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). This move is important for consulting engineering firms because decisions around procurement and project funding may be handled differently. The blending of aid and trade has the potential to create exciting opportunities for our industry.

The issues: 1. In the past, ACEC had raised concern with CIDA officials because the organization appeared to have lost interest in

projects with tangible outcomes such as technical assistance, “bricks and mortar,” and micro-finance. Instead, Canadian tax dollars were being used, in large part, to support “soft” projects, whose outcomes are difficult to measure in comparison with infrastructure that leaves a visible, lasting legacy.

2. In addition, ACEC firms were disappointed that an increasingly large fraction of CIDA’s budget was being diverted to multi-lateral programs, administered by international development banks, where there was little accountability to the Canadian taxpayer, little recognition for Canada and

minimal opportunities for Canadian firms to execute the work.

The new CIDA/DFAIT portfolio is now called the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development and it rests in the hands of Minister Ed Fast. In early May, ACEC secured a meeting with the Minister to discuss the above points, and to establish a line of communication with the Minister’s office.

The Minister agreed that open dialogue and input from the consulting engineering industry would be valuable, so a senior staff person in the department was identified and will be meeting with ACEC on a regular basis.

ACEC Member Organizations: Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - British Columbia, Consulting Engineers of Yukon, Consulting Engineers of Alberta, Consulting Engineers of Northwest Territories, Consulting Engineers of Saskatchewan, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Manitoba, Consulting Engineers of Ontario, Association des Ingénieurs-conseils du Québec, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – New Brunswick, Consulting Engineers of Nova Scotia, Consulting Engineers of Prince Edward Island, Consulting Engineers of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW

ACEC Summit 2013: a successful and memorable industry conference

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s Canada’s leaders in consulting engineering gathered in Lake Louise, Alberta on June 20 for ACEC’s 2013 Summit, a state of emergency was taking shape in a number of communities nearby due to unprecedented flooding. It was an unexpected start to this year’s Summit which will be remembered by those who participated for years to come.

The conference What participants said was held at the iconabout ACEC Summit 2013 ic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and “Excellent program” pirations and the fufeatured a two-day ture of the industry.

Business Program, “Very inspiring” Annual General “Topics were relevant to Industry leaders Meeting and social the business times” recognized at events. The Business Chairman’s Gala Program provided “Great job finding ACEC Chair Murray a unique opportuopportunities in crisis!”

Thompson hosted nity for delegates to the Chairman’s Gala learn from industry experts and gain fresh insights on on June 21, during which achievements how to achieve business success today of ACEC members were recognized. and in the future. Sessions highlighted Mr. Thompson presented Kerry Rudd, opportunities for the consulting engi- President and CEO of Associated Engineering sector and examined trends, neering, with the 2013 Chairman’s business ethics and success strategies. Award for his outstanding contribution Program changes were required on to the consulting engineering industry day two of the Summit when road clo- and ACEC. Jason Mewis, President and Senior sures prevented some speakers from attending. In an impromptu plenary Engineer at ENGCOMP, took over session, Young Professionals shared leadership of ACEC’s Board of Direcvaluable insights on their career as- tors for 2013-2014. Mr. Mewis is a

Business session at the ACEC Summit.

recognized leader in the Canadian consulting engineering industry. He was elected to the ACEC Board of Directors in 2009 and has since served on the Executive Committee in a number of roles. He outlined his goals and priorities and stressed the need for a collective vision and more strategic approach.

Selena Wilson of McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd. and Simon Davidson of Roche Ltd., Consulting Group were awarded the 2014 Allen D. Williams Scholarship for their demonstrated commitment to the consulting engineering industry in their provinces. The co-winners will receive funding to attend the annual conference of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2014.

Left: Murray Thompson passes the gavel to new Chair Jason Mewis (at left in photo) who takes over leadership of ACEC’s Board of Directors. Centre: Murray Thompson presents the 2013 Chairman’s Award to Kerry Rudd, President and CEO, Associated Engineering. Right: 2014 Allen D. Williams Scholarship award winners are Selena Wilson of McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd. (middle-right) and Simon Davidson of Roche Ltd., Consulting Group (middle-left).

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW

2013 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards Gala

H C

Celebrating Excellence in Engineering across Canada!

October 22, 2013

Ottawa, Ontario

T

he Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards represent the highest honours for achievements in consulting engineering in Canada. Co-sponsored by ACEC-Canada and Canadian Consulting Engineer magazine, the awards showcase projects that demonstrate high quality engineering, innovation and imagination.

ACEC member firms are invited to attend this year’s Awards Gala, a premier networking event that brings together government and industry leaders and other dignitaries to celebrate excellence in consulting engineering.

Representatives of award-winning firms will also have the opportunity to participate in ACEC’s Parliament Hill Day and discuss key industry issues with elected officials.

Join us as we celebrate engineering excellence!

Watch for details in CCE magazine’s September issue.

New suite of ACEC standard forms of agreement available online now

A

CEC announces the release of three new standard forms of agreement: • ACEC Document 35 - Project Management • ACEC Document 36 - Agreement of Studies and Reports • ACEC Document 39 - Agreement

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between Owner and Owner’s Engineer for Design/Build.

These documents complement ACEC Document 31, the owner/consultant agreement, and ACEC Document 32, the prime/sub-consultant agreement, that were completed in

2010 and 2011. ACEC contract agreements are available free of charge.

ACEC will track downloads of these agreements and notify users of any future updates/revisions.

Access the ACEC documents here: www.acec.ca/eshop

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computers

BIM AND ENERGY MODELLING

INTEROPERABILITY INCOMPLETE

Above: this multi-tower, multi-use facility under construction is one of the largest BIM projects MCW Consultants have taken on; the sophisticated, energy-efficient mechanical-electrical-plumbing systems were modelled with Revit and IES<VE>.

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With their promise of a more streamlined workflow and higher productivity, can Building Information Models and Energy Models find a way to get along?

By Brian Tysoe, P.Eng. and Laura-Lee Moran, MCW Consultants

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hy do a job once when you can do it three times? If you are only being paid to do the job once then the answer should be obvious. Even still, this triplication of work is common practice in many mechanical-electricalplumbing (MEP) engineering offices. Three different tools for three different tasks: HAP or TRACE for load calculations, Revit or AutoCAD for design/production, eQUEST or IES<VE> for energy modelling. Three different models developed by three different departments for three different tasks on a single building.

Although the software tools have improved dramatically, there is still a disconnect between expectations and reality. There is no single tool that can do everything well. And the many tools that do exist often have trouble getting along.

High performance buildings are complex continued on page 20

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Left: energy model of the Earth Rangers Centre near Toronto; the model was used by MCW to perform load calculations and energy analysis on an extensive retrofit. The building has achieved LEED Platinum for existing buildings, operations and maintenance.

systems. Within an MEP engineering office many specialized professionals are involved in putting forward an efficient, coordinated and cost-effective design. Engineers, designers and energy modellers work together behind the scenes to provide all the sophisticated systems that we expect to find in the built environment. From HVAC, plumbing and fire protection to power, lighting and controls, it is the role of the MEP engineer to make these systems work within the overall context of structure, architecture and site.

Furthermore, the expectations for new construction in this day and age are very high. All this work must be done within a breakneck schedule, at the lowest possible life-cycle cost, with the lowest possible environmental footprint.

BIM takes CAD to a whole new level Among the biggest changes that have been happening in the construction industry over the last five years or more is the increased use of Building Information Modelling (BIM). BIM has taken the traditional 2D CAD tools to a whole new level. While in 2D CAD the lines drawn in model space are just lines, with 3D BIM the shapes modelled have information associated with them, as suggested by the ‘I’ in BIM. Instead of an air terminal being just a square drawn on a page, the BIM model will know that it is an air terminal and there will be information associated with it, such as the flow rate it is handling and the static pressure drop. If the air terminal is connected by ductwork to a VAV box, the BIM model will know that the VAV box is serving that air terminal and it will be able to size the VAV box accordingly.

A big reason why 3D BIM has been so widely adopted is that it has the potential to reduce coordination time between disciplines. For example the model will know if the user is trying to draw a length of ductwork through a structural column, unlike a 2D CAD drawing which will not make this distinction.

As technology changes, so does the idea of BIM. Many ar-

chitects, engineers, contractors, owners and operators are starting to look beyond 3D BIM toward 4D (time), 5D (cost) and even 6D (life-cycle management). BIM models created by architects and engineers during design are being used by contractors during construction and then passed along to the owner and operator for use during the life of the building.

Energy modelling has become mainstream Another major change in the industry recently is the focus on energy modelling. With the popularity of the LEED rating system and the stringent energy efficiency requirements of some building codes, developers, owners and designers are paying close attention to the energy performance of their new buildings. No longer is energy modelling only done on so-called high performance buildings. It has become a completely mainstream part of the design process.

And like BIM models, energy models are starting to bridge the gap between design tool and owner/operator tool. Many building owners are opting to design sub-metering systems with the intent of using the data to calibrate the design energy model after a year of operation. When this is done, the energy model becomes a valuable tool the owner can use to perform “what-if” analysis on proposed changes over the life of the building.

There are many different energy modelling software options, all of which have strengths and weaknesses. Some are better at modelling hydronic systems; some are better at modelling air-side systems; some are more visual; some have better reporting features; some have codes and standards built in and can automatically generate certain reference models. With so many options, it takes knowledge and experience to determine which is the most appropriate for a given project.

Combining BIM and energy models A lot has been made of the benefit of combining BIM and continued on page 22

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Left: Revit model purpose-developed by MCW for export to IES<VE> energy modelling software. It was only through multiple iterations and with close attention paid to various guidelines and white papers that MCW were able to make the BIM-energy modelling interoperability a success.

energy models. The BIM model created by the architect can be exported to the energy modelling software, thereby eliminating the time-consuming area takeoffs and geometric modelling aspects of the energy modelling process. Not only does this streamlined process have the potential to save time, it also eliminates the opportunity for mistakes in the translation from the BIM model to the energy model.

Programs like Google Sketchup and AutoDesk Revit have plug-ins with direct links to IES<VE>. And beyond these direct links, many BIM and energy modelling programs can use the gbXML schema to import/export model data between programs.

It has been suggested that with the advanced inter-operability of today’s BIM and energy modelling software tools, there is essentially one model required for design, engineering and energy modelling and this model can be passed around between team members, each of whom can perform the tasks required to do their job.

You need a toolbox, not a Swiss Army knife The reality is that there are still multiple models. On BIM projects it is still very common to see multiple models developed within the same office for different aspects of the engineering/design process. For example, although Revit can do load calculations, there will still quite often be a HAP or TRACE model. And although HAP and TRACE can do annual energy calculations, there will still quite often be an eQUEST or EE4 model. People like to use specific tools and certain tools are better than others for certain tasks.

As the Swiss Army Knife modelling approach is replaced with the toolbox approach, the focus has to shift from finding software that can do every task, to finding software that is inter-operable. Can the output of one model seamlessly become the input for the next model and back again?

Interoperability is something that is heavily touted by software developers as a selling point for their products. It is said

that this interoperability can allow the team to react quickly to design changes and “easily fit analysis into the design workflow” (www.iesve.com/software/interoperability/revit).

An uneasy union Unfortunately, it seems as though achieving interoperability between building energy models and BIM is nowhere near as easy as the “marketing people” make it seem.

For those fluent in BIM, you hear the phrase “out of the box”; so what does it mean? Does it mean it’s simple? Typical? That most of the work is already completed by the program for you? In reality, when preparing a BIM model to be exported to an energy modelling program, it is anything but “out of the box.”

Take for example a BIM model created with Revit which is to be exported to IES<VE>. If no rooms are defined in the Revit model, the model will not export. If rooms are defined in the Revit model but not properly bounded, the surfaces will export to IES<VE> as shading elements, not spaces. If the rooms are properly bounded but not connected, for example only bounded from floor to ceiling, the rooms will export to IES<VE> as spaces, but the interior ceilings and floors will be treated as exterior roofs and exposed floors. If the rooms are not connected from centre-of-wall to centreof-wall the rooms will export to IES<VE> as spaces, but the interior surfaces will be treated as exterior walls.

Even if everything is set up properly in Revit for a successful export to IES<VE>, the rooms that were defined in Revit may not be appropriate for energy modelling. The zoning schemes for load calculations and energy analysis are not based on defining a separate zone for every unique room. Rather they are based on three general rules: unique heating/cooling load profile; unique schedule; and unique space function. All that is to say that even if the Revit model can be exported to the energy model, the engineer will still have to spend time revising the zoning continued on page 24

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scheme to suit his or her requirements.

There are many settings that do not transfer unless the modeller, whether it be the architect or engineer, puts in the extra leg work. Depending on the level of development of the project, the architect will often go to great lengths to establish the construction assemblies for the exterior walls, interior partitions, etc. Unfortunately all that hard work does not export through the gbXML schema and these elements must be created from scratch in the energy modelling software.

One particular element that does tend to be transferred over is the structural column – as a room.

When rooms are automatically added in the Revit model by the architect, Revit takes ALL enclosed spaces, including structural columns. These columns then show up in IES<VE> as Spaces, which causes problems.

Things are improving Things are better now than a few years ago. For one thing the tools are more robust. Also, the technical support is bet-

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Above: BIM model of mechanical room, showing that a BIM model can look as realistic as a photograph and provide detail that designers strive for.

Left: 3D cutaway of mechanical room for a building with strict cooling demands in a very humid climate.

ter. Interoperability issues seemed to be a grey area that no one among the BIM and energy model software developers wanted to take responsibility for. That has changed. There are very good sources of information available on how to properly set up a Revit model so that it will export properly to IES<VE>, including a couple of white papers that can be downloaded from the IES<VE> website (see above). If the steps in those documents are followed closely it is possible for this workflow to be successful.

Certainly there is a lot of potential for time savings, cost savings and a more streamlined process with BIM-energy modelling interoperability. At MCW, we have had success taking early stage architectural Sketchup models and exporting to programs such as AutoDesk Vasari for early stage energy analysis. This has allowed us to provide feedback to our architectural clients at a very elementary stage on building orientation, building massing, external shading and other issues that cannot wait for a detailed energy model to be developed.

However, we have only been able to successfully export a Revit model to IES<VE> after considerable manipulation of the Revit model. It is our experience that most energy modellers will not bother with this, but will create the geometric model from scratch in the energy modelling software in order to have full control over the finished product.

When it comes to exporting complicated architectural Revit models to IES<VE>, the industry is still a long way from the kind of real time, out-of-the-box interoperability that you read about in the brochures. But the upside advantage to making it work is such that we are going to keep trying.

Maybe one day these tools will learn to get along.

CCE Brian Tysoe, P.Eng. is an Associate and National Manager of Energy Modelling Services, and Laura-Lee Moran is the BIM Manager, both at MCW Consultants in Toronto. www.mcw.com

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the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest hvac r

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lighting & electrical

By Laura Eley, Crossey Engineering

The Trades and Technology Complex at SAIT in Calgary is incorporating education with functionality in the design of its electrical, lighting and other systems.

Learning Through Transparency

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The roofs on each of the TTC’s three buildings, for example, are constructed to resemble free flowing “waves of the future.” This architectural concept was further enhanced by an integrated lighting design that visually “floats” the rooftops above the complex’s collegiate pillars.

The TTC was intended to be instructive in its space planning and to present a pedagogical advantage to students and staff. Its buildings were designed using different engineering solutions as learning environments in which students can view different construction techniques and functioning systems. All the buildings, their infrastructure systems, and fundamental operations are regarded as teaching tools.

For example, students can view the operational systems within each building, such as the escalator mechanisms, ventilation ducts, and sprinkler lines that are typically hidden from sight.

With constant communication taking place between Crossey, Consullux and Gibbs Gage, distance proved to be little issue despite there being over 3,000 kilometres separating Toronto from Calgary. The speed of construction was impressive and allowed the

project to remain on schedule, including for the crucial decanting process.

Lighting to support pedagogy Maximizing the operating transparency was a primary focus for each building’s lighting and electrical design. Toronto-based Crossey Engineering and Consullux Lighting Consultants designed the lighting with themes of discovery and learning at the forefront of their creation.

On the exterior of the Aldred Centre, energy efficient LED indirect lights were installed to create the widely visible, “floating” roof illusion.

Inside, the four-storey atrium (photo right) has both direct and indirect luminaires, combined 28-watt T5 fluorescent lamps with 39-watt CMH PAR30 lamps. A skylight allows a large amount of natural light to enter the space during daylight hours, and exposed conduits and pipelines are emphasized by the combination of lighting fixtures and the sun.

A custom-designed lighting and sculptural installation nicknamed the “drunken lights” creates a stunning feature piece inside the Aldred Centre and Johnson-Cobbe Energy Cen-

Areta Edmunds, Art:Line Photography.

ounded in 1916, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) has grown to offer multiple post-secondary programs and training to approximately 71,000 students annually. Situated in Calgary at 16th Avenue and Crowchild Trail, with a view of the city to the south and the Rocky Mountains to the west, the school has many fine examples of architecture. These include the new Trades and Technology Complex (TTC) which was completed in 2012.

Designed for staff and students mainly in the energy, construction, and manufacturing fields, the 740,000sq. ft. TTC consists of three individual buildings: the Aldred Centre, the Johnson-Cobbe Energy Centre, and the Cenovus Energy Centre. The complex is located in the centre of the compact campus and occupies an area formerly covered by the Murdoch parking garage, Colonel James Walker Building, and a portion of the Riley complex.

In designing the TTC, Gibbs Gage Architects took inspiration from the nearly 100-year-old Heritage Hall on SAIT’s campus, while still taking an innovative approach.

Above: energy efficient LED indirect lights were installed to create the “floating” roof illusion on the Aldred Centre.

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Areta Edmunds, ArtLine Photography.

lighting & electrical

Above: four-storey interactive colour LED wall in the atrium of the Aldred Centre.

tre (photo page 28). The installation includes approximately 25 multi-coloured units in Johnson-Cobbe, and 40 in the Aldred Centre. It provides ambient light and also complements the surrounding industrial-styled architecture while softening it. Energy efficient RGB LED nodes were care-

fully placed within 4-ft. acrylic tubes to balance diffusion and light transmission. This effect delivers uniform surface illumination that is visible from all the surrounding areas.

RGB LED fixtures were also incorporated into a four-storey, perforated metal wall (see photo above). It adds

character and intrigue to the atrium of the Aldred Centre through its colour changing capabilities. Both the wall and feature lighting fixtures are operated by a centralized DMX control system that allows for individual node control and virtually unlimited synchronized colour changing scenes. continued on page 28

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Areta Edmunds, ArtLine Photography.

lighting & electrical

Exposed electrical design Encouraging students to interact with the building systems was the primary focus in creating the electrical system.

It serves not only to support the buildings, but also to educate.

A custom third-party electrical platform was designed jointly by Crossey and the electrical contracter Canem Systems for the project. A web based program was created to allow facility managers across the three buildings to remotely monitor lamp and ballast life and quarterly energy use, and to control operations in the laboratories.

The program provides the managers the ability to obtain real time as well as virtual information.

From a pedagogical perspective, several elements were incorporated into the electrical system to enhance the learning experience. Elevator shafts and electrical rooms were independently lit to provide maximum visibility inside the installed and functioning systems. Operating mechanical systems such as duct and pipe connections were installed to be visi28

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bly accessible to students.

The complex’s main switchboard was designed with a human-machine interface ability for instructional purposes. To aid in comprehension, all of the TTC’s shop drawings were nested within the complex’s electronic system and made available for re-ordering. In addition, a fully networked and fibre based communications system was integrated to allow for the premium flow of power and information.

An engineering challenge was presented in the need to create a new substation to replace the existing and outdated power supply. Crossey Engineering transferred the power on campus and designed a completely new substation, which required an additional feeder from the local utility to accommodate the existing campus and new building loads.

Another challenge was created in the site’s master planning, which required detailed coordination to decant existing buildings located both on and off campus into temporary locations prior to demolition. This process also involved modifying the existing campus power grid while keeping the campus operations functional.

Fire protection in workshops and laboratories Special attention was given to the fire protection systems placed in the complex’s laboratories and workshops where construction and trades-based exercises are primarily taught. Many hazardous materials and machines

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Above left: "drunken lights" installation, with colour LED nodes set within 4-ft. acrylic tubes. Above right: welding laboratory where the fire protection and electrical systems have to account for the presence of machinery and hazardous materials.

The overall effect brings dynamic colour and desired focal points to the industrial theme of the space.

A digital addressable lighting control system was designed to manage all the building’s lights. Combining energy efficient sources and strategies helped the structure to achieve a lighting power density of 0.65 watts per square foot and keep it on track for LEED Silver certification.

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were required to be in operation, and electrical installations had to be extensively examined, detailed, and well coordinated in the field.

The presence of hazardous materials in these areas had a significant impact on how materials were located and installed. For example, lighting fixtures were required to be dropped 30” from the ceiling and in a several instances electrical equipment was located 36” above the floor.

Meanwhile in the atrium, a two stage addressable system with multiple interconnections was designed for smoke control.

With the addition of the TTC, SAIT continues to grow in influence and importance to the future of all Canadians.

CCE Laura Eley is with Crossey Engineering Limited in Toronto.

Owner: Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Electrical and lighting: Crossey Engineering (Wally Eley, P.Eng., Barry Dempsey, Christi Downing, P.Eng., Brian Kirk, P.Eng., Eric Achig, P.Eng., Alla Lobatch, Irena Zajac) Lighting design: Consullux Lighting Consultants (Ion Luh, Ryan Fook-Sheung) Architect: Gibbs Gage Architects Structural engineer: DIALOG Mechanical engineer: SNC Lavalin Other key players: Canem Systems (electrical design assist and contractor)

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Saving Lives and Protecting Property Our Roots We trace our beginnings back to the early 1960’s, when our founder, Mr. Tony Falbo, started manufacturing apartment intercom and related systems in Toronto. His company, known as Mirtone, quickly expanded to include fire alarm systems, and grew to become one of the largest fire alarm manufacturers in Canada, before being purchased by General Signal (Edwards).

However, Tony was just getting started as an entrepreneur! In 1991, he went on to start the Mircom Group of Companies (MGC™).

It’s likely that you recognize the Mircom™ brand from seeing our Tony Falbo (1964) - Celebrating 50 years solutions in your in the life safety industry friends’ condominium and apartment buildings. That’s because we initially started out in the industry as an intercom and fire alarm system provider.

While we are still very much involved in this area, our brands, solutions, and capabilities have evolved along with the growing industry needs.

Mircom Group of Companies: Where We Are Now Today, MGC stands as one of the fastest growing companies in the building solutions sector and the largest independent fire alarm manufacturer in North America. Our product line spans Fire Alarm and Emergency Audio, Communications, and Security and our brands include Mircom™, Secutron™, and United Export Corporation (U.E.C.™). With a well-earned reputation for excellence, innovation and quality, we’ve consistently achieved double-digit annual growth.

Our network of dedicated Sales and Service Offices, known as Mircom Engineered Systems™ (Mircom ES) allow us to be a full solution provider, tackling projects of various scopes and sizes.

Additionally, we offer assistance to Consulting Engineers, making the selection and application of our solutions seamless.

Our advanced systems are scalable to satisfy diverse user demands, from small buildings to large complexes, using a common firmware platform and distributed processing architecture.

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• Office Complexes • Hotels • Retail • Oil/Gas/Petro Chemical • Hospitals/Healthcare • Schools/Universities • Corporate • Government • Industrial • Commercial • Sports/Entertainment • Campus Applications . . . and many more Proudly Canadian Manufacturing We operate an 85,000 sq. ft. head office and manufacturing facility, in Vaughan (Toronto), Canada. Our unwavering commitment to North American manufacturing enables us to offer the highest quality and best competitive value across our vast range of fire alarm, mass notification, communications, building automation and access control products.

Principle manufacturing, from receipt of raw goods to finished and tested systems, devices and components, is all conducted in our head office. Our state-of-the-art facility houses multiple production lines for electronics, including surface mount and auto insertion assembly, metal fabrication, component assembly, firmware programing and final packaging.

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buildings

BY BRONWEN PARSONS

BRIDGEPOINT A NEW LONG-TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL IN TORONTO

SHINES AS AN EXAMPLE BOTH OF BEAUTIFUL DESIGN AND OF HOW TEAMS COLLABORATE IN THE P3 PROCESS.

O

n Toronto’s winding Don Valley expressway, south of the Bloor Street Viaduct, sits a large and imposing new building on the left. The 10-storey block, split horizontally mid way, sits high above the road and dominates the landscape. Bridgepoint Healthcare doesn’t look like a typical hospital. This is one beautiful building. It’s hard to imagine that behind the stylish grey and glass patterned exterior are 460 rooms housing patients who have long-term and complex disabilities.

Inside, the 680,000-sq.ft. new hospital is full of light. A large open lobby leads past an open kitchen and cafe. There are lounges and dining rooms, an auditorium, and a therapy pool. High on the roof is a garden and terrace, where patients and visitors can feel the fresh air and enjoy expansive views across the city.

From the time the master plan for the long-term acute care hospital was written in 2006, the hospital was conceived as a “campus of wellness,” one intended “to change the world for people living with chronic disease.”

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John Pascoa, an associate principal at Smith and Andersen, who worked on the building says they were mindful that many of the patients will be in the hospital for the long haul and so the design intent was always “to make their lives better.”

Located between the highway on one side, and the intersection of Broadview Avenue and Gerrard Street East on the other, the hospital occupies a tight urban site with a long history. Beside it is Riverdale Hospital, which Bridgepoint has replaced and which is being demolished. Riverdale's modernist, semi-circular architecture was much admired, but inside the decor was dreary and depressing. Worse, patients looked out on the 1860s Don Jail whose hefty walls confined prisoners until the 1970s. You can still see the gallows inside where condemned men were dropped to their deaths. (A newer “Don Jail” built next door to the east is still operating, but is slated for closure.)

Today the historic stone jail has been converted into the administration offices for Bridgepoint Health. The central high rotunda with its skylights and intricate ironwork have

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Tom ArbanI

buildings

Left: view from west; unseen behind is the 1860s Don Jail and the former Riverdale Hospital which is being torn down; Above: view from north along Don Valley Parkway (a crowded road at most times) and Don River.

Sam Javanrouh

been restored, along with cells and other areas in the basement. The upper floors have been opened out into office space, "with lots of life and interaction between people," says Terry Wilk, P.Eng., one of the structural engineers.

Stretching the conceptual design Infrastructure Ontario and Bridgepoint Health selected the Plenary Group consortium above two other bidders to design, build, finance and maintain the complex in 2009. It opened this spring. Plenary will be paid $622 million in today`s dollars over 30 years in a contract that covers maintenance but not building operations.

As a P3, design-build project it was unusual in that the hospital and Infrastructure Ontario had their “planning, design and compliance” team develop the design concepts much further than is customary on these types of projects.

The owners had an entire spectrum of specialist consultants working out the hospital's needs. These were laid out in “project specific output specifications” (PSOS) and a “design exemplar.”

During the bidding process and once the contract was awarded, Plenary Group brought an entirely different quota of architects, engineers and specialist consultants to the project, and they became the architects and engineers of record. As this design-build team worked out the details of the design, they continually conferred with the owner`s compliance team to ensure they met the requirements in the PSOS and design exemplar.

Leading Bridgepoint`s compliance team were high-profile architects KPMB and Stantec. Stantec were also the structural, electrical, sustainability and energy designers.

The Mitchell Partnership were the mechanical engineers.

On the Plenary Group design-build team, the architects were equally high profile: HDR and Diamond Schmitt. Halsall were structural and sustainability consultants. Smith and Andersen were the mechanical and electrical engineers.

A happy collaboration Even though there were two sets of ideas and two sets of people, they related well as the project evolved. Wilk, a continued on page 34 August/September 2013

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Left: the smart new hospital block is linked by a glass pedestrian bridge to administration offices in the 1860s Don Jail building. Right: rotunda in the Don Jail; new lighting and systems were carefully integrated with the architectural detailing; lighting was also added behind the original semi-circular glass feature in the floor.

principal with Stantec's compliance team, says: “The working relationship between ourselves and Halsall the proponent`s structural engineer was a real treat. I hope that it happens in all P3 jobs, but it certainly happened on this one and I think the project benefited from it.”

Wilk explains how things went: “Even as the design progressed with the winning proponent, they had to make regular submissions to us, and we had to review their documents to make sure that they remained in compliance with the project specifications.”

“But,” he carefully adds: “I want to be clear, we were not peer reviewers. We weren`t there critiquing their designs.

We were simply there to make sure that they remained in compliance throughout the process and that they were giving Bridgepoint all of the things that the hospital had contracted to have in their building.”

Speaking from the design-builder side, mechanical engineer Brad Bull, P.Eng. of Smith and Andersen also found things went well: “Our relationship was very good on this project because we already had a good long-term relationship with the compliance team’s mechanical engineers, The Mitchell Partnership.”

He adds: “By and large we worked to the project specific output specifications, but there were a few ideas that we brought to the table. Some got accepted; some got rejected, but the compliance team were open to alternative solutions that achieved their prescriptive requirements. They set an energy target for us to hit and then it was our responsibility to go and achieve it. I would say that is the best way to go about things — set a bar and then allow the design-build engineers the flexibility within their design to hit that level.

The project was very successful in that regard.”

Reconfiguring the Don Jail - structural design Wilk says one of the most interesting aspects of the project for the compliance team’s structural engineers was reconfig-

uring the historic Don Jail — one of the oldest buildings in Toronto — from a “dungeon” into a modern office space.

Loadbearing cell walls had to be removed and the interior reconstructed. The floors, some of which are stone slabs spanning between the cell walls, had to be historically preserved and converted to a diaphragm. Everything in the building had to be made to meet current codes.

There were no drawings or records of the building, so first Stantec had to take measurements and do material tests in order to create a three-dimensional computer analysis.

“We spent many a cold February day in an old eerie jail, where you hear things that probably aren’t there, trying to measure up the structure under dim light,” Wilk remembers.

The real challenge for Stantec was figuring out beforehand what was necessary for the conversion, so that the design-build bidding teams could have the right information to analyze and price the project. "From a structural perspective it needed a lot of conceptual and preliminary design from the compliance team," he says.

Meanwhile, “the Historical Board and our internal compliance historical consultants were looking over our shoulders all the way.”

The new 10-storey tower “is a big building but it is also a pretty typical structure,” says Wilk. It is a concrete flat slab structure with cantilever floor plates around the perimeter, which allows column-free views outside. Its simplicity enabled the design-builders to create an economical design.

But he says, in the bowels of the building where they had to incorporate a large open loading dock, ramps and two levels of underground parking: “the beautifully economic and regular grid pattern in the tower suddenly falls by the wayside.”

Here’s where the structural gymnastics came in and the collaboration between the compliance team and the designbuild engineers was tested.

“When you have a compliance group and a proponent continued on page 37

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Tom Arban

August/September 2013

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Canadian Consulting Engineer

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HV

group, sometimes they get along and sometimes they can become adversarial,” says Wilk. “But I think we developed a tremendous working relationship with Halsall. They came up with a system that turned our concept on its ear to suit their proposed layout and we worked very well together to allow their system to become compliant.” Halsall used posttensioned concrete girders and other elements to create the long spans to transfer the loads from the column grid above onto the more open plan below.

Glass walls and fresh air - HVAC design The design specifications dictated achieving two LEED points for energy (the building was designed for LEED-certification level), which means it has to be 29% more energy efficient than the National Model Energy Code for Buildings. The first two years of operation will be used to establish a benchmark for its actual operating energy.

Bull of Smith and Andersen explains that it was not easy to meet those energy targets partly because hospitals have to have high rates of ventilation, and partly because of the building envelope.

“A third of the air circulating through a hospital is out-

door air. Whereas an office building is probably going to run about half that rate, i.e. 15% to 20% as opposed to 33%,” says Bull.

Bridgepoint’s compliance team architects had prescribed the building envelope. “Mechanically that represented quite a big challenge,” says Bull, “because the proponents wanted it to be really energy efficient, but they also said, “We want to have a lot of glass because we believe that’s the solution for a patient.”

As a result, Bull explains: “We actually have far more air running through that building than what would be prescribed by a CSA standard because the envelope has so much glazing. So we had to use heat recovery solutions on the air handling systems and high efficiency chillers. Also on the boiler systems we integrated flue gas heat recovery systems to recapture any waste heat that would normally be going up the stack and to the great outdoors.”

“The outdoor air heat recovery works in reverse too,” Bull adds, “so in the cooling season it serves to pre-cool the incoming air.”

Smith and Andersen worked closely with Halsall, who were sustainability engineers for the design-build team and continued on page 38

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did the energy modelling. Luka Matutinovic, P.Eng. of Halsall says it was “a very iterative process; energy modellers are constantly giving feedback to the design team so that they can make certain tweaks. And obviously PCL, the contractor, was there costing everything, all the decisions. So we provided the energy impact; they provided the cost; and then the team could decide.”

“You’re always balancing four things,” says Matutinovic: “There are owners’ requirements, there are code requirements, and you’re balancing them with both the up front capital costs and the long-term costs. It’s an interplay of those things.”

Tom Arban

Tom Arban

Juggling needs — electrical design According to John Pascoa with Smith and Anderson, the electrical designers for the design-build team also had to juggle various needs. “Electrically, it’s not just a matter of putting in the main systems to keep the building running. It’s also important to give patients a feeling that the hospital is new space, it’s comfortable, that they have the flexibility of making the space their own by giving them different options.

At the same time the electrical engineers had to satisfy different members of their own Plenary team. Recalling the bidding phase, Pascoa says: “We are in the middle of our partner on the right, which is putting the project together and they need the manpower to get it built within the time schedule. And we’re also dealing with the team on the left, which has to maintain the building for 30 years at a minimum cost.” He adds, “It’s always a challenge because over 30 years technology changes quite a bit.”

A fixture mixture and avoiding the “haunted look” Pascoa says the team achieved a “really good lighting design that complements the hospital environment.”

One challenge was Bridgepoint’s specification for a multi-level light above the patient beds. It had to combine night, ambient, general and examination lighting. No such standard fixture existed, but when Bridgepoint insisted that’s what they needed, the engineers worked with a manufacturer to customize a standard fixture. By adjusting the reflectors they produced a fixture that provides a glow in the ceiling rather than a light that shines directly in the eyes of someone lying in the bed.

Throughout the hospital are energy-saving LED lighting, occupancy sensors, photocells and a centralized low-voltage control system for daylight harvesting where feasible.

The historic Don Jail “was a whole different building and a whole different challenge,” says Pascoa. In the high rotunda, for example, they incorporated big pendant light fixtures and a combination of incandescent track lighting and LED accents to play up the refined architecture. Behind the semicircular skylight in the floor they installed metal halide lighting to enhance its effect. Otherwise the challenge was discreetly fitting the lighting and other services inside the tight ceiling space.

To find the right way to light-up the exterior of this landmark, the team did mock-ups and many trials. They had to avoid casting shadows on the rough stonework that would have created a “haunted look.” They found they needed to pull the lighting away from the edge of the building by up to 15 feet in some locations. And because LEED restricts exterior uplighting to minimize night sky pollution, it had to be under

Above left: nursing station. Above right: patient room; the design and systems are all intended to give patients "a feeling that the hospital is new space, it’s comfortable, that they have the flexibility of making the space their own by giving them different options."

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Above: green roof and terrace on the 10th floor.

1000 lumens. They used LED lights and played with various coloured lenses. “It was a challenge, but I think we got it right,” says Pascoa.

Safety, security and servers The main incoming utility power duct is capable of supporting 7 MW and comes in from one of the city’s main switching station, which is across the street. There are two life safety emergency generators and a large UPS plant that backs up systems such as nurse call, communications, fire alarm, building automation and elevators.

The security systems are interconnected and set up so that if necessary certain patients can be prevented from wandering to the wrong areas.

Typically the patient’s bracelet will have a chip they can swipe at doors or in the elevator.

In order to preserve patient confidentiality, Bridgepoint needed two distinct and separate server systems: one for the building operating systems such as the HVAC systems, and another for the hospital administration and medical records. Access to the two systems had to be carefully separated, yet the systems had to be located in the same room. This way, they could use the same air-conditioning system to cool all the equipment and save energy.

The design-build team managed to fit the equipment into one tight space

by carefully arranging the server racks and reducing clutter with a raised floor system that contains all the power and communications wiring. As well as physically separating the server systems, cages provide added security.

All in all, Bridgepoint is exemplary as both a P3 project and a design.

The patients seem happy too. Riding up to the roof garden in the elevator, long-term patients were all smiles when asked about his new home. CCE Client/sponsors: Bridgepoint Health & Infrastructure Ontario Owner’s planning, design & compliance team: Stantec/KPMB (architects); Stantec (structural, electrical, sustainable design & energy); The Mitchell Partnership (mechanical); ERA (heritage); Brook VanDalen (building envelope); R.V. Andersen (civil); Golder (environmental); Aercoustics (vibration, acoustics); Randall Brown (life safety); RWDI (microclimate); PFS Studio (landscape) P3 design, build, finance & maintain team: Plenary Health (proponent); HDR/Diamond Schmitt (architects); Halsall (structural & sustainability); Smith + Andersen (mechanical-electrical); PCL (construction); Leber Rubes (code); J.E. Coulter (vibration, acoustics); Ventin Group (heritage); RWDI (environmental); CFMS (commissioning); MBTW/Watchorn (landscape), A.M. Candaras (site servicing)

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buildings

By Michael Pires, P.Eng., Enermodal/MMM Group

A speculative office complex under construction on Toronto’s waterfront shows that simple strategies can make even this building type very energy efficient.

RBC WaterPark Place

Owner/Developer: Oxford Properties Sustainable design facilitation, LEED, energy modelling: Enermodal, a member of MMM Group (Michael Pires, P.Eng., Marlene Waters, P.Eng.) Architect: WZMH Structural: Read Jones Christoffersen Mechanical: Hidi Rae Electrical: MMM Group

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WZMH Architects/Oxford Properties

S

et for completion in 2014, the 930,000-square foot RBC WaterPark Place is intended to be the first new speculative office tower in Toronto to achieve the highest green building rating — LEED Core & Shell Platinum.

The developers and the design team want to demonstrate that achieving the highest level of sustainability is not only possible today, but also is cost-effective and feasible for a developer’s bottom line.

The 50-storey complex extends for a block along the north side of Queen’s Quay Boulevard between York and Bay Streets, just south of the business district and close to the busy Toronto waterfront. The building, which incorporates a seven storey podium, is being developed by Oxford Properties and designed by WZMH Architects. Sustainable design facilitation, LEED consulting, and energy efficiency modeling were provided by Enermodal.

The construction cost is $400 million. Oxford expects about 1% to be the incremental cost of going from LEED Gold, which was the developer’s initial goal, to LEED Platinum. Given that the expected operating cost savings are $150,000 annually, the developer expects a four-year payback. En-

Above: architectural drawing of WaterPark Place under construction close to Toronto’s downtown waterfront. The 930,000-sq.ft. complex has much less vision glazing than the typical towers springing up in this area.

ermodal conducted a comprehensive engineering study and energy model that examined the cost benefits of a wide range of technologies to determine which would yield the highest energy savings at the lowest cost.

Vision glazing used strategically A careful configuration of the building envelope is one strategy used for achieving energy savings. The tower will have a high-performance building envelope by ensuring that vision glazing is only used where it provides the

most benefit. As a result, vision glazing accounts for a little over half the exterior walls, compared to most new office buildings, which have 70%80% vision glazing. Insulated glazed panels are used in areas near the floor, above the ceiling, and in front of obstructions like pillars. The envelope provides energy efficiency and occupant comfort improvements.

Dedicated outdoor air system The building will use a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) for ventilation and an independent variable air

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buildings volume system (VAV) for delivering the heating and cooling.

A DOAS is a well tested and relatively simple system to design and operate. The systems are often paired with innovative, high-performance heating and cooling systems like variable refrigerant flow, chilled beams, or radiant slabs. In this way, a DOAS based strategy can deliver a superior indoor environment with low operating costs and excellent long-term performance.

But design teams also need not venture too far from their technical comfort zone to implement a DOAS strategy. In a system such as is being installed at RBC Waterpark Place, a DOAS running in parallel with a standard VAV system providing thermal control will provide significant savings relative to a traditional office mechanical system. In this configuration, ventilation air from the DOAS, which is provided to match occupancy needs, is delivered to the space independently of heating and cooling and is controlled by CO2 sensors. The VAV system has a more or less traditional design and is controlled by thermostats in each zone.

True, there is a little more ductwork in the ceiling space but the control strategy is simple and allows each zone to receive what it actually needs — fresh air, heating or cooling, without one compromising the other. Plus, because most building operators are already well versed in traditional VAV systems, the learning curve to manage a DOAS+VAV system is fairly gentle.

Enwave’s deep lake water cooling and dedicated natural gas high-efficiency boilers will supply the energy required by the systems at RBC Waterpark Place.

This project will demonstrate that designers can achieve the same level of energy savings as other advanced HVAC systems with something as simple as added ductwork and VAV boxes with added controls. This reliable, well understood, and easy-to-maintain design is also less expensive and more reliable than underfloor systems that are often considered a default for

high-performance office towers. It serves as an example for other big city high rises to shoot for.

Ongoing measurement and improvement Enermodal will be installing a submetering system in the building to

monitor energy and water use for the first year of operation to determine the actual energy efficiency levels of this office.

CCE Michael Pires, P.Eng, is the Manager for Sustainability at Enermodal Engineering/ MMM Group, in Toronto.

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fire safety

By André Laroche, Eng., National Research Council of Canada

Among 800 changes in the 2010 National Model Construction Codes of Canada are some important new rules relating to fire alarms and the storage of flammable liquids.

The 2010 Codes - Heads Up

T

he 2010 National Model Construction Codes, published by the National Research Council of Canada on behalf of the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes, contain nearly 800 technical changes. These address technological advances as well as health and safety concerns.

Under the Canadian constitution, the regulation of building construction and fire safety is the domain of the provinces and territories. To become law, the National Model Construction Codes must be adopted by these jurisdictions, who may use them “as is” or make modifications (see Figure 1).

Outlined here are significant changes in two of the 2010 code documents: the National Building Code of Canada (NBC) and the National Fire Code of Canada (NFC).

Fire alarm systems and exit signs.

Statistics have shown that fires originating in sleeping rooms within dwell-

ing units are the second highest cause of fire deaths in homes. Prior to the 2010 Codes, smoke alarms were required only in corridors outside sleeping rooms. This sometimes caused delays in notifying occupants of a fire, especially when the bedroom doors were closed.

A smoke alarm is now required in every bedroom of a home. It was also determined that people would benefit from having signs that were language independent and internationally recognized. As a result, the previous requirement for red exit signs with letters was replaced with the green running man pictogram and directional arrow. Recognition of the use of photoluminescent technology for signs was also introduced.

Hazardous materials and activities moved to NBC. Historically, the NFC addresses hazards and potential risks caused by hazardous materials and activities. The safety measures required

Province/Territory

NBC 2010

NFC 2010

PC 2010

Yukon

April 2011

April 2011

April 2011

Northwest Territories

April 2011

April 2011

Nunavut British Columbia

Fall 2012

Fall 2012

Alberta

Fall 2012 September 2012

Saskatchewan

May 2013

Manitoba

April 2011

Ontario

November 2012

December 2011

Quebec

April 2011 November 2012

Fall 2012

New Brunswick

January 2013

January 2012

January 2013

Nova Scotia

June 2011

June 2011

June 2011

PEI

2011: Summerside, Charlettotown, Stratford

Newfoundland/Labrador

Except NBC Part 9 for 1 and 2 dwelling units

Figure 1: Dates that provinces and territories have adopted regulations based on the 2010 National Model Construction Codes as of July 15, 2013. (NPC stands for National Plumbing Code)

by the NFC, however, were often missed at the building design stage. In the 2010 Codes, most building design requirements from the NFC were relocated into the NBC, except for spill control measures. Cross-references were also added in the NFC to maintain the application of building design requirements to existing buildings and to help building and fire inspectors.

Storage of flammable and combustible liquids. This was the main focus of the 2010 NFC changes. Several revisions were made to the construction requirements for both underground and above-ground storage tanks, as well as to piping systems in order to reduce leakage. The construction of underground storage tanks and piping systems must now be doublewalled, and the capacity of aboveground storage tanks (i.e. at fuel dispensing stations) was revised based on current practices in Canada.

Secondary suites. Previous versions of the NBC addressed secondary suites within Part 9 using the same criteria for duplex and semi-detached dwelling units. However, the applicable code provisions often imposed additional construction and safety requirements for secondary suites compared to those for a single family dwelling. Several provincial and municipal jurisdictions also had specific requirements for secondary suites but there was little consistency across the jurisdictions. To encourage greater uniformity, the NBC requirements were revised and included a new definition for secondary suites as well as new area limits and fire protection measures. Examples of the requirements for a house with a secondary suite include an exemption from procontinued on page 45

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building systems

By Lindsey K. McCaffrey

A recent study looked at why the building industry is not adopting intelligent automation technologies as quickly as expected.

Not Smart Enough

S

A disconnected industry A study commissioned by the Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) based in Ottawa recently identified a few reasons that might help explain the slow widespread adoption of intelligent technology in North America.

Titled “Intelligent Buildings and the Bid Specification Process,” the study looked specifically at key aspects of the bid specification process, how decisions are made in that process, and the role of key influencers in such decisions.

Published in January 2013, the 44

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study included approximately 60 interviews with a broad range of construction players.

They included engineers, architects, contractors and designbuilders, real estate developers, OEMS/integrators, standards organizations and other influential agencies. Secondary research, including published sources from government bodies, think tanks, and industry associations, formed the balance of the report.

The report found that the industry is heterogeneous, fragmented, and increasingly complex in regard to the incorporation of new technologies into buildings. And it identified a disconnect among partners in the value chain which gave little scope for the incorporation of intelligent building solutions.

Lack of understanding Building owners consider technology integration to be important, but they do not have a clear idea of the actual benefits of buying these products and solutions.

In order to make the “right” technology selection, the end users surveyed said they rely mainly on the consulting and specification engineers and the design-build firms who complete a final project design and its drawings and specifications.

Yet the report also found that while engineers and design-builders had significant influence on the building owner’s decision-making process, not all engineers appear to understand the technology or value associated with intelligent buildings.

Consequently, the end result obtained from the bid specification pro-

©Thinkstock

lowly but surely, building owners and managers are realizing the many financial benefits associated with intelligent technologies — lower energy costs, lower maintenance costs, and lower repair and replacement costs.

Take Greater Vancouver’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University as one example: since installing an intelligent building automation system (BAS) across its Cloverdale campus, the school has seen an operational cost savings of $2.7 million over the last decade, an energy saving of up to 45% annually, a yearly saving in natural gas by up to 25%, and an estimated reduction in GHG emissions by 20% over the next 10 years.

Given the many opportunities available to building owners from building intelligence, it is surprising that the incorporation of the technologies is not more widespread.

In fact, where building specification processes are concerned, the integration of smart technology is often either postponed indefinitely, or not considered at all. But why?

cess did not often mirror the original project vision — particularly when it came to procuring the most optimal technology or service solution.

In most cases cost was the sole determinant for procurement, no matter what was the original schematic design recommended. The study found that low-cost technology, with a quick payback, was often favoured over smart controls and automated solutions.

While automated building solutions have a higher upfront cost, they could potentially lead to measurable returns in the long-term. Yet the current disjointed and transactional model leads to low levels of adoption of the technology.

Engineers and design-build firms — key players in the value chain — can do a few things to increase the widespread usage of smart technologies. Among the suggestions to improve the bid specification process, the report made the following recommendations: Take a unified view. It makes sense for the ultimate owners and operators to have better and smarter technologies in the building, and for buildings to be looked at as an ecosystem rather than a series of systems or contracts.

Collaborate more. Getting to know more about intelligent building technologies can also be done by working with vendors, and with associations like CABA to determine where to situ-

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building systems ate new partners in the value chain.

One important — and fairly new — partner in the bid spec process is the technology integrator. This is an expert who understands how different technologies can be integrated into a building to make it smarter, and who is involved in the procurement process.

Educate the end user. The engineers’ role is not just to deploy and specify what goes into a building. They must also educate the building owner or operator about considerations apart from budget, such as how any advanced components that go into a building will enhance its performance and value as an asset. Engineers must be able to demonstrate to building owners the value of implementing smart technologies from the very beginning of the project.

CCE Lindsey K. McCaffrey is a freelance writer based in Ottawa.

fire safety

continued from page 42

viding two separate exits, and for a party wall on the property line to be a firewall, smoke-tight barrier in lieu of a fire separation between suites. Another requirement is for wired smoke alarms so that the activation of any one smoke alarm causes all the smoke alarms in the house with a secondary suite to sound.

Residential care facilities. The regulation of residential care facilities became a priority due to demographic changes and the diverging efforts of provinces and territories. To encourage harmonization, changes were made to the National Codes, and a new Group B, Division 3 (B3) classification for care occupancies was added. Construction requirements for the B3 care occupancy now rest between the Group C residential occupancy and the Group B, Division 2, treatment occupancy (formerly care or detention occupancy). The new B3 occupancy must be sprinklered and

is permitted to use combustible construction up to three storeys where it may not have been permitted under the B2 classification.

Spatial separation limits. These became a prominent issue as urban housing densities have increased and the number of catastrophic fires in these urban development areas have grown.

To mitigate this potential risk, the Codes provide new construction requirements based on the proximity of the property line and adjacent properties, as well as revisions to soffit protection and unprotected openings.

More detailed overviews of the major technical changes are provided as free online presentations at www. nationalcodes.nrc.gc.ca.

CCE André Laroche is acting team coordinator fire safety and technical advisor–fire safety at the National Research Council, Construction in Ottawa.

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August/September 2013

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building systems

By Bronwen Parsons

How can consulting engineers work more effectively with specialists in the building security industry? We asked three to tell us their thoughts.

Specifying Security Systems

What can go wrong?

David Ito, product manager with the Mircom Group of Companies in Vaughan north of Toronto, says that 46

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©Hemera/Thinkstock

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eeping intruders out of buildings is just a small part of what building designers have to think about when it comes to security systems these days. In many projects, access control on doors must be paired with video surveillance, intercoms, paging, panic buttons and emergency stations outside in the parking lot. These are likely to be all linked to a monitoring station via an IP (internet protocol) network, using Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable that conducts both power and communications data. Often the security systems are tied in with the fire detection and alarm systems and even the lighting, HVAC and building automation systems. It’s a booming industry requiring a complex infrastructure.

Usually the design of these systems is overseen by the architects and electrical engineers, but consultants are increasingly dependent on the specialized technical knowledge of experts in the security industry, whether they are product manufacturers or independent system “integrators.”

How can consulting engineers work more effectively with these industry specialists? The engineers want to ensure that their building owners get a system that meets the project’s precise needs at the best affordable price. But the consultants’ ability to meet those requirements depends on their ability to receive sound advice from the technical specialists in the industry – and on how carefully both sides are willing to listen.

as manufacturers of security and fire systems, they are often approached by consulting engineers for advice.

“We’re providing the technical knowledge and the expertise to assist in the project management. We’re focusing on understanding what their requirements are.”

Asked how the relationship between security system suppliers and consulting engineers can improve, Ito consulted with his team.

“One of the things that can go wrong is that changes are done in the design that we are not consulted about,” Ito says. “Then near the end of the project we find there are gaps in the compliance of the final design.

That usually translates into project delays.” The manufacturer can sometimes offer a new solution, he says, such as a wireless technology, which will reduce the period of the delay.

“Another thing that can go wrong,” Ito says, “is when the design consultants don’t do a field review, whether it’s due to cost restraints or time restraints.” Then when it’s time for the installation, the security system specialists find that the system can’t fulfil

the owner's requirements. Perhaps a beam is blocking the view of a camera, for example. “So we always say that it is very essential that we have an integration of the architectural environment and the security systems.”

“Communication is essential,” Ito explains. A lack of dialogue between the designers and the security experts can lead to a misinterpretation of the requirements. While some engineers spend a lot of time consulting with the manufacturers and integrators, others are aloof and inaccessible “and that’s where we find problems developing,” says Ito. His team has found that the problem occurs with individual engineers, rather than broadly across entire firms.

Specifications brand names or not?

Depending on who you speak to, there are various opinions about what kind of details the engineer should include in the specifications. David Trudel is president of Marcomm Systems Group in Ottawa, which is a systems integrator. They do a lot of work for high security public sector proj-

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building systems ects, including in buildings across Parliament Hill. Marcomm also manufactures its own software for integrating systems and equipment from different manufacturers, so they are not tied to one proprietary technology.

Trudel is adamant that consulting engineers should avoid specifying particular manufacturer products. At least during a design-build project he thinks they should provide only a broad brush description of the client’s performance needs.

“When the engineers put out their specifications, they really should not be listing manufacturers or models,” he says. Instead, “We’re showing them the benefit of giving us output performance specifications because it frees our hands two years later to look at the current technology that is going to meet the client’s needs."

Trudel’s point is that technology

changes so quickly these days it doesn’t make sense to specify a particular XYZ piece of equipment by manufacturer XYZ, because by the time the project goes to tender, it could be three or four years later and

for the building.

Having different equipment manufacturers involved, he says, also ensures that the bid prices are competitive.

Others, however, think slightly differently. Kim Kornmaier, whose title is

“Trudel's point is that it doesn't make sense to specify a particular XYZ piece of equipment by manufacturer XYZ because by the time the project goes to tender the technology will be outdated. the technology will be outdated.

The other problem according to Trudel is that specifying particular brands limits the options available for the project. In contrast, by mixing and matching different equipment integrators can ensure the client gets the best system for each function and thereby has the best overall solution

"security in design program leader" with Honeywell in the U.S., is often told that consulting engineers aren’t particular enough about the client’s or the project’s needs. In some cases, the specification ends up “so vague nobody knows what the client is really looking for.”

Ideally, Kornmaier says, the specificontinued on page 53

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PROJECT

outreach

BY ROSALIND CAIRNCROSS, P.ENG.

KATEBI

Mikhael Missakabo/Pamoja Tujenge

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A GROUP OF ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS IN TORONTO

CISTERNS BELOW CLASSROOM S M

CLASSROOM L O

ARE HELPING

R RAINWATER WA E CATCHMENT C A C E T @ +-550 - 5 SM M

TO PRODUCE THE KATEBI

CLASSROOM S M

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CLINIC AND

Kindergarten Latrines CLASSROOM S STORAGE R

COMMUNITY

WORKSHOP K

BUILDING IN

SOLAR L REFRIGERATOR R E R

AUTOCLAVE C

RESID DENCE COURT D

POTENTIAL EXPANSION

R RESIDENCE C

Clinic Latrines

CENTRE AS A SUSTAINABLE

KITCHEN H

CLINIC N STORAGE R

PA ARABOLIC ABOL SOLAR R ARRAY A Y CLINIC WAITI WA TING TI ING ARE RE EA LANDSCAPED MANGO PORCH POTENTIAL EX EXPANSION NW WELLNESS LN RO ROOM

THE TROUBLED

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POTENTIAL OT EXPANSION SI

WELLNESS N ROOM O

POTENTIAL T EXPANSION IO 1:200

DEMOCRATIC

Far left: girls in Katebi.

Above: site plan.

REPUBLIC OF CONGO.

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n a small corner of the vast but troubled Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the people are about to get some of the amenities the rest of us take for granted.

A unique collaboration between Ryerson University’s Department of Architectural Science, the Toronto office of Arup, the international engineering company, and Pamoja Tujenge, a charitable organization, has produced a design for an “essentially autonomous” model, off-the-grid health and educational facility. If all goes according to plan, the design team will soon get the chance to road test their ingenuity in a part of the world that does not easily respond to standard solutions.

Until recently Katebi, a village in the southern DRC, and its neighbours had practically no modern amenities. The people had little more than their traditional knowledge and skills to cope with a very difficult environment: water from the nearby lake contaminated with arsenic and E. Coli, pit latrines that are contaminating the water table, no electricity, no transportation, no healthcare other than traditional prac-

tices to serve everyday health needs let alone deal with endemic malaria and high HIV infection rates, little agriculture in soil that contains heavy metals, minimal economic activity, and education consisting of a one-room structure staffed by a volunteer — someone able to read and write. Security is a constant concern.

Some help in the form of water purification, maternal assistance and child nutrition arrived thanks to Pamoja Tujenge (let’s build together in Swahili). The Toronto-based charitable organization was founded by one of Katebi’s native sons, Mikhael Missakabo, who emigrated to Canada many years ago. Given the community’s great needs, however, “some” was still very little.

But things are slated to change. Project Katebi Clinic and Community Centre, a model environmentally sustainable facility, is designed and should start being built early next year. The centre will consist of a school and medical clinic employing “innovative, appropriate, environmentally sustainable strategies in terms of building materials and methcontinued on page 50

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ods, as well as heating, cooling, and electrical provision.”

“Sustainability” has become at times a slippery concept.

In this case, however, the design team has carefully thought through the constraints imposed by the location and circumstances. The buildings would be constructed using locally available or easily obtainable materials as far as possible. The project would produce its own electricity for lighting and cooling, its own energy for sterilization and its own potable water. It would use local skills, labour and traditional knowledge as far as possible, and would need minimum maintenance. And, above all, it would be a facility which is culturally appropriate to its users.

This is a tall order but the design team is confident that it is up to the challenge. The team consists of Professor Ian MacBurnie and M. Arch. student David Campbell from Ryerson’s Department of Architectural Science who have been working on similar projects in Ghana; Arup’s Jennifer McArthur, P. Eng. and her colleagues who have considerable experience on projects in developing countries; and Pamoja’s Missakabo and his colleagues. The Pamoja members are an essential part of the team, not only because the organization initiated the project, but also because Missakabo hails from Katebi and is the intermediary between the team in Toronto and the people of the area. He is also a key source of cultural guidance. According to Ian MacBurnie, cultural knowledge is vital: “You have to know the culture very well … otherwise you’re not really building a project that is relevant to that community.” Here the production of a relevant project starts with a different design approach and process.

The integrated design process, a collaboration between all the team members, is a “Sustainability” feature of the project. Professor MacBurnie says: “They has become at don’t do something and we times a slippery don’t do something. [Rather] we all do something together, concept. In this case, at the same time … it is a however, the design horizontal process.” Instead

of the architects designing and then sending the design for comment, the designs are developed in the weekly team meetings over many months.

According to McArthur, the engineering functions were developed in tandem with the structural design. Instead of the architects designing the building and then asking the engineers to put in the systems to make it work, they discussed how to include the systems as they went along, sometimes breaking off into different groups (electrical, mechanical, civil, structural) to work on the specific aspects and then reconvening to discuss the proposed systems. The end product is the best possible design to date that the team can produce. At a later date, it may change. The collaborative process is thorough but not particularly speedy. It has taken the “proper gestation time” of some eight or nine months to develop the design. But the process is clearly exciting for the designers. McArthur reports that the list of volunteers at Arup at last count was 20 people long.

The design of the centre is now essentially complete and has produced a facility with some unique features that clearly reflect the local culture. The approach to the complex leads to a landscaped waiting area, the “mango porch.”

MacBurnie explains that women, who are expected to be most of the users, often walk many miles to come to such a clinic for treatment. The area around the building has been landscaped with trees for shade. When someone comes, she will be given a number and can rest under a tree as is common in the African countryside until she is called. This is a far cry from the conventional waiting room of a Canadian doctor’s office.

Beyond the outer waiting area, the entrance to the central block leads to the clinic and school areas and contains the shared functions of both. The walls are covered in the beautiful woven fabrics produced by local weavers. The classrooms are situated on one side of the central block with rooms for the healthcare functions located on the opposite side. The central block joins (and separates) the two functions and houses storage for each, a kitchen, a workshop, a refrigerated room, housing for an autoclave, as well as units

team has carefully thought through the constraints imposed by the location.

Above: view of the approach to the centre.

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Photo credit goes here

outreach

The design is interspersed with proposed areas

Above: designing a roof that is light and easily repairable using local skills was just one challenge; the proposed design has a re-bar structure, lifted for ventilation and covered with rope mesh.

of expansion for the future. As for

for residential use. Toilets are located at the farthest end of the present, the the central block. The design influence of local is interspersed with proposed areas of expansion for the funeeds is clear in ture. As for the present, the the design. influence of local needs is clear in the design.

Where African women go, very often go a child or two.

The design must therefore accommodate the needs of both – the mother’s for privacy if she’s going for medical reasons, the child’s for a safe place to wait for her. Safety and security are important for other reasons too. According to Missakabo, who travels to the area regularly, Katebi is relatively safe although the DRC as a whole is considered risky. Apart from the kinds of criminal risks that are common in many third world countries, the poor access to medical services and the high rate of HIV infection make medicines a highvalue commodity. These realities have influenced the design. An outer wall around the compound will form the first circle of security. The intermediate common areas will form the next circle. Valuable medicines will be stored in the centre of the building under lock and key.

The constraints of sustainability presented a challenge to McArthur and her colleagues. They wanted the functional systems to use local construction materials and skills as far as possible, but they still need some technology from outside.

They want to use the best available sustainable technologies,

not only in terms of cost and efficiency, but also in terms of ease of maintenance and use so that there will be minimal need for the local people to get extra training. Choices have been made, but the experience on the ground will tell if they remain or change.

The walls will be adobe mud brick baked in the sun, a building technique well known to local people, or concrete with mud brick infill. To satisfy the demands of durability and safety, concrete elements including the foundation pad will clearly have to come from outside the village.

Building a roof which is light and easily repairable with local skills was another challenge for the engineers. The proposed design features a re-bar structure lifted above the classroom to allow for ventilation It will be covered with a mesh of locally available rope. The team chose re-bar instead of wooden crossbeams to avoid using lumber from the already deforested area. The waterproof element will probably be tarp.

Solar panels will provide electricity for lighting and cooling. Cooling is important for some of the medicines and for the proposed mortuary. The use of LEDs will minimize running and replacement costs for the lighting. An array of parabolic reflectors located in the courtyard of the clinic will heat water for sterilizing medical instruments in the autoclave.

One key goal is to provide potable water and since the quality of the local water supply is poor, the design calls for a rainwater collection system. Between two sets of classcontinued on page 52 August/September 2013

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Above: entrance to central block; walls will be decorated with colourful fabrics by local weavers.

rooms a gently sloped, hard-scraped area will collect rainwater and send it to cisterns below. Water from the local lake will continue to be used for bathing and washing. Composting toilets will be used, designed with positive airflow to eliminate odour.

Constructing a building that closely resembles its final drawings is a challenge at the best of times. Here, since the

security risks in the DRC are greater than either the architects or the engineers can assume, the construction phase will probably take place without personal supervision from either. A suitable local person, provided with very clear drawings and instructions from Toronto, will oversee the building of the project.

The building phase, explains David Campbell, will be an incremental process. A modular unit will be built to test the design, adjustments will be made as necessary and then the module will be replicated. Funds will be released when photographs and reports show the successful completion of each section.

Those funds are now the main element separating “design” and “build” but Pamoja Tujenge is working on it. They expect to receive a permit very soon and to start construction at the end of the rainy season next March. When the project is done the people of Katebi can expect clean drinking water, a good school building for their children’s education, a facility for basic medical services. All in a safe, secure and culturally welcoming environment.

CCE Rosalind Cairncross, P.Eng. is contributing editor of Canadian Consulting Engineer magazine and is based in Toronto

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p46-53 CCE AugSept13 Katebi.indd 52

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building systems

continued from page 47

cation will be detailed enough that it ensures the client’s needs are met and also allows for competitive bids from different sources. Kornmaier cites a recent airport project.

It was using public funding so the design consultant needed to write a specification that would be more open and competitively bid. Instead of writing the document with vague wording such as “dealers are to provide a perimeter protection system,” or writing it for a proprietary product, Honeywell eventually helped the design firm generate a detailed specification around a particular capability and an open product.

“We also helped them understand and describe the functionality in the software and configuration options so that it would help achieve their clients’ objectives. In this way we were able to help them be specific in the design, while at the same time they could most likely get three qualified bids,” says Kornmaier.

Interoperability – not yet The problem with mixing and matching different proprietary systems is that they are not 100% compatible. David Ito explains that with so called intelligent buildings, the security systems are networked with other low-voltage communications systems. “And that’s where some of the challenges are, because you have a variety of brands of equipment and they may not be fully integrated. So we’re finding that people are challenged with some of the larger and more complex systems.”

Mircom is a company that carries both fire protection and security systems, but if a consultant is dealing with smaller companies that don’t do both fire and security, tying the two systems to work together can be difficult, says Ito. “There are access control manufacturers out there who don’t make fire systems so they have to integrate into an-

professional directory Experts in Measurement, Analysis & Control

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

other manufacturer panel. All they are doing is mounting a switch – an approach that typically does not provide the level of visibility and control that clients require for truly intelligent building applications," Ito explains.

Although the large manufacturers make sure their products will work with other brands to a large degree, they don’t provide 100% compatibility because they want to keep their own share of the market. “That’s the way the industry works,” says Ito. So for consultants: “It’s really important to know the various system types and the different brands and what level of compatibility they have,” says Ito. Kornmaier says the same: “If I were giving consultants some advice, especially if they are working on an integrated system, I would tell them to spend more time investigating to check that the systems we’re trying to integrate are 100% compatible.”

For Trudel, on the other hand, the obvious solution is to use a third-party integrating software system: “By using a third party software solution, you can pick the best camera, and pick another card access system, and pick another manufacturer’s intercom. It doesn’t matter. You can tailor the systems to meet the client’s needs much further. Your hands are not tied.

CCE

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engineers and the law

By Chad Eggerman, Miller Thomson LLP

Six issues are critical in establishing a successful master services agreement that will help you to maintain good relationships with owners.

Master Services Agreement

T

Limitation of Liability. The owner will seek to transfer as he first important step to develop successful, longterm relationships with your ongoing clients is nego- much liability as it can to the engineer by way of the MSA. tiation and execution of a Master Services Agreement As the engineer, you want to be sure to include a provision (MSA). The MSA will define the overall relationship be- that limits your liability to the total value of the contract, tween a consulting engineer and an owner of a project. An and you should also seek to negotiate a mutual indemnificaMSA is executed most commonly where it is contemplated tion, as opposed to a unilateral one whereby the engineer that the engineer and owner will enter into subsequent only indemnifies the owner.

Payment. Be sure there is a specific provision requiring contracts for specific services. The benefit of this type of contract is that it permits the engineer and owner to quickly the owner to pay you. Some standard form MSAs will not include such clause. As the engineer you will want to negonegotiate future agreements.

The following six key areas will ensure a smooth negotia- tiate the best payment terms you can in the MSA to avoid protracted negotiations with subsetion process: quent contracts later. When negotiatKey Personnel. As a consulting engiAs the consulting engineer, ing an MSA with a large organization, neer, the most valuable asset you have you should seek to permit pay particular attention to the prois your people. The owner may seek broad discretion to remove any per- changes to the key personnel posed review and approval process sonnel and the right to terminate the list only with the consent of that you are agreeing to regarding payment of invoices. The “standard” MSA without cause. However, as the both owner and engineer. review and approval process for inengineer, you will want to seek to voicing in a large multinational comlimit the ability of the owner, through the MSA, to arbitrarily remove your people from any subse- pany can take much longer than you anticipate.

Arbitration or the courts? A private owner developing a quent projects.

As the consulting engineer, you will be seeking to permit project will not want the bad publicity that follows a public changes to the key personnel list only with the consent of dispute. Accordingly, the owner may seek to include an arboth owner and engineer. This provision should be clear bitration clause that will resolve the dispute privately outside that, other than by mutual consent, the only way a key per- the courts and off public record. Engineers may actually son can be removed is if that person no longer holds the want to seek resolution in the courts in some cases, as there position with the engineer. In such an arrangement, the is generally less of a reason for engineers to keep a dispute engineer must pay particular attention to who is included private. A public dispute about the project is usually much on the key personnel list and what their role is, which can more damaging to the owner, which can serve as a disincenbe challenging given that details regarding the scope of any tive for the owner to pursue legal action against the engineer, either as defendant or by way of a third party action. work may not yet be known or disclosed.

Termination. The owner will be seeking to obtain as Warranty. In the warranty clause the engineer warrants that all services performed by the engineer will be free of many ways as possible to terminate the MSA and subseany defects in workmanship and will conform to the specifi- quent contracts, while the engineer will want to limit that cations. The owner may initially seek a 24-month warranty possibility. For example, the owner may seek a clause which period in the MSA. However, even for larger projects, the allows the MSA to be terminated if any milestones in subseindustry standard is 12 months. I appreciate it is not a par- quently executed contracts are not met. You should avoid ticularly compelling negotiation tactic to say “everyone is linking the performance of any subsequent contract to the doing it,” but it is useful to ask the owner to specify exactly termination of the framework MSA — each contract for why they need 24 months instead of the standard 12 separate projects is different.

Owners may also seek to allow the termination of the months. In some cases, the owner will only be able to justify a period of 12 months for defects or other problems that MSA if there are delays in any projects. The engineer should insist on a reasonable notice period that the arise to be covered by the warranty. continued on page 56 54

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continued from page 54

owner must comply with before terminating the MSA for delay of a particular project. The owner may also seek to allow immediate termination if the engineer breaches the terms of the MSA. A good compromise is to include a dis-

56

PRODUCT INFORMATION ANYWHERE YOU NEED IT

pute resolution clause which provides that both parties must negotiate in good faith for a period before the contract can be terminated.

Remember — every agreement is different. Consult a professional advisor to

start your relationship with an owner in a way that is likely to succeed.

CCE Chad Eggerman is a lawyer with Miller Thomson LLP in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. E-mail ceggerman@millerthomson.com

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ethics

By Tom Sisk, P.Eng., FEC

When engineers see a problem arise midway through a project, they can be torn between their professional obligation to report it, and their own survival.

Perils of Whistleblowing

F

58

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Associated Press

sional peril. The story of William LeMessurier’s use of innovative structural design and the design implications of quartering winds in tall buildings is an example. The seemingly disastrous findings that predicted the under-construction skyscraper would fail led to the opportunity to alter the design, save the building and even keep the liability insurers happy.

When the efforts to exercise Q. Is there a difference between dissent, one’s professional obligation fall professional obligation and whistleon deaf ears, the issue may become blowing? (Are you obligated to make Engineer Roger Boisjoly examines a model of the O-Rings, used to bring the Space Shuttle into orbit, one of whistleblowing. Often called ethical breaches public? How far do at a meeting of senior executives and academic "peep and weep," these cases often you go?) representatives in New York in 1991. Boisjoly died carry a high price for the profesWe’ve talked about the whole topic in January 2012 in Utah. sional who pursues the problem. of whistleblowing in years past and Instead of being commended for using skill and concern the poignant points are as valid today as they always have been. Today’s question, I think, highlights the subtle differ- to preserve safety, the professionals are often vilified for adversely affecting the overall project cost, timeline or ultiences of how we perceive three names for the same thing.

In all professions, whether medicine, law, engineering or mate success. These are cases that often bring a chill to the one of the others, there is room for professionals to discuss, reader, often tragically after the fact.

The January 2012 death of Roger Boisjoly is a reminder. and even argue forcibly, for one option over another. But, the argument is meant to be conducted among peers in the A mechanical engineer with a long career in the aerospace industry, he identified the likely failure of booster rocket appropriate forum.

A good example is the use of trade magazines, profes- seals during cold weather launches of the Challenger space sional meetings or online forums. The learned societies shuttle. His well-substantiated protestations up to the last provide another forum for discussion. The intent, as sup- minute before launch were overridden by management and ported by the typical Code of Ethics, is to focus on the the deadly results were observed by all moments later. Boistechnical details and avoid personal attack. Often, no clear joly spent years after coping with feelings of guilt and dewinner emerges, but the two (or more) viewpoints have pression, agonizing whether he had done enough to make been given an airing. In its most elementary format, one his concerns known. He was also shunned by those in the professional directly contacts the other and makes his/her business who thereafter identified him as a whistleblower; someone to be avoided at all costs. concerns known.

There is no easy answer to how far a professional should The professional, when working within his area of expertise, and under his/her convictions also has a professional go to address his/her concerns. The study of ethics is full of responsibility to report issues of public safety or other seri- examples of professionals who went too far and sacrificed ous consequences to the proper authority. Sometimes that their careers. On the other hand, there are cases where the is the job supervisor, project owner or perhaps a govern- insistence of the professional has changed the course of a project or policy and resulted in enhanced safety or living ment authority.

Many examples are available to illustrate how a profes- conditions for thousands. The one advantage of the formal sional has identified some problem midway through a proj- study of ethics is that part of the study gives the professional ect and has ultimately saved the day by reporting the issue a decision making framework with which to evaluate the CCE and working to make corrections, often at possible profes- dilemmas of the seemingly impossible choices. ollowing is an extract from the “Ask the DPA,” column from the spring 2012 issue of Engenuity, the magazine of Engineers and Geoscientists New Brunswick (APEGNB). Questions are posed to Tom Sisk, P.Eng., FEC, who is the Director of Professional Affairs at the association. The article is reproduced with permission.

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M th se sy

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