2015 - 2016
LIMITLESS A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
Impact of Drought p. 14 Which Type of Solar Panel Should You Buy?p. 34
Specialty Crop Can Lead to a Healthier Gut p.10
Lakeland Research Has Reached New Heights p. 18
2015
Alberta
Skills
Interior
Canada
Design
350 has earned
champion
1,548
Technology
new plants added to Enviro Club’s green roof
4 awards
Excellence in Education
apprentices took technical training in 2014-15
New Energy Centre
2 gold medals
including a once-through steam generator (OTSG)
University Rowing Championships
has 5 boilers of different configurations at 2014 Western Canadian
BY
250 204 12
THE
NUMBERS tickets sold to
sets of bunker gear
helmets
277
Band in the Sand
102
in 2014
277
registrations in online
ďŹ re trucks Human Services at Emergencycourses Training Centre in 2014-15
www.lakelandcollege.ca
people registered
for Introduction to
Mental Health, our first MOOC
registrations in online
Human Services courses in 2014-15
1 800 661 6490
Volume 4 2015- 2016
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A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
Publication Information
Lakeland College is proud to be listed as one of Canada’s top research colleges. A significant increase in research funding has helped Lakeland College move to 20th place on the list of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges. Using data from the 2013 fiscal year, Research Infosource Inc. analyzed research funding and the number of faculty involved in research to compile the list. Lakeland’s income for applied research rose from $640,000 in 2012 to $2.6 million in 2013 thanks to investments from numerous partners including Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Western Economic Diversification Canada, Alberta Innovates Technology Futures, Canada Foundation for Innovation, and Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education’s Research Capacity Program. “This top 20 ranking is very good news for Lakeland College and this region. Our reputation is growing which I believe will lead to more industry partnerships and more opportunities for our students to get involved in research,” says Lorne MacGregor, Lakeland’s director of applied research and commercialization.
Limitless is published by Lakeland College Applied Research and Innovation. This is the 4th volume. Throughout the magazine, you will find faces of the researchers and support staff of this growing department. Special thanks to all Lakeland College employees and partners who contributed information and photographs for this publication. PROJECT MANAGER Veronica Peterson ADVISOR Diane Harms CONTRIBUTORS Rob Baron, Larry Bingham, Diane Harms, Ryan Kwasnycia, Lorne MacGregor, Mel Mathison, Thom McAleer, Abdulaziz Naami, Veronica Peterson, Spencer Plant, Glenys Reeves, Katie Ryan, Colleen Symes, Keith Vickery, Alice Wainwright- Stewart EDITOR Gillian Binsted DESIGN Veronica Peterson
Vermilion Campus 5707 College Drive Vermilion AB T9X 1K5 Lloydminster Campus 2602 59 Avenue Lloydminster AB T9V 3N7
Lakeland gratefully acknowledges NSERC support in the production of this knowledge and technology transfer publication through our College and Community Innovation Program grants.
www.lakelandcollege.ca/applied-research
A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
24
8 26
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4
Message From the President
6
Mel Mathison: Visonary and Champion
5
Message From the Vice President Academic
7
What is “Failure” in Research
12
Student Managed Farm
10
Jerusalem Artichoke
16
Spot Light on Summer Researchers
24
Floating Islands
22 President and CEO Working on Qualitative Research 23
Think Green
28
Energy Cabin Finds a New Home
29
Solar Concentrator
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30 Cogen at the Bio-Energy Centre 31
Hemp Heating
32
Making Energy While the Sun Shines
33
The Renewable Energy Learning Centre
34
Showdown: Solar Thermal vs Solar PV
35
Geothermal Testing Results
27 30 LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITY
18 Our Mission: To inspire learner success and
8
Livestock Research Centre
community development through innovative learning in an
14
That Dreaded “D� Word
inclusive and diverse environment.
15
Input Stacking: Does it Pay?
18
Research Takes Flight
Our Vision: Ever to excel in a global society. Our Values: We value learner achievement,
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academic excellence and personal growth founded on our longstanding principles of: people-centred and respect,
20
Regional Business Accelerator
26
Students Lead Erosion Control Project
27
Native Prairie Reestablishment
27
Bees Please
Outcomes: Learner success, relevant programming
36
Alberta Biochar Initiative Update
and research, connectivity, and sustainability.
accountability and integrity, inclusiveness and collaboration, continuous self-improvement, innovation, and pride.
A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
3
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT In January 2002, Lakeland College was granted eligibility as a qualified research institution through the Canada Foundation for Innovation. That was a milestone moment in our quest to become a recognized leader in applied research. Since then, there have been many such moments:
2006 Winning an Emerald Award.
Students and faculty involved in Lakeland College’s Environmental club began an experiment making biodiesel from the College’s cafeteria waste oil.
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2010 Buying Barrhill Farms. The
purchase included 10 quarters and a yard with three houses and two shops that border the Vermilion campus. The yard was allocated for applied research projects. That same year, the College was awarded $2.3 million in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for research related to its environmental sciences programs.
MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC
Lakeland College is emerging as a national leader in applied research. Research Infosource Inc. has recently ranked Lakeland College at number 20 of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges. We are very proud of that recognition and of everything we have accomplished so far, but we are just getting started. This issue of Limitless will provide you with a small glimpse into some of the new and innovative research on which we are already working. We think this work has the potential to transform the future.
We also believe that this Top 20 ranking is a reflection of the tremendous support Lakeland College receives from government, industry, funding partners, and other organizations that share our commitment to applied research. These partnerships are essential as we work together to try to identify innovative solutions to real-world challenges. We enjoy strong collaborations with Alberta Enterprise and Advanced Education, Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF), Western Economic Diversification Canada, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Alberta Rural Development Network, the Alberta Association of Colleges and Technical Institutes, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and others. Central to our accomplishments is a very committed and dedicated research team. Their drive to advance our research interests is relentless, and is matched only by the enthusiasm they have for this work. I appreciate their innovative approach to answering the critical research questions the College
2012 Official opening of the Centre
for Sustainable Innovation (CSI) including the Renewable Energy Learning Centre. Conversion of the College’s bull test station into a Livestock Research Centre begins.
is asking. These questions are aligned very nicely with our core programming strengths in Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Energy, and Emergency Training. From my perspective, the real winners in our applied research program are our students. Not only does our research advance the interests of business and industry, but the linkages between our applied research and the student experience here on campus are central to our program. Our increasing research capacity is providing our students with opportunities to engage directly in research, enhancing what they are already learning and doing in the classroom. I hope you enjoy reading this edition of Limitless. As you do, I am sure you will get a taste of the passion we have for what we do. Leading learning. Leading research. Michael Crowe Vice President Academic
These are certainly landmark moments for our College. But the majority of our applied research success stories occur with little fanfare. These include testing the viability of renewable energy systems in a typical home; helping entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground; collecting crop input data from field plots to help agricultural producers; and involving students in projects so they can develop applied research skills and connect with industry representatives. Here at Lakeland College, there is no question that we are building a culture of innovation and are excited about the exploration and discoveries yet to come in applied research. The work we do is only possible because of the support we receive from you, our industry, government, student, individual, and regional partners and allies. With your continued support, our potential is limitless.
2014 Lakeland College places 20th on the list of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges.
Alice Wainwright-Stewart President and CEO P.S. I too am conducting research this year as I work on my doctorate in higher education. To learn about my phenomenological research project, please see page 22.
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Diane Harms (Left), Mel Mathison (Right)
MEL MATHISON: APPLIED RESEARCH VISIONARY AND CHAMPION I first met Mel Mathison in 2008 after a mutual colleague, Derek Gratz, suggested we connect to discuss getting applied research off the ground at Lakeland College. At the time, I was working as a consultant for a number of post-secondary institutions in applied research strategic planning and fundraising. I recall sitting in the Lloydminster cafeteria listening to his calm words brimming with passion and a vision for the future. He told me stories of small projects that let students explore research and work in collaboration with each other: how the Enviro Club students won an Emerald Award for making biodiesel using waste oil from the College’s cafeteria and then used it to fuel school farm machinery and all of the challenges they had to overcome; how students and faculty were working with the regional watershed and the Provincial park to help catalogue their use and plan sustainable management; and how developing a research lab for online students taking the renewable energy program had brought forward more questions that needed to be solved. These explorations in applied research told me that Lakeland was on the cusp of bigger things. We built a plan for how research could support Lakeland’s longheld Live the Learning philosophy. Along with Rob Baron and Linden Lundback, Mel and I spent countless long days writing grant
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applications, mapping out what the future for applied research at Lakeland could look like, working hard, and dreaming big. Seven years later, I feel it is inadequate to say WOW! Lakeland now has over $8 million in investments in applied research operating and infrastructure development and seen the research team grow from zero to 20 people as of this summer. One of the greatest contributors to this overwhelming success was Mel Mathison. Without his calm “make it happen” attitude, his solid drive forward, and his belief in how applied research could make Lakeland an even better place to work and learn, Lakeland College would not have accomplished the amazing achievements we are celebrating in this 4th issue of Limitless. I am so pleased and honoured to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Mel, who I count among my most treasured mentors and friends. Congratulations on your retirement Mel and, on behalf of all of us, I wish you every good thing in this next chapter of your adventure!
Diane Harms
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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
WHAT IS “FAILURE”
IN RESEARCH?
The old adage “no pain no gain” is very appropriate in applied research. If you never have any unexpected results (failures), then you are not trying hard enough. Thomas Edison famously said, “I haven’t failed; I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”. What he was saying is that no experiments are failures. This lesson is often forgotten by those encouraging and funding applied research and innovation activities. It is important that some applied research and innovation projects or even programs do not deliver the expected results. If we can always predict outcomes, then there is no need to conduct the experiment. If we never “fail”, we are not really creating new knowledge. We can learn from our “failures”. A negative result in an experiment adds to our knowledge; but, we must examine such results and learn from them and not just discard them. To me, there are three ways to really fail at research:
1.
2.
T o not learn from results that are unexpected – i.e., “failed experiments”.
T o conduct your research so sloppily that it is impossible to interpret your results. Research should be planned and carried out with care and attention to details.
Lorne MacGregor, Director Applied Research and Commercialization
3.
T o not take risks. I see this as the worst possible research failure. If you only ever attempt experiments where you are certain of the outcome, you will never advance. Research and innovation are about taking calculated risks. You must try to control the risks, but not to the point of paralysis. At some point, you need to stop planning and start doing; knowing the optimum point at which to make the switch is what makes a good researcher.
A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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LIVESTOCK
RESEARCH CENTRE
Conversion of the Bull Test Facility Into a Livestock Research Centre Lakeland College’s Bull Test Station was constructed in the 1980s and served the region for 26 years. Purebred breeders valued the performance testing and annual bull sale, however, changes to industry practice, such as newer marketing methods and increased private production sales, eventually led to decreased use of the facility. In 2011, the College decided to re-purpose the facility as a livestock research and teaching centre. The development of the Livestock Research Centre (LRC) is being phased in over several years as funding permits. The major phases have already been completed. Check out the inset box to learn more details of each development phase. The first phase of converting the facility to a Livestock Research Centre began in 2012 with the acquisition of the GrowSafe Residual Feed Intake (RFI) system. Purchasing this equipment was made possible by a research tools and instruments grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The GrowSafe system accurately measures the daily feed intake of individual animals, and when this data is combined with growth performance, we can identify animals with preferred feed conversion rates. This detailed monitoring of an animal’s daily feed intake also provides the ability to identify animals that may have a slight illness. This allows for early treatment of these animals, and provides an excellent learning tool for students as they can watch an animal
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closely in the pen and learn to identify subtle signs of an animal not performing well. Each of the four GrowSafe equipped pens has the capacity to house up to thirty mature cattle. During the summers of 2014 and 2015, the GrowSafe pens were also adapted to house lambs involved in a feeding trial for Alberta Agriculture. The second phase of development focused on improving animal handling and management facilities since this can be a large factor in animal welfare and research personnel safety. These improvements, also supported by NSERC, included building a wall and installing new doors to fully enclose the livestock handling area, as well as installing a new cattle handling system, a livestock squeeze, and a scale system. Currently in construction, phase three involves the renovation of existing office space to create a larger area for teaching, demonstration, and laboratory work. The expanded building includes a room for faculty, students, and cattle producers to meet and work while involved with livestock research projects. This phase of development was made possible by several very generous donations from Judy Sweet on behalf of her family and the Garth Sweet Simmental Foundation. Phase four involves the insulation of the entire cattle handing area to provide a more comfortable working environment for students, staff, and visitors to the facility. At the time of writing, progress on this phase has not yet begun. Pending timely funding, this phase of the project may be completed by the end of 2015.
Start of Construction
Jordyn Prior, Research Technician- Livestock
Completed
Phase five involves the purchase of additional GrowSafe feeding equipment for four pens. The additional equipment, coupled with the existing data recording system, will expand the research capability of the facility and increase the number of projects that can be accommodated at one time. This phase will proceed as funding is acquired. The Livestock Research Centre will be a busy place after the renovations are complete, particularly in the winter months as that is prime time for beef research. Significant demand exists within the livestock industry for facilities that have GrowSafe technology available for nutrition and performance trials for both beef cattle and sheep. The completed Livestock Research Centre will add valuable learning experiences for students in several Lakeland College programs as they will have the opportunity to work in a modern livestock research facility on projects of interest to industry partners. The LRC will complement the College’s planned expansion to our production Dairy Barn and help ensure that the College is able to support the development of the livestock production industry in western Canada through training and research.
5
PHASES
Development of the Livestock Research Centre
1
2012: Installation of GrowSafe equipment in four pens. Capacity 120 beef cattle.
2
2013/2014: Upgrade cattle handling system. Sheep handling capacity developed. Capacity 120 sheep.
3
2015: Development of teaching and demonstration labs.
4
Target 2015/2016: Insulation of handling area.
5
Future plans: Expansion of GrowSafe equipment in additional pens. Increase animal capacity to 240 beef cattle.
A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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Jerusalem Artichoke NOVAGREEN & LAKELAND INCREASE & OPTIMIZE JART PROJECT The Jerusalem artichoke (JART) project is “scaling-up” this Year.
6 Feet
Lakeland College has partnered with NovaGreen – an Alberta start-up company that has developed a proprietary method to efficiently extract inulin from JART plants. Lakeland College has established six acres of segregated field plots in the last several years. Approximately 100 acres of JART was planted in the Killam area in the spring of 2015 by NovaGreen and its other partners.
Woody Stalk
“There will be some fall planting as well, expanding Alberta JART acres even further in 2015”, says Barry Farquharson, co-founder of NovaGreen. “A critical ‘next step’ for the project was agricultural scale-up. And we have been able to make great progress in the area, due in large part to our agricultural partners, especially Lakeland. The College has helped us to get to this next level by providing and modifying commercial potato equipment for the project. They are also advancing the science of weed control, application of biochar to crop development, and more. Their combination of agricultural knowhow, combined with a scientific approach, adds essential discipline and capability to project advancement.” A member of the sunflower family, JART is a perennial specialty crop that contains high concentrations of inulin and fructose oligosaccharide. These products, though not generally well known, are very important to the production of healthier processed foods. They contribute to a ‘healthier gut’, and are used in over 10,000 processed food products globally. The popularity of these ingredients, combined with a very limited North American supply chain, presents a strong commercial opportunity for NovaGreen. NovaGreen and Lakeland have been working together to develop commercial agronomic practices to cultivate and harvest the JART tubers at a commercial scale with maximized inulin yields. “It’s an in-demand-health product and there is a global shortage of it,” says Farquharson, noting that niche crops such as chicory and endives are generally used for inulin extraction. “We work with worldclass food formulation partners who are clamoring to obtain this product because they know there is a pent-up demand for it, and it is going to be in demand for a long time to come.”
Tuber 10
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Linden Lundback, Lead Researcher- Jerusalem Artichoke Project
NovaGreen is currently executing an advanced demonstration project that will optimize extraction of inulin, along with other high-value food product building blocks such as xylose. According to Farquharson, the aim of the demonstration project is to “prove out” integrated technologies, provide commercial grade product samples that ensure market acceptance, and simulate commercial scale-up. “Scaling-up is really a piece where Lakeland and our agricultural partners are key”, he says. “In order for this project to be successful, we need to have sufficient acres of this Jerusalem artichoke crop to enable a commercial facility to operate on a full-time basis. That’s really how the business model would work properly.” Additional key agricultural project partners include Alberta Innovates Technology Futures, Battle River Agri-Ventures Co-operative, Acadia University, and international partner SUNet Cooperative. Several other project partners will participate in the concurrent downstream demonstration project, slated to take 20 to 22 months.
When feedstocks arrive in the lab and initial extractions and optimizations are completed, NovaGreen will work with Lakeland to examine the conditions the crops were grown under to help optimize the crop further. “There will be some valuable next steps regarding crop development, geared to optimizing Jerusalem Artichoke, and what we want to extract out of it to use commercially”, says Barry Farquharson, noting Lakeland has helped significantly advance the “agricultural credibility” of the project. “Downstream, extraction processes are currently under advanced research and development. We know that there is high inulin content in the crop. And we have an excellent understanding of the core extraction techniques. NovaGreen’s current demonstration phase will hone-in on the ‘best-of-best’ techniques, and significantly advance process optimization. We are working with great, worldclass partners such as Lakeland College, and are confident we will get it all done successfully.”
ASHLEY KOCSIS
Research Technician- Specialty Crops
A Lakeland alumni, Ashley completed her Environmental Sciences Conservation and Restoration Diploma before she enrolled at the University of Alberta to complete her degree in ecology. Ashley worked on the Jerusalem Artichoke project, and the constructed wetland projects at the CSI. One of Ashley’s favorite parts of working at Lakeland was getting to be outdoors, and all the great people she worked with.
A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
11
SMF
STUDENTS GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE COORDINATING RESEARCH
“Being a part of the SMF Research team was an eye opening experience in networking with industry and local producers. There is a lot of planning that goes into research plots and lots of input from many different parties. You have to be able to listen to all and make the best choice for your trial. It was so nice to have local producers involved because they are the ones that will ultimately benefit from the research we do.� Karlee Charman
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Second-year students in the Crop Technology program at Lakeland College have the opportunity to participate in planning and coordinating crop research activities at the College. The unique Student Managed Farm- Powered by New Holland (SMF) model, which was established 25 years ago, was recently expanded to include an SMF Research Team. In their second year in the Crop Technology program, students must choose to be a member of one of several teams charged with managing the commercial crops on College farm land. Students work closely with faculty and farm staff mentors to make the cropping, fertility, herbicide, and marketing decisions for the approximately 1000 acres of crop. More details about the Student Managed Farm can be found on Lakeland’s website www.lakelandcollege.ca/smf. The SMF Research Team members during the 2014-15 academic year were Jenna Sahulka (Manager), Karlee Charman, and Tyson Wiens. These three students worked under the mentorship of Rob Baron, a long time faculty member and researcher at Lakeland College and one of the original founding members of the SMF concept. “I find the students take great ownership and pride in the SMF. They truly do treat it as if it was their own money”, says Baron. The team was primarily responsible for planning and organizing a trial that is investigating the economic effects of intensive management and input applications to typical field crops in the region. An interim report on the four-year project entitled “Enhancing Crop Management Intensity Trials” can be found on the Lakeland College website. The student team members work with agrologists from Webb’s Crop Services to plan the details of the trial each year, including crop species and cultivars, fertility treatments, herbicides, and fungicides. They also have a role in the Crops Research Steering Committee. This committee is made up of local producers, industry representatives, students, and Lakeland College employees. SMF students experience valuable hands-on learning by refining experimental plans, working out the detailed logistics for the experiments, and analyzing the results. Students work closely with local producers and industry research partners. The connection to industry enhances student learning, introduces students to the industry, and provides them with the opportunity to make contacts that are so important to their success after graduation. Josie Van Lent, Dean of Agricultural Sciences, is convinced that an opportunity such as this is valuable for both students and the industry. “It is exciting to be able to offer our students a greater educational experience and, at the same time, to be able to help local businesses and producers investigate new technology”, said Van Lent.
A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
13
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THAT DREADED “D� WORDPercent of average precipitation, April 23 to June 21, 2015:
Peace Ri ver River %0 20 40
Edmonton
extremely below well below
60 80
Saskatoon
100
Calgary
Lethbridge
Maple Creek
average
120
Dauphin
140
Regina
below
Brandon Winnipeg
above
160 180
well above
Estevan Source: weatherfarm.com | WP graphic
Spring on the Prairies in 2015 was characterized by generally adequate surface moisture conditions when seeding operations began in late April and early May, and cooler than normal temperatures throughout May. However, most of the grain producing area of the Prairies received no significant precipitation throughout May and June. During the latter part of May very dry conditions persisted as crops were
emerging and developing. A large portion of the prairie region experienced the driest spring in at least six decades. Are there management strategies that farmers may employ to reduce the harm to crops in such adverse growing conditions? A visit to any small town coffee shop would likely garner many gems of advice and expertise on the subject. There is certainly a
Impact of Weather on 2015 Crops and Pastures
14
E mergence of early seeded crops was relatively even, but development was impaired by cooler than normal temperatures.
L ater seeded crops suffered from inadequate seed bed moisture, resulting in widespread uneven germination and patchy emergence.
Pasture growth did not develop during the cool conditions early in May, so producers had to extend the winter feeding period and in some cases, reduce herds.
Many crops in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and eastern Alberta were damaged by severe frost on the May long weekend, resulting in widespread re-seeding of some crops, particularly canola.
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DROUGHT lot of collective wisdom to be gained from talking to experienced producers, many of whom have “seen it all before” during their farming careers. However, it is difficult to organize all of that advice and knowledge into a systematic approach to avoid risk and manage crops well. Fortunately, over the years scientists and agrologists have developed a crop management approach to do just that. It is called Integrated Crop Management (ICM). ICM is not a simple answer, but it does constitute an overall strategy to maximize potential yield under most growing conditions. Throughout the growing season, crops come under stress. Stresses include temperatures that are too cold or too warm, soil conditions that are too dry or too wet, adverse soil physical conditions, insufficient or excessive supplies of nutrients, a wide variety of pests and weeds, and extreme weather events such as frost, hail, and wind. Crops can usually cope with a single stress, but loss of yield is usually significant when they are subjected to more than one stress factor. To help crops cope with multiple stresses we need to employ multiple tools; this is what Integrated Crop Management attempts to do. Several years ago, Lakeland College developed an online course on ICM. That online course also became the basis of a course provided to second year students in the Crop Technology program at the College. Paying attention to crop health factors will ensure that early vigor of the crop is optimized. A healthy crop is best able to cope with stresses related to pests, nutrient deficiencies, and adverse soil or climatic conditions. While crop health alone is not the only way to deal with such stresses, other practices and technology cannot compensate for a crop whose overall health has been compromised early in its life. Once crop health has been ensured, then yield building factors and finally crop protection strategies will be able to positively affect the crop yield and the bottom line. The stresses of drought in the early stages of seed emergence have a lasting effect on overall health and ultimately crop yield.
By mid-June, the continued lack of precipitation eliminated any chances for a normal crop yield, and it was clear there would be little hay harvested for next winter’s feed.
Photo: John McLaughlin (Left), Senior Research TechnicianField Crops, and Larry Bingham (Right), Project ManagerAgricultural Research
INPUT STACKING: DOES IT PAY? Does a producer’s net pay cheque continually increase as more inputs and technology are added to the crop? Is there a level at which diminishing returns for these investments begin to negatively affect profits? “The Agronomy of Field Crop Input Intensities” is a trial at Lakeland College that will try to answer these questions. The four year study uses an accepted rotation of crops for the Parkland region of Western Canada. Hard Red Spring wheat is being grown in 2015. Field peas were grown in 2014, the first year of the trial. A detailed description of the trial design and the results for the 2014 season can be found on the Lakeland College website. The study is gathering data on the agronomic benefit of applying crop inputs, technology, and management at three levels of intensity. Plots representing these levels receive a different balance of inputs throughout the season. Each of the levels is represented in approximately six acres of plots. The application of fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, micronutrient products, and plant growth regulators follows a plan developed by a committee of Lakeland College employees, students, agronomists, and local producers. Students in the Lakeland College Crop Technology program participate in planning the trial each year, in harvesting the plots, and in recording the economic data. For more information about student participation in the project, see the article on the Student Managed Farm on page 13. At the time of writing, crops in this region, along with a large area of Western Canada, are suffering from a severe early season drought. The yield results for the Input Intensity plots will certainly be negatively impacted by the weather conditions, as will all crops in the area. It will be interesting to see what insights may be gained when the trial plots are undergoing such stressful conditions. Look for a report of the 2015 results on the Lakeland College website in the late fall or winter. A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
15
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SPOTLIGHT ON SUMMER RESEARCHERS HOMETOWN: Swift Current, SK PROGRAM OF STUDY: Environmental Conservation Reclamation @ Lakeland College JOB TITLE: Research Assistant, Maintenance FAVORITE PART OF WORKING AT LAKELAND: My favorite part is the friendly people and flexible hours FAVORITE JOB YOU’VE DONE: My favorite job would have to be the gasifier project, because I didn’t know a generator could run on gasified wood chips
Brady McMillian
FUTURE PLANS: In the future I hope to be back in the oil and gas industry as an Environmental Consultant
“MY FAVORITE PART OF MY JOB IS THAT I’M WORKING ON SOMETHING DIFFERENT ALMOST EVERYDAY.”
HOMETOWN: Rockcreek, BC PROGRAM OF STUDY: Animal Science Technology @ Lakeland College JOB TITLE: Research Technician, General FAVORITE PART OF WORKING AT LAKELAND: My favorite part is the people I work with FAVORITE JOB YOU’VE DONE: My favorite job would be working with animals FUTURE PLANS: I hope to finish my education at Lakeland, and then stay busy in the agriculture business
“I HAVE ENJOYED LEARNING HOW TO DO NEW THINGS I DON’T ALREADY KNOW HOW TO DO. ” 16
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Sean Manson
HOMETOWN: Neilburg, SK PROGRAM OF STUDY: Western Ranch and Cow Horse @ Lakeland College JOB TITLE: Agriculture Farm & Research Assistant PERSONAL HOBBIES: Everything horses, drawing painting, ball, music, and I am starting to dabble in carpentry. RESEARCH PROJECTS YOU WORK ON: GrowSafe sheep trials, and the Crop Intensity Trials.
Kelsey McCrea
FUTURE PLANS: I am planning to return to the family farm to continue to work with horses and help my Grandparents with their beef herd. I am also excited to get a Light Horse 4-H program started to get more kids involved with horses
“MY FAVORITE PART OF WORKING AT LAKELAND IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUALLY LEARN ON THE JOB.”
HOMETOWN: Vegreville, AB PROGRAM OF STUDY: Renewable Energy & Conservation @ Lakeland College JOB TITLE: Research Technician, Financial Analysis PERSONAL HOBBIES: Photography, front & backcountry biking, canoeing, skiing, reading, and environmental & sustainable development awareness RESEARCH PROJECTS YOU WORK ON: Comparative financial analysis of renewable energy systems at CSI FAVORITE PART OF WORKING AT LAKELAND: The people I work with are friendly and enthusiastic about their work. This creates a very positive, and enjoyable work environment
“I FEEL LIKE THE WORK I AM DOING IS USEFUL TO SOCIETY.”
Chris Ball HOMETOWN: Vermilion, AB PROGRAM OF STUDY: Computing Science @ University of Alberta JOB TITLE: Research Technician, Software PERSONAL HOBBIES: Cooking, music, programming FAVORITE JOB YOU’VE DONE: My favorite job I’ve done would be writing custom software to aid in Rob’s presentation at the Canadian Society for Bioengineering annual conference FUTURE PLANS: Software development, possibly in California where there are a ton of those types of jobs
Spencer Plant
“I REALLY LIKE THE ATMOSPHERE AT LAKELAND, EVERYONE I’VE MET IS REALLY FRIENDLY. “ A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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Lakeland College Vermilion Campus Lakeland College Centre for Sustainable Innovation
RESEARCH TAKES FLIGHT Lakeland College has purchased an unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAS) equipped with image acquisition and processing technologies with the help of funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) College and Community Innovation (CCI) program. This research tool has applications in agriculture, energy, environmental sciences, and fire and emergency services, all of which are key research priorities of the College. UAS tools have received widespread uptake by police agencies for crime scene visualization, search and rescue, and tactical operations. “There is huge potential for these tools to advance precision agriculture by providing timely, non-invasive surveillance and scouting of crops at a low cost”, says Josie Van Lent, Dean of Lakeland’s School of Agricultural Sciences. Colour-infrared photography can provide important information about crop growth, health, and damage from pests or disease. A UAS will allow data to be collected more frequently and at high spatial and temporal resolution. “This is very exciting for our College, our students, and for the agriculture industry in our region”, says Van Lent. “Precision agriculture is reliant on data collection. UAS enable frequent non-
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What is a UAS? An unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAS) is the combination of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) plus a camera payload and image processing software.
damaging and whole-crop scouting, which can give producers better information to make informed decisions about crop management. I am excited about the hands-on opportunities our students and researchers will have to explore how these technologies will impact the future of agriculture.” Lakeland College’s applied research will evaluate the practical use of UAS within local farming practices. This research tool will add an important dimension to data collection relevant to the College’s multi-year economic evaluation of crop management intensities project with industry partners, along with many other agriculture research projects.
“At Draganfly Innovations we recognize that to create a successful advancement in a technology, it is important to understand what goals are desired by the market. One great way to find this out is to have people working in the field provide feedback. We believe that in working with Lakeland College we are creating an atmosphere of awareness of the technology. With Lakeland College presenting the technology to its students it opens minds to the possibilities. This in turn will help us understand goals for applications of use, creating even more improvements in the technology.” Kevin Lauscher, Police & Industrial Sales/Training, DraganFly Innovations Inc (Pictured below on the right). Lakeland College is excited to work directly with Draganfly Innovations Inc. the Saskatchewan-based inventor of this market leading technology. Draganfly’s quadcopter and Steadyflight™ technology allows the UAV to hover stationary in 50km/hour winds, collecting data before moving towards the next point on the data collection grid. Draganfly Innovations is well recognized as a leader in the UAS market, with one of their first generation helicopters, the X6, winning Popular Science’s 2008 Best of What’s New Award for Innovations in Aviation and Space. More recently, the company has been nominated for a 2014 Ernest C. Manning Innovation Award. In 2015, their X4-ES quadcopter became the first UAS added to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, VA for the role that it played in a life-saving search and rescue in 2013.
AUSTIN PARTINGTON
WHAT CAN WE DO WITH A UAS?
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Field crop monitoring studies using NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) to examine seeding density, emergence, crop health and vigor, and weed and pest monitoring.
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Identify building heat loss using thermal imaging to model and improve the thermal efficiency of our passive solar greenhouses or other study buildings.
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Inspection of sites and research equipment that are normally inaccessible (or costly to inspect properly), such as wind turbines, roof-mounted solar collectors, or anemometers on our meteorological tower.
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Non-invasive inventories of wildlife or plant species in difficult or dangerous to inspect locations.
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Explore applications in industrial and residential firefighting, including hot spot detection, site assessment, and use in different controlled fire and hazardous material scenarios.
Agricultural & Research Technician
In June 2015 Austin Partington, Agricultural & Research Technician, was one of a group of eight that took flight school to be able to pilot the College’s new UAV. Participants included faculty, staff, and students from the schools of Agriculture, Fire and Emergency Services, and Environmental Sciences, as well as College building maintenance staff. “ My favorite part of my job is the different types of tasks that I do to help keep me interested.” A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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Written by Glenys Reeves
On Campus! 2014 was an outstanding year of achievements and changes for the Regional Business Accelerator. Throughout, the RBA has remained committed to delivering quality programming, face to face consultation, mentorship, and coaching for businesses in our region. We continue to see the positive impact we are having for our entrepreneurs as they grow and adjust to the ever-changing business landscape and economy. Unfortunately, 2014 also brought the loss of a dear friend and board member, Bob Mottram, to a devastating illness. Bob was our Chair through our earliest days and helped champion the creation of the RBA. We were pleased to welcome new members Judy Sarsons (Lakeland College) and Rick Stephens (Foremost) to the board and expressed our gratitude to departing members Jason Whiting and Jason Long for their contributions to the organization. 2014 was filled with some outstanding achievements for the RBA, with the first being the grand opening of our Entrepreneur Centre in the Lloydminster Community Services Building. A long time focus of the RBA has been to offer a work space designed to offer flexible terms for start-up organizations. This shared space offers multiple offices as well as a shared boardroom, reception, and lunch area. All of the offices are currently leased and the boardroom is rented on a regular basis. Lakeland College also allocated office space to the Regional Business Accelerator
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“Lakeland College is very pleased to have the administrative offices of the Regional Business Accelerator relocate to our Lloydminster campus in close proximity to our business programs. We feel that this is a natural evolution that will benefit all business programming, but especially the Small Business & Entrepreneurship major, as well as co-operative internships for business students. It will allow our students and faculty to work more closely with our region’s entrepreneurs and innovators.” Judy Sarsons, Dean, School of Arts, Science and Business. This past year also saw the RBA receive approval to deliver the Junior Achievement program to schools in the Lloydminster area. On November 2014 at the 11th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, we were extremely excited to hear Marya Pettigrew, our past Executive Director, named the winner of a Silver Stevie® Award for Female Executive of the Year Government or Non Profit category. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are the world’s top honors for female entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run. Marya has been a tremendous asset to our organization and we wish her and her family all the best on their new adventures in Cochrane, AB. Without her tireless energy and drive, her vision for what the RBA could be, and her hard work to make the dream a reality, the RBA would not have enjoyed the remarkable achievements of the past year. Thank you Marya.
Regional Business Accelerator: supporting entrepreneurs by providing connections, coaching, mentoring, and resources
GLENYS REEVES
Executive Director
“I am pleased to join the Regional Business Accelerator as the new Executive Director. The Lloydminster region is a vibrant area for innovative business ventures. The work that the RBA has done to support this has been phenomenal! Thus, I am excited to join this dynamic team and work with them to promote business growth in our region.”
AJ MOKELKY
Business Liaison
“When we began to brainstorm some strategic partners for Junior Achievement in Lloydminster, Lakeland College was a natural fit. Junior Achievement provides an opportunity for Lakeland students to volunteer in the community, and develop public speaking and presentation skills, while providing our program with the volunteer base we require. Youth in our region learn important skills when they have the opportunity to work with Lakeland College students through the Junior Achievement program.”
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President and CEO
Working on Qualitative Research Written by Alice Wainwright-Stewart
This year, I had the special privilege of interviewing students about their lived experiences at Lakeland College. I selected a phenomenological research project to complete the last component of my doctorate from the University of Liverpool.
What was my research intent? As the Vice President of Academics and now the President, I am particularly interested in understanding what students who attend this institution think about Lakeland College. To arrange this thought into a phenomenological study, I explored the question, “How do students think about their experiences at the institution?” The purpose of phenomenological research is to understand the participant’s lived experience.
How were students chosen and why? I sent out invitations, visited the Students’ Associations, and talked to Chairs, Deans, and instructors who passed along my invitation and participation sheets to interested students. Students were chosen after they emailed me in response to these invitations. Second-year students were chosen because they could compare their first-year experience to their second-year experience.
The following questions provided the framework for interviewing students. • What experiences contribute to the student’s belongingness? • Do belongingness characteristics change throughout the college experience? •
Do belongingness characteristics change across genders?
Currently, I am at the composing stage with the information I have gathered. I have identified a framework that I believe can help us understand more about the needs of students going forward.
Who benefits from this research? Students will benefit when the institution implements their suggestions. Knowledge generated from this study should provide information for educational leaders at large. I will benefit from this research also; by completing this research as required for my degree, I will be learning how best I can help make the Lakeland College experience better for our students.
What have I learned so far? We have amazing people working at Lakeland College. And we have amazing students who will make a difference in the world they become involved in. Every issue we deal with as educators is situated and can bring a new perspective to what might seem routine. Each learner’s situation is unique, and being aware of learning preferences can enhance student success in learning. Lakeland College provides amazing activities and opportunities for students. Learners who take advantage of these experiences grow and develop. Research activities provide for individual learning and development.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH explores the subjective whole of social interaction by capturing words, images, or objects to identify patterns, features, and themes. Researchers explore, discover and construct their objectives.
• Do belongingness characteristics change across program areas? • Are there differences in perceptions of belongingness in parttime or full-time students? • Is there a link to the ‘motivation to learn’ and belongingness? If so, what is it? •
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Does belongingness have the same effect on all students?
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QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH measures the objective quantities of particular variables to test hypotheses, look at cause and effect, and make predictions based on statistical relationships. Researchers describe, explain, and predict their findings.
THINK GREEN How do you go green at home?
What is your favorite green product?
What research project gets you excited?
Is a bicycle a green product or just a means of transportation? Or maybe a toy? I like my bike. I ride my bike to work when the weather is reasonable. It is almost as quick a driving, is cheaper, I save on a gym membership, and I don’t have any parking hassles nor pay for parking.
I love them all. Every day I get excited about some aspect of at least two projects. That is why I think I have the best job.
Our home heating and cooling is provided by a geothermal system.
My Contigo reusable water bottle from Costco. I never leave home without it!
We also have a large garden that uses both conventional and square foot gardening techniques to produce a lot of food in a small space.
I also love my Urban Junket laptop bag that is lined with fabric made from recycled water bottles!
I am really excited about the cogen projects and the passive solar greenhouse at the BioEnergy Centre. They encompass two of my passions: energy efficiency and gardening!
Repurposing, reusing, and recycling. I don’t like to throw anything in the dumpster. We recycle what we can, and love to find alternative uses for other items.
Simple white vinegar. I clean almost everything in my house with it, I also use it to kill weeds in my yard. It’s cheap, green, and works super well!
I like what is happening at the pond. Not only did it create multiple research opportunities, it strengthens the ties between our research and our environmental sciences programming.
Having good quality curtains and blinds has really helped us save on our energy bill. In the summer we make sure to close the blinds every day and open the windows every night to save on cooling.
I love Farmhouse Fresh skin care products. Each product is made with up to 99% natural ingredients. Currently, I am obsessed with their Whoopie! Shea Butter Hand Cream, and One Fine Day Flawless Face Polish.
My favorite project would have to be the UAV. It is a super neat research tool. Not to mention all the photos I will be able to use for research communications.
We compost because why throw away all that good fertilizer. I paid for it I am going to use it.
Lorne MacGregor
Diane Harms
We take all deposit containers back. I have nephew who bought a house with “bottle” money; it can add up.
Andrea Kastendieck
Veronica Peterson
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FLOATING
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The Centre for Sustainable Innovation site has been contoured to allow stormwater to pool in the constructed wetland site. Since last summer, the wetland has undergone many changes, including the addition of wetland vegetation, willow staking, hillside shrub planting, and the seeding of a native grass reclamation mix in the surrounding area. The main objectives related to the creation of this wetland are to provide wildlife habitat, pollinator habitat, and, most importantly, Environmental Science students with learning opportunities. We aim to create a naturally functioning wetland that can be a beautiful focal point at the CSI site. Two floating islands were recently added to the constructed wetlands. Floating islands (also known as floating treatment wetlands) are constructed of non-toxic post-consumer plastics and vegetated with native plants. They biomimic natural floating islands and have been shown to reduce nitrate, phosphorous, and ammonia
THOM MCALEER
Senior Research Technician- Bio Materials Thom joined the research team November 2013 working part-time during the school year and full-time in the summer. Thom’s insight and initiative have helped drive many projects at the Centre for Sustainable Innovation. The Constructed Wetland Research Project was pioneered by Thom in the summer of 2014. Using what he learned while taking Lakeland’s Conservation and Restoration Ecology diploma, Thom was able to make many recommendations and decisions regarding the design and implementation of this project.
What did Thom plant on the islands?
Bebb’s Sedge
Lavender Musk levels in wetlands. The floating island matrix has a porous texture and allows for easy microbe growth, creating a biofilm that captures and consumes nutrients circulating in the water. These islands not only create above-water wildlife habitat, but also create below-water macro- and micro-invertebrate habitat. In partnership with Floating Island International, CSI has acquired two floating islands with 70 plug planting holes in each. Half of the holes are filled with coconut coir and potting soil mix, while the other half are filled with biochar and potting soil mix. Five native wetland species will be grown in an experiment aimed at comparing the effectiveness of biochar versus coconut coir as a growing medium. The native wetland species consist of a mix of forbs, grass, and sedges to create diversity within the experiment. We have chosen golden sedge (Carex aurea), Bebb’s sedge (Carex bebbii), tall manna grass (Glyceria grandis), lavender musk (Mimulus ringens), and purplestemmed aster (Aster puniceus) to vegetate our islands.
Purple Stemmed Aster
Tall Manna Grass
Golden Sedge
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STUDENTS LEAD EROSION CONTROL PROJECT Images of mass erosion events in Western Canada during the 1930s still resonate with many. Evidence of this significant period of soil loss can still be found today and has fundamentally changed the way we manage agricultural and industrial activities. While such dramatic erosion events are now scarce, wind and water erosion still cause significant environmental impact. Environmental impacts may include sedimentation of waterways, reductions in air quality, and, in severe cases, total abandonment of the land for any productive purpose. Globally, the cost of erosion exceeds $50 billion per year. In agricultural systems, soil erosion has largely been reduced by returning and preserving the previous year’s crop residue to the soil surface. However, ground cover is often removed when industrial activity takes place, resulting in a bare soil. Unprotected soil has an increased likelihood to erode. Temporary erosion control and operations to minimize environmental impacts can be used during construction until more permanent cover can be established. Lakeland College’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation (CSI) was one location where temporary erosion control was required, as a section of the CSI grounds was exposed and left bare due to ground work required for the installation of a gasifier and solar concentrator. Students from the Environmental Conservation and Reclamation (ECR) program were tasked with determining an erosion control strategy for the site. Students chose temporary erosion control matting to provide soil cover for the site after it was seeded with a native seed mix. Drivers for this selection were the small site size, ease of installation, and cost of product. Students also took the opportunity to evaluate three matting products (wood fibre, straw, and coconut fibre) with varying persistence (12, 18-24, and 36+ months, respectively) to see if a more persistent mat would influence revegetation success. Students will continue to evaluate and report on the outcomes of this project.
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Photo: Straw And Coconut Fibre
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Native Prairie Reestablishment Lakeland College continues to develop the native grassland site in partnership with Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) and the County of Vermilion River. Lakeland College entered into an agreement with ALUS to convert an area of College annual cropland into native prairie grassland in 2012, specifically by establishing a shelterbelt and fencing the new area of native grassland and existing small wetlands from direct cattle access. A shelterbelt of willow trees was planted in the spring of 2012; native grasses were partially planted in the fall of 2012 with the remainder of the area seeded in the fall of 2013. This provided a comparison for establishment success, and enabled broader student involvement. Some small seed islands of native forbes and legumes were added in the fall of 2013, and a larger area around the bush islands was seeded with a legume to enhance habitat for pollinator species in the spring of 2014. The willow trees have established well and the native grasses are establishing with regular mowing required to reduce the fairly intense competition from weed species. The competition from weeds has resulted in marginal success for the native forbe and legume islands, and they may require reestablishment after more intense control of weedy species. The site will continue to be enhanced; bird boxes have already been added and blue orchard bees may be added to the site. The site has been used by Environmental Science students to study native plant establishment, evaluate the potential of the blue orchard bees, and explore how to enhance wildlife habitat by adding more understory woody species to the tree island areas. The site will continue to be developed and will provide ongoing research and learning opportunities for students.
Potential Wetland Enhancement Project Lakeland College and ALUS are investigating the feasibility of a joint wetland enhancement initiative. In June 2015, a physical delineation and a cursory bio-physical assessment were completed on two parcels of College land. The bio-physical assessment included observations of the conditions of the banks and surrounding riparian area, creation of a cursory species list focusing on wetland related species, and observation of any wildlife using the area. The potential project would include perimeter fencing to keep livestock out of the waterbodies, then allowing 2-3 years for natural recovery. The sites would be monitored and used for student learning during this recovery period. After recovery, further enhancement could be implemented as required for the individual sites. The sites should foster a relationship of research and education for students and the community. Work at one site was completed in the summer of 2015.
BEES PLEASE
The Centre for Sustainable Innovation (CSI) has acquired blue orchard bees (Osmia lignaria), also known as BOBs, to aid in student pollinator studies. These native Canadian bees, as their name suggests, are typically used by bee keepers for pollinating orchard crops. They are efficient pollinators, touted as being several times more efficient than non-native honey bees. The number of native pollinators in Canada has been decreasing due to various causes. Our objective is to increase habitat by providing nest boxes for BOBs in areas with plentiful forage sources. Eventually, we aim to finish planting vegetation in the area around the CSI pond in the hope of creating an optimal native pollinator habitat. The plan involves placing nest boxes near the pond with easy access to forage sources, particularly flowering forbs and willow shrub species, as well as easy access to clayey mud, to allow the BOBs to construct cell walls in their nest boxes and increase chances of overwinter survival. A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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Energy Cabin Finds a New Home The Renewable Energy Cabin (e-Cabin) has been moved from its previous location on the main Vermilion Campus to the Centre for Sustainable Innovation research site. This will allow for closer integration between the research conducted at the e-Cabin and the Renewable Energy Learning Centre (RELC). The e-Cabin is a completely off-grid facility unlike the RELC building. It has two roof mounted photovoltaic modules and two single-axis tracking ground mounted arrays that provide electrical power to the facility. Any excess power generated is stored in a battery bank that supplies power during times when the photovoltaic systems are not generating electricity. The two single-axis tracking ground mounted arrays are a new addition to the e-Cabin and will complement the existing research on fixed and dual-axis tracking arrays already being conducted at the RELC site.
Space heating for the e-Cabin is provided by 2000 W of solar evacuated hot water collectors. The energy extraction from these evacuated collectors will be compared to the energy extraction from the solar flat panel hot water collectors installed on the RELC building nearby. The e-Cabin also acts as an online laboratory for students enrolled in the Renewable Energy and Conservation program. Custom built data-acquisition systems have been collecting information on the facility since 2009 and live data is available to renewable energy students and the general public on the web. This gives students the ability to assess the performance of renewable energy systems in real-world situations and determine ways to improve efficiency.
What is a Pyranometer ? Pyranometers are devices that are used to measure the global solar radiation from a 180° field of view. They work by having a sensor inside a glass dome that absorbs solar radiation and converts it to an electric signal. Full intensity sun has an reading of about 1000 watts/meter2. Pyranometers are used at our research centre to compare the solar radiation reaching solar panels.
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SOLAR CONCENTRATOR Photo: Abdulaziz Naami, Research Technologist- Heat Storage Media
A unique solar concentrator has recently found a new home at Lakeland College’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation site. The solar concentrator prototype, built by Prometheus Solar Technologies of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, is able to concentrate the sun’s energy to achieve temperatures in excess of 2,000 °C, sufficient to melt metal. It does this by reflecting the sun’s light from one mirror to another curved mirror that concentrates the light into a focused circular beam onto a target. The concentrator is focused by tilting the mirrors and adjusting the vertical and horizontal position of the target. The concentrator follows the sun via solar tracking sensors and two motors that control its position. Lakeland researchers will be fabricating various target collectors to evaluate their performance and suitability for various industrial tasks, such as materials drying and heating of liquids and gases. The first target tested was used to heat water. The prototype target consisted of a metal plate with coiled copper tubing covering the surface that intercepted the concentrated sunlight at the focal point. The flowing water temperature could be raised from 15 °C to upwards of 70 °C in a matter of seconds. Unlike other solar collectors that can still produce thermal power on partly cloudy days, solar concentrators require clear skies to operate. The advantage of concentrated solar energy is the ability to achieve very high temperatures required by some industrial processes. Further testing will be done to improve the methodology and efficiency of the various potential applications of the solar concentrator.
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HEAT RECOVERY UNIT NATURAL GAS FUEL
ENGINE
16.8 KW HEAT
HOT WATER
BUILDING/ FACILITY
10 KW ELECTRICITY
COGEN AT THE BIO-ENERGY CENTRE What does cogen mean? Cogeneration or cogen is the simultaneous production of two or more beneficial work outputs from a singular source of fuel input. The two work outputs are almost exclusively electricity and hot water and the single fuel input is often natural gas. Cogeneration is a method of providing combined heat and power (CHP). An industrial facility can use CHP to provide both heat and electricity in one energy efficient step, instead of purchasing electricity from the local utility and burning fuel in an on-site boiler to produce thermal energy. Cogeneration units capture heat using heat exchangers and use it as a source for hot water, heating, and even cooling, saving other fossil fuels from being burned. Cogeneration is good for the environment and cogen power plants often operate at 50 to 70% higher efficiency than single-generation facilities.
Cogen at the Bio-Energy Centre In February 2015, Lakeland College opened the doors of its new BioEnergy Centre. This building incorporates a cogen unit manufactured by Yanmar Energy Systems Co., Ltd. of Japan. The unit consists of a natural gas engine and generator. Heat from the engine’s water
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jacket and exhaust is collected through heat exchangers and used to provide base heat to the Bio-Energy Centre. The Yanmar unit is rated to simultaneously produce 10 kW of electricity and 16.8 kW of heat. The cogen starts up automatically when the building needs heat and begins to generate electricity. The electricity not used by the building is exported to the Lakeland College main campus for use. Electricity generated from the cogen is generally less expensive than purchasing grid electricity because natural gas is much less expensive than electricity. According to the Government of Alberta’s Utilities Consumer Advocate website, the average cost of electricity in 2014 was $0.0764/kWh, which is equivalent to $21.22/GJ. The average price for natural gas over the same period was $4.51/GJ, making electricity 4.7 times more expensive than natural gas. Given the efficiency of the installed cogen, we predict that we can produce electricity for $14.00/GJ fuel cost and heat the building for free. Researchers will be monitoring and analyzing the performance of the cogen system during the winter of 2015/2016 to evaluate the benefits in detail.
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HEMP WALL HEATS IT UP AT NIGHT! Is it possible to grow vegetables year round in Alberta with minimal energy input? This is the question local vegetable producer Brian Rozmahel, Tekle Technical Services, and Lakeland College have been exploring for the past year as they monitor an operating prototype passive solar greenhouse in Viking, Alberta. “Inside temperatures remained above freezing for 301 days of the year with only limited supplemental heat added”, says Rob Baron, lead researcher for Lakeland College. “Our research team learned a lot from the temperature sensors embedded in the thermal wall, which helps us provide recommendations to improve the performance of future prototypes.” The solar greenhouse has a north wall of dense hemp biofibre cement blocks that absorb solar energy and re-radiate the energy as heat overnight. The 13 × 24 foot greenhouse is a kit manufactured by Tekle Technical Services in Edmonton, Alberta. The preliminary study on the prototype has shown that structural insulated panels
can be used to construct an effective passive solar greenhouse suitable for the Alberta climate and provide a three-season growing space. Plans are underway to redesign the building kit package to increase the width of the growing space to accommodate more plant beds and to add an attached preparation room to the north of the growing space. A dense solar thermal wall will separate the two spaces and moderate the temperature within the rooms. The plan is to create a modular greenhouse kit package that is standardized in width but could be supplied in variable lengths to suit customer needs. “I am really impressed with the expertise at Lakeland College”, said Tam Tekle, President and CEO. “They are very professional; it’s like working with another private business.”
ROB BARON
Lead Researcher
Technical details of the project were presented at the Canadian Society for Bioengineering Annual Conference, held July 5-8, 2015.
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THE RENEWABLE ENER
Visualizing MAKING ENERGY
WHILE THE SUN SHINES
Photo: Ryan Kwasnycia, Research Technologist- Instrumentation & Electronics
The Renewable Energy Learning Centre has several different solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays installed to explore the efficiencies of different installation orientations and methods. Over the past two years the research team has analyzed the energy output of the east vs. west vs. south arrays mounted on the Learning Centre and also monitored the fixed vs. tracking arrays located south of the building. Actual energy produced was confirmed to be accurately predicted using the energy production simulator PV Watts Calculator from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Unsurprisingly, the south roof-mounted array generated more energy over the course of the year than the east and west roofmounted arrays. However, from May-July the east and west arrays produced more energy because of the increased sun elevation. Winter production on the east and west arrays was reduced due to snow accumulation. In the fixed versus tracking array study, we examined both a constant tilt angle for the fixed array and a seasonally adjusted tilt in comparison to the tracking array. Both systems used the same manufacturer’s lot in two series strings of 12 solar modules, for a total of 24 modules. The tracking array outperformed both the fixed and the seasonally adjusted fixed arrays, even when accounting for the energy consumption of the tracker motor. Future studies will calculate the payback timelines for each installation based on actual energy production data. Detailed research results were presented at the Canadian Society for Bioengineering Annual Conference July 5-8, 2015. Research funded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
The Renewable Energy Learning Centre (RELC) building has been the test lab for Lakeland’s research into combined renewable energy systems for the past 5 years. The building provides space for research staff offices, a small classroom, and conferencing. The RELC was designed and operates as a net-zero energy building; all of the energy needed for heating, air conditioning, domestic hot water, and electricity comes from renewable energy generated on site. The RELC exchanges electricity with the main Lakeland College campus grid and incorporates solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, micro-wind, geo-exchange, and heat storage technologies in one facility. The building is heavily instrumented to measure energy coming and going from each system and the building. In order to interpret and understand the RELC’s complex systems, researchers have created a Sankey diagram to visualize the flow of energy.
Ground Source Heat
aic Tracker otovolt h P r a l So
Electricity
ixed aic F volt o t ho ar P S ol oof cR i a olt tov o Ph
er Storage Retrieved from Domestic Hot Wat l Solar Therma
nge M ase Cha h P m o r f d e Retriev
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Storage aterial
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RGY LEARNING CENTRE
the Energy Flow In a Sankey diagram, the magnitude of each component dictates the thickness of the line. The energy generation sources are identified on the left side of the diagram, the various building systems are shown in the centre, and where the energy goes is illustrated on the right side. For the RELC, the renewable energy comes from the groundsource heat pump wells (burgundy), solar photovoltaic, wind, and grid generated electricity (blue) and solar thermal panels (red) mounted on the roof. To properly balance the energy in and out, the total line thicknesses on the left must match the line thicknesses on the right. This visulization method lets you see at a glance where the energy comes from, where it used, and where it is lost. The diagram below summarizes the RELC energy flows for March 19, 2015. Researchers are working on connecting this graphic to our web-based live data site to show the energy flow in real time (www.lakelandenergydata.ca). The Sankey diagram is a valuable tool to easily visualize complex data and help identify dominant energy flows.
o Flo
Geo
Building Heat
rH
eat
in Ma t t Hea m en e s a B Buffer Sto rage
Buff er Lo ss
Export to Grid
Lighting and Appliances Domestic Hot Water Phase Change Material
Domestic Hot Water Used Domestic Hot Water Storage
Wa ste H
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SHOWDOW SOLAR THERMAL
VS
DOMESTIC HOT WATER
SOLAR PV
Do solar photovoltaic systems make more sense than solar thermal systems for domestic hot water? So you want to supplement your hot water energy needs with solar? You can install a dedicated solar domestic hot water system (S-DHW) with flat panel or evacuated tube collectors. This makes sense because these systems are designed for DHW systems and are relatively easy to integrate with your existing hot water system. Flat panel or evacuated solar thermal collectors also boast a high efficiency, converting up to 60% of the sun’s energy into heat. How could solar photovoltaic (PV) electric systems ever compete when they only convert approximately 15% of the sun’s energy into electricity? At the Renewable Energy Learning Centre (RELC), we have been studying solar thermal collectors for more than 5 years and we have made a few observations. Solar thermal collectors can achieve the reported 60% efficiency when they receive cold water at the inlet; however, most of the time our collectors are topping up the already hot water in our preheat tank. When 40 °C water is heated to 50 °C in our collectors, the observed efficiency is closer to 25%. The RELC system not only heats the domestic water but also provides some heat to the building and stores some solar heat for evening use in a phase change material tank. The diagram to the right describes how much solar heat was used in the RELC for each function over the entire year.
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The RELC might be a bit unique as it is primarily an office building and DHW use is fairly low. Solar thermal collectors produce heat whether you use it or not; thus, excess heat must be dumped to protect the system from over-heating, particularly on hot summer days when building heating is not required. The dumped solar heat at the RELC goes to our geo-exchange wells. The benefit to the ground source heat pump system is being investigated, but the improvement observed so far has been negligible. The advantage of using solar photovoltaic systems to generate electricity, and then using that electricity to heat DHW, is that excess generation can be used by lighting and appliances in the building or exported to the grid for added value. Excess energy generation is not lost with a PV system as is the case for thermal systems. For a building such as the RELC, the overall efficiency realized for the solar thermal system (taking into account the dumped heat) is closer to 12%, not the 60% best case and not even as good as solar PV at 15%. Given that thermal systems generally require more maintenance, PV and electric hot water heaters can make sense in certain situations with low DHW use. In other situations, such as a multi-family apartment building with higher and more constant hot water demand, solar thermal would work better. With a solar hot water system, the more you use, the more you save!
WN Keith Vickery, Research Technician- Data Analysis
Geothermal Testing Results The heating and cooling of the College’s Renewable Energy Learning Centre (RELC) is provided by a ground source heat pump system. Ground source heat pumps extract energy from the ground during the winter by running a propylene glycol mixture through borehole ground loops installed vertically to a depth of 64 m below the surface. During the summer, the building heat is transferred from the building into the boreholes to provide cooling. The heat pump exploits the fact that the ground temperature below 6 m is relatively unaffected by the outside temperature and remains consistent at around 5 °C.
Solar Thermal Destination
54% 7%
18% 21%
Solar Dump: Rejected Heat Domestic Hot Water Building Heat Phase Change Materials
The Renewable Energy Learning Centre’s geo-exchange system was designed and constructed with a variety of borehole designs as part of the research. The varying installation methods included different types of grout, pipe material, and two loops instead of one loop in each borehole. It took more than two years to test each combination for both heating and cooling seasons. Researchers observed an increase in performance when using a greater number of boreholes. More boreholes engaged more ground volume and allowed a greater flow rate through the system, which resulted in a larger amount of energy extraction. Researchers also observed a negligible difference in performance between four wells with single loops and two wells with double loops. It is less costly to install two loops in one hole than one loop in each of two holes. Drilling a borehole is an expensive operation, so reducing the number of holes needed improves the cost competiveness of ground source heat pump heating/air conditioning systems. In the closed loop system used by the RELC, grouting is used to provide thermal contact between the loop pipe and the borehole wall. Experiments were conducted to compare different grout materials. Heat pump performance improved when using boreholes installed with a high solid content of thermally enhanced grout. Both types of grouting are composed of bentonite, but silica sand is added to the high solid thermally enhanced type to improve its thermal conductivity. Future tests include a comparison between boreholes installed with high density polyethylene and PE100 piping. The test on standard and enhanced grouting will be repeated in the summer of 2015 and winter of 2015/2016 to ensure the results obtained in the previous year are repeatable. All of these tests provide important information for local installers looking for ways to improve the performance and reduce the cost of their installations. Performance improvements together with reduced installation costs can enhance adoption of ground source heat pump technology. A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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UPDATE
Photo (Left to Right): Lorne MacGregor, Scott Lundy, Don Harfield, Alok Dhungana, Diane Harms, Rob Baron, Anthony Anyia, Mel Mathison
With three years of activities under our belt, we are pleased to announce the following achievements:
55 10 8 6
network partners engaged
technology demonstrations
best practices developed
projects completed with private industry
7 37 3 1
different feedstocks processed and characterized
network activities, technical seminars, workshops, meetings, and tradeshows regulatory submissions to Canadian Food Inspection Agency submission of biochar greenhouse gas protocols to the Alberta Government
We are so proud of this excellent collaboration between Alberta Innovates Technology Futures and Lakeland College, which wouldn’t have happened without the contributions of Western Economic Diversification Canada and our partners. We are also grateful for the leadership of Alok Dhungana and Don Harfield who had the vision and the energy to drive this initiative to its successful outcomes.
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acres 1,700
Students involved in Student Managed Farm - Powered by New Holland
have access to
of college-owned land
provinces 9 students territories 3 came from: other countries14 This past year our
115
1
university transfer
student horses
alumnus now attending
Harvard University
boarded at the Vermilion campus
BY
THE
20 Ranked
th
NUMBERS $
on Canada’s Top 50
1,214,784
Total value of awards, scholarships and bursaries awarded to Lakeland students this past year.
Research Colleges List
1silver Award of Excellence
3
RD
from the World Federation of oldest post-secondary
Colleges and Polytechnics institution in Alberta
www.lakelandcollege.ca
1 800 661 6490
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• • • •
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