Construction Business | May/June 2012

May/June 2012 Vol. 9 No. 4

BC cancer centre for the north 2012 Masonry Design Awards

Arthur Atkinson, SODL Roadbuilding Building Green Roofing

PM 40063056

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Inside 06 Connections Arthur Atkinson

Arthur Atkinson recently became the vice president of southern Alberta for Stuart Olson Dominion Construction. The 20 year plus industry veteran now oversees B.C. and Calgary with a focus on growth.

May/June 2012 | Volume 9 No.4

PUBLISHER

MANAGING Editor Contributing writers

12 Feature Project BC Cancer Centre for the North The new 54,000 square foot Cancer Centre for the North will provide much needed services closer to home for northern B.C. cancer patients.

21 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

2012 Masonry Design Awards B.C./ALBERTA SALES

Industry Focus 16 Roadbuilding

An Insider’s Look at Green Roofs Sustainability vs Durability Groundbreaking Solar Research Project

Departments 04 Message from the Editor 39 The Legal File

Builders’ Liens and Federal Leases Liability For Building Defects B.C.’s New Limitation Act

44 Architect Corner Lessons Learned

45 Industry News Cover Photo

The B.C. Cancer Agency Centre for the North will officially open in September 2012.

Glen Boswell Marsha Gentile Steve Hadden Josh Jensen Krista M. Johanson Courtney Kachur Terry McGlade Manley McLachlan Grant H. Mayovsky Bryce Rositch Dr. James Sandercock Gordon Stewart Shane Stothert Gene Syvenky Dan Gnocato Tel: 604.549.4521 ext. 223

PRESIDENT Kevin Brown

28 Building Green

34 Roofing

Cheryl Mah

PUBLISHED BY

Maintaining our Infrastructure Hot In Place Asphalt Recycling Unique Connection Learning from LEED Green Risks and Liabilities Growing up Green UBC: Sustainable Initiatives

Dan Gnocato dang@mediaedge.ca

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November 6 & 7, 2012

Editor’s Note

Bricks and Mortar

S

ometimes I’m reminded that construction is about more than bricks and mortar; it’s about making a difference.

The new BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North will make a huge difference in the lives of cancer patients in northern B.C. It will bring treatment and diagnostic services closer to home, eliminating the need for travel by patients and families.

Almost everyone knows someone (a family member, friend or neighbour) whose life has been affected by cancer. Recent news of a family member diagnosed with cancer made me appreciate the significance of this project even more.

Read about the design and construction of the facility, which was delivered six months ahead of schedule by PCL Constructors Westcoast, starting on page 10.

For our profile, I spoke with Arthur Atkinson, who recently became the new vice president of southern Alberta at Stuart Olson Dominion.

The industry veteran moved to Calgary in April, where he now oversees both the B.C. and Calgary markets.

Also in this issue you will find our features on roofing, road building and building green. Green building practices continue to grow and are at the forefront of the industry but what about the costs and potential risks? British Columbia Construction Association president Manley McLachlan highlights some of the risks and liabilities from a research paper the association recently released.

Other articles include a look at costs of building green and sustainable initiatives at UBC. The theme of green continues in our roofing section where industry experts discuss the state

of green roofs today and the issue of proper design and maintenance for a truly sustainable roof.

Finally, read about all the winners of the 2012 Masonry Design Awards in our special supplement section. The awards are presented every three years by the Masonry Institute of B.C., showcasing design excellence in B.C. projects featuring brick, block and stone.

Cheryl Mah Managing Editor

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Connections

Delivering Added Value

By Cheryl Mah

Surrey City Central Library

T

he new vice president of southern Alberta for Stuart Olson Dominion Construction is excited about his move to Calgary and wants to capitalize on construction opportunities in the marketplace.

“I’m here to focus on expanding the branch.

We need to put more energy into this region.

There are great opportunities here to really grow the Calgary market,” says Arthur Atkinson, 42.

Atkinson has an extensive background in the industry with more than 20 years of experience and has been with the company since 2004 when he first joined as an estimator. His ambitious nature quickly moved him up the ranks and he was appointed the vice president for British Columbia in 2008.

In April 2012, he relocated to the Calgary head office and assumed the responsibility for southern Alberta as well. He now oversees a team of about 200 in B.C. and Calgary, working with project teams to ensure clients’ needs are being met.

“My focus is really on client relationships and what can we bring to our clients that will really make a difference to them and work for them,” says Atkinson, adding the branches have shown good growth over recent years and the goal is to continue to grow.

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May/June 2012

Atkinson is results driven and leads by example with a commitment to service, excellence and honesty.

“My dad always said to me if you’ve made a mistake, acknowledge it and people will appreciate it more,” he says. “Deliver in what you believe in and people appreciate that.”

Born in South Africa, Atkinson grew up on a farm and was introduced to the building industry at an early age by his family.

“My dad’s family was all in construction so I’ve been working on construction sites since I was 16 years old,” says Atkinson.

After completing two years of mandatory military training, he attended the Tshwane University in Pretoria, South Africa. He graduated in 1991 with a degree in project management and quantity surveying and started his own construction company in Nelspruit, South Africa.

“The industry was really slow at that point and we were young so we said why not, let’s start our own company,” he recalls. “We started getting involved with private hospital work and

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But Creekside could have easily missed out on such a unique and effective feature if Cobalt had not worked with BC Hydro’s New Construction Program to complete an energy modeling study during the earliest design phase.

“Energy modeling,” says Mikler, “allows for rigorous analysis of options to reduce energy use and, with BC Hydro’s support, it’s affordable. We believe all new large construction projects should take the advantage of this program: the buildings will perform significantly better and the owners will benefit from an immediate reduction in operating costs.”

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then became developers ourselves. We also did some commercial and residential.”

In 2002 he sold his shares in the company and he and his wife immigrated to Vancouver (where they had visited for a holiday in 2001).

He worked for a small construction company in White Rock before joining Stuart Olson.

As one of the largest construction companies in Western Canada, Stuart Olson Dominion has a long history and a solid reputation, with the business founded in 1937 by the company namesake, Stuart Olson. In 1987 the company joined

CONSTRUCTION

HEATING

the Churchill Corporation, operating as its general contracting subsidiary.

The most recent significant change came in 2010 when one of B.C.’s oldest construction companies Dominion Construction merged with Stuart Olson as part of Churchill’s $394 million acquisition of Seacliff Construction Corp.

“The take over immediately put us nationally. We used to be a Western Canadian company, now we’re a national company with around 700 employees and seven major regions,” says

GENERAL LINE

EQUIPMENT

Atkinson. “We’re in the process of opening an office in Toronto.”

The company is well diversified across the ICI sector, undertaking projects varying in complexity and ranging in value from $10,000 to more than $500 million. Its extensive portfolio includes several Vancouver landmarks and award winning projects such as the Penticton Aquatic Centre, Discovery Green (Canada’s first LEED-CS Platinum office building), Surrey City Centre Library and the UBC Museum of Anthropology.

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Currently a number of large public sector institutional projects are driving volume which include construction management contracts for three hospitals located in Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Edson valued at almost half a billion dollars.

Other projects include a facility in Esquimalt for the Department of National Defence, two Vancouver office towers for Bentall Kennedy, the new $550 million Edmonton Remand Centre (largest project to date) and the Fort St. John Hospital.

The $249 million Fort St John Hospital and Residential Care Centre is the company’s first public–private-partnership (P3) project and a “very successful” one, according to Atkinson.

The joint venture with Acciona is the first full hospital replacement of its size in Northern Canada. The 55-bed hospital linked to a 124bed residential care facility is on track to open this summer.

Atkinson notes the company plans to pursue more P3 projects and has recently submitted for the proposed John Hart Generating Station Replacement Project, located in Campbell River.

The company excels in construction management, design/build and general contracting for a predominantly repeat client base. A client centred approach has been fundamental to its success and longevity.

The most common form of contracting Stuart Olson Dominion undertakes is construc-

The company excels in construction management, design/ build and general contracting for a predominantly repeat client base. tion management which allows the company to deliver value added services.

“We want to make sure we bring value to our clients. If we don’t bring value to our clients, we will not get involved with a project,” states Atkinson.

Many factors influence the success of a company, but none more so than its employees.

Stuart Olson Dominion invests a significant amount of resources and money into developing its people.

“We succeed through the strategic development of our people. We say if our people are successful, we will be successful,” says Atkinson.

“We’re a relationship driven company whether that’s with our own people or clients.”

The company’s commitment to developing people is key to attracting and retaining employees.

“The biggest challenge is do we have the trades people to deliver good projects for us,” says

Dan Zaklan has joined BCIT as the Associate Dean of Industrial Construction in the School of Construction and the Environment. He brings 33 years of experience in the private and public sectors. Dan was involved in many aspects of student growth including teaching, career preparation and school design. His formal education includes a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Educational leadership.

One of his goals is to offer BCIT students greater opportunities to meet the needs of industry.

Dan will oversee program areas that support residential and commercial construction, transport infrastructure, energy production, industrial maintenance, mining, oil and gas, shipbuilding and more.

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Atkinson. “I think long term we do see a decline in the workforce — in good quality people. That’s why we invest in developing people.”

Atkinson is optimistic about the outlook for the rest of 2012, noting Winnipeg is very active as well as Calgary and Edmonton. “The outlook varies by region but it looks very positive. I can see there are lots of opportunities.”

Outside of the office, the father of two enjoys wild life photography and hunting. Atkinson has been married for 10 years to Jane and has two daughters, aged 5 and 7.

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Feature Project

Making a Difference

By Cheryl Mah

A

new state-of-the-art cancer centre in Prince George will make a huge difference to the lives of patients in northern B.C. Being delivered as a public-private partnership (P3), the $69.9 million Centre for the North will bring high quality cancer services closer to home for patients and their families. The 54,000 square foot cast-in-place concrete centre, designed by CEI Architecture, will be the BC Cancer Agency’s sixth regional cancer centre.

Strategically located adjacent to the University Hospital of Northern B.C. (UHNBC), the facility consists of two storeys above grade with one level of underground parking for 86 vehicles.

The second floor houses administration, offices and staff amenities. The four main departments for treatment and examination (chemotherapy, radiation, pharmacy and general outpatient clinics) are all located on the first floor.

A two level link connects the centre to the hospital. The upper level allows for patient transfer while a heated underground corridor from the parkade to the hospital protects staff from the weather.

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May/June 2012

The Plenary Health consortium was selected by the B.C. Cancer Agency, Northern Health and the provincial government to design, build, finance and maintain the cancer centre for 30 years.

PCL Constructors Westcoast broke ground on the centre at the end of July 2010, delivering the project six months ahead of schedule with substantial completion achieved in March 2012.

PCL self-performed the structure and employed primarily local trades. At peak of construction, 165 workers were on site.

PCL project manager Chris Rasmussen reports with construction complete on the base building, the focus is on landscaping and managing the delivery and installation of all the medical equipment. The centre will be turned over in July with the official opening slated for September.

Key construction milestones include the completion of a 3.5 storey parkade, final concrete pour for the radiation vaults and the upcoming turn over in July.

Construction was undertaken in two phases.

A phased construction schedule was necessary to

Feature Project

minimize disruption to UHNBC staff. In order to build the new centre on the existing staff parking lot to the north of the hospital, a new castin-place parkade with 302 parking spaces was constructed first. Construction of the parkade began in February 2010 and was completed in July 2010.

The main challenge on the project was encountering extensive soft soils during excavation of the parkade which resulted in a “loss of 3.5 weeks right off the bat”, says Rasmussen.

To make up the time, PCL introduced a form work system that expedited the process and added a second shift. Double shifting also resulted in moving the project ahead of schedule.

“Once we finished the parkade and started the cancer centre, we continued double shifting and…just about had all our pours done by the end of the year,” says Rasmussen. “So we got ahead based on that and it was a good thing because we had a real cold snap that winter with tons of snow and cold temperatures.”

Another challenge was working adjacent to the hospital which remained fully operational during the construction period. Careful planning and good communication with UHNBC was key, notes Rasmussen.

The structure required approximately 6,339 cubic meters of concrete. More than a quarter of that was used directly for the two radiation vault rooms, which need to be enclosed in extremely thick concrete. The vault itself is also a unique design, believed to be only the second doorless vault in B.C. “The concrete for the two vaults accounted for 30 per cent of the total volume used for the centre,” says Rasmussen. “Just the shear mass amount of concrete and the planning needed to do the pours required close attention.”

Three separate pours were necessary to do the walls. The average wall thickness is six feet while some are as thick as 11 feet.

“We really had to pay attention to the pours and worked with a physicist to ensure no radiation leaks,” says Rasmussen. “We did the final pour in May 2011 and we had to wait a year before they did the final radiation testing.”

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Feature Project

The building exterior is comprised of composite aluminum panels, curtain wall windows and Western red cedar siding with a brick veneer base.

Wood is prominently showcased both in the interior and exterior of the building.

More than 600,000 board feet of locally sourced lumber is used throughout the structure (if laid end to end, would stretch from Prince George to Mackenzie).

Wood was used where practical to meet the province’s Wood First Act and to also reflect the regional Aboriginal community, according to CEI Architecture project architect Patrick Yue. The overall design aesthetic is influenced by a First Nations vernacular evident in the landscaping, artwork and layout of waiting areas. Located within the building is a spiritual care room while a smudging pavilion and therapeutic garden (with indigenious plants known for their medicinal qualities) are located on the grounds between the centre and hospital. The heavy timber post and beam construction at the main entrance also expresses traditional aboriginal architecture.

“The design goal was to make sure the facility itself not only serves its purpose of providing the care and support for cancer patients but also to reflect the First Nations culture,” says Yue. “Light and nature were two important elements and bringing them into building formed the design theme for the project.”

The theme of nature is reinforced in the two storey atrium constructed with glulams to represent tree like forms. In addition, a shoreline pattern has been created on the floor to represent a “forest walk” for patients as they make their way to the main reception which is located in the middle of the building.

“Part of the challenge is always addressing the issue of wayfinding,” says Yue. “We located the main reception in the middle and created a volume to it so everyone can orient themselves within the building. From every department [upon entry or leaving] you can see the main reception. Also at the end of the corridors it’s actually glazed so the use of light helps with orientation and it creates a sense of calm and comfort.”

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Feature Project Sustainability was another key design driver. Targeting LEED Gold, the centre features the first living roof of its kind in Prince George. The roof is comprised of local plants and will capture rainwater. Other green features include high efficiency lighting, heating and mechanical systems, FSC wood and low VOC materials.

Being a P3 project naturally adds another layer of complexity to the job from the number of stakeholders to the stringent approvals process required.

“There are more stakeholders involved and more input and focus on quality control in a P3 as opposed to a typical building,” says Rasmussen, who also worked on the Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre, the first P3 hospital built in B.C. “But the process has been smooth so far and amicable.”

The centre is the first P3 project for Yue and the firm, which has also been selected as the preferred proponent on the Surrey Memorial Hospital and the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre.

“Communication is really the key in P3s — having everyone in agreement and on the same page,” says Yue. “PCL did a fabulous job of maintaining the schedule.”

The importance of this project and what it will mean to local cancer patients and families was not lost on the project team.

“It’s one of those buildings that you know will save lives. It makes it special and gives you a sense of pride,” says Rasmussen.

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May/June 2012

Thursday12-04-05 AM construction business9:50 15

Road Building

Maintaining Our Infrastructure

By Gene Syvenky

T

ransportation infrastructures — the road, bridge, transit and rail networks we depend on — are easily taken for granted. After all, they are “infra” — below — the structures. They remain hidden, out of sight, out of mind — until they break.

Ensuring that they never break is the key.

ARHCA is expectant that the industry continues to receive consistent funding from the province and municipalities as recognition that transportation networks are critical to the province’s success, and they realize that regular maintenance is an essential expenditure. 2012 sees a decline in funding of 20 per cent for highway rehabilitation; budget is to re-surface around 994 kilometers, down from the 1,200 to 1,300 kilometers necessary to prevent the transportation infrastructure deficit from worsening.

Economists suggest that an investment in transportation infrastructure of one billion dollars yields around 29,000 jobs. The scale and efficiency of our transportation infrastructure is the backbone of the performance of the Alberta economy because it moves goods and people, allows for the strategic location of industries and access to them. Transportation infrastructure is a vital component of industrial policy, designed to enhance and augment Alberta’s productivity growth and competitiveness.

The challenge is for governments to take politics out of funding decisions for transportation

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May/June 2012

funding, and to maintain a consistent investment in this area regardless of the operating budgets. Too often the industry suffers from the myopic needs of governments to demonstrate some fiscal responsibility, and because transportation infrastructure falls behind healthcare and education, it is often the first to suffer. The actual numbers for the next three years are: $1.367 billion, $1.194 billion, and $956 million = $3.517 billion. The details of this planned investment over the next three years are: 2012

2013

2014

Provincial highways

284

158

181

Ring roads

433

493

461

NE Alta transportation corridor

152

126

107

N-S trade corridor

213

163

—

Other corridors

76

24

4

Highway rehab

128

169

146

Other

82

61

57

The performance rating of the provincial highways for last year shows 58.4 per cent in good condition, 26.7 per cent in fair condition

and the balance in poor condition. This means that about 4,852 kms in Alberta are in poor condition. Our industry will have to continue to advocate for consistent rehabilitation of highways if we are going to achieve and maintain the Ministry stated value of “The Alberta highway network connects communities and supports economic and social growth, and is the backbone of the province.”

Despite all of the communication and focus, we continue to educate the public about the value of safe and efficient transportation networks. We need to help the owners with the communication about safe and efficient transportation networks, that transportation infrastructure is an economic conduit, that world class economic activity means constant maintenance and construction, and that in order to be considered a world class economy, we have to act like it.

The capacity of the industry is very good right now especially in the highway paving and rehab area. The reduction in funding from last year will impact this sector the most. Prompted by owners a number of years ago, the construction industry invested in resources to enhance their capacity to meet growing infrastructure demands. This undulating funding cycle creates impossible planning challenges for the industry, and minimizes how they prepared they can be, or can get to meet government funding.

Road Building

Central to the idea of consistent and predictable funding is the need to depoliticize transportation infrastructure investment.

While we continue to advocate for predictable and consistent funding, we continue to advocate for safety. With our partners, ARHCA spends over half a million dollars a year on advertisements asking you to not speed through construction zones, pay attention to those flag people on construction sites, and be considerate of the delays caused by construction.

Again, central to the idea of consistent and predictable funding is the need to depoliticize transportation infrastructure investment. Governments of all manners should share the mantra that transportation infrastructure is a social and economic requisite, and long term planning and investment is required to bring the existing infrastructure to good operating condition. It cannot be left to political rhetoric.

The provincial unemployment rate is 4.9 per cent, essentially indicating full employment.

The economy still revolves around energy, and with the anticipated development in the oil sands, the need for qualified and skilled workers is becoming the greatest need for industry.

A recent survey of ARHCA’s 840 member companies identified that the top three occupa-

tions in demand for the industry now and in the future are: heavy equipment mechanic, heavy equipment operator, and project manager or foreman. Today the top priority for most industries is the access to skilled employees. ARHCA with other industry associations is advocating enhancements to the immigration policy that would see immigrants selected by skills required rather than the traditional NOC codes.

Looking forward we anticipate more focus on regulations, safety, environmental issues, and amendments to public policy that will influence our industry. We enjoy a collaborative relationship with our owners and stakeholders in Alberta that encourages an open and honest process. The role of ARHCA and its members going forward is to be more innovative and to focus more on creating solutions for the owners as they struggle with how best to demonstrate value of transportation infrastructure investment to the public.

Our goal is “to provide a means for our members’ companies to acquire the knowledge and skills so that they can plan for and manage the uncertainties we all will be facing”.

Gene Syvenky B Sc, MBA is the chief executive officer of ARHCA, the largest heavy civil construction association in Canada. He has significant business experience in manufacturing, distribution, and consumer products.

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Road Building

Hot In Place Asphalt Recycling

By Shane Stothert

R

emember Rick Mercer and the One-Tonne Challenge?

It was a while back. There was a skit it had Mercer walking through city streets talking through the camera and encouraging/cajoling/shaming us into reducing our carbon footprint by one tonne to, well, save the world.

Perhaps not surprisingly, it didn’t work. Not sure why. Could have been because one metric tonne reflects a pretty profound shift in our lifestyles, one for which we were given little support.

Could have been because we didn’t like a comedian who jets across country hundreds of times a year telling us that we are the problem?

I don’t know. What I do know is that asking us to change our lifestyles for an abstract goal with no economic incentive, well, that’s a tough ask.

But you know what’s not tough?

Losing 37,000 metric tonnes of carbon. Saving as much as $25 million dollars in the process. And doing it with proven, made-in-Canada roadrecycling technology.

It’s done with something called called HIPAR — Hot In Place Asphalt Recycling.

Unlike conventional repaving which scrapes up much of the road surface and trucks it away to be stockpiled or down-cycled (i.e. requiring more aggregate to be mined, refined, and trucked back to the road), the HIP process treats only the top 50 mm of the asphalt. It heats it, removes it, then mixes it with a minor amount of new aggregate and oil, and then reapplies it to the road surface. All done at the road site in a matter of hours.

It’s the greenest road-paving technology in the world.

It reduces paving-related greenhouse gas emissions by 30 to 50 per cent (27 tonnes per paved kilometre) and cuts paving costs by approximately 25 per cent. And it was invented and perfected in Canada in 1986 by private, environmentally conscious road-paving companies working in tandem with the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

The HIP process reduces costs and greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding a majority of the paving processes associated with traditional paving. These processes include the production of the aggregates and additives, the energy to produce the hot mix asphalt, and the transportation of the mix to the job sites.

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Green Roads 2nd prototype innovation called the Super Post Heater which has allowed them to reduce fuel consumption by 50%. Here, 50kms of highway from the Nelson Bridge to the Balfour Ferry along the North Shore of Kootney Lake.

The B.C. government — which has commissioned 30 million square metres of highway and side roads — has found comparable pavement life cycles at lower costs when compared to the conventional process. It works.

So, why do most municipalities and provinces continue to call for conventional techniques when HIP makes more environmental and economic sense?

Why is it that Kamloops is the only municipality to have seen the economic and environmental advantages? (Through the implementation of closed loop manufacturing, Kamloops has arguably become the most sustainable city in the world for roads.)

And, why was one arm of government cajoling us to drastically change our lifestyles to reduce one measly tonne of carbon when other arms can save 37,000 tonnes with the stroke of a pen?

To be clear: not all roads are suitable for HIPAR. But when used at the right time and in the right place, it is the most economical pavement preservation tool.

Quick Facts about Roads and HIPAR • HIP extends life of pavement and is 30% to 50% cheaper than alternatives.

•H IP uses less fuel and reduces GHG by as much as 50%.

•B oth the taxpayer and the environment win with HIP. •H IP reuses 100% of oil and rock already in the road.

• Road surfaces, regardless of how they were built or are maintained, should be repaved or reconditioned every 10-15 years. $1 in road preservation today saves $5 tomorrow.

• B y renewing, reusing and recycling the materials already in our roads, HIP extends indefinitely the lifespan of a road.

Road Building From Sparwood to Elkford, in BC., Green Roads successfully recycled 30kms of highway.

My guess, and it’s just that, is this: inertia rules. Conventional road construction companies have long and successful relationships with municipalities and provincial governments. This is natural.

But can we continue to do business as usual when there’s a proven better alternative?

Maybe municipalities do so because we all see roads as depreciating assets that are environmentally harmful and expensive to build and maintain. But with HIPAR, the opposite is true. In a time of oil and resource scarcity, having the ability to recycle a road in place — with all its aggregate and oil — turns that road into an appreciating asset.

When I look at a road, I see a ribbon of black gold. If only municipalities and other provinces shared this vision.

On the contrary, there are even those who suggest we should turn roads into linear waste dumps by mixing in old tires, asbestos, sulphur, rubber, plastic, heavy metals and other byproducts into the asphalt mix.

This is a massive mistake. It could render the road difficult to recycle if not completely un-recyclable. It would take this appreciating asset and turn it into a long term liability.

The reality is: • Conventional paving costs approximately $90,000/kilometre of road.

HIP costs approximately $60,000/kilometre of paved road.

• Conventional paving demands 80 per cent more natural resources (crude oil, waste material [bitumen] and cement, sand, stone) than HIP technology.

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This is a huge yet under-reported Canadian success story that can save us all a lot of money and environmental grief. We have the technology. It’s proven. Nothing is holding us back but a simple change in how we see roads.

Or, we can just keep hiring comedians every couple of years to make us feel good. I know which one I’d prefer. How about you?

Shane Stothet is general manager of Green Roads Recycling and has been recycling and reclaiming roads for over 23 years. He has a degree in Economics and Philosophy from Simon Fraser University.

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Road Building

Unique Connection

The Calgary Airport Trail Tunnel is one of the largest road projects in the city.

The project is on a very fast track timeline and is on schedule and within budget.

T

he Airport Trail Tunnel project is an exciting project providing a unique transportation connection through Northeast Calgary and to the airport terminal. The tunnel is approximately 620 meters in length along Airport Trail under the Calgary Airport Authority’s (CAA) new runway, taxiways and service roads. The project also includes widening Airport Trail between Deerfoot Trail and Barlow Trail from four to six lanes, as well as accommodating for a six lane cross section through the tunnel to 36 Street NE. In the future it will provide a significant link between the provincial ring road to the east and a major freeway, part of the significant north-south Highway 2, to the west.

The tunnel will be two chambers that can accommodate up to three lanes of traffic in each chamber; with the provision for Light Rail Transit in the future. It is being constructed using a cut and cover technique. The depth of the tunnel from runway surface to road sur20 construction business

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face will be approximately 12 meters. The total depth from the top of the runway surface to the bottom of the tunnel footings is approximately 15 meters.

A significant construction activity is the pouring of the concrete segments. The first concrete pour of the tunnel walls and roof took place on February 24, 2012. It is anticipated the last section will be completed in the fall of 2012.

Each tunnel section is approximately 12 metres long and requires 850 cubic meters of concrete. It takes 80 trucks to deliver this concrete in a 12-hour period. Approximately 58,000 cubic meters of concrete will be poured during the construction of the tunnel.

More than 400,000 cubic meters of earth material and rock has been excavated since construction activities began last summer at the tunnel site. The installation of the underground utilities within the tunnel footprint is now complete and more than 2.5 kilometers of water and storm water deep utilities has been installed.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi, who championed the tunnel as part of his election campaign in 2010 stated, “This tunnel is an important link for the future transportation network in Calgary and needed to be constructed now because of the timing of the airport runway construction.”

Along with the excavation and installation of underground utilities within the tunnel footprint, crews have been busy pouring concrete footings, forming the tunnel walls and roof, installing electrical conduits and steel reinforcements, and pouring the tunnel walls and roof. Approximately 45 kilometers of electrical conduit will be installed.

Twelve thousand tonnes of reinforcing steel will be used, approximately 40 per cent more rebar than what is normally contained in a regular office tower. Waterproofing and backfill of the tunnel structure, along with the excavation of the storm water lift station tank began in May 2012.

The original proponent of the project is Ward Alderman Jim Stevenson, who added, “This tunnel will support the further development of Northeast Calgary.”

The project is on a very fast track timeline and is on schedule and within budget. Gordon Stewart, the director of the city’s Transportation Infrastructure said, “This is a very challenging project schedule wise. But our city project managers, working closely with our consultants CH2M Hill and Associated Engineering, along with our joint venture construction managers PCL, Parsons and Dufferin are doing a great job of delivering the work in a safe and efficient manner.”

A critical milestone to turnover to The Calgary Airport Authority is the tunnel below the new runway, scheduled for August 31, 2012. Other turnover milestones to the CAA include tunnel sections under the future taxiways and perimeter roads scheduled for October 31, 2012 and June 20, 2013. The completion deadline for the entire project is May 2014.

For more information, visit the project website, www.calgary.ca/airporttunnel.

2012 Masonry Design Awards

2012 maso nry desig n awards

The Masonry Institute of B.C. presented the 2012 Masonry Design Awards on May 17th at the Roundhouse Community Centre. The awards are held every three years to showcase and recognize design excellence in B.C. projects featuring brick, block and stone. Judges selected 18 winning projects in eight categories and a special merit award for landscaping. Five People’s Choice Awards were also selected. Keynote speaker Paul Merrick, founding principal of Merrick Architecture, received a special recognition award.

COMMERCIAL AWARD OF MERIT

INSTITUTIONAL Award of Excellence

Cactus Club Cafe, Abbotsford Owner: Cactus Club Cafe Architect: Acton Ostry Archtiects Masonry Manufacturer: I-XL Masonry Supplies Masonry Contractor: HD Masonry

Hillel House Student Centre, UBC Owner: Hillel Vancouver Architect: Acton Ostry Architectrs Mason: Gracom Masony Manufacturer: I-XL (Shouldice)

The new Cactus Club Cafe in Abbotsford is anchored to the landscape through a series of carefully crafted planes and ribbons of masonry-clad walls that wrap around expansive terraces. The 7,350 square foot building features a steel frame structure that is clad with Norman brick masonry cavity walls which transition to wrap into the restaurant interior where they transform into feature walls and screens. The smooth, sable-coloured finish of the masonry complements the use of wood that is incorporated throughout the interior and exterior of the restaurant. The masonry has been painstakingly detailed and carefully placed to ensure consistency and regularity of the masonry module.

Completed in 2011, the $6 million, 13,5000 square foot masonry clad Hillel House replaces a post-war wood building on a constrained site located between Brock Hall and the north parkade at UBC. Masonry materials include a white concrete brick rainscreen, concrete pavers at the roof terrace, Jerusalem stone puzzle-pavers at the memorial garden and a Jerusalem stone-clad fireplace at the student lounge. Jerusalem stone conveys an expression of solidity, permanence and a symbolic connection to Israel. White concrete brick (carefully detailed to ensure consistency and regularity of the masonry module) recalls the tradition of white masonry cladding historically used on campus.

INSTITUTIONAL Award of excellence Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Church Owner: Archdiocese of Vancouver Architect: TRB Architecture Mason: Limen Group Manufacturer: Mutual Materials & Arriscraft

The exterior character of the church has been achieved by a creative combination of different masonry units in size, shape and finish. Extensive use of bull nose units has facilitated the design of special window articulations that have helped create a character of fenestration that evokes the great Medieval churches of the past.

The choice of rough hewn, base dado of the Arriscraft ‘Driftwood’ cast stone colour anchors the building to the earth and is a symbolic recognition to pre-Romanesque churches. In contrast to the rusticated base, the chosen brick colour, castle grey, is a reference to the warm, gold colour of Jerusalem stone and is meant to visually lighten the structure. The use of masonry lends the building tradition, resulting in a handsome and appealing structure.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS Five People’s Choice Awards were also selected: Hillcrest Centre, The Avant, Surrey Fire Hall #14, 3333 Main and Chelsea.

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2012 maso nry desig n awards

EDUCATIONAL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

EDUCATIONAL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

CNC Tech Trade Centre, Quesnel & Prince George Architect: mcfarlane green biggar architects Engineer: Equilibrium Consulting Owner: College of New Caledonia Mason: Maltesen Masonry/Zettl Masonry Manufacturer: Basalite Concrete Products

UBC Allard Hall, Faculty of Law Owner: UBC Properties Trust Architect: Diamond & Schmitt/CEIArchitecture Mason: Dominion Masonry Manufacturer: Mutual Materials

For both Technical Education Centres for the College of New Caledonia, load bearing masonry and cavity wall systems were logical material choices for several reasons. The attractive appearance of the ground face CMU provides a highly durable and economical finish that dispensed with the need for secondary finishes and on-going maintenance. The load bearing elements could be erected much faster than other structural systems, enabling the team to deliver the project within a very tight construction timeline. The innovative use of bottom chord bearing trusses minimized the thickness of the bearing walls to create even greater economy. The buildings are targeting LEED Gold certification.

The use of brick masonry for the new UBC Faculty of Law Allard Hall building was conceived in large planes, offset by generous areas of curtain wall, a black granite base and wood composite panels. With the aim of using brick masonry in modern, crisp planes, the architects specified white mortar to achieve a monolithic result for the brick massing. To further enhance the monolithic character of the masonry wall massing, the punched window recesses were detailed with 600mm deep white precast concrete sills. Masonry brick planes extend beyond the building face at the north end to create a strong arrival at the campus northern gateway.

EDUCATIONAL AWARD OF MERIT

INSTITUTIONAL Award of Merit

Royal Roads University Owner: Royal Roads University LIC Architect: Jensen Chernoff Thompson Architects

Ambleside Fieldhouse Owner: District of West Vancouver Architect: Bruce Carscadden Architect

The Learning and Innovation Centre (LIC) is the first new academic building to be built on the campus at Royal Roads University in the grounds of Hatley Park Castle. The new building with the use of masonry is contemporary in nature yet complementary to the existing historic buildings on the campus. The LIC features the use of an economical split face granite coloured block for the lower floors of the building and introduces horizontal bands of ground face sandstone block that recall the window details of the Castle. Masonry was not only selected for its aesthetic appeal and connection to the historic fabric of the campus but for it’s economy, durability, and minimal maintenance requirements.

This renovation and expansion project was selected due to the commitment to the renovation and revitalization of the original concrete block building including the addition of finely crafted and beautiful granite walls that now face the fields. Much of the existing walls remained with new, seismically sound CMU walls added where required for support. It features new Full Veneer Stone added as a rainscreen to the existing CMU exterior wall. Natural stone was used in random ashlar pattern to reflect the look and feel of other familiar facilities. The fieldhouse has completely modernized change rooms and washrooms which are well ventilated and heated.

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2012 maso nry desig n awards

RESTORATION Award of Excellence

MID/HIGH-RISE Award of Excellence

Hotel Georgia Owner: Hotel Georgia Development Architect: Endall Elliot Associates Mason: McLeod Masonry Manufacturer: Mutual Materials

Woodward’s Redevelopment Owner: Westbank Projects Architect: Henriquez Partners Architects, Urban Designers Mason: Dominion Masonry Manufacturer: I-XL Industries

The exterior charm of this historic landmark is achieved through the extensive use of brick and cast stone. During a full restoration of the hotel, portions of the brick were carefully removed to allow the replacement of support angles while an interior steel support structure pinned to the back of the brick and cast stone allowed for seismic restraint of these elements without affecting the exterior appearance. The brick from demolished walls was reused in areas where the exterior brick walls required repairs. New components of the building were built with brick from the original quarry using modern brick detailing while the new porte cochere addition was constructed with a terra cotta panel system.

The extensive masonry throughout the 1 million-square-foot Woodward’s Redevelopment establishes a strong connection to the heritage character of Gastown. Brick units for the new components of the complex were chosen in order to break down its massing and give it a human scale, while creating a surface texture that emulates the historic context. The original brickwork on the façade of the 1903-1908 building was painstakingly preserved. The elegant use of both new and restored brick speaks to the historic legacy of Woodward’s, an iconic part of Vancouver history, and establishes a new sense of permanence and durability that lays the foundation for the redevelopment’s future.

RESTORATION Award of Merit

MID/HIGH-RISE Award of Merit

Orwell Hotel Rehabilitation Owner: BC Housing Management Commission Architect: Barry McGinn Architect/McGinn Engineering & Preservation Mason: Gracom Masonry

Tapestry, UBC Owner: Concert Properties Architect: dys architecture with Nigel Baldwin Mason: Svend Maltesen Masonry Manufacturer: Mutual Materials & Arriscraft

The Orwell Hotel was originally clad in buff brick with terra cotta trim and with an off-white terra cotta clad storefront. The storefront was removed some time ago and replaced with wire-cut brick veneer. The front façade brick veneer had been painted a beige colour. The restoration approach was to strip the face brick of its paint, conduct patch repair of spalled terra cotta trim, repoint the brick and terra cotta masonry, and replace the wire-cut brick lower façade with a glazed block masonry storefront, closely emulating the original terra cotta masonry.

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The building has a clean, contemporary expression with significant amounts of brick and stone acting as key design elements. The major material used at the base of the building is Arriscraft Renaissance Smooth, Blue Grass, Stone veneer. These large 12” x 24” stone units are used to define a strong, yet elegant base, and provide a rich street-level expression.

Two large stone piers rise the full height of the building on each side of the main entry.

2012 maso nry desig n awards

RESIDENTIAL: LOW-RISE Award of Merit The Block Owner: Park Lane Homes Architect: Stuart Howard Architects Mason: Wolf Masonry Manufacturer: I-XL Industries

The Block is a 32 unit townhouse project on the corner on Guelph Street between E 11th and E 12th Avenue. The buildings are wood frame over concrete slab clad in a mixture of brick masonry and metal cladding. Brick provided a sustainable, durable, basically zero maintenance material and is the primary exterior material. The mass of masonry also aided in providing a sound barrier wall along the busy E 12th avenue face quieting both the units and the courtyard from the street. The warm texture of brick added to the intimate landscape of the courtyard mews.

RESIDENTIAL: SINGLE FAMILY Award of merit West 8th Vancouver Builder: View Point Construction Architect: Stefan Wiedemann Architectural Design Mason: Van den Kerkhof and Son Masonry Ltd. Manufacturer: Adera Natural Stone Supply

The Indiana limestone used in the building of this home on West 8th Avenue Vancouver has a proven track record for durability in the North-West Pacific climate. The team worked closely to address changes as the project progressed. The in-house capabilities of Adera’s fabrication shop could facilitate detail changes with “in-the-field” cad-cam capabilities linked to the shop. The elements were categorized in shop thus making the installation more efficient. The stainless steel anchoring devices were developed with Adera’s collaboration with the masons on site. The timeless design along with the craftsmanship makes this home a classic which will certainly stand the test of time.

RESIDENTIAL: LOW-RISE Award of Merit Parkview Place Owner: Linda Burger & Associates Architect: Kari Gustavson Architect

Parkview Place is comprised of 10 distinctive condo townhomes in West Vancouver. This residential development in West Vancouver uses Arriscraft Canyon Buff Shadow Stone in random ashlar bond on the dwelling and in landscaping. The high-end neighbourhood called for a quality masonry finish.

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2012 maso nry desig n awards

STRUCTURAL Award of Excellence

STRUCTURAL Award of Merit

Centre for Comparative Medicine Owner: UBC Architect: Dialog / Public Architecture and Communication Manufacturer: Basalite Concrete Products

Ecole au Coeur-de-l’ile Owner: Conseil scolaire francophone Architect: McFarland Marceau Architects Mason: Maltesen Masonry Manufacturer: Basalite Concrete Products

The new UBC Centre for Comparative Medicine is UBC’s flagship comparative medicine research facility.

Designed with maximum durability and flexibility, the structure is a single storey concrete block wall enclosure on slab on grade with a galvanized steel roof structure. A selection of ground faced CMU allowed for subtle patterning and variations to the elevations with a simple set of repeating details. The repeating patterns of the CMU walls also maintain a cohesion and visual continuity between each area of the complex. This simple agrarian building has been designed to be virtually maintenance free over its 75 year lifespan.

LANDSCAPING — special merit Tolmie House Architect: Paul Sangha Landscape Architecture Owner: Gemlevy Projects Mason: Huard Marble & Tile

The Broad Street limestone was chosen for its durability and ageless aesthetics in conjunction with the Zinc panels has given the house a very modern look while keeping maintenance to a minimum. The use of stone units, thin brick pavers, slabs and columns all in split face or honed finishes shows the flexibility and variety of applications. All stone walls were built with spacing for air circulation, the exterior walls being covered with ‘Drain Matt’, to aid in vapor transmission. Mapielastic 315 was used on the foot paths and decks, with Grani Rapid bond coats and acrylic fortified mortar bed.

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The Ecole au Coeur de l’ile is a new school designed to meet the needs of the Francophone community on Vancouver island. The new building is constructed with load-bearing masonry walls, precast concrete floors, and a heavy timber roof structure. Masonry was selected as the primary structural material because of its durability, thermal mass and ability to withstand winter construction. The exterior is clad in a unique metal shingle in running bond that recalls the masonry pattern on the interior. All interior partitions are also constructed of masonry, with integrated services within the block.

RESDIENTIAL: SINGLE FAMILY Award of Excellence Sunshine Coast Retreat Owner: Wilson Family Architect: Soren Rasmussen Architects Manufacturer: Northwest Landscape & Stone Supply

The purpose of the project, consisting of a main house and boathouse, is to be a modern retreat. It’s a place to rest and relax for a client-couple with a hectic, globally-oriented schedule. The open and uncomplicated design of the house is enhanced by the refined forms of natural stone walls. The level of masonry detailing throughout the project is highly considered, providing the overall impression of a building of high quality and integrity, well-crafted by hand. Unique in the project is the extensive use of interior masonry.

congratulations

I-XL congratulates all Masonry Design Awards finalists and offers our sincere appreciation to the architects and contractors for the confidence they have shown in I-XL.

I-XL is proud to be entering our second 100 years of providing quality masonry materials to the construction industry.

www.ixlmasonry.com

Building Green

Learning From LEED Next steps and strategies toward defining and controlling costs for carbon neutral buildings.

By Steve Hadden

T

he Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) designation has become the leading standard for sustainable building certification since its introduction to Canada in 2002. From 2007 to 2012, the number of LEED-certified buildings has grown more than tenfold, from just 60 to 643 (61 Platinum, 280 Gold, 200 Silver and 102 certified). A further 3,083 projects are now LEED registered across Canada. They include new buildings, fit outs, renovations, core and shell, and residential.

The increases are a strong endorsement for a voluntary standard that has usually been associated with higher costs. Various studies have targeted a typical cost premium for LEED projects at 2 – 15 per cent, with the high end including considerable on-site renewable energy generation. In many cases, skillful design and planning and more efficient building techniques have helped keep the so-called “LEED cost premium” to a minimum. Mass production and procurement of energy saving materials and renewable technologies have also helped control costs.

Just as the industry has gotten a handle on meeting LEED standards cost effectively, the challenges of managing energy design and performance are likely to rise in lockstep with stricter regulatory targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and carbon neutral or net zero carbon buildings. Carbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset, or acquiring enough carbon credits to make up the difference.

Buildings are an especially crucial factor because they are the number one contributor to CO2, and are responsible for more than a third of GHG emissions in Canada, which has set a goal of 17 per cent reduction in carbon emis-

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sions below 2005 levels by 2020. B.C.’s goal is a 33 per cent carbon emission reduction by 2030.

Furthermore, the province is imposing a carbon tax of $30/tonne ($1.75/GJ for natural gas) by July 2012, and has mandated that by 2020 all new houses constructed in the province will be net zero energy ready, or capable of producing as much energy as they use.

The City of Vancouver’s 2008 GHG Emissions Inventory calculates that buildings account for 55 per cent of these emissions. The city is moving towards a goal requiring new buildings be carbon neutral by 2020. Vancouver has already mandated that all new municipal facilities over 500 m2 are required to be LEED Gold certified, the highest environmental standard required by any local government in North America. Even so, Vancouver’s carbon targets are still a half step off other jurisdictions. The EU requires that all new buildings be carbon neutral by 2018. The UK has set a standard for all new housing to be carbon neutral by 2016.

California has mandated 2020 Net Zero Energy for all new buildings and half of the existing building stock through renovation/retrofitting.

This focus on B.C.’s and Vancouver’s targets reflects their leadership in sustainable building.

Canada’s LEED certification program started in B.C. and the drive for carbon neutral or net zero energy buildings is following suit. So too is the effort to identify — and control — the anticipated costs.

This work is already well underway at our firm.

We advised on the first two LEED Platinum Certified master planned communities in Canada: Dockside Green in Victoria and the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games Athletes Village. The Village received LEED Platinum certification for the entire neighbourhood, which includes Canada’s first residential multi-unit Net Zero Building, and LEED Gold status for all of the project buildings.

We are now working with Swiss building sustainability consultant INTEP, Brantwood Consulting of Vancouver, Solterra Development and the City of Vancouver to assist with developing cost plans and advising on cost efficiencies as part of an energy efficiency and carbon reduction framework for high-rise residential building.

“The focus is on how we can improve, measure and regulate carbon emissions as well as energy

Building Green

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efficiency performance,” said Helen Goodland, managing partner of Brantwood Consulting.

“This means a greater emphasis on the performance of the building envelope than has been the case to date. The framework is intended to inform the development of enforceable standards, support market certainty and fairness, and create a roadmap to very low carbon building.”

The push to mitigating the financial impact of building and retrofitting to achieve carbon neutrality will require consideration of factors beyond those required for earning LEED certification. Rising energy costs, more stringent energy codes, and the requirement for having to measure, report on and label building energy performance will all become increasingly relevant.

The lessons learned from LEED in establishing sustainable design strategies and planning processes (such as integrating active and passive energy measures as well as form and orientation to generate optimum energy performance at minimum cost) will also be increasingly valuable for creating cost-effective carbon neutral buildings.

As it has been for LEED, the process of defining and controlling costs will be ongoing. The next steps will include working with developers and builders to begin defining potential costs, and with design consultants to achieve energy efficiency/carbon targets ratings at the lowest cost. This can also include advising clients on achieving cost savings through offsets and carbon tax avoidance, and other government funded incentives that may be available. The use of innovative sustainable materials and methods, and developing new design and construction strategies will also feature prominently in enabling further cost efficiencies with minimum environmental impact.

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Abbotsford • Calgary • Courtenay • Edmonton • Kelowna • Nanaimo • Richmond • Surrey • Victoria

Challenges inspire us.

Roads & Bridges

Quality Assurance /Quality Control Concrete and pavement technology Durability and service life Condition assessment and rehabilitation

Steve Hadden is senior cost consultant at BTY Group, a Vancouver-headquartered cost consultancy firm with eight offices across Canada.

www.levelton.com

May/June 2012

construction business

Construction Magazine

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Building Green

Green Risks and Liabilities

By Manley Mclachan

T

he British Columbia Construction Association (“BCCA”) is a non-profit organization that acts as the voice for the dynamic provincial construction industry. The members of BCCA build the province’s commercial, institutional, and multi-residential infrastructure and as part of our service to them we recently published an in-depth research paper entitled, “A Study on the Risks & Liabilities of Green Building”. Part of our mandate is to promote growth, stability, and leadership across all sectors of the construction industry and the paper promotes this goal by providing recommendations about how to confront issues that may emerge in the near future.

The BCCA strongly supports the movement towards sustainable building practices but as with any change in technology, technique, or policy, the potential consequences must be considered.

There are novel risks associated with green building but these are best dealt with through an informed discussion. What are the risks? What are the opportunities? How do these challenges impact procurement policy or standard contract documents? Due to the lack of “green building litigation” here in Canada, the paper looked to the American experience with green building in order to anticipate issues that may arise here at home. We hope the paper serves as an invitation for further discussion among the wide range of participants in the construction industry affected by green building issues. We are currently undertaking a review and update of the paper which should be completed within the year.

In America and in Canada, a major driver of green building has been government endorsement of third party rating systems such as the

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Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (“LEED”) system. In B.C., the provincial government requires mandatory compliance with LEED on new public projects while the City of Vancouver has pursued a similar policy in hopes of achieving their self stated goal of being the greenest city in the world by 2020. The difficulties presented by these changes are not insurmountable but those involved in a green building project should be aware of them.

As third party rating systems, such as LEED, are under no contractual obligation to provide certification, contractors or architects providing a guarantee of certification may be at risk if the building fails to qualify. Delays in the certification process should also be accounted for as some projects have taken two to three years to achieve final certification. This presents challenges in terms of hold-backs of payments depending upon contract language.

Another issue identified relates to the fact that achieving certification under LEED involves multiple parties at each stage of the project.

No one party can control the attainment of all credits which has two significant consequences.

First, a failure by one party may result in liability for all parties involved and second, coordination between all parties becomes even more critical. For example, a project may be designed to achieve LEED Gold but fail to achieve certification by one point due to improper material use, waste management, or insufficient on-site documentation. The distributed responsibility for attaining credits should be recognized and accounted for in contract documents.

Promotional material and client expectations are also a concern. As final certification cannot

be guaranteed, a project should not be advertised or promoted as third party certified until final certification is actually awarded. Also, given the flexibility in achieving certification under LEED, no two buildings will perform in the same way. Client expectations should be tempered to not allow third party certification to automatically translate into representations of lower maintenance costs or increased health or productivity benefits.

For professionals working in the green building field, the standard of care may be defined in relation to the reasonable, ordinary, and prudent green building or design expert — a level higher than the common law standard. As a result, parties should ensure that they have adequate insurance coverage given that typical general liability policies will contain exclusions for acts beyond the common law standard of care.

If governments continue to require mandatory compliance with third party rating systems in pursuit of energy efficiency and reductions in green house gas emissions, then an educated work force will play a critical role in achieving this goal. Public procurement policy may also be impacted by mandatory third party certification; however, maintaining a fair and transparent bidding process should not become subordinate to achieving third party certification.

These issues are especially salient to public projects for two reasons. First, public projects represent an investment by taxpayers and as such require that governments provide opportunities for participation to the broadest range of competent parties possible. Second, mandatory compliance with LEED on these projects adds a layer of complexity that must be understood by all participants. Standardized contract documents produced by the Canadian Construction Association (“CCA”) and the Canadian Construction Documents Committee (“CCDC”) will go far in maintaining a fair assignment of risk between contracting parties while allowing a broad range of participants on green projects.

The green building issues identified in the paper are not beyond resolution nor are they fatal to the future of the construction industry. In fact, recent studies have shown that green building continues to grow despite the recession. Going forward, we hope to continue the discussion with all stakeholders to find a balanced way to overcome potential issues with procurement policy, education, material use, insurance options, and contract language while still building a greener future.

Manley McLachlan is president of the British Columbia Construction Association.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

Self Erecting Cranes Save Time & Reduce Costs

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aving the right piece of equipment at your jobsite can increase safety, efficiency and reduce costs. Eagle West Cranes & Equipment provided the right piece of equipment on a project for Westridge Construction — a San Marco SMH 420 Self Erecting Crane.

Eagle West Cranes & Equipment is a full service crane company based out of Abbotsford, British Columbia. They are the one-stop-shop for all things crane related including: crane rentals, crane sales, crane service, crane training, crane accessories, and project planning across Western Canada.

The San Marco SMH 420 Self Erecting Crane provided to Westridge Construction has an under-hook height of 77 feet, a jib length of 137 feet and a lifting capacity of 8,820 pounds. It was the right size of equipment for the construction of Innovation Place. Innovation Place in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan is a $12 million, 69,500 square foot, three storey cast-in-place concrete office complex.

According to Gerry Wiebe, vice president of sales & marketing for Eagle West Cranes & Equipment, space for a crane was very limited at this particular site. The SMH 420 has a very small foot print, 14 feet 9 inches by 14 feet 9 inches, which made it an ideal choice for the project. Another key benefit to Eagle West’s Self Erecting Cranes is that they are fully operational in approximately 3-4 hours from delivery to the jobsite.

Since the crane does not require any concrete footings or foundations mobilization, costs were kept to a minimum. Prior to the crane arriving on site, Westridge Construction was using manual labour and telescopic forklifts to move materials in and around the site. The crane enabled them to have one centralized unloading point for all deliveries. Once the materials arrived, the crane could unload and distribute them much faster, safer, and less labour intensive than with telescopic forklifts and manual labour. This also enabled them to avoid the use of an off-site staging yard.

David Labbie, project superintendant stated that by utilizing the SMH 420 they were able to increase the on-site service area by at least 50 per cent and on-site production increased by over 45 per cent. Manual labour was significantly reduced, with a large increase in production. Labbie said that the crane allowed them to place materials exactly where they wanted them, reducing risks associated with manual material handling. He also went on to say that the San Marco SMH 420 Self Erecting Cranes brought increased safety to the entire jobsite.

Please contact Eagle West Cranes & Equipment to discuss the benefits of Self Erecting Cranes on your jobsite. Call 1-800-667-2215 today or visit www.eaglewestcranes.com for more information.

Building Green

Growing up Green

By Marsha Gentile

T

he sign in the kitchen of the new SFU UniverCity Childcare Centre atop Burnaby Mountain reads: “Our highly efficient taps and toilets use 40% less water than normal fixtures.” To the children attending this childcare centre, green is the new normal.

The UniverCity itself is a compact, mixed use, transit oriented community that integrates academic, residential and commercial uses. It has a first-in-North America green building bylaw for all new development; a new Neighborhood Energy Utility that will reduce GHGs on Burnaby Mountain by more than 80 per cent; and an award-winning stormwater management system.

Now the SFU Community Trust has taken another giant leap in building a sustainable community.

The new UniverCity Childcare Centre was designed and built to meet the Living Building Challenge (LBC) standards. The Living Building is a philosophy, advocacy platform and certification program; a visionary path to a restorative future.

LBC has seven ‘petals’ or performance areas: site, water, energy, health, materials, equity and beauty. The petals are divided into 20 imperatives that each new building project must address.

There are only two rules: 1) All imperatives are mandatory and 2) Certification is based on actual performance, not design-models. Projects can only be certified as “living” if they prove to meet all of the program requirements after 12 consecutive months of operation.

The LBC asks you to “Imagine a building designed and constructed to function as elegantly

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and efficiently as a flower”. A flower is rooted in place yet harvests its own energy and water, is adapted to the site and the climate, operates efficiently and adds beauty to its surroundings.

To qualify for LBC a building has to generate more energy than it uses, collect or recycle more water than it consumes and be built and operated using nontoxic and locally sourced materials.

The intent of the Site Petal is to clearly articulate where it is acceptable for people to build, how to protect and restore a place once it has been developed and to encourage the creation of pedestrian based communities that are supported by local agriculture. There are four imperatives including Habitat Exchange where for every hectare of land developed, an equal amount is set aside in perpetuity. The entire UniverCity comprises 65 hectares and the SFU Community Trust dedicated 320 hectares of land on of Burnaby Mountain, essentially doubling the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area.

The Energy Petal requires that 100 per cent of the building’s energy needs be supplied by on-site renewable energy on a net annual basis.

‘Scale jumping’ allows for solutions beyond the project footprint. To achieve net zero energy in any building you first need to minimize the energy needs of that building. At the centre there are solar hot water heaters on the roof which will feed into the Neighborhood Utility. The amount of energy generated is designed to exceed the building’s net energy consumption for heating and electricity. Heat is provided by the in-slab hot water floor heating system.

The Water Petal has two imperatives: 100 per cent of occupants’ water must come from captured precipitation or closed loop water systems and 100 per cent of the storm water and building water discharge must be managed onsite. A rainwater cistern is buried beneath the playground where water is collected and treated with UV filters for toilet flushing and use in the washing machines. Signs throughout the centre summarize the systems in a language understandable to children. The sign in the child-sized washroom reads: “There is a tank buried next to the building where tiny organisms scrub the dirty water from our toilets and sinks. When it is clean we return that water to the ground where it filters down into a healthy, salmon-supporting watershed.”

The Materials Petal endorses products and processes that are safe for all species through time. There are five imperatives including a Material and Chemical Red List containing 14 substances which are banned from use on site including PVC, cadmium and phthalates. The Appropriate Sourcing imperative categorizes materials by density with heavy items limited to a 500 km radius. All of the lumber used on site must be either FSC certified or from salvaged sources. The centre features an exposed steel frame with a pine beetle-kill structural roof.

The interior and exterior walls consist of single structural units also constructed with pine beetle-kill milled in Prince George and FSC certified cedar siding.

The Health Petal focuses on what must be present rather than addressing all the potential ways the IAQ could be compromised. It contains three imperatives including Civilized Environment which stipulates operable windows in all occupiable spaces. Ventilation at the centre is provided by vents that open directly to the outdoors.

The Beauty Petal asks that the project incorporate beautiful concepts that inspire and educate.

The Equity Petal considers human scale, social justice and a right to nature. The centre naturally and seamlessly embraces the idea of equity and beauty.

During the grand opening in April Jason McLennan told those gathered that the UniverCity Childcare Centre is “probably the greenest facility on the planet.” It is also the first in the world to combine the Living Building concept with the renowned Reggio Emilia teaching philosophy which emphasizes three teachers — the educator, the community and the environment.

The Childcare Centre itself is a laboratory for learning and to the children, green really is the new normal.

Marsha Gentile, CSBC, LEED AP BD+C, is construction sustainability specialist at Ledcor Construction Limited.

Building Green

UBC: Sustainable Initiatives

By Cheryl Mah

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ging buildings and infrastructure along with aggressive sustainable initiatives at the University of British Columbia will help keep contractors busy.

With 260 academic and 150 institutional buildings totalling 11.7 million square feet of space, the university is under constant change with renewal, renovation and modernization projects. It is also a third of the way through its UTown@UBC project, a sustainable housing and transportation initiative that will transform what was once a commuter campus into a vibrant eco-city.

That is what industry attendees heard at a VRCA session where two UBC authorities discussed the university’s innovative integration of sustainability practices into community planning, housing development and building construction.

Developed as a model sustainable community, UTown@UBC is an emerging eco-city that incorporates smart growth principles into community design and housing development. More than 4,100 housing units have been built at UTown@UBC since 1992.

The goal is to provide as much housing on campus as possible with the target of having 50 per cent of students living on campus while also providing affordable housing for faculty and staff, according to Joe Stott, UBC director campus & community planning.

He pointed out unlike other universities in the province UBC is not overseen by a municipal jurisdiction so “we have a lot less red tape. You can get through the process — get to building permits, building inspectors in a much more efficient way.”

Making UBC a sustainable community includes setting high standards for its residential developments. UBC adapted the LEED rating system to develop the Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP). Application of the rating system is mandatory to all residential construction on the Vancouver campus. All new residential buildings also have to be district energy ready.

“We were the first university to have a sustainability policy,” noted Stott.

“We’ve achieved many of the energy saving targets that many communities are only just coming to realize today.”

UBC was the first Canadian university to meet Kyoto Protocol targets, achieving a reduction of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 6 per cent in 2007. Aggressive future carbon reduction targets are to reduce GHG by another 33 per cent (from 2007 levels) by 2015 and 67 per cent by 2020.

“The ultimate goal is to reduce GHG levels to 100 per cent by 2050,” said Andrew Collins, associate director, project services, UBC. The goal for a sustainable community includes institutional buildings too. The university has a number of “campus as a living lab” demonstration projects including the new Centre for Integrated Research on Sustainability (CIRS) where the “building is an experiment itself and designed so that we can evaluate different green building technologies,” said Stott.

The university has also been successful in decreasing overall single occupancy vehicle trips.

“We’ve had over 200 per cent increase in transit ridership since the UPass was introduced in 2003,” said Stott. “If we can get people on the transit system rather than their cars, there’s a big benefit for the whole region both in terms of infrastructure and GHG emissions.”

Ongoing renovation, renewal and modernization of aging buildings to infrastructure will mean many opportunities for the industry.

Collins told attendees that the campus has about $20-30 million a year in small projects valued under $2.5 million. These small projects within existing buildings can be challenging, he noted, so they are looking for contractors with good ideas (innovations) to create value for the university.

“We do large renewal projects — about 70 per cent of that 11.7 square feet is over 35 years old and need upgrades,” he said. “We have 12-13 done so far of those 260 buildings.”

UBC has a number of “campus as a living lab” demonstration projects including the new Centre for Integrated Research on Sustainability.

Buildings are evaluated on a business case basis and are selected for renewal based on established criteria. The rule of thumb is if costs are 67 per cent or less than the replacement cost, the building is eligible.

Modernization is another significant area where the university plans to spend $1 million a year on A/V upgrades alone, said Collins. Another $46 million over 15 years is earmarked to renew the public realm (public spaces, roads, pathways).

The campus uses traditional procurement methods of construction management or lump sum bids with larger projects usually going construction management. Smaller projects under $2.5 million are under CCDC 2 lump sum which is about to roll over to CCDC 5A. Collins went on to discuss various other projects including HVAC optimization of 72 buildings and the replacement of the campus’ aging steam heating system to a hot water system.

“We are about to enter the second and third phases of a nine phase hot water district energy system for the north part of campus,” he said.

The conversion is one of the first and largest of its kind in North America. It offers a number of benefits, most importantly reducing energy use and GHG emissions. The new system will operate at a lower temperature, notes Collins, which will allow compatibility with alternative energy systems like solar energy and ocean thermal energy.

Future project focus will be on smart energy systems, waste water treatment and building technology as part of UBC’s strategy to meet its 2020 GHG reduction target.

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Roofing

An Insider’s Look at Green Roofs

By Terry McGlade

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reen roofs are here. What started as an environmental fad in 2000 has become part of many new buildings. Not only do green roofs generate energy savings from cooling the overheated roofs, but they also have become significant players in storm water management. As climate change is becoming a reality, more erratic and stronger weather systems are occurring and bringing extreme winds and an unprecedented deluge of rain. The question is: how do green roofs play into this wet weather management?

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Simply put, green roofs can, and do trap water in their growing medium and also through the plant root systems. However, only green roofs that have a 4-inch or more growing medium does this. The evapotranspiration rate occurs in the first 3-inch of the growing medium, whether it is on the ground or on a roof. Therefore if water is coming in and going out at the same rate, there is almost no holding or trapping of moisture. When the evapotranspiration rate goes beyond 3 inch, it gets interesting.

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Roofing

Green roofs are exploding across the country from coast to coast.

Various studies have shown that 80 per cent can be trapped and the rate of flow out after saturation can be reduced greatly to the storm drains.

Another method to look at is the use of the roof and green roof as a cistern for holding water, which can be used for irrigation purposes. The Hugh Garner Housing Co-op in Toronto has a 4-inch water cistern under its green roof/roof garden area covering about 10,000 sq ft. When full, this water is utilized as the irrigation system, and when it is dry supplementary water from city sources is used. This system is called a semi-intensive green roof because of the depth of the growing medium, which ranges from 6 to 12-inchs with planter boxes of 24-inches for trees. The Co-op consists of a built-up system, utilizing plants in pot and plugs over an inverted roof. The plant material for this project was designed to give as much biodiversity to the roof as possible. If we look at the European model we see that they started their built-up system with sedum plugs in a specially designed growing medium mix (FLL), and that was the only type of green roof available for almost 20 years. Later, researchers in Switzerland started using different growing mediums and more diverse plantings. This led to North American green roofs advocating both types, and there is no clear decision as to which one is better than the other for North American roofs.

Today the industry is split with modular trays, mats, and built up systems. Each has its own benefits and are almost regional in their applications. Given Canada’s geographical issues, not all of the systems work everywhere.

For instance, when looking at a green roof system for Edmonton’s Federal Buildings that have six green roofs on them (the highest located at 17 storeys), it was determined that an 36 construction business

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8-inch depth of soil was needed to give good winter protection to the plants. Since a tray system would weigh almost 40lbs per square feet and be cumbersome and expensive to install, a built up system with indigenous prairie plants was chosen. It should be noted that very few sedums can withstand the cold of the northern prairies and therefore mats were not even considered.

Modular trays do have some immediate benefits. They are for the most part, easy to install and do come in the required depth of 4 to 6-inches and are instantaneous. Plus, because of the 6-inch depth, a greater selection of plants can be used, creating a more diverse habitat. They can also be removed for access to the roof membrane.

Mats are also great as they are light weight, and easy to install, and cost less. But having said that, I do not agree with some manufacturers that say growing mediums are not required.

Generally speaking, to ensure maximum performance and long life the mats must be placed on a bed of a 3-inch growing medium ensuring that the sedums have a rooting surface and proper drainage. This past winter in Toronto we have seen several mat style green roofs that had no growing mediums start to dry and roll-up because of the winds (these green roofs were less than 3 years old and on 2-storey buildings). In Minneapolis, The Target Centre Dome has one of the largest mat systems, but it is on a 3-inch growing medium with an irrigation system.

This brings up another point that I feel must be stated: As a living roof, plants are not inanimate as they need certain elements to survive.

Water and nutrients must be delivered to it. To be sustainable, most plants need these on a daily

basis, and extreme conditions will force them to either shut down or die. Poor drainage and wind conditions will either drown the plants or cause soil erosion. In fact, one of the main benefits of modular trays is the fact that they can withstand hurricane winds with little damage to plants or soils. But even the trays can’t survive without getting water or nutrients.

When dealing with long term issues for buildings, we have to look at these roofs in the 20 to 30 year perspective. If we are saying that green roofs extend the life of the roof membrane, then we must deal with the life expectancy of the green roof. This means maximizing the performance of the plants. Since green roofs have been designed to withstand the harshest climates, we should ensure that they have a better chance of surviving year after year. That means understanding the closed–loop aspect of green roofs. No maintenance inevitably means failure of the green roofs. The City of Chicago, which has a green roof policy since 2003, is looking into a fine system for building owners who neglect their green roofs. In Toronto, The TTC in all its new stations are demanding a five year maintenance plan with guaranteed work performance targets.

Green roofs are exploding across the country from coast to coast. Though Toronto’s green roof bylaw is the only one currently in the country, other jurisdictions are looking to do the same. Calgary is on the verge of creating a green roof policy, and Ottawa through the NCC has a policy of retrofitting its collection of federal buildings.

Terry McGlade is the green roof consultant business development at Flynn Canada Ltd. He has been a landscape designer for 30 years.

Roofing

Sustainability vs.Durability

By Josh Jensen

To obtain the long term performance of a roofing system, a proper design is required.

T

here are a lot of buzz words flying around these days with “green” or “sustainable” being some of the higher ones on the list when it comes to buildings and their construction. Everyone is going around touting their reflective or green roof — maybe it’s recyclable or it generates energy, but is that truly sustainability?

It seems that, although we are seeing huge improvements in the development of new products, the buildings built over the last 20 to 30 years have not performed as well as the buildings previously. We often hear of building failures caused by a number of different building sectors, often they are linked to new products, untrained workers, or poor design. Society, unfortunately, has gravitated towards the low bid; this of course assumes that the contractors are bidding on equivalent quality/performance. Whether it is for products, contractors, or consultants; inevitably the saying comes true “you get what you pay for”.

The word sustain means “to keep in existence, maintain”. So the roof of a building should be able to be maintained over the long term. Mass systems like roofing should not need to be replaced prematurely. These systems should be properly designed to be durable. If a building is designed to last for the long-term with minimal maintenance and ease of replacement when it comes to the eventual end of the service life, then it is truly sustainable.

When we think of the lifecycle of a roof most people think of the benchmark of 20 years; however this is fairly short sighted as the buildings are typically designed to last 50 years or longer. Although a 50 year roof would be great, it most likely wouldn’t provide the cost benefit of two roofs that are properly designed to last 25 years each meaning one roof replacement in the cycle of the building.

Although usually not seen most roofs are complicated and has many different interfaces that require proper design for long-term performance.

A roof that lasts longer than another will usually be more sustainable, as less waste will be generated through the removal of an additional roof. Less energy will be spent making that extra roofing product, transporting it to site and installing it on the roof. When you consider this scenario there is also a potential over the longterm for the overall maintenance and renewal costs to be lower meaning that a durable well designed roof may cost less as well.

To obtain the long-term performance of a roofing system, a proper design is required.

Many minor changes can be made during the original construction that can significantly impact the cost for the eventual system replacement. When it comes to roofing there are many factors to consider such as roof slope, type and frequency of penetrations, drainage, building location and orientation, as well as a whole host of other factors that need to be considered when determining a suitable roofing assembly. The roofing industry, often automatically selects whatever system type they are use to, not what is best for the building which can lend itself to having issues for the future.

Every component of a roof system from the type of deck and type of insulation to the air barrier and perimeter flashings needs to be properly selected based on all the other variables. There isn’t a one size fits all solution.

Each of these components can also have tangent benefits. Increasing the insulation can provide benefits to energy consumption but if

this is looked at in isolation it can also cause problems with dew points within the assembly, leading to premature failure. Every component within the roof assembly is linked and cannot be looked individually.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a list from which owners can “select” a good roof consultant. There is usually some guidance at the local roofing contractors association but the only national organization for roofing professionals is RCI Inc. RCI is a non-profit organization that provides education and accreditation to consultants within the field of roofing, building envelope, and below grade waterproofing disciplines.

If building owners want to be “sustainable” or “green” then they are really talking about a durable roof. The best way to provide a durable roof is to hire a professional roof consultant to properly design and oversee the roof installation. This will provide the best performance and over the long-term can reduce maintenance and renewal costs.

Josh Jensen, AScT, CHI, RRO, RRC, is an associate and manager of the roofing division of JRS Engineering, a building envelope and roofing firm providing service in Western Canada and the northwestern U.S. With almost a decade of roof consulting design and investigating experience, he is actively involved in industry development, and currently serves on the standards technical panels for Underwriters’ Laboratories (UL) roof wind uplift resistance and roofing covering testing standards, and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) panel for roof edge system technology. Jensen is also the vice president of the RCI Western Canada Chapter. He can be reached via e-mail at josh@jrsengineering.com.

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Roofing

Groundbreaking Solar Research Project Alberta’s first solar photovoltaic reference array system has been installed on the roof of NAIT’s main campus.

The information generated will serve as a guide for the construction industry and others interested in using solar energy. By Dr. James Sandercock the project engineering firm Howell-Mayhew Engineering Inc and the Solar Energy Society of Alberta.

Ultimately the information from this stateof-the-art array will help inform potential PV investors by creating a reference guide for solar PV potential in the greater Edmonton area.

Designers and installers will be able to point to realistic and accurate third-party performance data when explaining solar PV technology to potential clients, and homeowners will be able to compare the output of their own solar systems with that of the reference array, helping to ensure individual systems are running to their full potential. It is our hope that in time reference arrays can be dotted across Western Canada to help optimize PV performance based on the synthesis of NRCan’s solar data and our snow load/snow shedding results.

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any software programs exist today that can predict the productivity of a solar photovoltaic (PV) array given factors such as the hours of uninterrupted sunlight at a particular location, the angle at which the array is tilted, the orientation relative to due South, and local temperature (an excellent resource can be found at the Natural Resources Canada webpage). In fact it is known that the solar resources in the Western Prairie provinces are the best in Canada.

Of the 10 major cities in Canada the top four (Regina, Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton) are all located in the prairies and even the worst areas of Alberta have more PV potential than the best German locals. However one large unknown, and it is certainly important in most parts of Canada, is the effect and persistence of snow for that particular location. Frequent questions from potential residential and commercial customers revolve around snow and the concern that this highly reflective material could all but eliminate the potential of solar in Northern climates. Knowing that the adoption of technologies by the public can be impaired by outstanding questions of this nature our polytechnical institute, NAIT, partnered with the City of Edmonton to examine the combined effects of array angle with local snow conditions.

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A general rule of thumb states that optimal annual production can be achieved from a PV system that is tilted at an angle equal to the location’s latitude. For Edmonton this would involve an angle of 53 degrees. Will substantial snow shedding occur at this angle or will snow adherence undermine performance at this mathematically “optimal” orientation? To test this question we designed a unique array with pairs of modules tilted at six fixed angles: 14, 18, 27, 45, 53 and 90 degrees. The array was designed with a sweeping shape akin to a ski jump, thereby avoiding inter-module shadowing yet maintaining a small physical footprint on the roof. Snow is manually cleared from just one of the two modules at each angle, allowing for a direct comparison of how snow loads affect electricity generation and an assessment of how long the snow remains attached to the module surface.

Given the high quality of reporting available through Enphase’s “Enlighten” monitoring software we selected one M215 microinverter per module to allow effective tracking of each snow treatment and angle. In our reporting we also match module performance to solar insolation using NAIT’s local pyranometer and total precipitation gauge. Final reporting will be made available through City of Edmonton and NAIT web sites following consultation with

Dr. James Sandercock is the chair of the alternative energy technology program at NAIT. The program is a two year diploma that covers alternative and renewable energy technologies such as Solar PV, GeoExchange, Wind, Solar Thermal, Hydro, Fuel Cells and Biofuels.

James earned a PhD in Microbiology & Biotechnology studying bioplastic production by soil bacteria and worked for the Alberta Government studying biofuel production from common Alberta crops.

Quick Facts Overview Project: NAIT-City of Edmonton Reference Array City: Edmonton, Alberta Location: -113.47E, 53.56N Engineering: Howell-Mayhew Engineering Inc. Installer: Great Canadian Solar Date Commissioned: April, 2012 Equipment Specifications PV modules: 12 xConergy P230PA Module rating: 230W, STC Inverters: Enphase M215-60-2LL-S22-NA 240/208 VAC Array Installation: custom ballasted P1000 Unistrut racking Roof: flat roof, steel decking and open web steel joists Tilt Angles: 14, 18, 27, 45, 53, 90o Array azimuth: 180o Annual PV potential: 1245 kWh/kW at 53o tilt

Legal File

Builders’ Liens and Federal Leases

By Courtney Kachur

A

recent dispute involving the Vancouver airport expansion serves as a reminder to contractors and suppliers that builders’ liens cannot be enforced against the federal government. This principle was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada in British Columbia (Attorney General) v Vancouver International Airport Authority and should prompt subtrades to consider the lack of provincial builders’ lien protection if they bid on federal work.

Background This case began as most lien matters do, with unpaid contractors registering builders’ liens for work or materials supplied to the Vancouver airport expansion. For the purpose of complying with the form prescribed by the British Columbia Builders’ Lien Act (the “BLA”), in naming the “owner” of the property, the lien holders correctly listed the Vancouver Airport Authority (the “Authority”). However, the ownership of the airport was more complicated than the builders’ lien forms suggested. The property on which the Vancouver airport is situated is Crown land and, as such, is owned by the federal government. The property is then leased to the Authority which operates the airport under a 60-year lease. This arrangement is not unique to Vancouver. Across Canada, the federal government is the lessor of Crown lands designated for use as airports to the various airport authorities as lessees under longterm lease arrangements.

The British Columbia Land Titles Registry registered the builders’ liens against the Authority’s leasehold interest in the lands underlying the Vancouver airport. The filing of these encumbrances against federal Crown lands triggered government intervention. The lease between the federal government and the Authority prohibited the registration of builders’ liens against the Vancouver airport and charged the Authority with the responsibility of discharging any builders’ liens.

The Authority first requested that the British Columbia Land Titles Registry stop registering builders’ liens against its leasehold interest.

When this request was denied, the Authority challenged the constitutionality of builders’ liens filed against it at the British Columbia Supreme Court. In an interesting twist, shortly after the Authority made its application, the lien holders voluntarily discharged their liens. Thus, the case changed from a live dispute to an exercise in legal academia. At this point, the Attorney General of British Columbia waded into the fray.

Why all of the fuss over some unpaid work at YVR? On one hand, the Authority argued that the question of whether labourers and material suppliers were prohibited from filing builders’ liens

against the Authority’s leasehold interest was “ripe for determination”. Practically, work at the Vancouver airport was ongoing, and a court-sanctioned prohibition on filing builders’ liens against it would be a boon for the Authority. Academically, the constitutional argument invoked the doctrine of interjurisdictional immunity, alleging that the provincial BLA could not possibly interfere with the federal power to regulate aeronautics. On the other hand, the Attorney General responded that the mere registration of a builders’ lien amounted to notice of a claim and the federal Crown’s interest was not challenged until that lien claim was enforced. Since the builders’ liens had been discharged, the Attorney General argued that the Authority’s challenge was moot. Pitfield J. disagreed with the Attorney General and, in the absence of any actual builders’ liens, ruled on the constitutionality of filing a builders’ lien against the lease to the Vancouver airport.

Federal Lease to the Authority Pitfield J. affirmed that the Authority’s lease was an interest in land against which a provincial builders’ lien could prima facie be registered. However, the sole purpose of the lease granted by the federal Crown to the Authority was for the construction, maintenance, management and operation of an international and interprovincial airport. This purpose was not merely incidental but central to an exercise of a core legislative power over a federal work or undertaking, namely aeronautics.

The Authority had entered into contracts for improvements to the Vancouver airport. These improvements were the property of the federal government, pursuant to the terms of its lease with the Authority, and vital to the operation of a core federal undertaking. Provincial builders’ liens filed against airport leases could directly, rather than incidentally, impair a federal undertaking as the liens may hold up financing for the airport’s improvements or be enforced such that the airport lease is sold. It was important to note there was no federal enactment that is comparable to the provincial BLA. Therefore the legal doctrine of inter-jurisdictional immunity applied such that the federal jurisdiction was immune from the application of the provincial legislation.

Specifically, while the lien claimants would normally be entitled to register builders’ liens under the provincial BLA, inter-jurisdictional immunity prevented the application of the otherwise lawful provincial statute because it conflicted with the federal interest of keeping airports free from these encumbrances.

The Attorney General appealed the chambers Judge’s decision to the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Smith J.A. upheld the decision of the chambers judge such that all builders’ liens filed against

the Authority’s leasehold interest were deemed invalid and to be of no force and effect. The Attorney General’s application for leave to appeal the Court of Appeal’s decision to the Supreme Court of Canada was subsequently denied on August 25, 2011.

Implications Practically, this decision makes sense. The ultimate remedy under provincial builders’ lien legislation is the sale of the liened property such that the lien holder can realize on its claim from the property’s sale proceeds. It would not be in Canadians’ best interests if the courts permitted the sale of national airports to pay off builders’ lien claims made by unpaid sub-trades. However, it is not in the best interests of sub-trades to forego working on federal undertakings entirely.

It is important to note that the B.C. Supreme Court re-affirmed that leasehold interests in respect of federal crown lands are not automatically immune from builders’ lien claims simply by virtue of the fact that they are federal property. Pitfield J. emphasized that only builders’ liens which affect the core of a federal undertaking will be rejected.

In situations where a federal interest is not owned exclusively but held jointly by the federal Crown with another party, builders’ liens may be filed against the non-exempt portion of that property. Otherwise, the B.C. courts have left the door open for builders’ lien claims against federal leases. This practice is common in Alberta where unpaid sub-trades routinely file builders’ liens against federal crown leasehold interests with respect to mineral rights.

It appears that if the purpose of the federal leasehold is not vital but merely incidental to a core federal undertaking then the provisions of provincial builders’ lien legislation may be applicable. In any event, federal projects usually have bonds in place against which unpaid contractors and suppliers may have recourse in the absence of provincial builders’ lien rights.

Conclusion The decision in British Columbia (Attorney General) v Vancouver International Airport Authority is a good reminder for contractors and suppliers on federal government projects that they may not be protected by provincial builders’ lien legislation if their invoices go unpaid.

As a result, sub-trades should ensure that the appropriate bonds are in place, or bid accordingly, when considering otherwise lucrative contracts for federal undertakings, especially airports.

Courtney Kachur is an associate in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group at Blakes, Cassels & Graydon LLP in Calgary.

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Legal File

How Long Am I On The Hook For Building Defects?

By R. Glen Boswall

Y

ou are a developer or contractor on a recently completed construction project. You are confident the work was done properly but the possibility of errors can never be completely ruled out. As a result, you may be wondering how long you are on the hook for latent defects and resulting damage that might be discovered in the future. The answer depends not only on your written warranties but also whether the project was residential, whether the defects are dangerous, and which claims limitation legislation applies.

Warranties You probably know the time limits on any written warranties you provided. For example, if you were the head contractor and used a CCDC 2 (2008) stipulated price contract, that document imposes a warranty in favour of the owner or developer running one year from substantial performance of the work unless you have provided longer warranties. If you are a residential developer, the British Columbia Homeowner Protection Act compels you to provide purchasers with two years warranty coverage for any defect in materials and labour, five years for the building envelope, and 10 years for structural components.

Residential developers may not be aware they could also be liable under an unwritten but implied warranty of fitness. In the 1994 British Columbia Court of Appeal decision in The Owners, Strata Plan NW 2294 v. Oak Tree Construction Inc., it was held that for latent defects in a building intended for habitation but not completed when sold, the law imposes on the builder an implied warranty that “the work (both the work already 40 construction business

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done and the work not yet done) will be done in a good and workmanlike manner, that the materials will be suitable, and that the building will be fit for its purpose, namely, habitation.” The reference to buildings “not completed” is misleading because it suggests the warranty applies only to presold residences. In fact, it applies even when substantially complete units are sold if they have defects that affect their habitability. That is because, under British Columbia case law, such residences are not truly complete. The case law does not specify the duration of these implied warranties but one of the Court of Appeal judges in the Oak Tree case suggested they should only be in effect for a limited time, perhaps one year.

Tort Liability and the Limitation Act As a developer or contractor, you may also be liable to original purchasers and subsequent owners in tort. The duration of your liability in British Columbia is governed by the provincial Limitation Act and that Act is about to change.

In its 1995 decision in Winnipeg Condominium No. 36 v. Bird Construction Ltd, the Supreme Court of Canada held that developers and contractors were liable to building owners in tort for the cost of repairing any building defects that posed a real and substantial danger to the health and safety of the occupants.

In the 1996 case of Strata Plan VR 1534 v.

Regent Development Corp., the British Columbia Supreme Court expanded the concept of dangerous defects to include those that are not presently dangerous but, if not corrected, might present a real and substantial danger in future. For example, missing window caulking

or faulty roof shingling might lead to water leaks that could eventually lead to rusting or rot in a building’s structural components.

According to the British Columbia Court of Appeal’s decision in the 1996 case of Workers Compensation Board v. Genstar Corp., the current B.C. Limitation Act imposes a six year time limit on building damage claims arising from internal defects. However, the Act says the six year period does not commence until the claimant is or should be aware of the problem and the identity of the responsible party. This presents a long risk exposure for developers and contractors because it may take years for latent defects to manifest themselves and some time after that for the claimant to discover who was responsible. However, the risk does not run forever. While it probably gives little comfort to the building industry, the current Limitation Act does provide an ultimate limitation period of 30 years even if the claimant has not discovered the defect and the responsible party’s identity before then.

The new Limitation Act, not yet in force, will reduce the duration of your risk exposure. The new act will establish a basic limitation period of two years from the date the claimant knew or should have known of the problem and the identity of the responsible party. Also, the ultimate limitation period will be reduced to 15 years. In cases where dangerous building defects pre-date the new act coming into force, transition provisions in the legislation will apply the old act time limits where the defects are discovered before the new act takes effect and the new act time limits if the defects are discovered after.

Protecting Yourself from Liability Besides taking care in your work, there are several things you can do to protect yourself from liability for building defects and resulting damage. For residential construction projects, you can draft your written warranties to specifically exclude implied warranties of habitability. You can try to insert indemnity provisions into your building contracts such that you are entitled to compensation from the other parties if their mistakes lead to you being held liable in warranty or tort. You can also get advice from your insurance broker to guide you in selecting the optimal liability insurance protection.

Your exposure to liability for building defects is not forever but it may extend well beyond your warranty periods. It is wise to protect yourself accordingly.

R. Glen Boswall is a partner at Clark Wilson LLP in Vancouver.

Legal File

B.C.’s New Limitation Act The new Act makes significant changes to B.C. claim deadlines.

By Grant H. Mayovsky and Krista M. Johanson

The new Act replaces B.C.’s existing “limitation periods”, within which legal claims must be made.

O

n May 14, 2012, after more than five years of consultation and debate, a new BC Limitation Act received royal assent. Barring any unforeseen complications, B.C. businesses can expect to operate under the new regime, which aims to bring B.C. law into closer step with other provinces, in the very near future.

The new Act replaces B.C.’s existing “limitation periods”, within which legal claims must be made.

Under the old Act, limitation periods varied depending on the type of claim. For instance, claims involving injury to people or property had to be made within two years, but breach of contract claims had to be made within six. Therefore, under the old Act, with the exception of builders lien claims, which are governed by separate legislation, most claims for those involved in the construction industry were governed by a six-year limitation period in B.C. The new Act sets a single limitation period of two years for most claims. The two-year period begins to run when a claim is (or should have been) discovered. This differs from the old Act: although the discovery principle applied to postpone certain types of claims, most limitation periods ran from the date on which the right to bring a claim arose. The new Act also contains an “ultimate” limitation barring all claims not discovered within 15 years of the date on which the relevant act or omission occurred.

Under the new Act, a claim will be discovered, and the limitation clock will begin ticking, on the first day on which a person knew or ought reasonably to have known all of the following: • That injury, loss, or damage has occurred; • That the injury, loss or damage was caused by or contributed to by an “act or omission”;

• That the act or omission was that of the person against whom the claim may be made; and, • That a court proceeding would be the appropriate means to seek a remedy.

The right to bring a claim expires two years after all these facts are known. It remains to be seen how courts in B.C. will interpret these legislative requirements for discovery.

The Act contains provisions which can operate to extend this period in cases involving fraud, trust property, minors and disabled claimants, among other issues. As under the old Act, a limitation period will also be extended if a person acknowledges liability in respect of the claim before the limitation period actually expires.

Even if some or all of the facts listed above are unknown, the right to bring a claim finally expires 15 years after the act or omission on which the claim is based took place.

This ultimate limitation period has implications for the construction industry: if an act or omission occurred 15 years ago, but has not yet caused damage, or has caused damage that has not yet been discovered, it may be that the claim will be barred. For example, in an Alberta case, the plaintiff ’s home was damaged in a 1999 landslide, but the ultimate limitation period barred the plaintiff from claiming against the city for negligently issuing a permit to build the home on the site in the 1980s.

The limitation period for claims for contribution or indemnity is also changed by the new Act. Under the old Act, the limitation period for some third party claims began to run only after the defendant’s liability to the plaintiff had been determined by a court. Un-

der the new Act, the clock begins running on the later of the day on which a defendant was served with the initial claim, or knew or ought to have known that a claim for contribution or indemnity may be made. As the B.C. rules of court now require third party claims to be brought within 42 days after service of the main claim, practically speaking, defendants must now carefully consider whether to bring a third party claim as soon as a claim has been made against them.

The new Act is not retroactive. The old limitation periods will apply to claims which were discovered before the new Act comes into force. For claims discovered after it comes into force (even if the facts giving rise to them arose earlier), the new Act will apply, but the ultimate limitation period will be the shorter of the old 30-year period and the new 15-year period.

Note: the Act applies only where there is no conflict with another act. The limitation periods in the Builders Lien Act and the Insurance Act, for example, are unaffected by the new Act. Additionally, some contracts contain contractual limitation periods which can affect your ability to bring a claim.

Grant H. Mayovsky, partner, and Krista M. Johanson, associate, practice construction law at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. This article is not intended to be a complete statement of the law or an opinion on any subject.

Although we have endeavoured to ensure its accuracy, no one should act upon it without a thorough examination of the law after the facts of a specific situation are considered.

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Architect Corner

Lessons Learned

By Bryce Rositch

I

’ve been practising as an architect for 28 years, long enough to have learned a few things.

(And long enough to know that I have a lot more to learn, but that’s another story.)

First, people love natural light. We have surveyed purchasers of our residential buildings to find out what they most appreciate about their homes. The most common response is they love the feeling of spaciousness and enjoy the light that comes in. In the Lower Mainland, with a lot of overcast days, that means windows that are large and well located to capture the light. In the Thompson and Okanagan Valleys, that means windows with sufficient overhangs to allow light in but to protect against the direct sun.

Second, capture the imagination. It is risky to be too theme-oriented, but people appreciate homes and buildings that have identifiable character. Whether the architecture is “Whistleresque” (heavy timbers, large pitched roofs, stone and other elements that speak to the location) or something else, the architecture should tell a story that says something about those who live there. When we designed Poets Cove Resort on South Pender Island, we felt it important to create an architecture that seems to be “by the sea”: a lantern-like structure that provides a focal point for the hotel; a general store and clubhouse that a mariner would enjoy; expansive ocean-facing balconies open to the harbour.

This brings us to our third point: capture the views. Whether it is an intimate courtyard, a hillside aerie or a water-facing building, people love views to something. The first thing most prospective buyers do when they walk into a

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suite or townhouse is walk to the window to look at the view.

And fourth, make every square foot count.

This is especially critical as the average suite size keeps getting smaller, but it also counts in larger homes. Create spaces that allow for multiple uses. Create opportunities for views right from the front door. For a house we designed on Shuswap Lake, we created a view that just keeps expanding as you enter into the home, through the open living area and continuing on until you are ultimately outside on the lake-front deck. If feels expansive and great.

Some other lessons: you are only as good as your client. It’s almost impossible to create a great building when you butt heads with your client. Those clients who are supportive and encouraging, who provide consistent direction and the right amount of input are dreams. And not surprisingly, the buildings that result from this collaboration are the most successful.

Of course, things keep getting harder and more complex, especially on the regulatory side.

My first building code was the size of a smaller paperback. Now it is a serious binder with a myriad of supplements and appendices. Similarly, approvals for a project have become much more onerous. On the one hand it keeps me in practice as the knowledge level required to successfully obtain a permit grows, but it can take away from some of the joy.

I’ve also learned in my reading and travels around North America that we live in an incredibly rich and supportive residential environment.

There is nowhere else on earth where you will find

the wide range and incredible diversity of multifamily residential design than here, especially in the Lower Mainland. In most areas on the continent single family homes predominate, and in denser cities such as Toronto and New York there is an entrenched approach that doesn’t allow for the whimsy and creativity that we find locally.

Finally, I’ve always known but continue to re-learn that architecture with its mixture of art and science; politics and organization; with the people you deal with on every level; and with the wonderful gift of seeing your design, the result of a collaboration of a large number of people and a vision of the creation of a new world for someone, which becomes a three-dimensional reality, is truly, truly wonderful.

Bryce Rositch, MAIBC, is a partner in the Vancouver-based firm of Rositch Hemphill Architects.

Industry News

Largest Donation The Vancouver Aquarium received $12.5 million, its largest donation to date from Teck mining. The contribution to the Aquarium’s $100-million expansion and revitalization plans includes $10 million for the development of a new entrance gallery as part of the new entry complex and $2.5 million for educational programming and research. The new central Aquarium entrance gallery and visitor hub will be named the Teck Connections Gallery. The Teck Connections Gallery is expected to open in May 2014 as part of the new major entrance complex. The new entry complex is the first of three major expansions that make up the overall project.

Anniversary Celebration The BC Ready Mixed Concrete Association will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this fall at its AGM and Convention. The convention will be in Whistler, B.C. October 19 and 20. The celebrations will culminate with the Chairman’s Ball on Sat night.

New Graham CEO Grant Beck is the new president and CEO of Graham Group. He joined Graham in 1990 and advanced steadily by taking on a number of different roles and increasing responsibilities. Most recently, he served four years as the company’s vice-president, major commercial projects division. He takes over for former president and CEO, Bill Flaig, who is now retired.

Bridge RFP Three teams have been selected to submit Request for Proposals (RFP) to replace the Johnson Street Bridge in Victoria, B.C., which is the largest capital project in the city’s history.

Eight teams completed the pre-qualification process for the contract, which involved submitting a proposal and listing a number of noted subcontractors. Interest came from local, national and international firms representing a variety of skills. The three lead proponents are PCL Constructors Westcoast, Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Co. and WCC Construction Canada. The three teams will submit a fixed price proposal. The bridge is scheduled to complete by 2016.

Stantec Selected Stantec has been selected as the design consultants for the facility and infrastructure upgrades at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards. The development will support Seaspan’s Non-Combat program as part of the federal government’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS).

Stantec will provide integrated engineering and architectural services for the yard’s required infrastructure upgrades. Planning and design will begin immediately, with construction to start later this year.

Aboriginal Firm Embark Engineering is a new Aboriginal company formed by the Lax Kw’alaams Band and Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd. The Lax Kw’alaams Band is the majority owner in the new entity.

Embark Engineering will work with the diverse skills of KWL and key engineering and environmental partners to provide engineering services including infrastructure planning, design and construction, project administration, and resource management to government, industry and First Nations.

The newly formed company will strive to create careers for First Nation individuals rather than just jobs. The company will be governed by a management board consisting of five people, including two members from the Lax Kw’alaams Band, two members from Kerr Wood Leidal and one individual agreed to by both parties.

Largest Highway Project A joint venture partnership led by Capital City Link General Partnership has been awarded a $1.81 billion contract for the final leg of the Edmonton ring road. The Northeast Anthony Henday Drive projects is Alberta’s single largest highway construction project to date. It involves 27 kilometres of a six and eight-lane divided roadway, eight interchanges, nine flyovers, two river structures, and 47 total bridge structures.

The CCLGP is comprised of subsidiaries of ACS Infrastructure Canada Inc., Hochtief PPP Solution GmbH, and Meridiam Infrastructure.

CCLGP will subcontract the design and construction portion of the Northeast project to an integrated joint venture. The joint venture consists of Flatiron Constructors Canada Limited, Dragados Canada, Aecon Construction Management and Lafarge Canada. Construction will start this summer with completion expected by fall 2016.

New Acciona Appointments Robert Park has been appointed president, Acciona Canada, a new, non-executive role in which he will represent, support and promote the company’s core businesses in the country. He was president of Acciona’s Infrastructure division in Canada since 2007 and area director for North America. Purificación Torreblanca from Spain will move to Canada to lead the company’s infrastructure team.

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Industry News

Advertiser Listings Adera Natural Stone Supply............................... 25 Aviva..................................................................... 29 BCCA . ............................................................... OBC BCCSA ..................................................................10 BC Hydro ................................................................7 BCIT ........................................................................9 BFL Canada Insurance Services Inc .....................4 Buildex ........................................................ 42 & 43 Eagle West Cranes ....................................... 11 & 31 Fortis BC .............................................................. 15 Houle Electric ....................................................... 14 IDL Projects .......................................................... 13 IXL Masonry Supplies ..........................................27 Langley Concrete Group .................................... 17 Levelton ............................................................... 29 Pittman Asphalt ................................................... 13 RCABC ................................................................IBC Reliable Equipment . ............................................ 19 Singleton Urquhart ..............................................10 Western One ...........................................................8 Wilson M Beck Insurance .................................. IFC WorkSafe BC ........................................................5

A First The first residential sewage heat recovery system in North America has been installed in the Seven35 Condominiums complex in North Vancouver. International Wastewater Heat Exchange Systems successfully installed the system, which uses a raw sewage filtration system to conduct heat exchange from untreated wastewater to heat up domestic hot water for 60 homes.

The system operates at 500 per cent efficiency and has an annual greenhouse gas emission reduction of 150 tonnes. The complex has received both LEED Platinum and Built Green Gold certification — the first dual green certification in Canada. It is also the first multi-family complex in Canada to receive LEED Platinum.

Tenders Awarded Six B.C. companies have been awarded tenders for approximately two-thirds of the work required to build the TELUS Garden office tower after competitive bid processes. Successful bidders to date include Lisi Mechanical (mechanical systems), Canem Systems (electrical), ThyssenKrupp Elevators, Ocean Concrete, LMS Reinforcing Steel Group and Star Masonry Ltd. TELUS Garden will create more than 500 construction jobs in Vancouver during development. The office tower excavation is underway and the building is scheduled for final occupancy in June of 2014, while site preparation for the residential tower is set to begin later this month, with final occupancy scheduled for May of 2015.

PavCo CEO Resigns BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo) president and chief executive officer Warren Buckley is set to resign at the end of July. He oversaw the new roof on BC Place stadium and expansion of the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Buckley spent most of his career at PavCo, starting as a sales manager with BC Place and working his way through various management positions before becoming president and CEO in the mid-1990s.

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BC Place Wins The revitalization of BC Place has achieved international recognition by being awarded “Project of the Year” at the international Stadium Business Awards held in Turin, Italy.

The awards recognize achievements in the stadium industry across the globe in 18 categories. The “Project of The Year” award is presented to an expansion, modernization or major capital enhancement of an existing sporting venue that has delivered on all its project goals and more.

The new BC Place was selected from a shortlist of five stadium projects nominated in the category, including the Metricon Stadium redevelopment in Australia, and three separate projects from Britain, including renovations at Old Trafford, home to Manchester United Football Club.

Pearson to Retire Don Pearson, president and CEO of Stuart Olson Dominion will retire on December 31, 2012. A transition plan is underway to evaluate internal and external candidates to replace him. Pearson joined Stuart Olson in 1985. He became president and COO when Stuart Olson acquired Dominion Construction in July 2010.

Five Green Globes The Charles E. Fipke Centre for Innovative Research and the adjacent Arts & Sciences Building, located at the Okanagan campus of the University of British Columbia have both been awarded five Green Globes. These are the first campus buildings in the world to each receive five Green Globes and are also the first paired buildings to attain this distinction.

Both buildings are designed by Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd, (Kasian), in collaboration with the UBC Properties Trust.

Green Globes is a revolutionary on-line auditing tool designed to acknowledge buildings that improve environmental performance with regard to management, site, energy, water, resources, emissions and indoor environment.

Fire Station Breaks Ground The Calgary Fire Department broke ground in June on a new fire station in the community of Evergreen. The new Fire Station will serve the growing communities of Bridlewood, Evergreen, Millrise, Shawnee Slopes, Shawnessy and Somerset, as well as developing communities west of Bridlewood and Evergreen.

The Evergreen Fire Station will be 1,507 square meters in size and will house three apparatus bays.

The station’s architectural features are designed for function, style and low environmental impact.

The Evergreen Fire Station will be built to LEED Gold Certification. Some of the environmentally sustainable features of the new station include the use of solar energy technology for renewable energy and hot water, a green roof canopy, light pollution reduction through design and fixture selection, reflective roofing and reduced potable water waste through the use of water efficient fixtures.

The $15.8 million cost of the facility, land, station, required apparatus and supporting equipment has been fully budgeted for with $10 million funded by the Province of Alberta’s Municipal Sustainability Initiative.

The Evergreen Fire Station is expected to be actively operational in late 2013.

This is the first of three planned and budgeted fire stations that will break ground in 2012.

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