SABMag 73 Winter 2021/22

ISSUE NUMBER 73 | WINTER 2022 | PM40024961 | $6

Okanagan College Health Sciences Centre Model of healthcare education targets Net-Zero Carbon, WELL and LEED Gold certifications SMART BUILDINGS

Sustainability in the New Frontier of Technological Expansion

ZIBI COMPLEXE O

One Planet Living project takes step in reclaiming former industrial site

+ 2021 CANADIAN DIRECTORY

of Products and Services for Sustainable High-Performance Building

SABMag - WINTER 2022

1

YORK UNIVERSITY SCHULICH SCHOOL, TORONTO One of the most environmentally sustainable and socially responsible academic buildings in North America.

Winner of the Institutional [Large] Award, 2020 Canadian Green Building Awards.

Architect: Baird Samson Neuert Architects. Contractor: Ellis Don.

INLINE FIBERGLASS LTD. provided the bird-friendly, triple-glazed high-performance windows that contributed to achieve 71% energy savings and 67% in greenhouse gas emissions compared to Canadian Model National Energy Code reference building. The building is one of the first to use principles of Thermally Active Building Systems (TABS) to achieve LEED Gold certification.

GRE E N B NG LD I UI

AN

C A NA D I

AWARDS

202 1

SPONSOR

CALL US TO DISCUSS YOUR NEXT PROJECT! lbidner@inlinefiberglass.com 2

SABMag - WINTER 2022

1.866.566.5656, ext. 226

MEMBER/MEMBRE

WINTER WWW.SABMAGAZINE.COM 2022

6 8 11

For more about the articles in this issue!

News and Products Viewpoint

Natural resistance: Using nature-based solutions to enhance coastal protection

Okanagan College Health Sciences Centre

Model of healthcare education targets Net-Zero Carbon, WELL and LEED Gold certifications

16 Montreal Biodome

Interior redesign complements extant architecture with minimal use of materials

21 Zibi Complexe O

16 16

One Planet Living project takes step in reclaiming former industrial site

26 Virtual Design and Construction An Owner’s Perspective

31

OUR ANNUAL CANADIAN DIRECTORY of Products and Services for Sustainable High-Performance Building

43 Smart Buildings

Sustainability in the new frontier of technological expansion

46 Interview with Jeff Gold

Converting plastic waste to useful products

21

4324

ISSUE DON’T MISS NEXT SPRING 2022 The Clayton Community Centre Seamlessly integrated facility of recreation, library, and arts first of its kind to achieve Passive House in North America, and Canada’s largest Passive House facility to date Dowel-Laminated Timber Construction The mechanics, applications and advantages Special Supplement: The Canada Green Building Council LEED Year-in-Review – a summary of 2021 LEED-certified projects And much more …

Cover: Montreal Biodome. Architect: KANVA, Fabric walls: Sollertia, Photos: James Brittain.

SABMag - WINTER 2022

3

C

AWARDS

THE NATIONAL PROGRAM OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING MAGAZINE

G IN

A

G RE E N B N A I UI D LD A N 2022

It's not too early to register to receive an Entry Kit

sabmagazine.com/awards/register The Awards recognize excellence in the design and execution of all types of sustainably-designed, high-performance Canadian residential and non-residential buildings and interiors, both new and renovated.

SCHEDULE • Deadline for submissions / date limite pour soumettre vos projets: March 4, 2022 / 4 mars 2022 • Judging date / délibération des juges: March 18, 2022 / 18 mars 2022 ENTRY CATEGORIES - ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED 1. Residential [small] 2. Residential [large] 3. Commercial/Industrial [small]

4. Commercial/industrial [large] 5. Institutional [small] 6. Institutional [large]

7. Mixed Use 8. Existing Building Upgrade 9. Interior Design

RECOGNITION • Winning projects published in the Summer issue of SABMag, on the SABMag web site, www.sabmagazine.com

• Winning projects also published in the SABMag monthly e-News and Facebook page • All projects submitted will be considered for publishing in SABMag and the CaGBC FOCUS publications

Thanks to our sponsors

NATIONAL SPONSORS

ARCHITECTURAL

CATEGORY SPONSORS

4

SABMag - WINTER 2022

Dedicated to high-performance building Member Canada Green Building Council

COMBINING TECHNOLOGY & ECOLOGY

SABMag is a proud member and official media partner of the Canada Green Building Council.

This issue of SABMag intertwines two complementary lines of investigation integral to sustainable design: technology and ecology.

VISIT www.sabmagazine.com

Jeff Godfrey’s thought-provoking article on

PUBLISHER Don Griffith 613-421-7588, dgriffith@sabmagazine.com

smart buildings and smart cities alerts us to

EDITOR Jim Taggart, FRAIC 604-874-0195, architext@telus.net

digital technology now embedded in our

the rapidly increasing carbon footprint of the

photo: Roy Grogan

GRAPHIC DESIGN Carine De Pauw cdepauw@sabmagazine.com SUBSCRIPTIONS/CHANGE OF ADDRESS Lyse Cadieux, lcadieux@sabmagazine.com

buildings: if digital technology were a country, it would be the fourth largest emitter of GHGs

SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Patricia Abbas 416-438-7609, pabbas@sabmagazine.com

in the world!

Meanwhile, leading structural engineer Robert Malczyk explores the false promises and true potential of virtual design and construction as experienced on his own development project. From a client’s perspective, he observes that our traditional contractual arrangements and design practices are, contrary to popular belief, inhibiting our ability

Published by

to realize meaningful savings in cost and time. www.janam.net 81 Leduc St.,Gatineau, Qc J8X 3A7

Of the three projects profiled in this issue, Complexe O, the first mixed-use building in the Zibi development in Ottawa/Gatineau follows the broad, ecologically-driven approach of One Planet Living. Zibi is the first com-

SUBSCRIPTION PRICES FOR PRINT [TAXES EXTRA]

1 year [4 issues] 2 years [8 issues] 3 years [12 issues]

CANADA $28.95 $50.95 $74.95

USA $39.95 $69.95 $104.95

ORDER PRINT OR DIGITAL: https://sabmagazine.com/subscribe/

munity in Canada to adopt One Planet Living in which the overarching objective of design and construction is to work within the ecological limits of the Earth.

For its part, the Okanagan College Health Sciences Centre takes inspiration from the Indigenous understanding of health and wellbeing, planting its brownfield site with traditional medicinal grasses and shrubs. At the same time, the renewable energy strategies qualify this project for CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Design certification.

ISSN 1911-4230 Copyright by Janam Publications Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or reproduced without written permission.

Views expressed are those of the authors exclusively.

Technology and ecology combine in the approach to resilience described in the Viewpoint article on coastal protection, advocating for nature-based solutions to enhance or replace the ‘grey’ infrastructure on which coastal

Publication Mail Agreement #40024961

communities have depended for so long. As we strive to make our commu-

Return undelivered Canadian address mail to: Janam Publications Inc., 81 Leduc St., Gatineau, Qc J8X 3A7

nities more resilient, these solutions provide valuable insight into the role that nature can play.

Far from either coast, the renovated and newly reopened Montreal Biodome successfully combines technology and ecology. In a comprehen-

Printed on Domtar Husky Opaque text offset paper.

sive interior reconfiguration, sophisticated parametric modelling made possible an evocative and sculptural reshaping of the visitor experience.

Multiple senses are stimulated, in turn, to heighten awareness of the beauty, complexity and fragility of five of the major ecosystems of the Americas.

Jim Taggart, FRAIC

Editor

SABMag - WINTER 2022

5

NEWS/PRODUCTS RAIC MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FOR 2022

The RAIC entered a new frontier of innovation and modernization, guided by a new strategic plan for 2022–2024, to better support its members and the built environment. The RAIC has many new initiatives in store for 2022 and they are proud to share them with the architecture community!

Renew your membership with the RAIC by January 14, 2022 to receive a free virtual gift bag - which includes:

- One free 1-hour on-demand webinar - $50 off one virtual course or workshop priced at $100 or more - 15% off an in-person or virtual All-Access Pass or the 2022 RAIC Conference on Architecture - 15% off a registration pass for the 2022 RAIC Congress on Architecture Learn more here: https://raic.org/renewal

DOW PLANS TO INTRODUCE CARBON-NEUTRAL SILICONES IN BUILDING FAÇADES In 2022 Dow will launch the world’s first commercially avail-

said Markus Plettau, Dow’s global segment

able carbon-neutrality program for silicone materials used for

leader for building facades. Backed with PAS

structural glazing, insulating glass, and weathersealing. This

2060 certification, internationally recognized

carbon offset program, whose theme is “Designing with more

for organizational carbon-neutrality, Dow’s

freedom by engineering less impact”, can help to decrease the

carbon-neutral silicones will be able to contrib-

environmental impact of buildings and achieve better green

ute to additional international green building

building certification ratings.

certification points. Each product will have

“The commercial introduction of our carbon-neutrality program for DOWSIL™ Silicones for building facades rep-

an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). dow.com/highperformancebuilding

resents a true evolution in silicone carbon-neutrality,”

INLINE CERTIFIED FOR EPD Inline Fiberglass has received an Environmental Product

across its entire life cycle. A verified EPD can

Declaration (EPD), certified by ASTM International, for its

earn your products credits for LEED v4 and other

selected fiberglass frame windows and doors. An EPD is a

green building rating systems.

transparent, objective third-party report that communicates

Inlinefiberglass.com

what a product is made of and how it effects the environment

ARRISCRAFT RELAUNCHES CANADA BRICK BRAND Cambridge, Ontario-based Arriscraft, Canada’s leading

brick producer and leader in building material

stone manufacturer using Natural Process technology, is

solutions with 28 production facilities in 17 states

pleased to announce the relaunch of well-known brand

and provinces, as well as over 40 sales locations

- Canada Brick, which represents a rich heritage of brick-

and more than 200 affiliated distributors across

making in the Canadian marketplace. Arriscraft is the stone

North America. www.arriscraft.com

products group of General Shale, North America’s largest

www.CanadaBrick.com Marta.zonneveld@arriscraft.com

CPCI RELEASES COMPARISON GUIDE FOR HOLLOWCORE FLOORING The Canadian Precast Prestressed Concrete Institute (CPCI)

decades of maturity and use in the marketplace,

has published Precast Concrete Hollowcore Flooring – A

and “Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)”. Making

Comparison Guide, a new resource that highlights the many

the choice between these two systems requires

benefits of Hollowcore as a floor/roof system. With the growth

an analysis of the facts and a comparison of

of prefabricated construction and new products coming to the

key functional performance criteria. Check out

marketplace, designers have more material choices than ever

Hollowcore: https://z.cpci.ca/?d=x1v0p8z4u3q

before. In the case of floors and roofs, two modular solutions

Flooring Comparison Guide to get the facts that

have emerged as the competitive choices: the “original fastest

can assist with your next design project.

floor in town” Precast Concrete Hollowcore (HC) slabs, with

6

SABMag - WINTER 2022

NEWS/PRODUCTS CASE STUDY: LIVEROOF ONTARIO VEGETATED ROOF DELIVERS LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE AT METROLINX KIPLING TRANSIT HUB Supplied by LiveRoof Ontario, the vegetated roof on the Kipling Bus Terminal in Toronto covers over 75% of the station roof area, and allows up to 150mm of rainfall to be retained on the roof top through the use of RoofBlue Risers and controlled flow drains as part of the roof system.

The vegetated roof also provides habitat for insects and pollinators as well as the birds that feed on them. Read the one-page case study at https:// sabmagazine.com/case-studies.

BUILDEX Vancouver is Western Canada’s largest forum connecting the holistic building industry to learn from leading industry experts and discover the newest innovations. Expand your professional skills, knowledge and understanding of future construction, design and prop-

erty management trends and explore new, innovative products, materials, technologies, and services changing the way we do business. Key themes for 2022 include Future Work, Carbon Reduction & Wellbeing, Digitization & Industrialization.

EVENTS BUILDEX Vancouver February 16 – 17, 2022 Vancouver Convention Centre www.buildexvancouver.com

PRODUCTS

CANADIAN DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR SUSTAINABLE, HIGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDING Klimatrol Call Klimatrol Now for assistance on your next Radiant Floor Heating/ Cooling or Snow Ice Melting project. Use our experience and products to select and specify a system that would provide years of comfort, energy savings and low maintenance. Draw from our thousands of successfully completed commercial, residential and institutional projects. klimatrol.com Radiant Link – Connect your forced air heat source to RadiantLink. We create comfort, address indoor air quality and reduce your carbon foot print.

Infloor heating and passive infloor cooling is affordable with the RadiantLink system.

Proudly made in Canada. radiantlink.ca Sloan Valve - How can Sloan products help your project? Sloan’s EPDs are produced in accordance with international standards and verified by an independent third party to ensure the data we communicate is credible, resulting in full LEED Material and Resource credits for your project. dobbinsales.com

SABMag's Directory of Sustainable Products and Services for Sustainable, HighPerformance Building is organized by Product Category and by LEED Category. The Directory also offers a quick view of the structure of LEED, and is a quick reference for finding products. Examples of featured listings include: Termobuild - Turn your concrete buildings into year-round thermal batteries. Stay ahead and thrive. Contact us today to unleash your hidden edge. termobuild.com Fantech Make Fantech your source for high quality residential and commercial ventilation products. You’ll find a wide range of products to fit any application. Each one engineered for quality and dependability. fantech.net Tempeff Inc. - Building on over 20 years of European innovation, Tempeff is pleased to offer air to air Dual Core® energy recovery ventilation equipment with up to 90% energy efficiency in winter without any requirement for an energy robbing defrost strategy. In these times of escalating energy costs, and concern over environmental impact, Tempeff Dual Core® Technology is the highest efficiency solution available for your building ventilation needs. tempeff.com

FABRIQ architecture - FABRIQ architecture is a Montrealbased firm that delivers innovative and sustainable design solutions for clients in the public and private sectors. Currently have eight major LEED projects certified or underway. fabriq.com Canadian Precast Concrete Quality Assurance (CPCQA) Certification Program The Canadian Precast Concrete Quality Assurance (CPCQA) Certification Program, an independent entity established by the Canadian Precast/ Prestressed Concrete Institute (CPCI) and the Canadian Concrete Pipe and Precast Association (CCPPA), qualifies precast concrete manufacturers who fabricate structural, architectural and specialty precast concrete products, including concrete pipe and underground utility and drainage products. The program validates capabilities of superior quality assurance for owners, agencies, specifiers, and producers. precastcertification.ca

SABMag - WINTER 2022

7

VIEWPOINT

NATURAL RESILIENCE Using Nature-based Solutions to Enhance Coastal Protection

By Joanna Eyquem

Canada does not yet have a strategic planning framework or standard classification of approaches for coastal risk manage-

Coastal flooding and erosion are a direct threat to the

ment. Coastal risk management responses identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) include

health and safety of people living in coastal communities,

Protection, Accommodation, Retreat and Avoidance, as well

and cause damage to local infrastructure and property. The

as non-intervention.

majority of Canada’s coastal population is located along the

A suite of options should be appraised to select appropri-

East (Atlantic) and West (Pacific) coastlines, where sea lev-

ate approaches along Canada’s east and west coasts. Coastal

els are rising due to irreversible climate change.

protection measures can be divided into two key categories: • Grey Infrastructure: hard, engineered coastal protection

Action is required NOW to manage the growing risks to coastal com-

measures, and; Nature-Based Solutions: measures that depend on, or

munities. A recent report from the University of Waterloo’s Intact Centre describes how Canada can scale-up the use of nature-based solutions, in

mimic, natural systems to manage flood and erosion risk,

tandem with ‘grey’ infrastructure, to protect communities along the East and

Nature-based solutions are further subdivided into those that

West coastlines. Importantly, action must consider natural processes along

are:

the coast to a greater extent than has occurred to date. Reduction of flood-

• Predominantly sediment-based, such as adding sediment

ing and erosion at one site, if not carefully designed, can cause instability

or sand to beaches (a process known as beach nourishment) • Predominantly vegetation-based, such as saltmarsh or

further along the coast and degradation of coastal ecosystems on which

coastal wetland restoration.

communities depend.

Table 1: Overview of coastal protection measures utilized in Canada

Overview of coastal protection measures utilized in Canada Grey Infrastructure

Underutilized Nature-Based Solutions Predominantly sediment-based

• Seawalls

• Dynamic Revetment* / Cobble Berm

• Detached / Nearshore Breakwaters

• Submerged Sills / Perched Beach

• Attached Breakwaters / Headlands

• Beach Nourishment

• Submerged Breakwaters / Reefs

• Island Restoration or Enhancement

• Permeable Revetments* • Impermeable Revetments* / Retaining Walls

• Groynes • Storm Surge Barriers / Tidal Sluices • Sea Dikes / Embankments / Levees 8

* Revetments are sloped coastal treatments used to protect the coastline.

SABMag - WINTER 2022

Predominantly vegetation-based

• Dune Restoration or Stabilization • Cliff Stabilization / Revegetation • Salt Marsh and Coastal Wetland Restoration

• Submerged Aquatic Vegetation • Bioengineering - Coir Rolls (made of coconut fibre)

• Bioengineering - Natural Fibre Blankets

VIEWPOINT

1

3 1. Protecting the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 2) with Intertidal Reefs Town of Souris, PEI. 2. Beach nourishment project to combat shoreline erosion due to reduction in winter ice and increased severity of storm events, Gaspe QC. 3. Shoreline habitat restoration at New Brighton Park, Vancouver.

The Intact Centre: The Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation is an applied research centre with a national focus within the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo.

The Intact Centre works with homeowners, communities, governments and businesses to identify, and reduce, the impacts of extreme weather and climate change.

For additional information, visit: www.intactcentreclimateadaptation.ca

2

Nature-based solutions, in particular, have a vital role to play in

• Build capacity to finance and deliver nature-based solutions

managing coastal flood and erosion risk in Canada. International

by engaging the private sector. Public private partnerships can

experience and guidance demonstrate that these measures not only

potentially assist in financing, delivering, monitoring, and maintain-

provide protection against coastal flooding and erosion, they also

ing nature-based solutions. The insurance industry can also assist

deliver multiple benefits, including improved biodiversity, carbon

in managing construction risks and offering innovative insurance

sequestration and storage, enhanced wellbeing and opportunities

products that provide funds to restore natural features protecting

for recreational activities.

the coastline, should they be damaged during extreme events.

Three courses of action are recommended to scale-up the use of nature-based solutions for coastal protection in Canada: • Develop national standards to support consistent evaluation of

The outcomes of these actions will help governments and other organizations make robust management decisions regarding coastal flooding and erosion along Canada’s coastlines.

the benefits of nature-based solutions when comparing infrastructure options, including for coastal protection. This should include

Perhaps the greatest challenge in Canada, and globally, in prepar-

minimum requirements, regional-specific standards, engagement

ing for climate change and sea-level rise along the coast, is a limited

with Indigenous people and recommended methodologies for

sense of urgency to act. For around the past 6,000 years, global

reflecting the financial value of benefits provided by nature-based

sea-level has remained relatively steady.

solutions.

This makes the recent, comparably rapid rise in sea-level caused • Develop national monitoring standards for coastal protection

by human-induced climate change less easy to grasp. Decision mak-

measures, focused on nature-based solutions. This should include

ers in Canada must realize, sooner rather than later, that the sea level

combining Natural and Grey Infrastructure to Protect Canada’s

of the past will not be the sea level of the future, and prepare coastal

coastal communities; consideration of minimum monitoring require-

communities accordingly.

ments, as well as how monitoring should be tailored to document performance against project-specific objectives (funding for longterm monitoring and engagement with Indigenous people could be

JOANNA EYQUEM P.GEO. ENV SP. CWEM. CENV., IS MANAGING DIRECTOR, CLIMATE-RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE INTACT CENTRE ON CLIMATE ADAPTATION, FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT, UNIVERSITY OF WATERLO. JOANNA.EYQUEM@UWATERLOO.CA

considered as minimum monitoring requirements).

SABMag - WINTER 2022

9

IVORY CONCRETE SKIN; CLUB MOUNT STEPHEN, MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC; ARCHITECTES: LEMAY ARCHITECTES SOUND SOLUTIONS INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTS 389 DEERHURST DRIVE, BRAMPTON, ONTARIO TEL: 1.800.667.2776 OU 416.740.0303

WWW.SOUNDSOLUTIONS.CA 10

SABMag - WINTER 2022

Okanagan College Health Sciences Centre Model of healthcare education targets Net-Zero Carbon, WELL and LEED Gold certifications

By Peter Osborne Located on a narrow brownfield site on the

The chosen site allowed the building to make use of

Kelowna campus of Okanagan College, the Health

existing campus infrastructure; create a new front door to

Sciences Centre includes technology-enhanced

the existing laboratory building; and provide opportunities

and student-centred labs, classrooms, and offices

for shared use. The 3,300m2 building is organized around

for health and social development programs.

a three-storey day-lit atrium, with ample interior glazing providing views into the generous program spaces and facilitating social connections.

1 1. The use of waste heat from a wastewater treatment plant, along with integrated photovoltaic panels, means that no gas-fired HVAC systems were required which helped the project to earn the CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Design certification.

SABMag - WINTER 2022

11

4

5

6

1

3

2

7

2 Site plan N 1. Health Sciences Centre 2. Laboratory building 3. Cafeteria 4. Solar carport

5. Electric vehicle charging stations 6. Carpool priority parking 7. Bicycle parking

2. View into the Early Childhood Education Lab at the north end of the building. The strategic use of glazing contributes to a high-performance building envelope.

Contrasting the solid facade, ground floor entries and public spaces

The design process included comprehensive consultation

are transparent, guiding visitors into and through the building. This stra-

with local First nations, whose traditional notions of health and

tegic use of glazing contributes to a high-performance building envelope,

wellbeing will provide new insights into healthcare education

greater resilience and occupant comfort.

in Canada. The design grew from a narrative, developed in consultation with the Westbank First Nation, around the act

The building utilizes waste heat generated by the nearby wastewater

of weaving. The narrative provided a contemporary method-

treatment plant, integrates photovoltaic panels for its primary heating

ology to explore the connected histories and futures of the

and energy needs, requires no natural gas-fired HVAC systems and will

Syilx people, the College and students. This is evident, both

earn the CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Design certification through

in the building’s facade that references the warp and weft of

demonstration of zero-carbon balance, meeting a defined threshold for

fabric; and in the mass timber clerestory that criss-crosses the

thermal energy demand intensity and the provision of on-site renewable

length of the building. These consultations also informed the

energy systems.

selection of traditional medicinal plant species for the two new landscaped areas that bookend the building.

It was important to the College that the architecture of this new educational facility embody the health and wellness its programs support,

Operable windows and the central atrium create a natu-

through its use of materials, light, and landscape. As such, it is a catalyst for

ral stack effect within the building, allowing air to move up

sustainability and wellness-focused policy changes across campus.

through the building to be exhausted through an energy recovery ventilator. Daylight penetrates the floor plate through clerestory glazing and all regularly occupied spaces have access to daylight and views.

12

SABMag - WINTER 2022

1

Floor plans N Level 1 1. Early childhood education lab 2. Classroom 3. Model learning classroom 4. Pharmatech lab 5. All gender washroom 6. Therapy assistant lab 7. Home care lab 8. Medium fidelity lab 9. Project room 10. Health care lab 11. Faculty offices 12. Dental lab 13. Reception 14. Lab building

6

7 2

4

10 8

2 2

3 2 9

9

5

5 14

Level 1

14

Level 2

3 PROJECT PERFORMANCE Energy intensity (building and process energy) = 94KWhr/m2/year Energy intensity reduction relative to reference building (under NECB 2011) = 46 % Percentage of annual energy consumption met with renewables = 48% Recycled material content by value = 29% Construction waste diverted from landfill = 80% PROJECT CREDITS OWNER/DEVELOPER Okanagan College ARCHITECT GEC Architecture GENERAL CONTRACTOR Stuart Olson LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WSP CIVIL ENGINEER WSP ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Falcon Engineering MECHANICAL ENGINEER CIMA+ STRUCTURAL ENGINEER RJC Engineers COMMISSIONING AGENT Inland Technical SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING EcoAmmo PHOTOS Latitude Photography 3. Consultation with the Westbank First Nation influenced the weave pattern design of the facade that references the warp and weft of fabric; and in the criss-cross pattern of the timber clerestory.The Fibre C cladding supplied by Sound Solutions is a glassfibre reinforced cementitious product in Polar White Matt finish and Polar White Ferro finish. It has ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications, and an environmental product declaration (EPD).

SABMag - WINTER 2022

13

5 8

1 2 6 3

7

4 Building section 1. Mass timber clerestory 2. Low thermal energy demand envelope 3. Wood feature stair 4. High performance curtain wall 5. PV array 6. Western hemlock wood soffit 7. High fly ash concrete frame 8. Heat recovery system

4 5

4. The feature stair near the main entrance. Contrasting the solid facade, ground floor entries and public spaces are transparent, guiding visitors into and through the building.

The all-LED lighting system includes both daylight and occupancy sensors as well as dimming and multi-level switching in all instructional areas and offices to decrease energy consumption while still allowing for individual control.

Ventilation air is provided by a 100% outside air-to-air energy recovery ventilator (ERV), which pre-heats and cools the air from the building exhaust. Ventilation is delivered as needed to each space by monitoring the CO2 and occupancy levels to reduce demand during off-peak times. The peak design flow for the outside air is one air change/hour.

Ultra-low flow and WaterSense labelled fixtures reduce potable water consumption, and the project uses a highly efficient automated irrigation system with in-ground sensors.

The project is part of a WELL educational building pilot program that has resulted in organizational and policy changes designed to create an environment that positively impacts human health (i.e. stress and addiction treatment, structured fitness opportunities and a smoke-free campus). The design synthesizes architecture and program to provide leadership in healthcare education, sustainable development, and consultation with indigenous peoples.

14

SABMag - WINTER 2022

6 5. The three-storey day-lit atrium, with ample interior glazing, provides views into the program spaces and facilitates social connections.

6. The project is part of a WELL educational building pilot program that has resulted in organizational and policy changes designed to create an environment that positively impacts human health.

The high-performance building envelope meets a defined threshold for thermal energy demand intensity (TEDI), reducing the requirements of the heating system and eliminating the need for perimeter radiant panels. High efficiency and demand-controlled mechanical and electrical systems reduce overall energy consumption. The team also developed a ‘PV plan’ to accommodate future sources of solar power, including PV integrated paving and glazing as well as more traditional roof-mounted panels.

The Health Sciences Centre prioritizes materials and systems that promote occupant health and comfort by meeting stringent low-VOC thresholds. Transparency of materials is promoted through the integration of over 20 materials with health product declarations and 20 with environmental product declarations. In addition, wood products are FSC certified.

Based on successive LCA calculations, the project demonstrates a reduction of over 10% in three environmental impact categories due in large part to the use of high fly-ash content concrete as the main structural system. Other building products and systems were selected based on durability and longevity and were independently reviewed as part of the building envelope commissioning process.

The sustainability goals on this project were driven by the College’s commitment to support BC’s GHG emission reduction targets; and its desire to offer students, staff, and industry insights into new green building techniques and technologies. In addition to Net-Zero Carbon and WELL certification, the project is targeting LEED Gold.

PETER OSBORNE IS A PARTNER AT GEC ARCHITECTURE.

SABMag - WINTER 2022

15

MONTREAL BIODOME

Interior redesign complements extant architecture with minimal use of materials

1

Housed in the former Velodrome constructed

After winning an international architectural competition

for the Montréal 1976 Olympic Games, the

in 2014, KANVA, co-founded by Rami Bebawi and Tudor

Biodome opened in 1992 and is a jewel in the

Radulescu, was commissioned for the $25 million project

crown of a consortium of facilities that col-

by Space for Life, the body charged with overseeing

lectively account for the most visited museum

operations of the Biodome, Planetarium, Insectarium,

spaces in Canada.

and Botanical Garden.

16

SABMag - WINTER 2022

1 3

5

2

4

6 8 Site plan 1. Main lobby 2. Humid tropical forest 3. Subpolar regions

7

4. Laurentian Maple Forest 5. Gulf of St. Lawrence.

6. Dining room

7. Cafetaria 8. Secondary lobby

2

“Our mandate was to enhance the immersive experience between visitors and the museum’s distinct ecosystems, as well as to transform the building’s public spaces,” notes Rami Bebawi, a partner of KANVA and the project’s lead architect.

“In doing so, we embraced the role that the Biodome plays in sensitizing humans to the intricacies of natural environments, particularly in the current context of climate change and the importance of understanding its effects.”

KANVA studied the complexity of both building and program, a living entity comprised of ecosystems and complex machinery critical to supporting life. They realized that any intervention they proposed must be very delicate, and would require careful coordination and management within a truly collaborative design process. The success of this approach serves as a model for the future to better address the environmental issues in design.

The team began by targeting spaces that could be transformed in ways that would maximize the value of the building’s architectural heritage. The carving of a new core combined with the demolition of the low ceiling at the main

Skylight arrangement of the Biodome

entrance opened the space skyward to the extraordinary roof, composed of massive skylight panels that infuse the

1. The approach to the Biodome with the 'Big O' Olympic Stadium in the background.

2. The white translucent fabric walls harmonize with the skylights above, and provide a calm, neutral transition zone between the ecosystems.

building with an abundance of natural light.

This massive open space became the circulation core between the ecosystems. To guide visitors, KANVA worked with Montreal-based Sollertia, on the parametric design and

[1]

The fabric used for the interior walls of the Biodome is a PVC-coated polyester which, since the introduction of new technology in 2008, has been fully recyclable. At end of life, the fabric can be returned to the manufacturer, shredded and its two constituents separated in a patented chemical process called Texyloop®. The reclaimed materials can then be reprocessed into second generation products, avoiding incineration or landfill disposal. Offcuts from the Biodome material were used to make winter beehive covers for a Quebec-based company offering beekeeping equipment.

construction of a lightweight fabric living skin

[1]

that could

be wrapped around the ecosystems to guide visitors, differentiate spaces and modulate the multi-sensory experience of the exhibits. The fabric walls total 500 metres in length, with the largest section being 18m x 18m.

SABMag - WINTER 2022

17

4

3

3. New open space has become the circulation core between the ecosystems.

4. Part of the Tropical Rainforest ecosystem. Visitors experience the climate, smells, and sounds of the ecosystem before seeing anything.

Section through Biodome The complex curvature of this biophilic skin, with its

From the central core, small slits in the living skin lead visitors toward the

aluminum supporting structure, required sophisticated

ecosystem entrances. As automatic doors open into the ecosystem, it remains

engineering and minutely precise prefabrication. Using

visually obstructed by a curtain of beads. By the time visitors pass through the

a combination of tension, cantilevers, and triangular

beads, they have been exposed to the climate, smells, and sounds of the natural

beams for suspension, the system is anchored to a

habitat before seeing anything.

primary steel structure. Mechanical junctions accommodate a variety of movements and allow for on-site adjustments.

A new level was added above the ecosystems; accessible via walkways that pass through the forest canopies of both the Tropical Rainforest and Gulf of St. Lawrence ecosystems. A new mezzanine with aerial views of the various

The translucent skin harmonizes with the skylights

ecosystems, also serves as a technical floor, with interactive educational exhib-

above, its white surfaces conveying a sense of calm and

its and insight into the elaborate machinery required to preserve the facility’s

creating a neutral, purifying transition zone between

delicate environments.

the rich and varied colours, sounds, smells and textures that characterize the different ecosystems.

The unique aspects of the project highlighted the assumptions made when confronted with more familiar design problems. For example, to provide an experience,

authentic feel for a lookout point, from which visitors can observe beavers in

KANVA focused on stimulating the senses, relegating

Carefully

orchestrating

the

visitor

their natural habitat, the team studied the architectural prowess of the beavers.

sight to last, behind sound, smell, and touch. From

From this came the idea of letting the beavers carve the wood themselves, then

the calming lobby hall, the undulating living skin fun-

drying it and using it to line the interior of the space.

nels visitors into a 10-metre tunnel leading to the central core, where their exploration of five ecosys-

“Before you can even begin to design in an environment with living species

tems, including Tropical Rainforest, Laurentian Maple

all around you, education and a notion of humbleness are required,” explains

Forest, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Sub-Antarctic Islands, and

Bebawi. “We take basic assumptions about ourselves for granted when we

Labrador Coast, begins.

design for other human beings, but designing for an otter or a sloth requires that you re-educate yourself.”

18

SABMag - WINTER 2022

PROJECT CREDITS DESIGN ARCHITECT AND PROJECT MANAGER KANVA COLLABORATING ARCHITECT NEUF architects TEXTILE ARCHITECTURE SPECIALIST/FABRICATOR Sollertia ELECTROMECHANICAL ENGINEERS Bouthillette Parizeau Inc. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER NCK Inc. BUILDING CODE AND COST CONSULTANT Groupe GLT+ SPECIFICATION WRITER Atelier 6 LIGHTING DESIGN CONSULTANT LightFactor COLLABORATING EXHIBITION DESIGNER La bande à Paul COLLABORATING SET DESIGNER Anick La Bissonnière COLLABORATING MUSEOLOGIST Nathalie Matte WAYFINDING SPECIALIST Bélanger Design LAND SURVEYOR Topo 3D ACOUSTICS SPECIALIST Soft dB PHOTOS James Brittain

5

6

This educational process has advanced KANVA’s exploration of how buildings, rather than being barriers to external forces, can be rendered more permeable, facilitating harmonious cohabitation between humans and nature.

“We need to reconnect people with the environment, and the Biodome does that in a refreshing way” adds Bebawi. “This project has provided us with invaluable knowledge, preparing us for new and innovative approaches to future projects where architecture becomes a tool to promote and facilitate environmental change.”

TEXT EDITED BY SABMAG EDITIOR JIM TAGGART, FRAIC FROM MATERIAL SUPPLIED BY THE PROJECT TEAM.

5. The lightweight but strong tensile fabric walls minimize the use of materials and wrap around the ecosystems to guide visitors and differentiate spaces.

6. The complex curvature of the fabric membrane walls, with their aluminum supporting structure, required sophisticated engineering and precise prefabrication. The membrane chosen for the Biodome (Alphalia Silent AW by Sollertia) has acoustic properties which reduce sound reverberation and improve the comfort of the visitors.

SABMag - WINTER 2022

19

Proud collaborators of the inspirational transformation of the Montreal Biodome

Tensile fabric architecture design and implementation • Lightweight tensile structures • Bioclimatic façades • Acoustical systems • Shade structures

sollertia.ca

20

SABMag - WINTER 2022

ZIBI COMPLEXE O

One Planet Living project one step in reclaiming former industrial site

By Figurr Architects Collective Located in both Ottawa and Gatineau, the Zibi development aims to be transformative physically, environmentally and socially.

The only One Planet Living endorsed community in Canada, Zibi occupies formerly contaminated industrial lands, and is transforming them into one of Canada’s most sustainable communities. Incorporating public spaces and parks, as well as commercial, retail, and residential uses, Zibi will be an integrated, carbon neutral mixed-use community, one that’ll help reinvigorate the downtown cores of both Ottawa and Gatineau.

1. The east and south elevations.

1 SABMag - WINTER 2022

21

2 2 .The north elevation with retail shops at street level.

1

2

22

Longitudinal section

First floor N Site plan 1. Main entrance 2. Residential terraces

Second floor

Roof terrace

SABMag - WINTER 2022

PROJECT CREDITS ARCHITECT Figurr Architects Collective OWNER/ DEVELOPER DREAM / Theia Partners GENERAL CONTRACTOR Eddy Lands Construction Corp.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Projet Paysage / CSW Landscape Architects CIVIL ENGINEER Quadrivium ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Drycore 2002 Inc. / WSP Canada Inc. MECHANICAL ENGINEER Alliance Engineering / Goodkey Weedmark & Associate Ltd. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Douglas Consultants Inc. OTHER CONSULTANTS BuildGreen Solutions, Morrison Hershfield PHOTOS David Boyer

Complexe O, located on the Gatineau side of the Ottawa River, is Zibi’s first mixed-use building. It arose from the desire to create a socially responsible project that would set a precedent for future development. The project takes its name from the word ‘eau’ (water) as it offers residents a panoramic view of the Ottawa River and the Chaudière Falls. The six-storey Complexe O building includes a range of housing from studios to two-storey mezzanine units, as well as commercial space on the first floor.

The location is significant; as under the ownership of Domtar (whose paper mill closed in 2007) the land had been inaccessible to the public for nearly 200 years. Now cleaned up and revitalized, the riverbank is once again available to the residents, not only of Complexe O, but all

ONE PLANET LIVING One Planet Living is based on a simple framework which enables everyone – from the general public to professionals – to collaborate on a sustainability strategy drawing on everyone’s insights, skills and experience. It is based on ten guiding principles of sustainability which are used to create holistic solutions.

• Encouraging active, social, meaningful lives to promote good health and wellbeing.

• Creating safe, equitable places to live and work which support local prosperity and international fair trade.

• Nurturing local identity and heritage, empowering communities and promoting a culture of sustainable living.

• Protecting and restoring land for the benefit of people and wildlife.

• Using water efficiently, protecting local water resources and reducing flooding and drought.

• Promoting sustainable humane farming and healthy diets high in local, seasonal organic food and vegetable protein.

• Reducing the need to travel, encouraging walking, cycling and low carbon transport.

• Using materials from sustainable sources and promoting products which help people reduce consumption; promoting reuse and recycling.

• Making buildings and manufacturing energy efficient and supplying all energy with renewable.

of Gatineau.

The architectural program is based on the ten principles of One Planet Living, one of the broadest frameworks for sustainable development, which sets a range of measurable goals. The fundamental principles guiding the construction of Complexe O are the use of carbon-neutral heating and cooling and sustainable water management. The project has achieved LEED Silver certification.

Carbon neutral energy is supplied from the Zibi Community Utility, a district energy system relying on energy recovery from effluents of the nearby Kruger Products Gatineau Plant for heating, and the Ottawa River for cooling. All the apartments in Complexe O are fitted with Energy Star certified appliances; LED lighting has been used throughout the entire building, including first floor commercial units and amenity spaces; and generous glazing reduces the need for artificial light.

The commercial space on the first floor is leased primarily to local and socially-responsible businesses, enabling residents to shop for essentials without having to rely on transportation. n addition, the central location in the heart

3. Fundamental design principles included the use of carbon-neutral heating and cooling, and sustainable water management.

of Gatineau is served by numerous bus lines from both Gatineau and Ottawa offering hundreds of trips per day.

This connectivity contributes to the Zibi development goal of a 20% reduction in carbon dioxide associated with

3

transportation as measured by the car-to-household ratio.

While the rest of the province has a 1.45 car to household ratio, the residents of Complex O have reduced this to 1:1. In addition all parking spaces are designed to accommodate electric charging units.

The project is located right on the Zibi Plaza, in fact forming one wall of the plaza, which offers residents a quiet and relaxing outdoor space that is closed to vehicular traffic but crossed by a bicycle path. Art exhibits are held in the vicinity to support local artists and artisans. Complexe O also provides residents with 15 garden boxes; gardening being an effective way to foster community.

SABMag - WINTER 2022

23

Distribution Network of District Energy System

5

In addition, large balconies and a rooftop terrace offer views of the Chaudière Falls and the Parliamentary precinct while giving residents a choice and variety of outdoor spaces.

With its One Planet Living strategies, Complexe O meets strict environmental standards; provides a high level of comfort to residents; as well as supporting social interaction, healthy lifestyles and a vibrant community.

FIGURR ARCHITECTS COLLECTIVE HAS OFFICES IN OTTAWA & MONTREAL.

4. The lobby at the main entrance.

5. The rooftop terrace offers views of the Chaudière Falls and the Parliamentary precinct.

4 24

SABMag - WINTER 2022

Want to stay warm, cozy and stylish this winter?

Choose Vetta’s triple-glazed high performance custom wood windows and doors.

Contact us: 416 234-1033, www.vettawindows.com Photo: @at.home_902

SABMag - WINTER 2022

25

VIRTUAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION:

An Owner’s Perspective

By Robert Malczyk In the 1990s, 3D modelling was introduced as a design tool that enabled architects to better visualize their projects and perhaps more importantly, to convey their ideas to clients and the public. The software has become so sophisticated that it is sometimes difficult to decide whether an image is a photograph of a completed building, or simply a rendering of one that is proposed. It is not difficult to understand why this photo-realistic capability of modelling software has been so seductive for architects, but it is time to explore the real value it can provide.

It is only recently that 3D modelling has advanced to the point where we can explore the process of construction. The software not only enables design teams to identify and resolve potential conflicts or ‘clashes’ between elements of the building designed by different disciplines but, by adding the fourth dimension of time, enables us to visualize the sequence of construction. This ability to analyze and optimize alternative approaches, has the

1

potential to further improve the efficiency and economy of construction.

While engaging key members of the project team (including the general

3D SOFTWARE AND THE DESIGN PROCESS

contractor and major subtrades) early in the design stage comes at added

Over my career as a structural engineer, I have used

cost, the conventional wisdom is that these costs are more than offset by

numerous 3D software packages, including ArchiCAD, cad-

reduced construction time and fewer changes on site. As a theory, this

work, Revit and Rhino. Most timber engineers have settled

seems reasonable but, despite the claims of software manufacturers and

on cadwork, which is now powerful enough to produce 3D

specialist 3D modellers, it does not typically result in ‘real world’ savings for

models to shop drawing quality. Yet the question among

the client. My recent experience as a developer has given me insight into

designers remains, ‘At what stage should we start creating

why this is so.

models at this level of detail, and who should take responsibility for their accuracy?’ Standard industry practice is to

LESSONS FROM THE ON5 PROJECT ON5 is an 840m2, 4-storey commercial/industrial infill project located

have the contractor prepare the shop drawings and take on that responsibility.

on a 7.6m wide infill lot in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. The zero-lot line condition and prescriptive zoning requirements already made

With ON5, we began to create these models even before

this a challenging site to develop; to which was added our objective to

we initiated an integrated design process. Working with

achieve Passive House performance.

the architect, we figured out some of the more complicated details, such as the scissor stairs that were required

The team we assembled, including Hemsworth Architecture, Naikoon

to make the program work. Then, for pricing purposes,

Contracting and myself as structural engineer, had been working together

Naikoon Contracting created the first Revit model to deter-

on 1 Lonsdale Avenue, a small commercial infill building in North Vancouver

mine material quantities. In what has become common

(see SABMag 72, Fall 2021) so we were able to benefit from the lessons

practice, we continued to use cadwork until we completed

learned on that project.

the IFC (issued for construction) drawing set, after which everything was discarded.

26

SABMag - WINTER 2022

2

1

Site plan 1. Front entrance

2. Class A loading

3

3. Existing sidewalk

1. A rendering of ON5, an 840m2, four-storey commercial/industrial infill project located on a 7.6m wide infill lot in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.

2. The zero-lot line condition of ON5. Credit: #1 Hemsworth Architecture.

2 SABMag - WINTER 2022

27

3 Revit Construction Model

3. Virtual construction analysis showed that the optimal staging area to be the floor slab of level 2.

At that point, we started another cadwork model

As an owner, you need to look at where the use of 3D and 4D modelling actu-

to 100% shop drawing quality, the only real difference

ally saves you money by speeding up construction. Using an outside consultant

between this model and the previous one being the

can result in exhaustive clash detection lists, with several hundred items present-

attention to detail. In the first iteration, we might have

ed without any hierarchy of importance. The additional time taken by consultants

marked a particular dimension as 7.62m; when it was

to review their lists, results in added costs to the owner. We need to differentiate

actually 7.625m. When you have all the consultants

between the clashes that are ‘must do’ the ‘would be nice’ and the ‘too minor to

going through this same process, there is a duplication

bother about’. This approach would allow the consultants to create an action plan

of time and effort that is both wasteful and costly to

that could actually be implemented.

the client. It may not be appropriate to work at this level of detail at the conceptual design stage, but an integrated, shop drawing quality model could and should be created much earlier in the process.

THE VALUE OF VIRTUAL CONSTRUCTION Most important on tight sites such as ON5, is to build your building virtually, with all parties in the room. When you involve the crane crew; the erection crew and someone who knows the rules and cost of closing off the street, you can

When an integrated design process is used, then the

determine whether having to close a street for an additional week, or bringing in

responsibility for creating a durable, high-performance

a higher capacity (and so more expensive) crane that can speed up construction

building becomes a team effort and a shared respon-

is the better choice.

sibility, the success of which should result in a shared reward. This is not something that is easily achievable under current contractual arrangements.

For ON5, we had ten or more meetings to review, evaluate and optimize the construction process, with ideas being put forward by all of the players. Like design, this is not a linear process, but in the end, you build a team with a shared

SETTING REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS The sales pitch from the software companies, modellers and even some consultants, may claim that an

understanding of the problems and the process required to address them. For those consultants who still think they know best, it is salutary to find out that some of the best ideas come from the tradespeople who really know their job.

accurate 3D model can eliminate all conflicts between the work of different disciplines, but in practice it can’t.

STAGING & SEQUENCING

The model is something that helps construction but it

The necessity of a staging area where materials can be laid down prior to

cannot make construction perfect. It is not a question

assembly is an important consideration for planning construction on any site,

of all or nothing, but rather what is a reasonable target

but it is critical on a zero-lot line site like ON5. Virtual construction enabled us to

to achieve.

explore alternative sequencing, on a site where the only staging area was the floor slab of level 2. As a result of this analysis, we closed off the stair opening to the

Just as the 15kWh/m2/year energy prescribed for

ground floor to create a continuous flat surface for maneuvering; chose a crane

Passive House certification cannot be achieved eco-

that could reach from the street to the rear of the lot; reduced the size and weight

nomically on many projects, but 30kWh can, so we

of some CLT panels to ensure they could be lifted, even when the crane was fully

must be reasonable about our expectations with mod-

extended; and established the installation sequence for the CLT panels, ensuring

els. Rather than 100% ‘clash detection’ perhaps a target

that those already in place did not impede the installation of those that followed.

of 60-70% would be reasonable.

28

SABMag - WINTER 2022

4 4. Virtual construction analysis also decided the selection of a crane that could reach from the street to the rear of the lot.

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY All the while, we had to ensure that, at the end of each work day, we had a structure that was strong and stable enough to resist whatever wind force it might experience over night; and also, that the panels were adequately protected from damage by rain.

This information also informed us which components had to be prefabricated and which did not. Again, rather than an all or nothing approach, we were able to make the decisions based on the value prefabrication would provide.

Given the need for a stable structure at the end of each day, we prefabricated interior walls, stairs and landings – as all these elements were required for stability as construction progressed.

5 The other strategy that came out of this was to build the structure from back to front, rather than from bottom to top. We also ‘balloon framed’ the building, using fullheight CLT panels – an alternative solution not yet codified because of ductility concerns.

TRUCKING AND HANDLING We also looked into the logistics of trucking and handling, concluding that stacking panels horizontally would avoid the potential crushing of panel edges and enable us to lift them from picking points on the top of the panel.

The installation could then be done without causing excessive stress. This limited us to one fully enclosed prefabricated panel (used for the fire resistance rated zero lot line side walls) per truck. This also contributed to our decision to construct the building from back to front.

5 and 6. 'Threading the needle' - lowering and securing one of the full height CLT panels.

6 SABMag - WINTER 2022

29

Even then we had to consider what could be achieved within a standard eight-hour day, and whether each shift would enable us to reach a point where the structure was stable enough to be left overnight.

Another concern was how to install the hold-down anchors for seismic restraint, as they were too heavy to be lifted by hand and too large to be stored easily in the limited staging space. In the end we changed the details for anchoring into the concrete slab and accommodating the anchor itself within the CLT wall.

TRAINING THE TEAM As we resolved these issues, we began to record the construction sequencing in a movie file on Revit. Not only did the entire workforce know how work was going to progress and what their role in it would be, but we divided the sequenc-

7

ing into 15-minute intervals showing each worker where they needed to be on site, and what tasks they were expected to perform. We began this process about four months ahead of construction, and with hindsight one can compare it to an athlete training program ahead of a big event. Athletes visualize how they want things to unfold on the day; in our case, we used virtual construction to train an entire team, so they could visualize the process from start to finish.

Nonetheless, work went slower than planned on the first day; but then speeded up a little on the second day and continued to improve throughout the first week. We had planned from the outset for a construction to take place in July and August, taking advantage of Vancouver’s drier summers. We were lucky with the wind and, when the rains came early in mid-September, the building was already enclosed.

FINAL THOUGHTS As architects and engineers, our use of 3D modelling technology has been largely focused on the beautiful, rather than the meaningful. Glamorous renderings may be powerful tools

8

for marketing design, but 3D software can deliver far more value when we focus on construction. Only then, through a process of experimentation, collaboration and optimization, can we achieve the real goals of efficiency and economy.

Even these goals are constrained by current contractual arrangements and implicit assumptions about responsibility and liability. Virtual Design and Construction is primarily a tool that facilitates meaningful collaboration, and only by reexamining the contractual instruments of project delivery can we maximize the benefits it can offer to all members of the project team – including the client.

ROBERT MALCZYK IS A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER AND PRINCIPAL AT TIMBER ENGINEERING INC. IN VANCOUVER BC

7. The project refined the virtual construction process in a series of meetings held over four months.

8 and 9. The virtual construction process also informed the choice to build the structure from front to back of the lot.

30

SABMag - WINTER 2022

9

22

CANADIAN DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR SUSTAINABLE, HIGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDING

Visit the Directory online for Listings organized

by Product Category and by LEED Category

https://sabmagazine.com/product-directory/

THE ANNUAL GUIDE

LEED CATEGORIES noted for the products listed in the following pages are intended to show how these products can potentially help a project earn LEED v4 points

â

COMPANIES LISTED IN BOLD have 1/8-page listings containing more information, and are linked to their websites from the online version of the Directory â

SABMag - WINTER 2022

31

SITE | LANDSCAPING | RAINWATER HARVESTING

* companies in bold have a 1/8-page listing

LANDSCAPING PRODUCTS

EXTERIOR

ACO Systems Architek SBP Bayview Cycle Centre Bike Up Biogreen Systems Ltd. Busch Systems Ltd. Carmanah Technologies

Hydrotech Membrane Corporation

Techno Protection

475 High Performance Building Supply

TerraFirm Enterprises

Integrated Paving Concepts Inc.

Advanced Panel Products Ltd.

Terratechnik

Invisible Structures Inc. Liveroof Ontario Inc.

Unilock Wishbone Site Furnishings

All Weather Insulated Panels Alumicor Building Excellence Architek SBP

Maglin Site Furniture

RAINWATER HARVESTING

Arclin

Midpoint International Inc.

Bordna Mona Inc.

Arriscraft Building Stone

Millennium Decking

ATS Sales/Spectrum Unity

Molok North America Ltd.

Catec Rainwater Harvesting Systems

CRS Electronics

Mutual Materials

Jay R. Smith Co.

CBC Metals and Processing

Deltalok Inc. – Green Retaining Wall Structures

N.A.T.S. Nursery Ltd.

Waterloo Biofilter Systems Inc.

CBR Products

D. Litchfield & Co Ltd.

Permacon

Envirobond Products Corporation

Pontarolo Engineering Inc.

Gator International

South Side Air

Aqua-Tex Scientific Consulting Ltd.

GE WattStation

Sto Corp. North America

Ideal Fit

Green Screen

Syntal Products Ltd.

Roth North America

GSE Lining Technology, Inc.

Tatlors Recyled Plastics Inc.

Royal Liner

Champagne Edition Inc. Colbond Inc. Contech Construction Products Inc.

Nitterhouse

Smart Ditch

ZCL Composites Inc.

STORMWATER

Canadian Brass and Copper Co.

CFP Woods/Cayaki Charred Wood Century Wood Products Inc. Dryvit Systems Canda Dupont/Tyvek Engineered Assemblies Flynn Canada Ltd. Fraser Wood Siding Insulspan

ACO SYSTEMS Increasingly extreme weather must be counteracted by more complex and sophisticated drainage concepts. ACO achieves this with intelligent system solutions which have a dual purpose: protecting people from water, and water from people.

Every ACO product within the ACO system chain therefore safely controls the water as it passes along the chain to ensure that it can be ecologically and economically reused in a viable way. www.acocan.ca LEED BD+C, O+M: SS- Rainwater Management

32

SABMag - WINTER 2022

MOLOK® DEEP COLLECTION™ SYSTEM The Molok® Deep Collection™ system is an award-winning semiunderground waste containment system. Twenty years in North America and emptied by crane, Molok® containers are space saving, efficient and odour free.

www.molokna.com 519-323-9909

LEED NC MRp-1, MRc-4

PREMIER TANK. PREMIER WARRANTY. PREMIER SYSTEM. Roth North America provides water cisterns, rainwater harvesting tanks, septic tanks, and more, consisting of an inner layer of FDA approved virgin HDPE, two inside layers of PE for improved stability, plus one outer layer of black and UV-stabilized PE. Low profile, 100% watertight, and Lifetime corrosion protection. www.roth-america.com 866-943-7256 LEED BC+C, O+M: SS-Rainwater Management, WE- Outdoor Water Use Reduction LEED Homes: SS-Rainwater Management, WE- Outdoor Water Use

WISHBONE SITE FURNISHINGS A recognized leader in the development and manufacture of municipal grade outdoor furniture. Using recycled plastics and metals, Wishbone products speak innovation through design that is aesthetically pleasing and functional.

866-626-0476 WishboneLtd.com LEED BD+C, ID+C: Building Product Disclosure and OptimizationSourcing of Raw Materials. LEED Home: Environmentally Preferable Products

ww

STRUCTURE & EXTERIOR ENVELOPE

Kawneer Company Inc.

Detec Systems

Soprema

Kingspan Insulated Panels

Duro-Last® Roofing, Inc.

Siplast Lcopal Inc.

KlipTech Composites

Tremco

McGill Architectural Products

Elevated Landscape Technologies Inc.

Metl-Span

ELT Easy Green

Vitaroofs

Nichiha

Green Roof System

W.R. Meadows of Canada

P.F.B Corporation

Envirospec Incorporated

XeroFlor North America

Sound Solutions

Firestone Building Products

ZinCo Canada

Stonerox

G.E.M. Inc./Euroshield

Terramai

Green Innovations

STRUCTURE

Thames Valley Brick and Tile

Green Over Grey

Amvic ICF

Triton Logging Company

Green Space Roofing

Bailey Metal Products Ltd.

Uniboard Canada Linc.

Hydrotech Membrane Corporation

Bone Structure

United Stages Aluminum VicWest

ROOFING BioRoof Systems Caradoc Green Roofs Ltd. Carlisle Construction Materials Crowe Building Products Ltd.

VaproShield

Logix Insulated Concrete Forms McKillican International Inc. Meiser Canada Nedlaw Living Walls Nordic Engineered Wood Nucor-Yamato Steel Nudura Polycrete Project Frog Roseburg Forest Products Simple Concept Structurlam Super Sky Products

Johns Manville

Butler Buildings CanadaCanadian Brass and Copper Co.

Lexcan Limited

Canam / Murox

Liveroof Ontario Inc.

Century Wood Products

Metl-Span

CertainTeed

RADON MITIGATION

Metal Roofing Alliance

Hycrete, Inc.

N.A.T.S. Nursery Ltd.

International Timberframes

Radon Environmental Management Corp.

Sika/Sarnafil

Lafarge North America Inc.

Jakob Inc.

Tembec Walters Inc. Western Archrib

Humber College Barrett Centre for Technology and Innovation. Architect: Perkins&Will.

CBC METALS AND PROCESSING

NATS NURSERY LTD. Green Roof and Living Wall Plants, including native grasses and perennials as well as site specific custom grows. Licensed growers of the LiveRoof Hybrid Green Roof System™.

604-530-9300 www.NATSnursery.com

LEED NC SS 5.5, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2 / WE 1.1, 1.2 / EA 1.1 to 1.19 / MR 2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6

Using only natural materials, Arriscraft manufactures superior stone that delivers the aesthetic and performance qualities of quarried stone. Arriscraft offers full-bed stone, thin-clad solutions and brick products, plus natural limestone quarried in Ontario. www.arriscraft.com

LEED MR Credit 4 – Recycled Content; MR Credit 5 – Manufacturer’s Location; MR Credit 5 – Distance from Raw Material Suppliers to Project Site Credit - LEED v4 Building product disclosure and optimization environmental product declarations

Architek SBP Inc. is the Canadian leader in Intregrated Living Building systems: green roofs, living walls, green facades and water management [building site water conservation and storm water mitigation]. www.architek.com info@architek.com 1-888-317-9226 LEED BD+C: SS- Rainwater Management, Heat Island Reduction; WE-Outdoor Water Use Reduction; Building Product Disclosure and Optimization-Sourcing of Raw Materials; LEED O+M: Rainwater Management, Heat Island Reduction

- Muntz Metal, Architectural Bronze, Silicon Bronze, Coppers, Brasses, Aluminum.

- Stainless Steels: Satin, Hairline & Mirror.

- Coloured Stainless Sheet: Black, Bronze, Brass & various others.

Anodized Aluminum.

- CBC EZ Metal (matte finish Stainless for Roofing & Cladding).

- Technical service available in English et en Français. www.cbcmetals.ca 1-800-845-1134 LEED BD+C : M&R-Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction, Construction and Demolition Waste Management

SABMag - WINTER 2022

33

STRUCTURE & EXTERIOR ENVELOPE

* companies in bold have a 1/8-page listing

AIRSEALING

CAYAKI CHARRED WOOD SUSTAINABLE & ECOLOGICAL CAYAKI specializes in interior & exterior charred siding. Raw material is sourced and made in Canada utilizing Red & White Cedar which are two widely renowned wood species for their rot-proof, as well as insect and weather-resistant properties. CAYAKI is a market leader in knowing how to properly char and apply a wide range of eyecatching colours and textures.

519-983-3038 sales@cfpwoods.com www.cfpwoods.com LEED BD + C: MR- Building Product Disclosure and Optimization-Sourcing of Raw Materials

INSULATION KNOWLEDGE

Fraser Wood Siding manufactures premium quality prefinished wood siding and Shingles. Made from Canadian softwood, sustainably harvested from 100% PEFC Certified forests and backed by an industry leading warranty.

(888) 457-3898 fraserwoodsiding.com LEED BC+C: MR- Building Product Disclosure and Optimization-Sourcing of Raw Materials; Building Product Disclosure and Optimization- Material Ingredients LEED Homes: MR-Environmentally Preferable Products

Foursevenfive.ca is a trusted source for building envelope knowledge and materials: Pro Clima airsealing, GUTEX wood fiber board insulation, Lamilux skylights, and more - plus download free Smart Enclosure guides today.

WOOD100® DLT FROM INTERNATIONAL TIMBERFRAMES We manufacture DLT in Golden, BC using local wood. Wood100® DLT is a 100% wood, no glue product. Stacked and cross laminated DLT panels. Design, engineering, manufacturing and installation services available.

A healthy, sustainable and energy efficient building product.

Foursevenfive.ca LEED BD+C:MR-Building Product Disclosure and OptimizationSourcing of Raw Materials LEED Homes: MR-Environmentally Preferable Products

www.itimberf.com LEED BD+C : M&R-Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Sourcing of Raw Materials, and Material Ingredients; IEQ: LowEmitting Materials

VISIT THE ONLINE DIRECTORY AT: HTTPS://SABMAGAZINE.COM/PRODUCT-DIRECTORY/

Spectrum Unity

LiveRoof is the premier pre-vegetated green roof system available across Canada. Regionally grown modules with vegetation specifically selected and tested for your climate by the horticultural professionals at LiveRoof. Wind uplift tested according to CSA A123.24-15.

[800] 875-1392 www.LiveRoof.ca LEED BD+C: SS- Rainwater Management, Heat Island Reduction; WE-Outdoor Water Use Reduction; Building Product Disclosure and Optimization-Sourcing of Raw Materials; LEED O+M: Rainwater Management, Heat Island Reduction

34

SABMag - WINTER 2022

BUILDING BEYOND THE STANDARD: Radon Environmental is a building and environmental health sciences company reducing public exposures to radon gas.

We provide code-evaluated, high-performance radon mitigation solutions for commercial and residential builds, including Radon Guard™ ventilation-insulation structural panels and Radon Block™ barrier membrane. Find radon measurement tools in our Testing Shop.

888.527.4717 | 778.327.4717 www.radoncorp.com info@radoncorp.com

Sound Solutions is a distributor of the most innovative interior and exterior architectural products available in the world. Providing architects, designers, and contractors an extensive line of products from the best Worldwide manufacturers.

Introducing an innovative modular rainscreen cladding system that offers panels, thermally broken mounting system and all the necessary accessories from a single source.

Spectrum Unity delivers the design freedom of a closed joint, concealed fix, multilinear plank system that is faster to install than traditional systems. Lead times are reduced with our in-stock program. High performance, Zero embedded carbon panels are also available. estimating@ats-sales.ca quickshippanels.com

www.soundsolutions.ca LEED BD+C: MR- Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: Environmental Product Declarations

LEED BD+C and ID+C: MR-Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: Material Ingredients; EQ-Low-Emitting Materials

THERMAL, WINDOWS & DYNAMIC GLASS

* companies in bold have a 1/8-page listing

DYNAMIC GLASS

Knauf Insulation

Hunter Douglas Canada Ltd.

Eco Insulating Glass

SageGlass View Dynamic Glass

Logix Insulated Concrete Forms

McGill Architectural Products

Edgetech I.G. Inc.

MechoShade Systems, Inc.

ENERsign Windows+Doors

Louiseville Specialty Products

INSULATION

Sun Glow Window Covering Canada

EuroLine Windows

Magwall Inc.

Accurate Dorwin

Monoglass Inc.

SunProject Toro Inc.

Fulton Windows/Oldcastle

Arxx Building Products

Nudura Corporation

Urban Edge Shading Inc.

High Performance Glass Ltd.

BASF Canada

Owens Corning

Benolec Llt.

PFSI - Polarfoam Soya

BioBased Insulation

Phil Insul Corp

Demilec, Heatlok Soya

Plastiques Cellulaires Polyfoam Inc.

Dura Foam/Canadian Industrial Distributors Inc.

Polycrete

Dow Building Solutions

SealTight

Durisol Building Systems Inc.

SilveRboard®

Efficiency Nova Scotia

Tech-Crete Processors Ltd.

Emercor Ltd.

Thermapan

Good Shepard Wool Insulation

Thermo-Cell Industries Ltd.

IntegraSpec Isolofoam Group Kingspan Insulated Panels

Hi-Tech Energy Windows

WINDOWS AND DOORS

Inline Fiberglass Ltd.

Advanced Glazing Systems

Innotech Windows + Doors

All Weather Windows

JELD-WEN Windows & Doors

Allan Window Technologies Belisle Ancestral Doors & Windows Cascadia Design Products Cascadia Windows Ltd. Clearstream Architectural Glass

Kohltech Windows & Entrance Systems LiteZone™ Insulating Glass Loewen Windows Marvin Windows and Doors North Star Windows & Doors

Therm-O-Comfort Co Ltd.

Cossins Windows Canada Ltd.

Solatube International Inc.

SHADING

CWD Windows & Doors

Thermotech Windows Ltd.

Donat Flamand Inc.

UNILUX WIndows and Doors

Duo-Gard Industries Inc.

Velux

Duxton Windows & Doors

Vetta Building Technologies inc.

Icynene Insulation Igloo Cellulose Inc.

Fibertec Window and Door

C/S Construction Specialties Convenience Group Inc. Fraser Shading Systems Inc.

Pollard Windows

Fort St. John Passive House, Low Hammond Rowe Architect, RENU Engineering Inc. | WCPG Construction Ltd.

CASCADIA WINDOWS & DOORS Thames Valley Brick & Tile - a trusted source for Clay Face Brick, Thin Brick and Paving Brick, including LEED qualifying products, that meet the challenges of the Canadian architectural and designer marketplace.

800-567-5800 www.thamesvalleybrick.com info@thamesvalleybrick.com

LEED BD + C: MR- Building Product Disclosure and Optimization-Sourcing of Raw Materials

Cascadia offers high-performance fiberglass solutions for window wall, windows and doors, and storefront glazing. From Passive House projects to high-rise buildings, Cascadia’s fiberglass windows offer unparalleled thermal and structural performance.

www.cascadiawindows.com

LEED BD+C and ID+C: EA-Optimize Energy Performance LEED Homes: EA-Windows

The Future is FIBERGLASS • • • •

Super low U-values Tough frames Beautiful aesthetics Passive House Applications

WindowsPassive House Institute certified Windows and Doors.

• Cold Climate • Energy efficient and future-proof • Visionary performance • Clean aesthetics • Best performance values for ENERsign Primus Ú R10

204.339.6456 duxtonwindows.com

www.enersign.com

LEED BD+C and ID+C:EA-Optimize Energy Performance LEED Homes:EA-Windows

LEED BD+C and ID+C:EA-Optimize Energy Performance LEED Homes:EA-Windows

SABMag - WINTER 2022

35

THERMAL, WINDOWS & DYNAMIC GLASS

* companies in bold have a 1/8-page listing

FLOORING Abet Laminati

Goodfellow Inc.

Solida Cork/Eraco International

American Biltrite

Healthiest Home Building Supplies

Taproot

Arclin

Ideal Fit

Tarkett

Bamboo Direct

Interface

Tate Access Floors

Bentley Prince Street, Inc.

Interstyle ceramic + glass ltd.

Teragren

Bona US

Jelinek Cork Group

The Tandus Group

Camino Modular Systems Inc.

Johnsonite

Torlys

Century Wood Products Inc.

Mapei

Turion Bamboo Traders

Ceramica Concept

Maxxon

Victor Innovatex

Colin Campbell

MirageBoa-Franc Inc

Vintage Prefinished Wood Flooring

Columbia Forest Products

Mondo Flooring

W.R. Meadows

C/S Construction Specialtie

Nadurra Wood Corp.

Wood Anchor

Country Wood Inc.

Nora Systems, Inc.

Dinoflex

Norelco Cabinets Ltd.

Elite Flooring

Olympia Tile International Inc.

Eterna

Orchid Ceramics

Artech Ceiling Specialties

Flexco Corp

Roppe Corporation USA

Arborite

Forbo Flooring Systems

Shaw Contract Group

Armstrong World Industries

FreeAxez USA

Sierra Pine Ltd.

Aya Kitchens & Bath

INTERIOR PRODUCTS

®

Environmental Product Declaration now available for our selected products, certified by ASTM International.

Net zero Helio Building using Inline Fiberglass Series 325 and Series 400 Windows, and Series 4500 Doors.

The Peak in Vancouver, BC. Passive House Certified.

INLINE FIBERGLASS LTD. Our fiberglass windows and doors offer: • Time-tested durability • Superior energy efficiency • Residential and commercial applications in LEED-certified Platinum, Gold, and Silver projects. Canada & USA INLINE Series 3000 windows are Passive House International certified.

www.inlinefiberglass.com LEED BD+C and ID+C:EA-Optimize Energy Performance LEED Homes:EA-Windows

36

SABMag - WINTER 2022

Trusted by leading building professionals, Innotech manufactures high-performance European-style windows and exterior doors for energy-efficient, comfortable and durable single family, low to high rise multi-family, and commercial projects.

www.innotech-windows.com LEED BD+C and ID+C:EA-Optimize Energy Performance LEED Homes:EA-Windows

Kohltech’s Windows and Doors combine beauty and craftsmanship with performance and energy efficiency. With an extensive array of glass and decorative options, as well as ENERGY STAR and Passive House certified products, Kohltech can meet your project needs.

LiteZone® Insulating Glass • Up to R17 for a window (including glass and frame) • Up to R19.6 centre of glass • 60 year life Award Winner for 2016 “CaGBC Product of the Year”

www.kohltech.com

www.litezone.ca

LEED BD+C and ID+C:EA-Optimize Energy Performance LEED Homes:EA-Windows

LEED BD+C: EA-Optimize Energy Performance LEED Homes: EA -Windows

INTERIOR FINISHES CBR Products Busch Systems Ltd. C/S Construction Specialtie

Olympia TileWalls International Inc. Nedlaw Living Renovators ReSource Octopus Products Limited

Century Wood Wood Inc. Products Inc. CertainTeed AirRenew Essential

Roseburg Products Olympia Tile Forest International Inc. Tectum Acoustical Renovators ReSourceRoof Deck

CGC Inc. Columbia Forest Forest Products Products Columbia

Teknion Forest LimitedProducts Roseburg The Global Shaw ContractGroup

CORFLEX Dirtt Environmental Solutions Ltd.

Timber ProductsRoof Company Tectum Acoustical Deck TMI Direct Teknion Limited

Ecomix Environ Biocomposites GenYDoors Inc Herman Miller Canada Inc.

Treasured Timbers Inc. The Global Group Trove TMI Direct

Homasote Company

Upper Canada Treasured TimbersForest Inc. Products Ltd.

Ice Stone

Upper Canada Forest Products Ltd.

Georgia-Pacific Canada Inc.

Dulux/

Octopus PAINTS PPG

Mapei Products Limited Masonite Architectural

Keilhauer

Eco Stucco American Formulating & Laurentide Resources Inc. Manufacturing Peintures Laurentide Benjamin Moore PPG Industries, Coatings Boomerang RecycledArchitectural Paint & Lambert CBR Pratt Products Premium Products Inc. Dulux/PPG Sansin Corp.

Eco Stucco Schwartz Chemical Corporation Laurentide Resources Inc. Sico/PPG Peintures Laurentide PPG Industries, Architectural Coatings Pratt & Lambert Premium Products Inc. Sansin Corp.

Schwartz Chemical Corporation

Knoll, Inc.

Sico/PPG

Lambton Doors

PAINTS

Lynden Doors Mapei

American Formulating & Manufacturing

Masonite Architectural

Benjamin Moore

Nedlaw Living Walls

Boomerang Recycled Paint

CEILING SPECIALTIES

• Aluminum clad triple-glazed wood windows and doors • High performance, Passive House and FSC certified • German steel hardware • All custom-made to your shape, size, colour specifications • High grade anti theft and acoustic barrier performance

Artech Ceiling Specialties provides Lindner Metal Ceilings and Baffles for that “Over the Top” pop. Ideal for boutique areas, atriums, offices and schools. Also proven ceiling radiant for maximum LEED comfort and sustainability. Lindner ceilings are life cycle green. Internationally renowned Lindner engineered ceiling products are the very best available. For Lindner specification and sales support.

416 234-1033 www.vettawindows.com

Call Now 416-968-2273 info@artechceiling.com

LEED BD+C and ID+C:EA-Optimize Energy Performance LEED Homes:EA-Windows Photo credit: @at.home_902

LEED ID+C: M&R-Interiors Life-Cycle Impact Reduction; EQ-Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies, Acoustic Performance

CENTURY WOOD PRODUCTS INC. Operating since 1997, Century Wood Products reclaims historic wood from vintage buildings for restoring or replicating that which is old, and to add character to new designs. We offer custommilled antique solid wood flooring, reclaimed timber and mantels, and antique hand-hewn and re-sawn boards for cabinets or millwork.

century-wood.com LEED BD+C and ID+C: MR- LifeCycle Impact Reduction, Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: Sourcing of Raw Materials and Material Ingredients; EQ-Low-Emitting Materials

Dulux Paints operates the largest network of company-owned paint stores across Canada. Our highly experienced team of account representatives provides specification and on-site support and we have the scale to deliver outstanding services to help you meet any of your design challenges. www.dulux.ca/pro LEED BD+C and ID+C EQ- Low-Emitting Materials MR- Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Environmental Product Declarations; MR- Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Material Ingredients LEED for Homes EQ- Low-Emitting Products

SABMag - WINTER 2022

37

ELECTRICAL | PLUMBING | HVAC | RENEWABLES CONTROLS Automated Logic CorporationDelta Controls Inc.

FORBO FLOORING SYSTEMS Marmoleum is CO2 neutral (from cradle to gate) due to natural ingredients that absorb carbon dioxide and a low energy production process, resulting in a sustainable floor that looks beautiful and lasts over 30 years.

1-800-268-8108 www.forboflooringna.com LEED BD+C and ID+C: MR-Source Reduction:Mercury, Lead, Cadmium.

Copper; Building Product Disclosure and Optimization-Sourcing of Raw Materials; Low-Emitting Materials

We offer ready-to-install resilient flooring products for acoustic and vibration insulation, structural protection, impact protection, sports floor coverings and elastic layers/elastic flooring systems for horse farms and riding facilities.

Our green building solutions for environmentally friendly construction includes high performance products for permeable paving, storm water runoff management, green roof and green wall construction. www.idealfit.ca LEED BD+C and O+M: SS-Rainwater Management.

LEED BD+C and ID+C: MR- Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: Sourcing of Raw Materials; EQ-LowEmitting Materials, Acoustic Performance

38

SABMag - WINTER 2022

Osram Sylvania Ltd.

Isolation Algon 2000 Inc.

Philips Lighting

Jaga Canada Climate Systems Inc.

PLUMBING

JAS Filtration Inc.

Aquatech/Lochinvar

Distech Controls Inc.

Klimatrol

Douglas Lighting Control

Kiko Water Systems

Cristal Controls Echoflex Solutions Inc.

L2B Environmental Systems Inc.

Ecobee

Legalett

Eco Innovation

Energex Inc.

Lochinvar/Aqua-Tech Sales and Marketing Inc.

GROHE Canada Inc.

Mammoth-WEBCO Inc.

Moen Canada Marathon International/Baxi

Texmar Control Systems

Maritime Geothermal/ Nordic

Viessmann Control Solutions

Mitsubishi Electric Sales Canada Inc.

WattStopper

NTI Boilers

RenewABILITY Energy Inc.

Zero Footprint

Nu-Air Ventilation Systems Inc.

ReTherm Energy Systems Inc.

RadiantLink In-wall Heating

Rheem Canada Ltd.

Runtal North America, Inc.

Taco

Dyson Canada

Seresco

Takagi Canada, Inc.

VÄNEE Deco-Touch™

Step Warmfloor Ontario Ltd.

Uponor Ltd.

EnergyBank Honeywell Building Solutions

ELECTRICAL

GROUND SOURCE

IDEAL FIT

IPEX Inc.

Bosch Water Heating Caroma Inc. De Dietrich Boilers

HeatLink group Inc.

Marathon International/ Eternal Noritz

Tate Access Floors Tempeff Inc.

Airtechni

Termobuild

Boreal Geothermal Inc.

TermoDeck Canada

CGC Group

Therma-Ray Inc.

Delta Geothermaique

Uponor Ltd.

PLUMBING FIXTURES American Standard Canada Blanco Canada Inc. Clivus Multrum Inc.

Venmar Ventilation Inc.

Crane Plumbing Corporation

HVAC

Ventacity’s Smart Ventilation

Duravit

Airia Brands Inc.

Viessmann Control Solutions

Kohler

Aquatech/Lochinvar Big Ass Fans Broan-NuTone Canada Inc. Busch Systems International Inc. Carver Climate System CGC Group Conematic Heating Systems Inc.

Elkay / Dobbin Sales Masco Canada

LIGHTING

Novanni Stainless Inc. Sancor Industries Ltd.

Acuity Brands

Sloan Valve / Dobbin Sales

Cree Lighting Canada

Water Matrix Inc.

Eaton Cooper Lighting

Waterless Co.

GE Lighting H.E. Williams, Inc.

SOLAR/PV

Continental Fan/Aeroflow

Hubbell Canada LP

Sanyo Canada Inc.

Daikin Applied

Illumineer Ltd.

Enershield Air Barrier

Ledalite Architectural Products Inc.

Siemens Building Technologies Ltd.

Engineered Air Fantech

Leviton

VCT Group

* companies in bold have a 1/8-page listing

ELECTRICAL | PLUMBING | HVAC | RENEWABLES

AQUATECH

™

delivers the market with high efficiency

MAPEI INC. Leader in adhesives and chemical products for the building industry, MAPEI Inc. has over 375 products certified under SCS Global Services Indoor Advantage™ Gold for low VOCs, qualifying them for LEED v4, the WELL Building Standard, and the Living Building Challenge. MAPEI also provides environmentally responsible products and transparency through Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Manufacturers’ Inventories (MIs) and more.

Acuity Brands is a market-leading industrial technology company. We design, manufacture, and bring to market innovative products and services that make the world more brilliant, productive, and connected including building management systems, lighting, lighting controls, and emergency lighting applications. www.acuitybrands.ca

www.mapei.ca

products.

LEED v4 Category potential for New Construction for energy performance.

Lochinvar Represented by

LEED BD+C and ID+C: MR-Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: Environmental Product Declarations and Material Ingredients; EQ-Low-Emitting Materials

LEED BD+C and ID+C: Optimize Energy Performance

People. Solutions. Value.

Daikin Applied designs and manufactures technologically advanced commercial HVAC systems for customers around the world. Our goal is to deliver superior air quality and energy efficiency to every solution with innovation in advanced technology, IoT, and next generation compressors. www.daikinapplied.com

LEED BD+C, O+M: EA-Optimize Energy Performance, EQ-Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies

Trust Mitsubishi Electric for Smart VRF, Net Zero Carbon Buildings

ELKAY Cleaner, Healthier Water Elkay filtered ezH2O bottle filling stations reduce lead and other harmful particulates, putting cleaner, healthier water within everyone’s reach. We continue to expand our ezH2O bottle filling station offerings. This innovative and award-winning product line upholds our commitment to delivering clean water and sustainable design. It provides a rapid fill of drinking water to quench thirst and minimize plastic bottle waste in the environment.

Distributed in Canada by Dobbin Sales, 1 800 565 8515 or info@dobbinsales.com

Specifying made simple. BIM models and CSI 3-part specifications make it easy to spec quality residential and commercial ventilation products providing a healthy indoor environment where people live and work.

www.fantech.net 1-800-565-3548 LEED BD+C, ID+C and O+M EA- Optimize Energy Performance EQ- Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies LEED for Homes EA- Space Heating and Cooling Equipment; EQ- Ventilation

Call Klimatrol Now for assistance on your next Radiant Floor Heating/Cooling or Snow Ice Melting project. Use our experience and products to select and specify a system that would provide years of comfort, energy savings and low maintenance. Draw from our thousands of successfully completed commercial, residential and institutional projects.

Designed specifically for the Canadian HVAC market, City Multi water-source system provides optimum occupant comfort while substantially minimizing installation costs and energy consumption with it’s 2-pipe VRF technology.

Owned and Developed by the Cora Group

• 905-454-1742 • info@klimatrol.com

VRF575.ca

LEED BD+C, O+M, ID+C: EA-Optimize Energy Performance, EQ-Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies

LEED BD+C, ID+C and O+M EA- Optimize Energy Performance EQ- Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies.

SABMag - WINTER 2022

39

ELECTRICAL | PLUMBING | HVAC | RENEWABLES

SLOAN VALVE

NTI BOILERS

RADIANTLINK

The NTI High Output Combi System offers the perfect balance between an on-demand combi boiler and a boiler with an indirect.

Connect your forced air heat source to RadiantLink.

We create comfort, address indoor air quality and reduce your carbon foot print. Infloor heating and passive infloor cooling is affordable with the RadiantLink system. Proudly made in Canada.

All the advantages of a combi plus the advantages of a tank.

•Versatile

How can Sloan products help your project?

Sloan’s EPDs are produced in accordance with international standards and verified by an independent third party to ensure the data we communicate is credible, resulting in full LEED Material and Resource credits for your project.

Dobbin Sales: 1-800-565-8515 www.dobbinsales.com

•Easy to Install •Peak Performance

ntiboilers.com LEED BD+C and O+M: EA-Optimize Energy Performance

Turn your concrete buildings into year round thermal batteries.

Stay ahead and thrive.

Call us today to unleash your hidden edge.

LEED Homes: EA- Heating and Cooling Distribution Systems, Space Heating and Cooling Equipment EQ- Low-Emitting Products, Contaminant Control, ID - Innovation

VCT GROUP At VCT Group we believe clean, inexpensive solar power should be accessible to everyone. We design, construct, and manage innovative energy products that are built to perform in any climate. For rooftop arrays, solar canopies, EV charging, and energy management we are your end-to-end partner. Powering everyone.

www.vctgroup.com

LEED BC+C: EA Optimize Energy Performance, Renewable Energy Production. EQ: Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies, Thermal Comfort ID: Innovation

LEED BD+C and O+M EA- Renewable energy production • Advanced energy monitoring • Optimizing energy production • Green power and carbon offsets

SABMag - WINTER 2022

Building on over 20 years of European innovation, Tempeff is pleased to offer air to air Dual Core® energy recovery ventilation equipment with up to 90% energy efficiency in winter without any requirement for an energy robbing defrost strategy. In these times of escalating energy costs, and concern over environmental impact, Tempeff Dual Core® Technology is the highest efficiency solution available for your building ventilation needs.

www.radiantlink.ca

416-993-5225 www.termobuild.com greenteam@termobuild.com

40

TEMPEFF INC.

[204] 783-1902 www.tempeff.com LEED BD+C, ID+C:WE-Water Use Reduction, Materials and Resources LEED O+M: Indoor Water Use Reduction

LEED BD+C, O+M: EA-Optimize Energy Performance, EQ-Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies

VIESSMANN CONTROL SOLUTIONS Turn key solution for energy management with Tridium Niagara Building Management System Generate: Natural Gas, Oil Boilers/ Heat Pump/ Solar Thermal/ Biomass/ Chiller Control: DHW/ Mixing Zone (Outdoor Reset)/ Air Handling/ Snow Melt Control/ Humidification/ Pool, Spa Integrate: Bacnet/ Lonworks/ Modbus/ 0-10V/ 4-20mA 800-387-7373 www.viessmann.ca CSA Certified Panels

The CPCQA Certification Program qualifies precast concrete manufacturers who fabricate structural, architectural and specialty precast concrete products, including concrete pipe and underground utility and drainage products.

The program validates capabilities of superior quality assurance for owners, agencies, specifiers, and producers.

Find out more at: www.precastcertification.ca

GREEN DESIGN SUPPORT & PROFESSIONALS

Did you know installing energy efficient upgrades can make your commercial space more comfortable for tenants while saving on your bottom line?

From new builds, building retrofits, optimizing controls and everything in between, we can safely help with incentives, financing, and expert advice.

Learn more at: efficiencyns.ca/bottomline/

Photo top: Huntsville K-12 School (LEEDv4 Gold), Iron Springs, Alberta. Photo bottom: Stoney Transit Compressed Natural Gas Facility (LEEDv4 Gold), Calgary.

Environmentally responsive and holistic engineering

We work with our clients to provide sustainable solutions throughout the asset lifecycle from inception, planning, design and construction through to operations, certification, and renewal.

Our passion around environmentally responsible design forces us to challenge norms regarding energy efficiencies and materials used on every one of our projects.

www.entuitive.com

Grosvenor Ambleside Phase 1 | LEED Gold equivalent standard

LEED v4 categories: our services can contribute points in all LEED v4 categories.

RJC Engineers

rjc.ca

Partner With Your Industry Experts.

Great People.

Efficient Solutions.

Meaningful Value

AQUATECH™ offers innovative Lochinvar® commercial and residential building heating and hot water solutions that empower engineers, specifiers, builders and contractors to use solutions that dependably deliver.

A building is about more than just products. It’s about people. Your customers, who live, learn, or work in the facilities must have heating and hot water solutions that perform and give them peace of mind.

Turn to one of your best resources for heating and hot water solutions, value and people support. Grow your business with AQUATECH. Represented By

Aqua-Tech Sales 4390 Paletta Court., Unit M, Burlington, ON L7L 5R2 P: 905.631.5815 • F: 905.637.8655

and Marketing Inc. 1585 Broadway Street., Unit 106, Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 2M7 P: 778.285.9596 • F: 778-285.9598

aquatech-canada.com

SABMag - WINTER 2022

41

THANK YOU SPONSORS Your support helps make Building Lasting Change Canada’s premier green building conference.

WITH SUPPORT FROM

42

SABMag - WINTER 2022

PRESENTING SPONSOR

SMART BUILDINGS Sustainability in the New Frontier of Technological Expansion

By Jeff Godfrey

Architecture in the Age of Smart Buildings and Sustainable Development Architects are at the new

Information communication technology (ICT), smart technologies and

technological

the internet have serious environmental consequences and are growing

expansion, embedding infor-

rapidly. “Research estimates that by 2025, the IT industry could use 20%

mation systems into buildings

of all electricity produced and emit up to 5.5% of the world’s carbon emis-

and cities. That puts them in a

sions. That’s more than most countries’ total emissions bar China, India

position to ensure that future

and the US.”[1]

frontier

of

developments and innovation

1

in their buildings are sustain-

Sustainable technology had not yet been defined when I wrote my

able and set the trajectory for

thesis; so I defined it as “technology that minimizes the environmental

social inclusivity.

footprint of technological usage and promotes products and services that offer environmental and social benefits over traditional alternatives”. This

The age we live in leads to new challenges as professionals, and our guiding principles must evolve to meet the needs of society and our planet. Architecture may be one of the most vital components of that paradigm shift. Architects have immeasurable impacts on our societies and their evolution. By

implies that the purpose of the technology is instrumental in determining its sustainability and not just the technology itself.

Building Life Cycle Assessments and Smart Technologies

creating welcoming, safe, functional, and universally accessible spaces, architects largely determine how people use buildings and what impacts buildings have on the environment and society. Many frameworks such as life cycle assessments (LCA) have been developed to measure our success in achieving sustainable built environments, products, and services. In a world that mixes physical structures and virtual information, the concept of life cycle assessments becomes incredibly complex. This article provides a look at this complexity and how to navigate it with regards to architecture and smart buildings and cities.

Understanding Technological Sustainability

3

As a software developer with over 20 years experience and a

It is important to understand the concept of LCA when trying to deter-

master’s degree in Sustainable

mine the sustainability of a construction project. The American Institute

Development, my research has

of Architects describes LCA as, “one of the best mechanisms for allowing

focused on sustainability in

architects and other building professionals to understand the energy use

technology. It has led to an

and other environmental impact associated with all the phases of a build-

intriguing question: is technol-

ing’s life cycle: procurement, construction, operation, and decommission-

ogy inherently unsustainable

ing.”[2] In an LCA study, each material is assessed based on the various

due to its embedded carbon,

stages which generally include extraction, production, distribution, usage,

energy usage, and disposal stages? An LCA on technological

and disposal. The impacts of all the materials are then combined to get an

solutions and virtual products like data are similar to physical

overall impact for the project. There are multiple frameworks for convert-

products like architectural materials except virtual components

ing the results into different human impact categories such as green house

are challenging to measure due to the decentralization and vari-

gas emissions, air quality, toxicity, etc., which provide the information an

ability of resource usage. It is straight forward to calculate the

architect needs to make sustainable decisions.

2

impacts of a wooden beam or metal cladding material but with technology it’s different and equally important for the impacts are significant.

1. Background image with transparent wireframes of buildings in a green setting and blue sky.

2. Accessibuild App Interface on a iPhone user's hand.

3. Accessibuild indoor navigation system graphic showing a wireframe of a building with a person walking through it and an image of the app interface.

SABMag - WINTER 2022

43

Building LCAs are commonly conducted, and accreditations have been created to encourage architects to use sustainable development best practices such as LEED and Well. Smart buildings on the

Accessibuild Indoor Navigation Case and Introduction to Social Life Cycle Assessments (SLCA) in Smart Building Components

other hand are a new concept, and the impact of integrating technology is not well understood. Embedding technology in buildings raises new questions when it comes to assessing impacts.

The primary question is around the scope of a study and if ICT embedded in buildings should be included in the building LCA. There have not been many studies, if any, that include these impacts; however, virtual LCAs are relatively new. These studies get very complex due to the decentralized nature and use of shared resources of most information systems. In order to include ICT impacts in a building, an LCA of the technology would need to be completed then allocated to the building based on its percentage of usage. Even then, the impacts are not always known since technological impacts are variable in the usage phase.

For example, a 5W smart light bulb is a good example of variability in the usage phase. If a person is in their home turning the light bulb on and off using their smart phone connected to a home network, the impact is minimal. It is simply using an allocation of the local network to communicate with the bulb interface. However, if the person is in Hawaii and realizes that they left the light on and want to turn it off to conserve energy, it raises an important question: is it more efficient to turn the light bulb off or to leave it on for 3 days (approx. 360 watts)? This answer may seem obvious; it is not.

Calculating the impact of turning off the light would require knowing the route that the data signal takes to the light through the internet as well as the energy type used to power each data transmission station. In this case, the route would include fiber optic lines that run on the ocean floor, then it would go through multiple servers, routers, networks, transmission lines when it reaches the continental US and finally it would arrive at the user’s home network and turn the light off. It is very likely that this would consume more energy than simply leaving the light on but calculating the impacts is a significant undertaking.

When architects introduce smart technology to buildings connected through the internet, it expands their potential impacts to include the allocation of the internet that the building and/or users are using. The alternative is to consider the technology an externality in which case the LCA does not include all the impacts and provides limited value. The light example illustrates the environmental impacts related to embedded technology when the objective is purely environmental efficiency, but this view is missing a critical component of sustainable technology, social benefit. There are scenarios where calculating environmental impacts of a technological building component is not as complex. The Accessibuild navigation system is one such case and will be used to introduce the concept of including social benefits in an LCA transforming it into a social life cycle assessment (SLCA).

44

SABMag - WINTER 2022

4 The Accessibuild, accessible indoor navigation system, is an example of a technology that can augment building functionality and provide social benefits. The system makes buildings more accessible for visitors with different needs including helping people living with vision loss navigate buildings independently. For more information about Accessibuild or to learn how to add it to your buildings visit https:// www.accessibuild.ca Accessibuild works by generating a 3D model of a building using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology then converting the data into an accessible map and routing instructions. This process is called dematerialization, which removes the physical aspect of an entity and makes it entirely virtual. In order to improve the efficiency and scalability of accessible indoor navigation, Accessibuild is releasing a CAD plugin that empowers architects to generate their own accessible building maps from existing drawings. Using the virtual maps, the app provides accessible navigation and wayfinding information to building visitors.

How would an LCA for the Accessibuild system work? First, the initial impact of the development of the system which is primarily computer hardware allocation and energy usage would need to be calculated. Next, the distribution phase which includes downloading the app and maps to the user device which is about 40MB currently would need to be added. These impacts would be divided over all buildings that are Accessibuild enabled. Next, the impact of downloading the building map to the user device which is about 200-500kb for an average building would be computed. These calculations cover the initial setup and downloading of the App so that the user is ready to use Accessibuild in the building.

The usage phase is often the most complicated due to its variability as discussed in the light bulb example. Due to the way that Accessibuild is implemented, it is simple. Once the app and maps are downloaded, no internet connection or data plan is required. The usage impacts are therefore allocated to the user and not the building since only the user device energy is required for navigation.

4. 3D rendering of a small office building in dollhouse view.

5. 3D Dollhouse View of 3D Building Model.

Finally, the impacts of the hardware disposal would need to be included. In the case of Accessibuild, there is no additional hardware.

This is a simplistic overview of how an LCA could be conducted on the impacts of ICT embedded into buildings. It however leaves

Population X Per Capita Impact = Total Human Impact on Environment where : - population = buildings and/or building users - per capita impact = bandwidth, # devices, infrastructure allocation

an incomplete picture since there are externalities that should be included to offset the environmental impacts. For social technolo-

If population in our case is smart buildings and per capita impact

gies such as Accessibuild, the benefits also need to be included for

would be the amount of technology being embedded into buildings,

a holistic view. An SLCA that considers the accessibility benefits

it follows that as either of these factors grow, the total impact on the

provided to building visitors would provide a more complete cost/

environment will also increase.

benefit analysis of adding the technology, enabling architects to make more informed decisions.

Some would argue that as the technology improves and becomes more efficient, it will reduce the per capita impact thereby decreasing

To understand the social benefits of inclusion, it is important

the total human impact on the environment. Although this is true, the

to define accessibility which United Nations defines as “the provi-

Jevons’s Paradox explains a population will consume this efficiency

sion of flexibility to accommodate each [individual’s] needs and

by increasing their usage surpassing the original impacts. As the effi-

preferences when used with reference to persons with disabilities,

ciency increases, the cost decreases thereby generating additional

any place, space, item or service, whether physical or virtual, that

demand. There are many such examples throughout history such as

is easily approached, reached, entered, exited, interacted with,

coal use in England in the 1800s. Essentially, as buildings become

understood or otherwise used by persons of varying disabilities, is

smarter and networks become faster society will find more ways to use

determined to be accessible.”[4]

technology and transmit more data. This creates a massive increase in energy usage and embedded carbon in buildings and cities.

The results of an SLCA study would provide architects with data to answer critical questions such as do the benefits of the technology outweigh its environmental impacts?

The growth pattern of ICT in society has been exponential, leading to increases in infrastructure, hardware, data usage, network speeds and the number of internet users.[5][6] If the growth pattern of ICT is

The Accessibuild case is just one example of how to assess the impacts of implementing technology in a building. There is a much

any indication of how smart building and cities will progress, exponential growth of impacts in architecture are likely in the near future.

bigger picture to examine to understand the full extent of how the adoption of smart buildings will change our resource usage as a society.

In order to avoid this future, architects must assess the implications of a building’s systems when designing new building or retrofitting old ones. Many frameworks such as LCA and SLCA can be used to analyze

Impacts of Growing from Smart Buildings to Smart Cities

the impacts of construction projects.

JEFF GODFREY, HBCCS, MEB IS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF Y4U TECHNOLOGIES INC.

5

The scenarios examined were for a single building or technology but as more architects and building owners adopt these technologies, the impacts will be multiplied. The human impact equation by Costanza in Ecological Economics can be used to understand the relationship between the overall impacts and growing adoption of the technology. The Third Law of Human Ecology states: [3].

References: •[1] Kettle, J. (June 9th, 2021). The internet consumes extraordinary amounts of energy. Here’s how we can make it more sustainable. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/the-internet-consumes-extraordinaryamounts-of-energy-heres-how-we-can-make-it-more-sustainable-160639 •[2] The American institute of architects. (n.d). Building life cycle assessment in practice - AIA. Retrieved from https://www.aia.org/resources/7961building-life-cycle-assessment-in-practice •[3] Costanza, R., & Wainger, L. (1991). Ecological economics : The science and management of sustainability. New York: Columbia University Press.

•[4] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Division for Social Policy and Development, Accessibility and Development Mainstreaming disability in the post-2015 development agenda •[5] Global Connect Initiative. (December 2016). The Global Connect Initiative: Accelerating Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunity By Expanding Internet Access Globally. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/ documents/organization/267199.pdf •[6] Tencer, D. (October 26th, 2016). Internet Usage In Canada Soared 40 Per Cent In A Year. Here's Why. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost. ca/2016/10/26/internet-usage-canada_n_12662202.html

SABMag - WINTER 2022

45

INTERVIEW WITH

Jeff Gold of Nexus Circular LLC Jeff Gold is the COO/founder of Nexus, the leading circular waste-plastics solution company based in Atlanta that converts landfill-bound plastics to reusable plastics. nexuscircular.com 1. What does Nexus do exactly?

Nexus converts waste plastics that are typically bound for a landfill or incineration into chemical feedstocks that are used to

4. What have been the challenges you have encountered?

Converting waste plastic at a commercial scale into useful products and doing so economically is very hard.

create new, virgin plastics. We take the polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene that cannot be economically recycled

The principle technical challenges we have encountered revolve

through mechanical systems and transform them into valuable

primarily around feedstock in terms of collection, contamination, and

liquids and waxes that our partners use to create a huge range of

composition. The challenge has been to create a highly adaptable sys-

new plastic products. Our process is very energy efficient and by

tem that can accept a wide variation of inputs and produce a uniform,

directing our output into new plastics versus fuel products that

consistent, high-quality output.

are burned, we sequester the carbon in those plastics and prevent

the face of a variable feedstock stream has also posed technical chal-

their entry into the environment as harmful greenhouse gases.

lenges around managing heat distribution to yield our desired products

Maintaining reactor performance in

while minimizing energy consumption which is why we have taken all

2. How does the waste plastics conversion work?

Nexus uses a process known as pyrolysis, or “thermal depoly-

the learnings from our first plant and are now applying them to a thirdgeneration design.

merization” to transform waste plastic back into its basic molecular forms. This process works by applying heat to the plastic but

Another challenge involves proving that chemical recycling is a

excluding all oxygen so that instead of burning, the plastic simply

viable technology in the fight against plastic pollution. There have been

liquefies and decomposes into a variety of hydrocarbon mol-

numerous press releases and announcements by groups in the chemical

ecules. Most plastics are made of long hydrocarbon chains and

recycling space touting a solution that fails to materialize and when this

pyrolysis provides a way to “cut” those chains into smaller pieces

happens often enough, a perception is created that this is something

that become liquids or waxes once they are cooled. It is these

that does not really work. While there is a lot of progress yet to be

liquids and waxes that can then be used in the industrial systems

made, Nexus has shown that the technology can be effective and that it

that make new plastic resins.

merits serious consideration.

3. Is the conversion process truly a ‘closed loop’?

5. What is the future? How far to do you see an operation like yours going?

We consider our process to be “closed loop” because all the plastic that goes into the system is converted into a new product

We feel very optimistic about the future! We have a team in place

that is captured at various points in the system. For example,

that has built an innovative and economic process that addresses the

most of the incoming plastic is converted to liquids and a wax

pressing environmental issue of plastic pollution and we have proven

product that is collected and shipped off directly to our off-take

that Nexus is one of the few companies that can deliver our product at

partners. The process also produces a flammable gas that we

commercial scale and consistent quality.

likewise capture and then use to heat the pyrolysis reactors. A fourth product that results from the process is a carbon-black

Demand for our products is extremely high as many companies

char material that forms in the reactors from small amounts of

work towards satisfying consumer demands to increase the amount

paper and cardboard that are mixed in with the plastic feedstock

of certified recycled content in their products and take positive steps

and from normal decomposition of plastic when it contacts very

to improve the planet’s environmental quality.

hot surfaces. This char is collected and can be used as an asphalt

to scale the business at a rate that can keep pace with our customer’s

additive. In this way, all the products formed from the plastic

needs, and to that end, we are working very hard to establish new

feedstock are converted, captured, and used in some way making

locations both at home and overseas. Given that the use of plastics is

the process truly closed loop.

expected to continue its upward trend over the next several,Nexus is

Our challenge now is

poised to expand on its industry leadership position and play a major role in combatting plastic pollution for years to come.

46

SABMag - WINTER 2022

PRECAST CONCRETE BUILDS ON...

PREFABRICATED MODULAR PRECAST CONCRETE WINDOW WALL SYSTEMS

Prefabricated Modular Precast Concrete Window Wall Systems outperform other systems in:

·

Pre-assembled, caulked, vapour air tested windows are installed in the panel at the precast concrete facility which provides improved quality assurance.

·

The rapid installation allows the building enclosure to be completed sooner, giving the interior trades faster access to a more climate-controlled building and therefore ensuring the project is completed quickly and efficiently.

11 Hoyt, Brooklyn, NY | Architect: Studio Gang and Hill West | Photo: Guy Tremblay, BPDL, Quebec

PREFABRICATED MODULAR PRECAST CONCRETE WINDOW WALL SYSTEM ADDED BENEFITS:

•

Prefabricated modular precast concrete construction provides significant improvements in terms of cost, schedule, quality, productivity, safety and the ability to reduce waste and increase client satisfaction with a quicker return on investment.

•

An unlimited array of architectural designs, colours and textures are available including heightened durability and lower maintenance costs.

For more information and educational courses, check out Learn on Demand, CPCI’s 24/7/365 interactive educational platform: cpci-learnondemand.com/

E: info@cpci.ca | TF: 877.937.2724

Visit www.cpci.ca/publications to download your free copies of the Structural Solutions Technical CPCQA Guide and High Performing Precast Concrete Building Enclosures – Rain Control Technical Guide.

For more information on the Canadian Precast Concrete Quality Assurance (CPCQA) Certification Program, please visit: www.precastcertification.ca

(CPCQA) CANADIAN PRECAST CONCRETE QUALITY ASSURANCE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

(CPCQA) CANADIAN PRECAST CONCRETE QUALITY ASSURANCE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

SABMag - WINTER 2022

47

(CPCQA PRECAS QUALIT CERTIF

Isokorb® Structural Thermal Breaks

Insulate concrete-to-concrete, steel-to-steel and concrete-to-steel connections g

g

g

g

g

48

SABMag - WINTER 2022

Prevent condensation and mould Improve the effective R-value of your building envelope by up to 50% Increase interior floor temperature by up to 19°C/34°F adjacent to balcony Reduce heat loss by up to 90% Meet code requirements for continuous insulation with maximum effectiveness

Schöck Isokorb® Structural Thermal Breaks prevent condensation and mould, improve occupant comfort and reduce heat loss by insulating balcony, canopy, slab edge, parapet and rooftop equipment connections while maintaining the structural integrity of surrounding concrete and steel elements.

Proud to offer Passive House, UL and ICC approved products. www.schoeck.com