Making a Difference Through Innovative HVAC Design
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By Mark Kandborg
he catch term “sustainability” is a bit like “organic,” or “lite.” Sure, it sounds good, but does it really mean anything? In the case of Russell Clark, principal engineer and founder of Clark Engineering, it certainly does. You could say it means the world. A lot of people talk about going green, but Clark has built a career on making it happen by helping builders, developers, architects and management companies implement environmentally and economically efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions in existing and new high-performance structures from hotels, office towers and condominiums to commercial buildings, hospitals, schools and research facilities; and he does it all through solid, pragmatic design. “Sustainability shouldn’t be added on,” Clark says, “it should be built in. If you focus on good quality design, that will lead to sustainability.” Clark came by his interest in environmental efficiency honestly – and early. “I was visiting recycling facilities with my dad when I was six,” he says, with the nostalgic tone that wouldn’t be out of place from a hockey legend recalling the first time he laced up a pair of skates. “That type of facility wasn’t common in the ’70s, but my father was very involved in what they were doing, and so was I.” In fact, Clark’s father, Robert, went on to make his own environmental mark, improving life in this city and others. “He was instrumental in the introduction of the LRT in Edmonton and the SkyTrain in Vancouver.”
Clark’s journey has brought him to a place where he’s making a difference locally in the way new buildings are put up and older ones are kept up, saving his clients’ money and minimizing impact to the environment at the same time. It’s no wonder he enjoys his job. He didn’t get here overnight, of course, but from the start of his career, he couldn’t help but feel a distinct pull. “Even when I was an engineer in training in the late ’80s and early ’90s,” he says, “I’d look at the plans and say ‘this is great but we can do this more efficiently’. Sometimes you had the opportunity, sometimes you didn’t, depending on the client.” But as time went on and as utility costs continued to climb, more clients were offering opportunities for Clark and his colleagues to find more efficient solutions. With that came another, irresistible opportunity for Clark himself – to take his expertise, his experience and his passion and put them all in one place. Thus, Clark Engineering Inc. was born. That was 15 years ago, a number that has proved significant for the company. “It’s an important milestone. At 15 years, people know you’re in it for the long haul and take you more seriously. It was interesting to me that when I first started up and talked to potential clients and architects, they’d say ‘Come back when you’ve been in business for five years and we know you’re going to be around.’ Well, five years wasn’t the real number,” he says, with a laugh. “What we’ve seen last year, and this year in particular, is significant growth. That has a lot to do with where we are in our journey.”
Clark Engineering • 15th Anniversary