The Engineer, Volume 37, No. 2, Summer 2024

The Engineer

The Loyola student residence recladding

Proposed offshore wind farm

Dalhousie Solar Car

Cover Photo: EllisDon

Community Connections

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The Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia Engineers Nova Scotia Council 2023-2024

Dr. Adam Donaldson, FEC, P.Eng.

Dr. Sue Molloy, P.Eng.

Denise Pothier, FEC, P.Eng.

Krista Phillips, P.Eng.

Dilan Watson, P.Eng.

Cliff Johnston, P.Eng.

Ian Squires, P.Eng.

Dr. Allison Mackie, FEC, P.Eng.

Leon MacLellan, P.Eng.

Roxanne Tate, FEC, P.Eng.

Laura White, P.Eng.

Ex-Officio Members

DS (Pal) Mann, P.Eng.

Crysta Cumming, FEC, P.Eng.

Dr. John Newhook, FEC, P.Eng.

Zone Representatives

Harry Daemen, FEC, P.Eng.

Darrin McLean, P.Eng.

Oliver Browning, FEC, P.Eng.

Andrew Polegato, FEC, P.Eng.

Vivek Tomar, FEC, P.Eng.

Conrad LeLièvre, FEC, P.Eng.

Ron Marks, FEC, P.Eng.

Committee Chair Persons

Blair Forbrigger, FEC, P.Eng.

Debra McLellan, P.Eng.

Holly Sampson, P.Eng.

George Goad, FEC, P.Eng.

Matthew Glynn, P.Eng.

Jeff Knapp, FEC, P.Eng.

Andrew Thalheimer, P.Eng

Darrell Marsh, P.Eng.

Browren Allard, P.Eng.

James Beck, P.Eng.

Lawrence Murphy, P.Eng.

Christine Bonnell-Eisnor, FEC, P.Eng.

Helen Langille, P.Eng.

President

Vice-President

Past-President

Councillor

Councillor

Councillor

Councillor

Councillor

Councillor

Councillor

Councillor

CEO & Registrar

Engineers Canada Director

Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor, Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University

Antigonish/Guysborough

Cape Breton/Victoria

Colchester

Cumberland

Halifax/Hants

Kings/Annapolis

Pictou

Board of Examiners

Complaints

Continuing Professional

Development

Discipline

Emerging Professionals

Finance & Audit

Honours & Awards

National Engineering Month

Professional Practice

Safety

Sustainability

Student Affairs

Women in Engineering

Cover Photo: Installation of BIPV nearing completion, EllisDon.

Stronger Together Through Collaboration & Harmonization

P.Eng., President

Pal Mann, CD, FCSSE, ICD.D., P.Eng., CEO & Registrar

Collaboration and harmonization are essential for any regulator to achieve its objectives and positively impact the public, registrants and other interested parties. For us, collaborating means working cooperatively with others who share a common vision, while harmonizing means aligning policies, procedures and standards to reduce inconsistency. Engineers Nova Scotia can leverage its strengths through collaboration and harmonization, address mutual challenges, and create synergies that benefit the public and engineering professionals.

One effective way to foster collaboration and harmonization is to form partnerships with other organizations with complementary expertise, resources and values. Partnering with other regulators can help Engineers Nova Scotia execute its mission and move towards its vision, access new markets, enhance efficiency and quality, and increase credibility and reputation. Partnerships also enable us to learn from others, share best practices, and innovate.

Building effective partnerships requires trust, communication and commitment. Trust means being honest, transparent and respectful with our partners. Communication means keeping our partners informed and supporting them in times of need. Building lasting and fruitful partnerships will strengthen our ability to collaborate.

Engineers Canada & Engineering Regulators

Engineers Nova Scotia has been actively engaged in the development of Engineers Canada’s Strategic Plan 202529, Realizing Tomorrows, which has four primary efforts:

• Realizing a stronger federation

• Realizing accreditation and academic assessments

• Realizing our role in sustainability

• Realizing an inclusive profession

Engineers Canada has also coordinated our efforts to craft a National Statement of Collaboration and Harmonization, which clarifies Engineers Canada’s role in facilitating collaboration and harmonization among engineering regulators across Canada. Additionally, Engineers Nova Scotia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Engineers Canada and other regulators to accept the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) reporting from other jurisdictions for non-resident registrants.

Atlantic Engineering Regulators

The four Atlantic engineering regulators have worked closely together, sharing ideas, policies, processes and tools. Engineers Nova Scotia has benefited from their work in improving our organizational goals, tackling new regulatory challenges, and fostering a stronger voice at the national table. We have worked to modernize and harmonize our CPD Program and inform our registrants of the new program already in place in New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador. The Atlantic engineering regulators have also agreed to share a common CPD learning platform that provides access to web-based modules from other jurisdictions white still allowing for the development of Nova Scotiaspecific content.

Nova Scotian Regulators & Partners

Engineers Nova Scotia is also collaborating with other regulators and partners, namely Geoscientists Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Association of Architects, the Association of Nova Scotia Land Surveyors, the Interior Designers of Nova Scotia and the Consulting Engineers of Nova Scotia (CENS). As the largest regulator in the group, we can play a coordinating role and facilitate support. Engineers Nova Scotia has offered to provide meeting space, co-host professional development and social events, and provide communications expertise. With CENS, we will explore how to support one another to foster growth and pride in the profession as we work together to fulfill our respective mandates.

Dr. Adam Donaldson, FEC,

Collaboration and harmonization are essential for Engineers Nova Scotia to achieve its objectives and positively impact its stakeholders. By forming partnerships with other organizations, Engineers Nova Scotia will leverage its strengths, address mutual challenges and create synergies that benefit the public and engineering professionals. Engineers Nova Scotia has been actively collaborating and will continue collaborating with regulators and partners to achieve its goals and fulfill its mandate.

We are all Stronger Together.

Regulatory Update

Kris Dove, COO and Treasurer, Engineers Nova Scotia

As reported previously in the Summer/ Fall 2023 issue of The Engineer, the Chief Executive Officers of the Atlantic engineering regulators have set out to harmonize the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program requirements. This encompasses registrants of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador (PEGNL), Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists New Brunswick, Engineers PEI and Engineers Nova Scotia.

Planning is underway following the Council’s approval of the Atlantic Regulators CPD Requirements for consultation with membership in December. Information sessions are being planned across the province and virtually to clarify CPD program changes and to answer questions. Registrants are expected to support the reduction in required annual CPD hours and additional improvements to modernize the program across Canada.

Implementing the updated requirements will require changes to the CPD reporting system, the development of audit processes, and other supporting policies. A plan is being assembled to

identify the necessary work efforts prior to the new requirements coming into effect, which is planned for January 1, 2025. The CPD Committee recently met and will provide support and review of plans and policies as drafts are developed by staff.

The Atlantic engineering regulators also discussed sharing a CPD learning platform, which would be led and maintained by PEGNL. This is a very positive situation as it will provide Engineers Nova Scotia registrants access to other regulators’ CPD web-based modules, and it is a cost-effective way to develop and deliver Nova Scotia-specific content to engineers.

Registration and additional details for the upcoming CPD information sessions will be available through our regular E-Bytes newsletter and on our website’s Events page.

Secondary Professional Liability Insurance Information

One of the most common questions received from registrants is regarding professional liability insurance requirements for practice and whether Engineers Nova Scotia provides any coverage. As the practice of every registrant is unique, registrants are advised to pose questions regarding coverage requirements to their current or potential insurance provider.

Registrants in good standing with the association are covered under a Secondary Professional Liability Insurance (SPLI) program, which provides protection in several areas outside the registrants’ regular practice areas.

This includes (but is not limited to) coverage for:

Whistleblowing: You “blow the whistle” on an employer due to illegal or unsafe practices and, consequently, face legal costs and professional repercussions.

Incidental professional consulting services: You consult informally with someone in your community, including friends and neighbours, and they bring a claim against you.

Disciplinary actions: You have administrative or disciplinary action brought against you and incur legal costs.

Prior acts: You have a claim brought against you for work you’ve done for a previous employer.

Intellectual Property: You are accused of copyright or patent infringement.

Estate: Your estate comes under threat due to a posthumous claim made against you.

Retirement: You require coverage for an incident that happened before retirement.

Mentoring: Your mentee is the subject of a claim.

Libel and slander: You are accused of libel or slander.

Cyber network security: You cause unauthorized access to a third-party computer network, resulting in data loss or other damage.

Loss of documents: You incur expenses to replace lost or damaged documents.

Note: The examples in this list are not exhaustive; policy wording prevails for all coverage interpretations, and

registrants are advised to contact the SPLI provider for additional details.

Beyond personal protection for professional services, SPLI is essential in ensuring that engineers feel comfortable in situations involving professional risk. Whether it’s whistleblowing, mentoring, or incidental practice coverage, SPLI allows registrants to engage in activities that promote the overall health and reputation of the engineering profession.

For more information on the SPLI program, including coverage and benefits for your situation, call the SPLI hotline at 800-361-9080 or visit our website.

If you have any questions about Professional Affairs or would like clarification about the Engineering Profession Act or By-Laws, please contact me to discuss. I would also be glad to hear from you if you know of anyone who may be in violation of regulations.

You can contact me at kdove@engineersnovascotia.ca.

Photo: iStock

National Engineering Month Events

A Message from the National Engineering Month Committee Chair, Darrell Marsh, P.Eng.

March is National Engineering Month (NEM), a month to celebrate engineering through activities designed to reach students, the public, and Engineers Nova Scotia registrants. This year’s theme was “There’s a place for you in engineering.”

The NEM Committee consists of volunteers and Engineers Nova Scotia staff who meet virtually and in person from October to April to plan, organize, run, and promote events that highlight the profession.

This year, our dedicated team of Engineers Nova Scotia staff and volunteers, with assistance from the National Engagement Committee for Outreach and Partnerships and with other Engineers Nova Scotia Committees, provided outstanding experiences for professional development.

Thank you to the Engineers Nova Scotia staff and the NEM, Emerging Professionals and Women in Engineering Committees, who filled the month with inspiring and educational opportunities.

National Engineering Month is a time to encourage students in STEM and to look toward the profession’s future. Our success depends not only on Engineers Nova Scotia and committee volunteers but also on the support of registrants. You should reach out to people within your communities and share your knowledge and experiences.

On behalf of the National Engineering Month Committee, I want to thank those who helped with the events this year—through sponsorship, volunteering or outreach.

Public Engineering Day

We returned to the Halifax Central Library, where we had various interactive STEM display tables and a paper tower competition for youth.

I’m looking forward to National Engineering Month 2025 when we will find noteworthy opportunities for community growth and participation.

Please consider volunteering for the NEM Committee—we’d love to have you. And always remember: “There’s a place for you in engineering!”

Spotlight on Local Innovation is a signature event from the Women in Engineering Committee that highlights interesting projects and research led by women engineers in Nova Scotia. This year, we had a full house of community partners and professionals.

7th Annual Curling Bonspiel: 8 engineering teams competed in friendly competition, with CBCL taking the crown.

Trivia Night at the T-Room: Presented by the NEM Committee, Trivia was hosted by our very own Stan Selig, P.Eng. and Ben Schulman, P.Eng.

Virtual Town Hall Meetings: 40 passionate registrants attended the two sessions—an opportunity to learn about the regulatory structure of Engineers Nova Scotia and ask the CEO and President questions.

Sweat and Sip Pilates Class: Hosted by the Emerging Professionals Committee.

We hosted a webinar: “3 Things Every Engineer Should Know About AI,” Presented by Robert Newcombe, P.Eng., Newcombe Consulting. Registration for this session reached 300, with attendees joining from across Canada.

Watch now:

A Q&A with Dr. Les Russell, FEC, P.Eng.

Introduce yourself!

Following early schooling in Halifax, I attended Dalhousie University and the former Nova Scotia Technical College (NSTC), obtaining a B.Eng. degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1955. I then accepted a position as a mechanical engineer in the design group with the Naval Research Establishment. I remained in this position for approximately seven years and, with the help of a leave of absence, obtained my M.A.Sc. Degree from Queens University in 1960.

I began my teaching career at NSTC in 1962 and, with the aid of another leave of absence, obtained my Ph.D. from Carleton University in 1971. On my return to NSTC, I began investigating the cause and origin of fire accidents and mechanical failures. I was accepted as an expert witness in the courts of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland. I retired from teaching in 1991 and continued my forensic investigation activities until recently.

What does volunteering mean to you?

A volunteer can be defined as someone who has accepted the privilege of working for a worthy cause for its betterment without any monetary reward. Of course, there are many other rewards, such as friendship, which are of more value than money can buy.

Please outline your volunteer experience with Engineers Nova Scotia.

I began volunteering with Engineers Nova Scotia, then the Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia, slightly over 40 years ago at the invitation of the Registrar, Mr. Frank MacDonald, P.Eng. He asked me to be a Board of Examiners (BOE) member, which I accepted. I have chaired the Board and remain a member to this day. I also served on and was chair of the Discipline Committee and have served as a member of the Council and as President of Engineers Nova Scotia.

I increased my involvement in the profession by serving as a member and chair of several Canadian Council of Professional Engineers national committees, including the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board and the Canadian Engineering International Board. I maintained my volunteering activities during my career and remain active as a volunteer. The satisfaction I’ve experienced and the enduring friends I’ve made are the only rewards needed to justify my participation in the various committees of Engineers Nova Scotia.

It’s a registrant’s responsibility to keep their info

dal.ca/faculty/engineering/future-students/future-students.html

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2 ctvnews.ca, “How much money does it take to raise a child in Canada?” July 2022.

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⁴ Canadian Cancer Society, “Cancer Statistics at a Glance,” 2023.

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Proposed offshore wind farm led by two Nova Scotia engineers

The proposed offshore windfarm is approximately 70 square kilometres in size, located 20-30 km offshore to reduce the visual impact from land and take advantage of offshore wind. Image: Nova East Wind visualisation: novaeastwind.ca/visualisation

Pilot project Nova East Wind is working to implement a floating offshore wind farm of 20-25 turbines located 20-30km off the coast of Goldboro by 2030 to support Nova Scotia and Canada’s decarbonization goals.

Project leads Anne-Marie Belliveau, P.Eng., Offshore Development Manager at DP Energy, and Gerald Sheehan, P.Eng., Project Development Manager at SBM Offshore, both grew up near the ocean and deeply respect coastal communities. A joint venture partnership between the engineers’ parent companies, the two Nova Scotians gladly bring their energy expertise to Nova East Wind’s development.

Goldboro has been selected as the ideal location after the project’s initial constraints analysis, which looked at areas from one end of the province to the other. SBM Offshore and DP Energy

joined forces to study environmental factors, traditional fishing activities, routes, and grid areas in which to run power lines. Just as much as the team looked at places to develop, they looked at places to avoid.

“Everything that went into Nova East Wind was about how we can best support Nova Scotians and bring jobs to the province,” says Belliveau. “We are working closely with fishers, municipalities, Mi’kmaq communities, and we want to ensure our actions are to the highest standard.”

Belliveau best describes Nova East Wind as a “stepping-stone project.”

The supply chain, the government and regulators must prepare policy and build the required infrastructure before Nova East Wind’s creative solutions can move through testing, approval and construction.

In September 2022, The Government of Nova Scotia announced a target to offer leases for five gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 to support the green hydrogen industry. According to the news release, leases for offshore wind development will be granted through a competitive bid process, with a first call in 2025.

The following spring, the province released the first of three modules of its new offshore wind road map, explaining Nova Scotia’s approach to site selection, seabed licenses and support mechanisms.

The second module, which will focus on supply chain, infrastructure, and clean, inclusive growth opportunities, will be released in the coming weeks. The third module, planned for the fall of 2024, will focus on feedback from Mi’kmaq, Indigenous peoples from

other communities, fisheries, and other environmental organizations.

“It’s early,” says Sheehan. “We’re not into more formal engagements like impact assessments. We’ve done a lot, but there’s a long road ahead.”

There are hopes of bringing the technology to multiple locations, but there are other focuses than expansion. Nova East Wind’s primary goal is to get the electrons into Nova Scotia’s grid within the next seven years to account for coal power no longer feeding into the grid.

However, the government pauses to consider waters within provincial jurisdiction until their framework is in place.

“There were a lot of questions within the industry and communities about seeing the province’s first announcement on offshore wind,” says Sheehan. “SBM Offshore and DP Energy have come together to share our vision of what we’d like the future to be.”

Belliveau adds that Nova East Wind’s stakeholders respect the government’s process and diligently conduct their consultations and research.

“What’s great about Nova East Wind is that it helps to inform and potentially guide legislation and policy,” she says. “We see ourselves moving in parallel with the government’s work.”

You can find updates on the province’s assessment of offshore wind development here

A tension-leg floating wind platform. The turbine is anchored to the seabed using tension cables to remain stable in rough oceans. Image: Nova East Wind visualisation: novaeastwind.ca/visualisation

The Loyola Student Residence Recladding Project

Recipient of the 2024 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Engineering

In partnership with DSRA Architecture and Saint Mary’s University, Dillon Consulting Limited innovatively transformed the Loyola Student Residence building and has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in engineering.

Initially enlisted for their mechanical and electrical solutions during a much-needed building recladding, Dillon’s role expanded from simply addressing maintenance concerns to providing a cost-effective, sustainable application of impressive technologies.

The first phase involved a detailed feasibility analysis of this 23-story solar energy initiative. The study examined integration options, probable construction costs, potential solar radiation, AC-DC conversion losses and system lifecycle.

Cutting in of windows through use of Swingstages and preparing surface for new cladding assembly. Photo © EllisDon

Existing South Facade of Loyola Residence pre-recladding. Photo © EllisDon

“This project demonstrates the tangible contribution of Canadian engineers towards solving the global challenge of climate change. When the opportunity came along, the team at SMU and Dillon Consulting did not hesitate to try something new, something truly innovative. We sincerely hope that this is just the first of many similar integrated photovoltaic installations.”

- Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, Saint Mary’s University President and Vice-Chancellor

Collaborating with Saint Mary’s University’s Office of Sustainability, this meticulous analysis laid the groundwork for the second phase: the photovoltaic paneling system and supporting infrastructure design.

The result is not only an electrically efficient building but an architecturally pleasing one, reflecting the aesthetic aspirations of the client team. A successful application of engineering principles created an efficient and socially responsible building.

This brand-new lightweight cladding system increases safety and decreases operations costs for the building maintenance team. A two-person team on a swing stage can remove and maintain paneling, as opposed to a crane and large crew.

The project’s incorporation of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) systems to generate power is a critical

achievement in reducing carbon emissions. Financial savings were top of mind, mainly through optimizing the available resources and using inverters with high DC-to-AC ratios.

Remarkably, the Loyola Student Residence Recladding Project adapts to seasonal energy demands. The photovoltaic system is optimally positioned and engineered to maximize energy capture during solar irradiance and fluctuation periods. The benefit is twofold: the system meets immediate energy demands more effectively, alleviating the load on the building’s HVAC system.

The Loyola Student Residence Recladding Project is the first in Atlantic Canada and represents North America’s tallest application of these technologies. Over its 30-year lifespan covered by the linear power warranty, the project promises significant benefits, including approximately $500,000 in deferred electricity costs, over $100,000

in natural gas savings and an additional $124,000 in CO2e tax savings.

These savings, coupled with the cost differential between a like-for-like recladding and the BIPV option, result in a payback period shorter than 20 years through feasibility modelling.

The Dillon team is comprised of individuals from varied engineering disciplines, lived experiences, gender identities, languages, and geographical regions—a testament to these unparalleled, creative outcomes.

In merging financial feasibility with environmental stewardship, this initiative contributes to both the prosperity of Saint Mary’s University and a greener future for Nova Scotians.

New South End Campus Medium Voltage Substation supporting distribution of Photovoltaic Energy to several buildings. Photo: Dillon

Inside Loyola Residence Stairwell where Windows with PV modules integrated into them have been added to improve lighting. Photo: EllisDon

Sister Projects Loyola Cladding and Sobey Hub nearing completion. Photo: Grey Cardinal

Engineers who brew

Emily Cowin, P.Eng., had been living in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, for about five years when she got the itch—what felt like a duty—to open a business.

It was 2011, and Cowin was working as a sustainability planner for the municipality.

“I spent a lot of time talking to the community, and economic development was a big issue in Shelburne,” says the engineer. “Over time, I kept concluding that we needed more people to move to Shelburne and start companies, and I thought: ‘What business could I start?’”

Cowin had recently met Henry Pedro, P.Eng., a fellow chemical engineer. Pedro visited Shelburne several times to sail, and his family was looking for a reason to move to Nova Scotia from Toronto.

“I knew that if I were going to start a business, I’d want to do it with Henry because his skills are very complimentary

to mine,” says Cowin. “Our paths just kind of converged.”

In 2012, the pair founded Boxing Rock Brewery in Shelburne—which Cowin considers the “best place on earth to live”—and set out to create meaningful work not only for themselves but also for others in rural Nova Scotia.

Cowin and Pedro initially designed the business to distribute products to NSLC stores, but as the craft beer market grew, they soon realized how valuable it would be to create an in-person brewery experience. Boxing Rock has since expanded to two retail locations—a taproom and barrel aging facility in downtown Shelburne and another smaller location in Halifax.

Why beer, though?

Cowin wanted to create something that the community could be proud of— something that would put Shelburne on the map as a place worth visiting.

Henry Pedro, P.Eng., and Emily Cowin, P.Eng., co-founders of Boxing Rock Brewing Company.

Photo: Taste of Nova Scotia /Alexa Cude Photography

Nick Williams, Brewer at Boxing Rock Brewing Company. Williams was Boxing Rock’s second employee, and this year will be his 10th year working for the company.

“He knows as much or more about running the brewery than Henry and I do,” says Cowin.

Photo: Boxing Rock

She also felt that her engineering skills paired well.

“For a chemical engineer, brewing is a process we understand, which is interesting,” she says. “Henry and I also love to cook, so beer is the perfect marriage between our interests. There is creativity in developing flavours and an opportunity for efficiency and problem-solving.”

It is Cowin and Pedro’s engineering backgrounds which have given them a unique advantage in the brewing industry, especially when it comes to quality control. With their deep understanding of batch processing, the pair have developed repeatable processes to improve continuously.

In the first few years of operations, Boxing Rock helped invent and patent a technology that carbonates beer, specifically designed for small craft brewers.

“We recognized the need for a product that would perfect the process, and that’s what engineers do—we’re good at uncovering problems and finding the right solutions.”

The Boxing Rock team upholds five fundamental values: quality, community, integrity, customer experience, and respect. They employ local talent and develop their technical skills in a fun and impactful way.

After over a decade in business, Cowin remains just as passionate about fostering a welcoming culture.

“I want to give people that smalltown Nova Scotia experience,” she says, “Showing them the care and attention and the feeling of community.”

“We want people to take on engineering for themselves”

Every Wednesday evening, twentyfive engineering students set up shop at the Sexton Campus Emera IDEA Building to work on Atlantic Canada’s first solar car, NOVA.

They are the Dalhousie Solar Car team, a committed group of student volunteers who choose to stay on campus after class.

Last summer, Dalhousie Solar Car went international, travelling to Kansas to compete at the 2023 Formula Sun Grand Prix, an annual closed-track endurance race for solar-powered vehicles. The Dalhousie team placed 4th in the single-occupant vehicle race and 3rd in scrutineering, beating out more than half of the competition.

The team is gearing up for a July trip to Kentucky for the 2024 Formula Sun Grand Prix.

According to Michelle Yee, an electrical engineering graduate and Operations Manager of Dalhousie Solar Car, debuting NOVA at this collegiate solar car competition was a massive feat—one the team has been working towards since forming in 2021.

“We gained a lot of experience from the first race,” says Yee. “Now we have a brand-new solar ray and built our battery pack to run more efficiently.”

The idea for a solar car design group at the university originally came from Gina Park, an electrical engineering student in Yee’s cohort. After seeing

the competitions for college solar car projects across the US, Park knew that Dalhousie students could benefit from a similar initiative.

Yee got involved in May of 2021, and after a year of recruitment initiatives, the team grew to over 80 members.

“A solar car isn’t really something people see often, so I think it caught a lot of students’ attention, and we quickly grew. We currently have about 25 regular volunteers, but I’d say over a hundred have been involved in some shape or form over the last three years,” says Yee.

A diverse group of students make up the tight-knit team of late teens and early twenty-year-olds. The team is split

Dalhousie Solar Car part of the movement towards sustainable technologies

into two departments: operations and technical engineering, where smaller groups collaborate to develop the vehicle’s parts, like the battery pack and brakes.

Dalhousie Solar Car has someone from every engineering discipline and even a few computer science students. The team’s range of skills is vital to its early success.

“Everyone has something new they can bring to the project,” says Yee. “You don’t have to be from a specific background to get involved since we’re all learning together.”

But the NOVA project isn’t just a fun pastime for these students—their efforts are contributing to promoting

the practicality of renewable energy while inspiring the next generation of engineers.

“Solar cars are niche, so we’re hoping this project catches companies’ attention and expands their mindset of what’s out there and possible,” says Yee.

Although harnessing solar power’s capabilities can be variable and challenging—as many renewable energy sources are—Yee believes that Dalhousie Solar Car can be part of the global movement towards sustainable technologies.

“Our aim at the end of the day is to get the younger generation interested in starting their innovative projects,” says Yee. “We want people to take on engineering for themselves.”

Follow the Dalhousie Solar Car Team:

@dalsolarcar

DalSolarCar

Photos: Dalhousie University Engineering

Climate change action, now

Nick Whalen, MASc student, has designed and built a rig to look at the fundamental aspects of burning hydrogen-enriched natural gas mixtures. He will measure the stability of different burner types and do modelling work.

What if there was a way to massively curb emissions without a decade of new infrastructure, research, and planning? What if there was a way to work within the existing energy grid to mitigate the effects of climate change province-wide?

Well, there might be—and the work is happening right in our backyards, at a brand-new laboratory in the Chemical Engineering building on Dalhousie University’s Sexton Campus—The Hydrogen Applications Research Lab.

Process Engineering and Applied Science Professor Dr. Michael Pegg, P.Eng., leads a team of co-op, doctorate, masters, undergraduate, and international students as they experiment with adding hydrogen to natural gas-run applications, including household appliances.

The idea is straightforward: more hydrogen equals less carbon dioxide. Blending hydrogen into natural gas can generate heat and power with lower emissions than natural gas alone. The nuance, however, comes down to

each application, as the percentage of hydrogen that can be added without compromising a system’s operability is specific to its condition.

Ph.D. student Theo Street is leading the lab’s appliance testing, with safety at the top of his mind. His passion for the project is undeniable as he poses proudly next to his work—the oven running perfectly on 5 percent hydrogen.

Ph.D. student Theo Street is leading the lab’s appliance testing, with safety at the top of his mind.

“This is technically feasible now—it’s not in early development stages,” says Street. “We know we can decrease emissions as soon as systems get electrolyzers up and running.”

According to Dr. Pegg, the lab’s work aids the transition from fossil fuels to the next generation of energy production. A sustainable future is not a distant daydream. It could be nearing reality.

On March 18, Canada and Germany signed a memorandum of understanding for the future sale of hydrogen produced from projects in Atlantic Canada. The federal government intends to be a key supplier of clean energy to Europe,

demonstrating their support for the developments spearheaded by East Coast groups.

But hydrogen isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. And, neither is electrification.

The idea is that hydrogen can decarbonize the natural gas grid alongside cross-industry electrification—something all levels of government are already considering. It’s a two-pronged approach to climate change mitigation and perhaps the most realistic.

Eastward Energy, a Nova Scotiabased company, came on as an early partner of The Hydrogen Applications Research Lab. The company is working on a proposed green hydrogen project in Halifax to produce enough hydrogen to power over 60 buses or heat about 1000 homes.

However, before hydrogen projects move into development, the Nova Scotia energy regulator needs to get on board.

A new Nova Scotia bill, The Energy Reform Act, was announced in late February. It will create a new regulator for public energy utilities and a new systems operator within a year to eighteen months.

A key player in this legislation is the Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables, Tory Rushton, who attended the grand opening of The Hydrogen Applications Research Lab.

“The Chief Inspector of the Fuel Safety Division has been in the loop all along, has approved the installation, and sees what we’re doing,” says Dr. Pegg. “He’s really interested in the work.”

Until now, the needle has been moving in the right direction. The university’s grant application to

How a Dalhousie Lab is spearheading green energy solutions

the federal government’s “Alliance Missions Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Research Program” was accepted, which has funded last year’s worth of set-up and will fund the next two years of research.

Dr. Pegg is currently channeling his efforts into getting the lab certified by Underwriters Laboratories of Canada to provide a safety seal so the student’s findings can start being applied in manufacturing processes and, in turn, brought into peoples’ homes.

With the help of Net-Zero Atlantic’s Emerging Concepts and Technologies (ECT) Research Program, the students

are also looking to design two 100 percent-run hydrogen prototypes: a water heater and a combined heat and power unit that will generate electricity.

“There’s no point in having hydrogen here if we can’t use it,” says Dr. Pegg.

“We are playing a bit of catch-up with other pilot projects—Europe, the United States, Western Canada—but if the government is keen on getting off coal by 2030, we’re in a good spot.”

Street is similarly optimistic about The Hydrogen Applications Research Lab’s impact.

“What interests me the most about this project is making a difference in the world now,” Street says. “That’s what being an engineer is all about.”

Andrew J. Furlong (PhD student); Shaemus MacDonald (Undergraduate Co-op student); Vansh Pandhi (MEng student); Theo Street (PhD student); Dr. Michael J. Pegg, P. Eng.; Nick Whalen (MASc student).

Shaza Gameel, P.Eng

It took Shaza Gameel, P.Eng., four years of consistent effort to move to Canada from Sudan but a decade’s worth of thoughtful, strategic decisions.

The seed was planted when Shaza had her first daughter, and she immediately felt that Sudan was not where her baby should grow up. Shaza wanted to raise her daughter with diverse opportunities and stability—two things that Sudan did not guarantee.

After in-depth research, Shaza felt that Canada would be the best fit for her family and set out to differentiate herself from the pool of immigrant applications.

The engineer went for her master’s in water science and engineering at the reputable IHE Delft Institute in the Netherlands. As emotionally challenging as it was, she left her daughter with her mother and focused on her studies, diligent and aware of her goals.

When Shaza returned to Sudan two years later, she went back to her job as a Hydrologist and Water Resources Engineer for the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources and made up for lost time with her daughter. She had her second daughter soon after and put both in English school.

“I wasn’t just waiting around for ten years; I was single-mindedly focused on the move happening,” says Shaza. “When we arrived at the Halifax airport in early 2020, I realized I’d been planning that moment for a decade, and it felt amazing.”

Shaza came to Canada with extensive water resources experience but was concerned that the work pace would be much faster. Upon her arrival, she contacted the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS), hoping to ease the transition.

And it worked.

After taking ISANS’ Internationally Educated Engineers Bridging Program, online resume building and writing courses, Shaza landed an internship as a Water Resources Engineer for the Government of Nova Scotia’s Department of Agriculture six months later.

“ISANS helped me find out where I stood in a new country,” she says. “I felt so lucky when my case manager connected me with my employer, and they hired me immediately.”

Shaza built her soft skills through ISANS’ Orientation and Communications Skills for Engineers Program (OCSE) and developed a supportive network of engineers and other professionals.

After completing the fourth-month internship for the Department of Agriculture, Shaza was invited back on a contract to research climate change adaptation methods. She did this research for a year and a half before becoming an Environmental Analyst for the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

As an Environmental Analyst, Shaza works with other engineers, climate change experts and public

health officers to ensure that engineers’ proposed climate change projects are effectively moved to leadership and eventually implemented.

“I feel like I’m doing something important,” says Shaza. “Not all engineers can deliver their projects to decision-makers, and, many times, there are misunderstandings. My job is to make smooth communication happen.”

Although Shaza has practiced as an engineer throughout her career, working as an Environmental Analyst has challenged her in a new and satisfying way.

“I get this feeling every day that I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing.”

Shaza’s never-give-up attitude has made her a go-to mentor for other Internationally Educated Engineers in the community. She advocates that every engineer—internationally educated or not—can deliver their project to a non-engineer audience at a high level and make their mark in the industry.

“A lot of immigrants are full of fear, and I always try to guide them on how to get their engineering license,” says Shaza. “I never want someone to give up their engineering degree from another country because they think continuing in the field will be too difficult.”

After all, the engineer is living proof that thriving while building a meaningful life is possible.

“I had a culture shock for sure; things are not how I’m used to in Sudan or any other neighbouring region. I had to unlearn what I knew before and learn new ways of thinking. It was painful and took time, but I’m here today.”