Canadian Consulting Engineer March/April 2010

MARCH/APRIL 2010

For professional engineers in private practice

BUILDING ENERGY

Report Card from BOMA

C.D. Howe Cooling Systems Transformed MINAS BASIN’S GREEN REVOLUTION

Missing Why engineers should not be left out of the first building design meetings

Publications Mail Agreement #40069240

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com

They’re not just ranting and raving fans.

They’re part of our research department.

On any given day, Moen Commercial is out in the world with the people who use our products. And occasionally, misuse them. We’re enduring soda spills and mustard stains to design heavy-duty faucets that meet the demands of a heavy-duty crowd.

But most importantly, we’re exceeding your demands for durability and quality. In fact, we’re so confident in the strength and vandal resistance of our products, we back them with a limited 5-year warranty. Which means you can always count on a winning performance from the faucets you’ve specified, no matter how rowdy the fans might get.

To learn more about how our products are built for the real world, visit www.moen.ca or call 800-465-6130.

©2008 Moen Incorporated

Moen and the Crossed Water Drops Design are registered trademarks of Moen Incorporated

contents

March/April 2010 Volume 51, No. 2

Cover: Missing — Why engineers should not be left out of the first building design meetings.

Photo © wetwater/Fotolia See story p. 30.

features Fire Protection Protecting Power Transformers. Full-scale tests show the merits of compressed-air-foam suppression systems.

By Andrew Kim, Ph.D., NRC/Institute for Research in Construction

15

HVAC C.D. Howe Renewal. The cooling systems of an office building in downtown Ottawa are reconfigured to ease the burden on the district plant.

17

DESSAU Industry Minas Basin’s Green Revolution. A pulp and paper company Minas Basin Pulp & Power, see story page 20.

in Nova Scotia has become a hotbed of sustainable technologies.

20

By Andrew Safer Building Energy Report Card. Research on 450 buildings by the Building Owners and

departments

Managers Association of Canada found some surprising results.

26

By Nada Sutic, BOMA Canada

Comment

4

Up Front

6

Missing. Building engineers need to be at the table along with the other designers right from the start. But too often the

ACEC Review

11

“integrated design approach” is not happening.

Finance

38

By Bronwen Parsons

Advertiser Index

41

Human Edge

42

Next issue: Special issue devoted to ground source heating systems and solar technologies for buildings.

30

Companies H.H. Angus & Associates - 90 Years of Innovation. The history of the Toronto mechanical-electrical engineering consultants echoes the development of modern building technology.

By Debby Blyth and Peggy Doe

March/April 2010

35

Canadian Consulting Engineer

3

comment

engineer For professional engineers in private practice

C a n a d i a n C o n s u lt i n g

Editor

Bronwen Parsons E-mail: bparsons@ccemag.com (416) 510-5119 Senior Publisher

Emerging from the comfort zone

Maureen Levy E-mail: mlevy@ccemag.com (416) 510-5111 Art Director

Ellie Robinson

M

ost building engineers have heard about the “integrated design process,” the subject of this issue’s cover feature. Integrated design means that the entire team of consultants puts a building design together from the start of the project, rather than one consultant (usually the architect) doing the design and then handing it over to the other consultants to fill in their parts. The integrated design approach allows the building to be designed holistically. It started being advocated by green building designers about a decade ago.

So far, however, the approach has caught on in only a limited way. Which is a shame since the integrated approach promises to give engineers a much bigger say in how buildings are put together. It could empower engineers and allow them to wield an influence among the design team that they’ve never had before.

The question is, however, do building engineers want this responsibility?

Being on the design team requires joining in the creative process, which by definition means that engineers will be expected to suggest and grapple with new technologies. Apparently many engineers are reluctant to do this. They prefer to stay with conventional mechanical-electrical systems, rather than venturing up the green road. Too often, it has to be said, they’re more comfortable taking a back seat in the design process.

In a former life when I was an editor for an architectural magazine we heard architects complain about engineers being too conservative. Some architects felt engineers tended to err too much on the side of caution. They grumbled that the engineers had insisted that the columns be thicker than the elegant supports the architect wanted, for example. Or the chiller was way too big and was eating up too much of the budget.

Engineers are bound to protect the public interest, so if they are conservative, it is understandable and justified. But engineers must find ways to make buildings a lot more energy efficient than they are now. Currently residential, commercial and institutional buildings account for approximately 34% of energy consumed in Canada (40% of greenhouse gas emissions).

So engineers who want to do what’s best for the environment (and to not be left behind in the green movement) have to take the time to research the many new emerging technologies to find those which are most reliable. Then they must have the confidence to step up to the plate and take an active part in design meetings, being willing to recommend technologies that have not yet become mainstream.

There’s another important factor that’s worth remembering. A study of over 450 buildings by the Building Owners and Property Managers Association (BOMA) reported on page 26 found that a building’s design and equipment is often not what sets it apart for energy efficiency. Just as important are the owner’s management policies and how the building is operated.

It’s a sobering thought for building designers of every stripe. Architects and engineers can work as closely as they like to come up with the perfect, integrated building design. What’s vital is that the building operator is trained how to orchestrate all those systems as an integrated whole.

Bronwen Parsons

4

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

Contributing Editor

Rosalind Cairncross, P.Eng. Advertising Sales Manager

Vince Naccarato E-mail: vnaccarato@ccemag.com (416) 510-5118 Editorial Advisors

Andrew Bergmann, P.Eng., Bruce Bodden, P.Eng., Gerald Epp, P.Eng., Chris Newcomb, P.Eng., Laurier Nichols, ing., Lee Norton, P.Eng., Jonathan Rubes, P.Eng., Paul Ruffell, P.Eng., Ron Wilson, P.Eng. Circulation

Beata Olechnowicz (416) 442-5600 x3543 bolechnowicz@bizinfogroup.ca Production Co-ordinator Karen Samuels (416) 510-5190 Vice President, Publishing Business Information Group (BIG)

Alex Papanou

President, Business Information Group (BIG)

Bruce Creighton Head Office

12 Concorde Place, Suite 800 Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 Tel: (416) 442-5600 Fax: (416) 510-5134 CANADIAN CONSULTING ENGINEER is published by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. EDITORIAL PURPOSE: Canadian Consulting Engineer magazine covers innovative engineering projects, news and business information for professional engineers engaged in private consulting practice. The editors assume no liability for the accuracy of the text or its fitness for any particular purpose.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Canada, 1 year $58.95; 2 years $88.95 + taxes Single copy $7.00 Cdn. + taxes. (GST 809751274-RT0001).

United States U.S. $58.95. Foreign U.S. $81.95.

Printed in Canada. Title registered at Trademarks ­Office, Ottawa. Copyright 1964. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the copyright owner(s).

ISSN: 0008-3267 POSTAL INFORMATION: Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept., Canadian Consulting Engineer, 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2.

USPS 016-099. US office of publication: 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY 14304-5709. Periodicals postage paid at Niagara Falls, NY. US Postmaster: send address changes to Canadian Consulting Engineer, PO Box 1118, Niagara Falls NY 14304.

Privacy: From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us. tel: 1-800-668-2374, fax: 416-510-5134, e-mail: jhunter@businessinformationgroup.ca, mail to: Privacy Officer, BIG, 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2.

Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

Member of the Canadian Business Press Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations Inc.

Association of Business Publishers 205 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017

Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada Association des ingénieurs-conseils du Canada

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program towards our mailing costs. PAP Registration No. 11002.

WANTED:

RECHERCHONS :

“My job is constantly evolving, but I was given the training to deal with whatever comes my way. Updating our technology, repairing heavy machinery, solving problems. It’s all in a day’s work.”

Lieutenant (Navy) AMY O’RIELLY

« Mon métier est en constante évolution mais heureusement, j’ai été entraînée pour faire face à l’inattendu. En une seule journée, je peux effectuer la mise à niveau de nos technologies, résoudre une variété de problèmes ou même réparer de la machinerie lourde. » Lieutenant de vaisseau AMY O’RIELLY

ENGINEERS

INGÉNIEURS

FORCES.CA FIGHT WITH THE CANADIAN FORCES

1-800-856-8488 COMBATTEZ AVEC LES FORCES CANADIENNES

up front

AWARDS

Alberta Awards Rock n’Roll About 500 people attended the Consulting Engineers of Alberta Showcase Awards on February 5 at the BMO Centre, Calgary Stampede. The theme this year was “A British Rock n’Roll Invasion.”

Elbow River Bridge, Calgary, CH2M Hill.

The following won CEA Showcase Awards of Excellence: Hemisphere Engineering for the Calgary Courts Centre (building engineering category); Progressive Engineering for the East Village Redevelopment in Calgary (community development); Stewart Weir for its Quality Management System (community outreach and in-house developments); AMEC Earth & Environmental/Progressive Engineering for the Currie Barracks Brownfield Project in Calgary (environmental); AECOM Canada for the Giant Gold Mine Dewatering (natural resources, mining & industrial); Stantec Consulting for the Health Research Innovation Facility at the University of Alberta (project management); ISL Engineering and Land Services for the Zama Water Treatment Plant NavIS O&M (studies, software and special services); CH2M Hill Canada for the Elbow River Bridge in Calgary (transportation); Stantec Consulting for the Lendrum DualUse Stormwater Management Facility in Edmonton (water resources and energy production).

The Alberta Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement

went to Dr. C. James Montgomery, P.Eng., a principal at Cohos Evamy Integratedesign. Montgomery left university teaching to join Lamb McManus Associates in 1981 and joined Cohos Evamy in 1988. Among the many projects he has contributed to are the Alex Fraser Bridge in Vancouver, the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton, and the Francis Winspear Centre for Music in Edmonton.

For the second time, CEA also gave an Annual Rising Young Professional Award. The award went to Alana Getty Somers, P.Eng., who is a project manager with CH2M Hill Canada.

PEOPLE

Tragedy in Haiti At least two employees of consulting engineering firms were killed in the earthquake in Haiti that struck January 12.

Katie Hadley, a 30-year old engineer from Franz Environmental in Ottawa, had just arrived that afternoon in Port-auPrince and was settling into the Hotel Katie Hadley Montana when it collapsed. Her death was confirmed by the Canadian government two weeks after the earthquake. To donate to a scholarship in her name, visit www. carleton.ca/giving Richard Proteau, aged 65, of AECOM Tecsult, Montreal also died. He was in Haiti leading a highway project 400 kilometres from Port-au-Prince, Richard Proteau but happened to be visiting the capital on the fateful day.

AECOM employees around the world have donated $282,350 for Haitian aid, and the company has matched that amount. continued on page 8

6

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

WASTEWATER

Sewage in Ottawa More than 15 million litres of mixed raw sewage, rain and snowmelt entered the Ottawa River in late February. The same week, Ottawa city council approved a $252-million plan to build an underground storage system to prevent similar spills.

EMISSIONS

“The Great Carbon Con” Activists are mobilizing against carbon trading, saying that the process is impossible to monitor. Noting that the UN has already approved more than 300 million carbon credits worth billions of dollars, Mark Shapiro in a Harpers article, wrote: “The increasingly complex and far-flung projects, with developers dredging up thousands of claimed reductions in remote areas all around the world, already far outstrip the UN’s ability to police them adequately.”— Probe International.

STRUCTURES

Toronto roofs must be green Toronto is the first North American city to require green or “cool” (reflective) roofs on new developments. The rule came into effect January 31 and applies to residential, commercial and institutional buildings more than 2,000 m2.

WANTED:

RECHERCHONS:

“I was looking for a career that would make a difference. Here, challenges come at you fast, and when they do, you have to deal with them. With this kind of responsibility, I can make a real impact.”

Sub-Lieutenant MOHAMED ALI GUDAL

« J’étais à la recherche d’une carrière qui me permettrait de faire une différence. Ici, les défis ne se font pas attendre et il faut être prêt à y faire face. Compte tenu de mes responsabilités, je sais que j’ai vraiment un impact.»

Enseigne de vaisseau de 1re classe MOHAMED ALI GUDAL

ENGINEERS

INGÉNIEURS

FORCES.CA FIGHT WITH THE CANADIAN FORCES

1-800-856-8488 COMBATTEZ AVEC LES FORCES CANADIENNES

up front

continued from page 6

BUILDINGS

sendsspace.com

U.S. designers prominent on Art Gallery of Alberta A boldly renovated Art Gallery of Alberta opened in Edmonton on January 31. What was formerly a 1969 Brutalist concrete structure has been remodelled into a sculpted zinc, stainless and glass creation by Randall Stout Architects of Los Angeles, California.

The 7,900-m2 foot gallery located on Sir Winston Churchill Square downtown has three exhibit floors and 2,500 m2 of new public spaces.

These include a new lobby, great hall,

Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton.

theatre, cafe, lounge, store and sculpture court.

Randall Stout won the commission to remodel the art gallery in a 2005 architectural competition. Several other consultants are from the U.S., including DeSimone Consultants as structural engineers, and IBE as mechanical-electrical engineers.

Canadian consultants include HIP (associate architects), BPTEC-DNW (structural), Stantec (mechanical/ electrical/plumbing/fire protection), Reed Jones Christoffersen (curtain wall), GHL (code), RWDI (snow, ice and wind), Digicon Information (specifications), ICX Solutions (commissioning), and EBA (geotechnical).

The completed building cost $88 million.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Genivar hits 1,000 in Ontario GENIVAR of Montreal has recently acquired two engineering firms in Ontario, bringing the number of its employees in the province to over 1,000.

In February, Genivar purchased Cook Engineering of Thunder Bay 8

in northern Ontario. Cook Engineering was founded in 1962 and has 110 employees serving the industrial, transportation, building sciences and renewable energy sectors. Cook also owns Laurentian Engineering based in Duluth, Minnesota.

In early March, Genivar acquired the Thompson Rosemount Group, a firm of 100 employees with offices in Cornwall, Ottawa, Guelph and Kingston. The firm serves the healthcare, institutional, municipal and transportation sectors.

Barenco, a firm of 40 employees in environmental engineering and sciences services based in Gormley, Ontario, has joined Trow Global of Toronto.

Stewart Weir, a consulting engineering firm in B.C. and Alberta, has acquired Land Data Technologies, a 30-year old firm in Edmonton.

PEOPLE

Andrew Steeves, P.Eng. becomes editorial advisor Canadian Consulting Engineer is pleased to announce that Andrew Steeves, P.Eng. has joined its group of editorial advisors. A civil engineer, Steeves is corporate strategic advisor for ADI Limited, based in Fredericton, New Andrew Steeves Brunswick. He was chair of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC) in 2001-2002.

Pre-assembly of fan for climatic wind tunnel at UOIT.

Western Ontario has wind speeds of 100 km/hour). Temperatures inside the UOIT tunnel range from –40 C to 60 C, and humidity can fluctuate from 5% to 95%.

The chamber will be used for testing not just vehicles and aerospace components, but also wind turbines and materials and products subject to severe conditions.

The $123-million building will be completed in June. Diamond Schmitt are the architects. Aiolos, a Toronto firm, designed the wind tunnel.

The building structural engineer is Halcrow Yolles, mechanical-electrical engineer is Crossey Engineering, and civil engineers are AECOM. BOOKS

Maps, Mountains, Mosquitoes McElhanney Consulting Services of Vancouver has published: Maps, Mountains and Mosquitoes, the McElhanney Story 1910 to 2010.

Written by Katherine Gordon, the book tells the history of “one of the few companies that has made it to 100

RESEARCH

UOIT lab tests for weather extremes One of the largest and most sophisticated climatic wind tunnels in the world is being built at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) in Oshawa, southern Ontario.

The 16,300-m2 General Motors of Canada Automotive Centre of Excellence includes a wind chamber where wind speeds can exceed 240 km/hour (for comparison, the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel at the University of

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

W.G. McElhanney in 1912.

years in the surveying, mapping and engineering business and is still owned and managed by its employees.”

Today, McElhanney has a staff of 800 and works across Canada and around the world.

By Grace Pickard, Manulife Financial

Can you afford NOT to be covered for health and disability expenses?

Most people recognize the need for home insurance, car insurance and even life insurance.

But many overlook the need for two types of insurance, the absence of which could strike at the heart of your finances especially if you’re self-employed or don’t have adequate coverage at work.

Extended health insurance. About half of all Canadians do not have extended health insurance through their employers, so must pay out of their own pocket, or hope their provincial health plan covers it.

In fact, Canadians are spending more out of their own pocket on health care than they were two decades ago — $452 per person in 2007 compared with $222 in 1981. Much of the increase was due to the rising costs of health care not covered by provincial insurance, and the fact that fewer costs are being covered.1 It has never been more important to have an extended health care plan that covers what your provincial health insurance doesn’t: prescriptions, diagnostic services, chiropractors, physiotherapists, semiprivate or private hospital rooms, out-of-Canada emergency medical care,

ambulances and more. Dental coverage can help cover the cost of examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fillings, crowns, root canals and even dentures.

If you are self-employed, your premiums for extended health care plans may be tax deductible.2 Disability insurance. It is far more likely that you will become disabled before age 65 than die. In fact, disability strikes working people far more often than premature death.

If a disability lasts 90 days, it is likely to last three years or more for a 35-year-old man or woman, and four years or more for a 45-year-old man or woman.3 How is a person with dependants supposed to survive without any source of income?

Where will the money come from if you’re unable to work?

Disability insurance provides a source of income if you should become ill or injured and can’t work. These plans provide monthly benefit payments, based on a percentage of your monthly earnings, while you are disabled and unable to perform your occupation.

While many employers offer disability coverage, keep in mind that you can’t take your company plan with you if you leave your job. A private disability plan is not only portable: some also provide coverage between jobs so you can continue to receive benefits if you become disabled within 12 months of your last employment ending.

Look for a disability plan that offers coverage for different types of disability, such as total disability, residual disability, partial disability and catastrophic loss.

And remember that as long as you pay your own premiums (not your employer or partnership), your monthly disability benefits are tax free.2 Being ill or injured can be challenging enough without worrying about being driven into serious debt. With the financial safety net provided by private health and disability insurance, you can focus on your recovery, not on the bills. ■ 1GPI Atlantic, Economic Security in Nova Scotia and

Canada, July 2008.

2Contact Canada Revenue Agency for details.

3Disability Insurance: Where Will the Money Come From If

You’re Disabled? Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association. January 2004.

Engineers Canada-sponsored plans: Your financial safety net Extended Health Care Plan & Dental Care Plan

Disability Income Replacement Plan

These plans help reduce your out-of-pocket medical costs by paying for those expenses not covered by your provincial health plan.

Affordable coverage for you and your family.

Provides you with a generous monthly benefit to replace lost income if a serious illness or accident keeps you from making a living — so you can continue to provide for your family.

Visit

www.manulife.com/CCE to get more plan details, calculate your monthly benefits, get no-obligation quotes and apply online.

Or call toll-free 1

877 598-2273 Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET

Sponsored by:

Underwritten by:

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Engineers Canada plans are underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Manulife Financial).

Lighting a greener future

A free seminar

An overview of lighting technologies for today and tomorrow

Philips is committed to sustainability and social responsibility, and as such, is hosting a free half day seminar to discuss new, innovative lighting systems that can make a significant difference in terms of energy savings and CO2 emission reduction.

This seminar will provide you with an understanding of how these technologies can provide solutions that offer superior light quality, as well as get you closer to your financial and environmental goals.

Who should attend

Facility Management Professionals Consulting Engineers Architects Specifiers Energy Consultants Energy Management Environmental Program Facilitators Building Operations and Engineering Building Owners and Developers

Keynote speaker Paul Hafner, LC, IESNA, has more than 25 years experience in the lighting industry. He has worked on numerous energyefficient revitalization projects with municipalities, utilities, and federal agencies, giving him a hands-on understanding of how to implement construction projects. An avid student of adult education, as well as a teacher, Paul has created many interactive activities that support the understanding of lighting principles and technologies.

Locations and dates

Quebec City 01. 06. 10 Montreal 02. 06. 10 Ottawa 03. 06. 10 Winnipeg 09. 06. 10 Toronto 10. 06. 10 Edmonton 15. 06. 10 Calgary 16. 06. 10 Vancouver 17. 06. 10 To register, visit www.lightingagreenerfuture.com

www.lightingagreenerfuture.com

ACEC review

Chair’s Message

Energy and environment are important to economy

R

ecent months have seen much attention focused on traditional infrastructure — both by government and by the industry itself. While the recognition of infrastructure and its value to society is welcomed and encouraged, it is also important to recognize that ACEC members play a significant role in building and energy projects. Therefore the emphasis on these sectors in this issue of Canadian Consulting Engineer magazine will make for some interesting reading.

While the building and energy sectors may appear quite different in terms of the types of projects normally associated with each, they are no doubt interrelated in the challenge they both face to achieve energy conservation and sustainability. The pragmatic and informed counsel of professional engineers is extremely important

in achieving these goals. Whether or not climate disruption is a significant threat, whether or not we are close to depleting major energy resources, energy conservation and sustainability are important to our economy and our environment in any event.

Engineering is essentially an exercise in optimizing resources for the best possible outcome. Many engineers were pioneering energy saving technologies and advocating sustainability before any other sector — even before we knew what to call it. Our profession has always known that energy efficient buildings are a sound investment because of the opportunity for significant operating benefits and reduced life-cycle costs. Pioneering new energy technologies and improving the efficiency of existing technologies has always made good business sense.

ANDY ROBINSON, P.ENG., CHAIR ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES (ACEC)

Message du Président du conseil

L’énergie et l’environnement sont importants pour l’économie

A

u cours des derniers mois, le gouvernement et l’industrie du génie-conseil se sont particulièrement intéressés à l’infrastructure traditionnelle. Cette reconnaissance de l’infrastructure et de sa valeur pour la société est évidemment bienvenue et encouragée, mais il faut aussi reconnaître que les membres de l’AFIC jouent également un rôle important dans les secteurs du bâtiment et de l’énergie. C’est pourquoi ce numéro de Canadian Consulting Engineer traite plus en détail de ces secteurs.

Bien que les secteurs du bâtiment et de l’énergie puissent sembler sensiblement différents en termes de types de projets qui leurs sont normalement associés, ils partagent un même défi, c’est-à-dire la conservation de l’énergie et la durabilité. Les conseils pragmatiques et informés des ingénieurs sont extrêmement importants pour réaliser ces objectifs. Que le changement climatique soit une menace importante ou non, que nous nous approchions de

l’épuisement de nos principales ressources ou non, la conservation de l’énergie et la durabilité restent essentielles à notre économie et à notre environnement.

L’ingénierie est au départ un exercice d’optimisation des ressources pour obtenir les meilleurs résultats possibles. De nombreux ingénieurs ont introduit des technologies d’économie d’énergie et de durabilité bien avant tout autre secteur — et même avant que ces principes deviennent des préoccupations sociales. Notre profession a toujours su que des bâtiments éconergétiques sont un investissement judicieux puisqu’ils procurent entre autres la possibilité de réaliser des bénéfices d’exploitation importants et une réduction considérable des coûts du cycle de vie de projets. L’introduction de nouvelles technologies énergétiques et l’amélioration de technologies existantes ont toujours été un choix logique.

ANDY ROBINSON, P.ENG., PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL ASSOCIATION DES FIRMES D’INGÉNIEURS-CONSEILs (AFIC)

March/April 2010

Canadian Consulting Engineer

11

ACEC review

A message from ACEC’s International Committee

By Chris Newcomb, P.Eng. Chair, ACEC International Committee ver the past few months I have attended several meetings on behalf of the ACEC International Committee related to CIDA and DFAIT policy. Below is a summary of the developments for your information.

Please feel free to contact me at cnewcomb@mcelhanney.com or the ACEC office at 1-800-565-0569 if you have any questions or wish to provide input into this process.

O

CIDA consultation on revised RFP template and procurement process November 4, 2009, Ottawa CIDA presented its new and improved RFP template and a more streamlined process for evaluating proposals and awarding contracts. CIDA appeared to be more genuinely interested in stakeholder feedback compared with past consultations.

The new template still contains the 80/20 rule for qualifications versus price. We took the opportunity to vigorously promote QBS and the InfraGuide. CIDA responded that their hands are tied by Treasury Board regulations. We and they each agreed we will convey the importance of QBS to Treasury Board.

We promoted the importance of infrastructure. CIDA responded that we may well see a move back towards ‘bricks and mortar’ projects. However, we were reminded that CIDA is also moving towards untied aid, meaning that we will have to compete with foreign firms for CIDA-funded projects.

Inaugural meeting of DFAIT Infrastructure Advisory Board December 8, 2009, Ottawa The purpose of the Advisory Board is to provide a dedicated sector of DFAIT (known as ‘The Infrastructure Practice’) with guidance for the purpose of increasing the volume of 12

Canadian Consulting Engineer

Canadian export business Mechanism have been in the infrastructure secheard, and consequently a tor. DFAIT considers infraportion of it has been reinstructure to be a major exstated: namely, the ‘Impleport opportunity because mentation’ component of of the growing infrastrucup to $275,000 for training ture deficit in the developand/or environmental/ ing and developed world. social studies to compleThe consulting engiment the work of Canadian neering industry was well firms that have succeeded represented by several in winning international member firms of ACEC. contracts.

There was one financing He encouraged us to company, two architects, ACEC’s International continue lobbying for imCommittee Chair, Chris and the rest were from Newcomb, P.Eng. provements to INC, such government and instituas reinstatement of the tions such as EDC, CMHC and CCC. feasibility study component of the Construction firms were invited but Professional Services Mechanism, and did not attend. DFAIT plans to conconceded that he plans to review the compensation formula, although not sult this Board at least twice annually. until later this year.

Since the INC program has been The DFAIT INC program was transferred from CIDA to DFAIT, I officially launched on January 4, took the opportunity to repeat our 2010. Details can be found at www. appeal for reinstatement of the Protradecommissioner.gc.ca/eng/fundfessional Services Mechanism, which ing/investment-cooperation-prois the element of INC that is of most gram/home.jsp interest to consulting engineering firms, and a modification of the comDFAIT consultation on pensation formula, which is extremely improving Canadian access detrimental to consulting firms. to international untied aid As a result of the meeting and subJanuary 28, 2010, Calgary sequent inputs by email, a document DFAIT was looking for specific input entitled “Integrative Trade Global from the private sector on how the Strategy: Infrastructure 2010–2011,” Trade Commission Service can help together with a supporting backCanadian firms be more successful ground document and PowerPoint at winning assignments from foreign presentation, was circulated to the aid agencies and international banks.

Advisory Board on January 25,2010.

The meeting participants were energy Meeting with Dave Murphy, companies, environmental services new Director of firms, language training institutions DFAIT INC program and one engineering firm. Collective December 9, 2009, Ottawa advice to DFAIT included modifying Mr. Murphy is sympathetic to our INC to better suit the needs of small industry because his father was an firms and consultants, and striving for international consulting engineer and convergence between aid and trade by he consequently grew up in a variety harmonizing the efforts of CIDA and of exotic countries. The program budDFAIT. Examples were given of other get remains at $20 million, and the countries with successful aid programs inadequate compensation formula that are designed to leverage exports, remains. He says that our concerns compared with Canada where DFAIT regarding the Professional Services and CIDA are poles apart.

March/April 2010

ACEC review

Don’t miss FIDIC 2010 in New Delhi!

D

on’t miss the opportunity to network with consulting firms worldwide by attending FIDIC 2010 in New Delhi, India.

The annual conference of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) is one of the industry’s most important events. This year’s conference, hosted by Consulting Engineers Association of India will bring together international speakers,

clients, industry, government organizations, consultants and engineers to discuss consulting services worldwide.

This year’s conference will explore the many facets of innovation in business practice that arise in providing the quality services needed to meet the urgent and growing demands, through a variety of plenary sessions and workshops.

For Canadian participants, ACEC will also be arranging a special information session on international business opportunities in cooperation with the Canadian High Commission to India and the Trade Commissioner Service.

For more information about the FIDIC 2010 New Delhi Conference, visit www.fidic.org.

Registration opens March 10, 2010!

“Engineering Legacies” DVD hits universities across Canada

A

s the university year comes to a close, the Engineering Legacies campaign wraps up its 2010 spring tour. Since the fall, the Engineering Legacies campaign has visited more than 20 post-secondary institutions across Canada, as well as several provincial and national engineering conferences. As a result, ACEC and its Member Organizations have been able to speak to hundreds of engineering students about the exciting and rewarding opportunities that exist in a career in consulting engineering.

The website, www.engineeringlegacies.com, has drawn thousands of students looking to view videos featuring young engineers at work and seeking information about opportunities available upon graduation.

“The videos are very good at demonstrating the variety of industries and work environments that consulting engineers are a part of.

It was certainly enough to spark the curiosity of students who are looking to start their careers,” says Ashkan Eshagbeigi, fifth-year engineering student at McMaster University.

The Engineering Legacies cam-

ACEC’s Susie Grynol (left) with University of Saskatchewan engineering student (right) at the Spectrum Career Fair 2010.

paign has not only helped in creating a better understanding of the industry amongst engineering students, but also it has contributed to raising the profile of the industry at universities across Canada and abroad.

For more information about the Engineering Legacies campaign, please contact Susie Grynol, Director of Public Affairs and Business Practices at sgrynol@acec.ca or 1-800-565-0569.

ACEC Member Organizations: Consulting Engineers of British Columbia, Consulting Engineers of Yukon, Consulting Engineers of Alberta, Consulting Engineers of Northwest Territories, Consulting Engineers of Saskatchewan, Consulting Engineers of Manitoba, Consulting Engineers of Ontario, Association des Ingénieurs-conseils du Québec, Association of Canadian Engineering Companies of New Brunswick, Consulting Engineers of Nova Scotia, Consulting Engineers of Prince Edward Island, Consulting Engineers of Newfoundland and Labrador.

March/April 2010

Canadian Consulting Engineer

13

ACEC review

Save the date!

ACEC National Summit: “Changing Tides”— June 23-26, 2010

M

ark down June 23-26, 2010 in your calendars for the ACEC annual Summit hosted at the Fairmont Algonquin in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick, one of eastern Canada’s most charming and historic towns.

With the Bay of Fundy (featuring the world’s highest tides) and the changing economy as a backdrop, this year’s theme “Changing Tides” will focus on identifying risks and opportunities in the business and regulatory landscape after the recession and after stimulus funding. Can your firm can take advantage of the new marketplace — both domestically and internationally? We’ll find out from experts from both the public and private sectors.

14

Canadian Consulting Engineer

March/April 2010

In addition to the business program, social activities are also being planned to allow delegates and partners the opportunity to take in some of the local flavour along the New Brunswick coast. And responding to popular demand, the conference program will again offer opportunities for Young Professionals to share experiences and interact with the leadership of Canada’s consulting engineering sector.

Save the date and don’t miss this opportunity to network with your peers on the issues important to you and the consulting engineering industry today!

For more information on registration and hotel bookings, please contact the ACEC office at 1-800-5650569 or by emailing events@acec.ca.

fire

By Andrew Kim, Ph.D. NRC/IRC

Full-scale tests were done to find out if compressed-air-foam suppression systems are an effective means of putting out fires in electrical power transformers.

Protecting Power Transformers

P

ower transformers deal with high voltage electric power and there is always a possibility of fire incidents. Because of the fire risks and the important role power transformers play in supplying electricity to the community, they must have a reliable fire protection system in place.

Current fire protection systems for power transformers using sprinklers require a large quantity of water, which may cause a problem to their electrical function as well as creating water damage and environmental impacts. Cleaning up after the fire suppression is another problem.

Power transformers contain hazardous materials, and any run-off water from the fire suppression activities has to be collected. It is a costly proposition to provide infrastructure to contain this run-off water.

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has developed a means of producing CompressedAir-Foam (CAF) in a fixed pipe system. This system provides superior quality foam with uniform distribution and high momentum. In previous studies, NRC has proven by fullscale tests that CAF also has superior fire suppression performance compared to current foam or sprinkler systems. As well, CAF has low water requirements, thus minimizing the clean-up problem.

For these reasons, CAF may be an ideal solution for the fire protection of power transformers. To evaluate this potential, a study was recently carried out at NRC. A mock-up power transformer was constructed which was a full-scale representation of an actual power transformer at Hydro Quebec’s Berri Sta-

tion in Montreal. The mock-up (see above) was built to represent the front half of the transformer, including the oil reservoir and cooling fins.

The fire scenario envisioned in the test was an explosion in the main transformer body due to internal arcing, resulting in the blowing of a high voltage bushing through the top of the power transformer, or the rupturing of the transformer oil reservoir leaking oil onto the top of the transformer. The oil on top of the transformer would be involved in fire and would overflow the side and front of the power transformer, producing cascading fires as well as pool fires around the bottom of the transformer.

A CAF distribution system was developed for the test using several configurations to determine the most efficient way to distribute foam around the vertical and horizontal obstacles of the power transformer.

The final CAF system selected incorporated two types of nozzles: a Large Flow Gear Driven Rotary (GDR)

Nozzle and a Small Flow Turbine Action Rotary (TAR) Nozzle.

As a comparison, a test was also conducted using a water deluge system similar to the one at the Berri Station. It consisted of a ring of 21 nozzles, with a total flow rate of 910 litres/min.

The CAF system, either with 2 large GDR nozzles or with 3 or 4 small TAR nozzles, performed much better than the water deluge system with 21 sprinkler heads. The CAF system with 3 TAR nozzles using 1% Class A foam concentrate extinguished the test fire in 4 min 2 s, which is almost the same as the results of the water deluge system. However, the 3 TAR CAF system used less than 8% of the total water flow rate of the water deluge system.

The CAF system with 2 GDR nozzles using 2% Class B foam concentrate extinguished the test fire in 1 min 58 s, which is almost one half of the extinguishment time of the water deluge system. And, the water usage was less than 18% of the total flow rate of the water deluge system.

The CAF system with 8 TAR nozzles using 2% Class B foam concentrate extinguished the test fire in 1 min 29 s, with far less water requirement than the water deluge system.

The study shows that a CAF system can provide the required fire protection for power transformers, more effectively and with much less water compared to a traditional cce water deluge system.

A.K. Kim, Ph.D. is a senior research officer with the NRC Institute for Research in Construction, Ottawa, Andrew.kim@ nrc.gc.ca. This article is adapted from his paper NRCC-51235, December 2009.

March/April 2010

Canadian Consulting Engineer

15

Innovative. Powerful. Versatile.

The System Sensor CO1224A CO alarm provides early warning by using electrochemical sensing technology to measure carbon monoxide levels in the air.

The InnovairFlex™ Series are the only duct smoke detectors flexible enough to fit configurations from square to rectangular and everything in between.

SpectrAlertÂŽ Advance mass notification devices and accessories combine application versatility with all the time- and money-saving benefits of the SpectrAlert Advance line.

w w w . s y s t e m s e n s o r . c a

buildings

DESSAU

The heating and cooling system of a large 30-year old office building in downtown Ottawa is undergoing a major mid-life retrofit.

C.D. Howe Renewal

District cooling challenges The C.D. Howe Building is one of many customers of a district energy system (the Cliff Central Plant) that provides chilled water and steam to facilities throughout the parliamentary precinct and downtown core.

The district energy plant can only operate efficiently when there is a steep differential between the temperatures of the supply and return water. Otherwise the district plant must pump excessive amounts of water to the receiving building. This extra pumping consumes energy and affects the efficiency of the central plant’s chilling equipment.

In order for it to operate efficiently, therefore, the central plant’s

Dessau

T

he C.D. Howe Building was built in 1977, and has a gross area of 14,200 square metres. Located two blocks from Parliament Hill, the building is one of Ottawa’s premier office facilities and is a defining feature of the city’s skyline.

It consists of two 11-storey interconnected towers. They house 3,800 office workers, as well as 60 retail and service outlets on the lower three levels, and an underground parking garage.

At 30 years of age, the building’s comfort systems had reached the end of their useful service lives. The primary chilled water distribution and air treatment systems were no longer serviceable. They had become obsolete from an energy performance perspective, and were frequently plagued by failures which caused disruption for the occupants. Dessau is the prime consultant on a project to totally reconfigure the base-building mechanical and electrical systems.

Above: aerial view of building on Queen Street, downtown Ottawa.

contract terms require that in the cooling mode building users must produce a 9º C temperature rise so that the minimum temperature of the returning water is 15.6º C. Since initial commissioning in the 1970s, the C.D. Howe building has always been one of the worst performers on the district network, with quite a poor temperature differential on the chilled water. It produced a temperature rise of only 3º-4º C during peak summer demand.

One of the most challenging aspects of the design was therefore to improve the temperature rise in the C.D. Howe Building to make it comply with the requirements of the district energy supplier.

The retrofit needed to triple the building’s temperature rise in its cooling mode. The goal was to redesign the system so that each gallon

of chilled water from the district energy system would deliver three times the cooling energy. The temperature of the return water would therefore increase from approximately 4°C to 15.6°C. This change required a major technical intervention. Instead of simply replacing deteriorated components with new ones, a complete re-design was required.

Energy recovery the solution The solution was to interconnect the chilled water piping system serving two major central outdoor air handlers with the compartmentalized air handlers on every floor. The result is a sophisticated energy recovery scheme that pre-cools the incoming outdoor air with cold extracted from the floors during the summer. Simi-

March/April 2010

continued on page 18 Canadian Consulting Engineer

17

continued from page 17

larly, during the winter the system uses heat recovered from the tower floors to preheat the outdoor air for the entire facility.

The phasing of the work is being carefully scheduled since ventilation, cooling and all other comfort control services to the tenant spaces must remain operational and uninterrupted.

Dealing with humidity and air quality The building had long suffered from excessive humidity levels during Ottawa’s muggy summers.

The simple damper-style of controlling outdoor air to the floor air handlers had been impossible to balance. As such, several floors received more than the correct amount of outdoor air, while others suffered from the opposite condition.

Tenant complaints of stale air were commonplace.

Pressure-independent constant volume boxes now precisely meter the correct quantity of outdoor air to the office units’ air handling equipment. Furthermore, the floors are individually scheduled to halt outdoor air delivery during unoccupied periods, according to

18

1,200 HP), with a demandbased comfort control strategy which is far more energy efficient.

DeSSAu

buildings

Temperature control by variable pumping The design also incorporated variable speed drives as a means of controlling the supply temperature of fluid systems.

This approach is rarely implemented on large, high flow systems — typically HVAC pumped fluid systems use control valves to regulate flows in order to control temperatures.

In several instances in the C.D. Howe retrofit control valves were eliminated entirely; the pump speed was varied in response to the control signal from an energy management and control system. The result is a reduction in capital costs, maintenance costs CD HOWe BuILDING on the control valves, and NeW SYSTeMS lower fluid friction, generating energy savings. the needs of tenants.

Another innovation was the use The floor air handlers originalof small circuit balancing valves to ly relied on outdated fan capacity create a small but constant flow controls as a means of controlling across the temperature sensors. temperature. Inverter-style variable The new design has resulted in speed capacity controls were added excellent thermal comfort. Indoor to all the fans (aggregate motor size h u m i d i t y l e v e l s n o w remain

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

within the recommended comfort zone throughout the year.

Dessau

buildings

Tenant server rooms cooled more sustainably The tenant server rooms on every floor were previously supplied from a dedicated chilled water riser to ensure that the rooms were continually cooled during periods when the district energy provider carried out maintenance and shut down the main system.

However, this practice of using once-through cooling with domestic water for the server room equipment was both unsustainable and very costly.

The retrofit ap­p­roach entirely abandoned the use of chilled water for Top: new air intake. Above: old fan intake with obsolete this purpose. New roof- controls. top fluid coolers and ect predicated on life-cycle renewal. a glycol circuit reject heat without Taking into account the thermal interruption, while also providing efficiencies for the district energy preheating of the outdoor air via supplier’s plant, the project is estiheat recovery. mated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 733 tons of Maintenance, and C02 per year. cost and energy savings Greenhouse gases from commerThe retrofit has alleviated a number cial buildings represent almost 20% of maintenance problems. With the of all North American GHG emisoriginal configuration, minor failures sions. While sustainable design and would result in the dehumidification programs such as LEED represent the coils in the penthouse freezing and future of new construction, it’s clear causing occasional flooding damage. that much of the existing commercial These problems have been eliminated. building stock will remain in service The retrofit of the base building’s for at least the next 30 years. Innovamechanical and electrical systems and tive projects for renewing existing equipment is almost 90% complete, buildings like the C.D. Howe Building while the tenant floor system retrofits are therefore crucial. cce are 70% complete.

The combined energy and Owner: C.B. Richard Ellis demand savings from the base-buildPrime consultant, mechanical/electrical: ing systems’ renovation are projected Dessau (Louis Landry, P.Eng., David to be approximately $400,000 annuLandsberg, P.Eng., Roch Nault, P.Eng., ally. With project costs of $4,000,000, Jean-Luc Thomassin, T.P., Jacques the overall payback is therefore 10 Rioux, T.P., Jacques Deschênes, ing., years, which is impressive for a projClaude Lauzé, T.P.)

Systemair is a leading ventilation company with operations in 38 countries in Europe, Asia, Middle East, South Africa , North America and Australia.

• Energy Recovery Ventilators • Heat Recovery Ventilators • Powered Roof Ventilators • Inline Duct Fans • Air Terminal Devices • Controls and Accessories

Choose from 5 sizes of Roof-Top ERVs powered by EBM/Papst external rotor motors. Superior adsorption type energy recovery wheel maximizes latent and sensible transfer lowering cooling and heating loads on the building

BOOTH #2306

50 Kanalflakt Way Bouctouche N.B E4S 3M5 Email: sales@systemair.net Tel:416-689-9693

www.systemair.net

industry

Minas Basin’s green revolution

A

By Andrew Safer

Nova Scotia company with an uncommon mix of processes, and in 1995 Minas became the first paper mill business lines in power generation and paper in North America to use 100% recycled fibre. production is becoming a nexus for new green Two and a half years ago, Minas purchased a paper technologies. Minas Basin Pulp and Power Com- mill in Newton Falls, New York, and has since converted pany of Hantsport in the Annapolis Valley has set the it from exclusively 100% wood fibre to potentially using bar high by committing to achieve a zero carbon foot- 100% recycled fiber. In addition, a dissolved air flotation print in its papermaking process. At the same time it is unit was installed. It removes fibre and clay from the efdeveloping alternative energy from a fluent and puts it back into the provariety of sources. cess along with water, enabling Minas Due to sustainability A green corporate culture, an apto phase out the lagoons and settling initiatives, each year Minas petite for calculated risk, and signifiponds. Al Gore’s new book, Our Basin Pulp and Power: cant in-house engineering expertise Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis, • is eliminating the need to are driving Minas, a company with 180 was printed on coated freesheet procut 1,500,000 trees employees. Minas has a long history of duced at this mill.

• uses 580,000,000 gallons producing its own power. Several years A key driver in Minas’ strategy to less water after the company opened its paper use 100% recycled fibre is Scotia Recy• is reducing air pollution by mill in 1927, the supply of electricity cling. This affiliated company opened 2,300 tonnes became unreliable. The company in 1976 in order to secure a supply of • saves 344 GW-hours of took matters into its own hands and recycled fibre for the company’s paper electricity (enough built its own hydroelectric plant 25 mill. Back then, recycled fibre constito power 38,000 homes) kilometres away on the St. Croix River, tuted 10% of the input materials.

• is eliminating the need for as well as a transmission line to deliver In addition to supplying Minas’ 250,000 cubic metres the power to the mill. In 1935, two paper mill, the recycled fibre is delivof landfill volume generators were added in the Avon ered to Minas’ sister company, CKF, River, and these produce 5 MW of which is located near the mill and power for the mill. Today, Minas can choose to use the produces molded-pulp egg cartons, and paper plates. electricity or sell it to the grid and receive revenue from Besides collecting various grades of paper, Scotia RecyNova Scotia Power. cling collects plastics and metal at its depots throughout Atlantic Canada. There are 13 baling facilities that prepare Paper mill and recycling the materials for shipment to numerous locations or to its The Hantsport paper mill produces 100,000 metric own Burnside processing facility in Dartmouth. Some of tonnes per year of linerboard (the outside and inside lay- the materials are also sold internationally ers of a corrugated box) and paper for coreboard (rigid After Scotia Recycling began accepting corrugated cardpaper tubes for concrete forms, newsprint rolls, etc.). In board for recycling, the Nova Scotia government banned the 1950s, the company introduced recycled fibre into its this material from all landfills in the province in 1996.

20

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

industry

A long-established pulp and paper company in Nova Scotia has become a hotbed of new green technologies. Minas Basin Pulp & Power is diversifying into recycling, tidal and wind power, and turning plastics into fuel.

View along Dundas Street West in downtown Toronto. Photograph by Stan Weaver, courtesy AGO Photo Resources.

Aerial view of Minas Basin plant (foreground) on the Avon River, part of the Minas Channel in the Bay of Fundy.

Tidal power and FORCE Outside the paper business, Minas is leveraging its engineering capabilities in developing alternative energy initiatives in tidal, cogeneration (biomass), and wind power. The province of Nova Scotia’s commitment to having a 25% renewable energy supply by 2015 underpins these efforts.

Together with Nova Scotia Power and Clean Current

Blaine MacCall

Power Systems of Vancouver, Minas is participating in an ambitious tidal energy demonstration project 10 kilometres west of Parrsboro (See CCE June-July 2008). The companies are part of the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE), a public/private partnership dedicated to studying the performance and interaction of tidal energy turbines within the Bay of Fundy environment. The Bay of continued on page 22

March/April 2010

Canadian Consulting Engineer

21

continued from page 21

Lise Rand

industry

Above: Minas’ small hydroelectric power station on the Lower St. Croix River. Right: measuring wind power generating potential near the St. Croix. Far right: 1.2-MW tidal power generator from Marine Current Turbines that Minas Basin will install in Bay of Fundy.

Fundy is rated one of the world’s best tidal energy sites; the potential resource in the Minas Passage area is estimated at 300 MW — enough to power about 100,000 homes.

Minas won the contract to lead the design and construction of the FORCE facility, which includes the underwater and power transmission facilities, as well as a research and visitor centre on land which is about to begin construction. This will be North America’s first in-stream tidal energy demonstration facility where the performance of the units will be monitored. “Our goal is for Canada to be in first place in tidal energy in the world,” says John Woods, P.Eng., who is vice president of energy development at Minas and the chair of FORCE. For its own part in testing tidal technologies, Minas plans to install a 1.2-MW turbine supplied by U.K.-based Marine Current Turbines in the fall of 2011. Instead of using the conventional barrage method of generating tidal energy by creating a dam and then dealing with the associated issue of siltation, the demonstration project will feature in-stream turbines. Fixed to the ocean bottom, the turbines will face both the incoming and outgoing direction of the tides, requiring no directional control.

Compared to the barrage turbines, these larger-bladed turbines will turn slower (between 15 and 25 rpm). “Any size fish is expected to pass through without harm,” says Woods.

“We believe this demonstration project will show that.”

Woods expects the turbine will produce enough electricity to power 800 homes. He adds that Minas may install additional turbines, noting that the demonstration project has received environmental approval for up to 5 MW. Much of the engineering that these initiatives require is carried out by staff engineers, but Minas also contracts consulting engineers for specialized scopes of work, such as the tidal project. “Nobody (on staff) understands the bathymetry and currents of the Bay of Fundy,” explains Scott Travers, P.Eng., president and chief operating officer at Minas.

AECOM, Oceans Limited, Strum Engineering, Atlantic Marine Geological Consulting, Envirosphere, Seaforth Engineering and Dobbs Architects, are outside consultants helping on the tidal project.

Wind power, biomass and cogeneration Since 2004, the company has also been assessing the feasibilcontinued on page 24

22

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

How do you define redundancy?

Repetition. Overlap. Duplication. Obvious answers. Built-in paralleling technology, state-of-the-art digital control, fully integrated – the not so obvious is how Generac redefines redundancy in backup power. Generac’s Modular Power System (MPS) eliminates paralleling switchgear, resulting in lower cost while increasing dependability, flexibility and scalability.

On your next project requiring maximum reliability, define redundancy with Generac.

Computer Alternative Processing Sites (CAPS), a data backup company in Shelton, Connecticut, defines redundancy with Generac’s MPS. For this and more case studies visit generac.com.

generac.com/cce3 1-888-GENERAC (1-888-436-3722)

industry

continued from page 22

ity of wind power generation on properties adjacent to the St. Croix hydroelectric facility, and in New Ross, 50 kilometres away. Minas is using four anemometers and two directional vanes mounted on certified meteorological towers to log temperature and wind speed at various elevations, 24/7.

Staff engineers have extrapolated the amount of energy that would be generated at the centre line of the turbine installation. “We know exactly what we’re dealing with,” observes Travers, a mechanical engineer. Once Nova Scotia passes legislation that opens up the sale of energy to private parties, he expects that wind power generation will become economically feasible.

On another front, Travers reports that the company plans to convert the pulp and paper process steam plant from a Bunker C fuel oil-fired boiler to a wood-fired boiler, via a wood chip pile feed. The company is evaluating conventional stoker-type boilers but using wood flour — pulverized dry wood chips put through a hammer mill and reduced to dry powder. This method replicates the effect of a fluidized bed, Travers explains, because the increased surface area of the powder yields a higher-efficiency burn.

While this cogeneration system will use the plant’s existing distribution system, “What would change,” says Travers, “is the disappearance [from the plant’s processes] of millions of litres of oil every year. That’s a lot of carbon in the air!” The conversion will generate significant carbon credits, as each litre of oil fuel has 3 kilograms of carbon associated with it. It will also ensure that the company has a secure energy supply, while enabling Minas to become eco-certified by Environment Canada.

The company plans to hire one or two engineers for site coordination of the cogeneration project.

Diesel from plastics While eliminating the use of fuel in the mill’s steam plant, Minas is planning to produce diesel fuel in another process. The company has run trials at a facility in Germany that has a non-catalytic process to produce automotive-grade diesel from plastics. Travers explains that reverse polymerization brings the plastic waste to the desired temperature through a cracking process (as in an oil refinery), which taps off the distillates. He favours this process over one that uses a white-powder catalyst because it eliminates the need for an input chemical. Technical due diligence is ongoing.

In recognition of the company’s commitment and achievements in the area of sustainability, in November Minas received the Maritime Business Ethics Award from the Better Business Bureau of the Maritime Provinces.

Minas’ own engineering capacity is considerable. Reflecting on the skills required for the design, analysis, and optimization of power generation, for example, Woods notes that one of the in-house mechanical engineers has a Master’s degree in Engineering Mathematics. “Electricity is 10% about metal, and 90% math. It’s a product you have to use the moment you produce it.”

Travers points out that when Minas’ staff engineers decided to triple paper production in 1996, they designed, built, and commissioned the new production line in-house.

“We took on more risk because we didn’t get a guarantee that would have come with an off-the-shelf solution, but the cost was much lower, and we know our paper machine.

We’re very proud of our engineering capacity.”

CCE Andrew Safer is a freelance writer based in St. John’s, Nfld.

Super•Cor®and Vist-A-Wall™ Wildlife Crossing, Banff, AB

Build in value.

Save time. Save money. With product innovation, in-house engineering strength and extensive on-site expertise, AIL is your go-to partner in delivering today’s efficient infrastructure solutions.

Road, rail and water crossings Structural plate arches and bridges MSE retaining wall systems Modular vehicular bridges Stormwater and drainage systems Culvert relines and rehabs GET OUR SOLUTIONS BROCHURE

24

1-877-245-7473

AIL-085 Build in value. Banff Canadian Consulting Engineer - March/April Edition www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010 1/3 Pg Horizontal - 7 x 3.25, Full Colour

ail.ca

building energy

By Nada Sutic, BOMA Canada

The Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada found some surprising results when it reviewed the energy and environmental performance of 450 commercial buildings certified by its BOMA BESt rating system.

Report Card

T

he Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada released the first ever BOMA BESt Energy and Environmental Report in September 2009. BOMA BESt is a national environmental certification program for existing buildings, with BESt standing for Building Environmental Standards.

The program is managed and delivered by BOMA Canada and its affiliated associations across the country. Since 2005, nearly 1,400 buildings have achieved the certification, which is valid for three years.

The BOMA BESt Energy and Environmental Report (BBEER) aggregated performance data on over 450 office buildings in Canada. It identified the average energy intensity for BOMA BESt certified buildings, and uncovered some interesting insights into what correlates with low energy consumption. What are the impacts of energy efficient equipment? How much does building age matter?

What are the next steps for commercial real estate?

Figure 1. Energy Intensity Distribution of BOMA BESt Certified Office buildings.

While 1,400 buildings have achieved BOMA BESt certification, the report focused on 456 office buildings that achieved BOMA BESt Levels, 2, 3 or 4. To achieve these higher levels of certification, buildings must go beyond best practices (Level 1), submit utility data and respond to a series of questions about equipment and management practices. Third-party

Table 1 ekWh/sf/yr (Equivalent kilowatt-hours/ square foot/year)

NRCan National Average (ekWh/sf/yr)

% difference

Level 2

33.2

35.48

- 6.4%

Level 3

29.0

35.48

- 18.3%

Level 4

19.1

35.48

- 46.2%

BOMA BESt Average

31.5

35.48

- 11.2%

BOMA BESt level

Table 2

26

Years of Construction

Average Energy Intensity

Before 1960

30.3 ekWh/sf/yr

Between 1960 and 1989

32.1 ekWh/sf/yr

After 1990

30.7 ekWh/sf/yr

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

verification takes place at the property to confirm the data that is submitted through the online application.

Certified buildings do perform better than average The buildings certified by BOMA BESt that were reviewed in this study perform better than the national average. The average energy intensity of BOMA BESt buildings reviewed was 31.52 equivalent kilowatt-hours per square foot (ekWh/sf) on an annualized basis. In comparison, the national average of office and public administration buildings is 35.48ekWh/sf annually according to Natural Resources Canada’s Commercial and Institutional Consumption of Energy Survey of 2007.

BOMA BESt certified buildings have energy performance that is 11% better than average.

When considering the different levels of certified BOMA BESt buildings, the Level 3 and Level 4 certified buildings show even better perfor-

building energy

mance, with Level 4 certified buildings performing 46% better than the NRCan national average for offices and public administration.

Figure 1 shows that 25% of the buildings have an energy intensity of less than 23ekWh/sf/yr, and half of the buildings in the data set have energy intensity between 24 and 36 ekWh/sf/yr. That means nearly 75% of BOMA BESt certified office buildings perform at the national average or better. The bell curve distribution in Figure 1 demonstrates the validity of the data set.

One of the most interesting findings (Table 2) is that building age did not have a strong correlation with energy performance. In fact, the average energy intensity for buildings constructed before 1960 was lower than for those constructed after 1990.

Other data sets have demonstrated

One of the most interesting findings in the data is that building age did not have a strong correlation with energy performance. similar findings, including the data found in the REALpac “20 by ’15� report issued September 2009 by the Real Property Association of Canada.

Several factors are likely influencing this energy consumption, including lower occupant density, types of office use and the associated auxiliary plug loads. For example, in buildings constructed prior to 1960, the likelihood of call centres as occupants decreases, and often the floor layouts offer more space per person.

The BBEER report data has not been normalized for these factors, and further research is needed to completely understand the opportunities

available to reduce energy consumption in Canadian office buildings.

Building management as important as equipment The implementation of retrofits to improve energy efficiency can be an effective way to reduce energy consumption. However, data in the BBEER indicates that management practices such as an energy policy, and operator training are equally or more important.

When the 456 office buildings were considered in quartiles from the top performing to lowest performing groups, the incidence of energy

Table 3 Energy Efficiency Feature

% of buildings in each group with the noted feature (equal number of buildings in each range of energy intensity) 10-23 ekWh/sf/yr

24-28 ekWh/sf/yr

29-36 ekWh/sf/yr

37-81 ekWh/sf/yr

T8, T5 lamps

93%

97%

98%

92%

LED exit signs

71%

78%

73%

70%

Lighting controls

83%

83%

82%

83%

Economizers on boilers

21%

13%

19%

25%

Temperature setback

96%

96%

97%

96%

Variable speed drives

68%

71%

69%

73%

Heat recovery

34%

33%

19%

24%

Energy efficient windows

73%

76%

70%

76%

Table 4 % of buildings in each group with the noted practice (equal number of buildings in each range of energy intensity)

Energy Management Practice 10-23 ekWh/sf/yr

24-28 ekWh/sf/yr

29-36 ekWh/sf/yr

37-81 ekWh/sf/yr

Energy policy

97%

94%

92%

90%

Energy audit

88%

76%

88%

90%

Energy training and updates

97%

94%

87%

90%

Flattening load profile

86%

89%

85%

88% continued on page 29

March/April 2010

Canadian Consulting Engineer

27

building energy

continued from page 27

efficiency features was rather similar across performance levels. The presence of high efficiency lighting such as T8 or T5 lamps, LED exit signs and even lighting controls, for example, was relatively consistent among both high and low performers.

In some cases, the buildings with the lowest energy intensity did not have specific energy efficiency features. Further research into these issues is needed to better understand the opportunities for improvement.

Additional examples are in Table 3.

In comparison, energy management practices had a greater correlation. While many energy management practices are common across the range of energy performance levels, they are more notable in the better performing buildings (Table 4).

Water and waste In addition to energy performance, the BBEER reviewed water consumption, water efficiency features and management practices, waste management, indoor environmental quality, emissions and effluents and overall environmental management.

In particular, water consumption was reviewed on an intensity basis of cubic metres of water used per square metre of floor area. It was found that large buildings, those over 500,000 sq. ft. (46,450 m2) in size consume 83% more water than small buildings under 100,000 sq. ft. (9,290 m2).

BOMA Canada has noted a trend toward achieving higher levels of certification each year. Less than a year ago, only 47% of all buildings with valid BOMA BESt certifications had a Level 2, 3 or 4. That number is now at 57%, including 21% of the buildings with a BOMA BESt Level 3, and 2% having achieved Level 4.

The BBEER has provided the Canadian commercial real estate industry with a better understanding of how it performs. While the study has demonstrated that the industry is staying ahead of the curve with BOMA BESt certification, the report also serves as a reminder that there are

many more opportunities to improve building performance.

BOMA Canada plans to have further research conducted to provide better information and resources to the industry.

The full BOMA BESt Energy and Environmental Report can be

ordered at www.bomabest.com.

CCE

Nada Sutic is manager of environmental initiatives with the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada. BOMA Canada is the voice of the commercial real estate industry.

V i c tau l i c • F i RE P R Ot E c t i O N S Y S t E M S

Sprinkler System Solutions for Residential Applications

Victaulic offers a comprehensive line of sprinkler heads, valves and accessories for any residential application.

Download the Victaulic Residential Sprinkler Design and Installation Guide (I-RES_SPK) for more information.

905.884.7444 www.victaulic.com

March/April 2010

Canadian Consulting Engineer

29

building energy

Missing Missing

BY BRONWEN PARSONS

engineers on building projects.

“I would say that maybe with half of our projects we have been involved from the beginning,” says Martin Roy, ing.

“But with the other half we have had a call from the client at the last minute.”

For Roy, the last-minute invitation means they lose opportunities to improve the building. “It is always a problem because we cannot give our voice to the way they develop the design — the orientation, the size, the volumetrics.

If we had been involved at first, then maybe the architect would have designed the building differently.”

Roy is the president of Martin Roy & Associés of Mon-

30

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

treal. He is an award-winning engineer who designs the mechanical and electrical systems — the energy systems — for buildings. Roy’s firm also specializes in green buildings, which is why they do manage to have a seat at the designers’ table in the early stages of projects at least some of the time.

Most consulting engineers don’t enjoy that privilege. “If we were doing traditional engineering,” Roy says, “then we would be involved only at the end.”

For decades, anyone embarking on a large building project has asked an architect first to come up with the preliminary design. While it’s possible that the structural engineer will be brought in early, the mechanical and electrical engineers — the ones who are putting in the unseen infrastructure, the pipes and conduits, boilers and chill-

© wetwater/Fotolia

No-one likes being left out of the party. But that’s often what happens to consulting

building energy

ers, all the infrastructure that makes the indoor environment comfortable — will not be asked for their input until the form of the building is decided.

“This situation should change,” says Roy. “I think it will change. But clients, architects and developers need to understand what the integrated design process is and how they should involve everybody at first.”

Building engineers need to be at the table along with the other designers right from the start.

Too often that “integrated design approach” is not happening.

What is an “integrated design process”?

As more developers want their buildings certified through programs like LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), they are adopting the integrated design process. Ideally, this approach means that the full complement of architect, engineers, as well as the owner and the contractor, work together on the project from the outset.

In the hands of this multi-disciplinary team, the building is designed holistically.

All the components work together and complement each other. The heating and cooling systems, for example, are selected and sized to work in concert with the building’s spatial organization — the architecture. The structure, roof and wall materials, the number and size of openings, etc. all have an impact on how much energy the building needs. So the designers collaborate and make decisions together, sharing their expertise.

Without such collaboration at the beginning of a project, an engineer faces difficulties in trying to make the building engineering systems work at their optimum level. For example, once the architectural plans are decided, the mechanical engineers may be forced to locate a chiller in the bright sun, or in a space that is too enclosed.

Or they may have to integrate systems that they know are not really compatible.

In comparison, a building designed by an integrated team has a much more careful and precise evolution. Mark Lucuik, P.Eng. of Ottawa, who is director of sustainability at Morrison Hershfield and also chair of the Canada Green Council LEED management committee, explains: “It basically requires the whole design team. It’s the architect sitting down with the mechanical, electrical, structural and civil engineers, and other specialists and stakeholders — everyone around the table. It involves brainstorming over a series of weeks or months and testing different variables, then coming back with the results, changing the design and testing a new set of variables.”

Naturally, this refining process takes extra time. And it

can be expensive for the owner or architect to pay a full team of consultants to attend early meetings. Nonetheless, organizations such as the Canada Green Building Council, which runs the LEED rating system, Natural Resources Canada, and CMHC advocate integrated design, saying that the approach means that ultimately the building will operate more efficiently and provide a better environment.

Why are engineers not at the table?

Budgets are one of the big obstacles to owners choosing an integrated design team approach.

John Souleles, an architect with Marshall Tittemore Architects in Calgary, says that: “If the clients value the sustainability objective, I think they understand the need for it.”

But while Souleles tries to encourage building owners to bring in an integrated design team, “the difficulty is that the capital costs for all the consultants need to be borne up front. That’s a major obstacle in some client sets.”

A skilled engineer proficient in green design and modeling will command a higher fee than some less experienced engineers. Building owners and their architects are not always willing to pay for these special skills.

Lucuik explains why: “I don’t think most stakeholders understand integrated design, and as such in most cases they’re not given enough time or money to perform it.” He continues, “The mechanical-electrical engineer is probably the one who most greatly influences the energy of a building, yet they are usually awarded the contract on a low-cost basis.”

“I would argue that there is a major flaw there,” Lucuik continues. “If you want the best person, then you want to pay $200 or $250 an hour for the mechanical designer because they’re the ones who are making the decisions that you have to live with as a building owner for the rest of the building’s life.”

Personal relations What might also stand in the way of owners and architects using an integrated design approach is that it can create an uneasy situation among the players. Talks around the table can be a delicate affair. Sharing ideas can depend on who is paying the piper. If the architect has hired the engineer to continued on page 32 March/April 2010

Canadian Consulting Engineer

31

building energy

continued from page 31

be part of his team, then the engineer is reluctant to speak up and differ with the opinions of his paymaster. The engineer will adopt his or her traditional supportive role and stay quiet.

On the other hand — as is happening more frequently with the integrated design process — if the building owner has hired the engineer directly, the engineer feels more at liberty to contradict the architect’s opinions. Then architects may feel they are being undermined, leaving them in an awkward position: “Our clients typically want strong direction from the architects,” says Souleles, but when the engineers have a contract directly with the building owner,”There’s always a veto looming.”

For their part, engineers feel that even when they’re invited to the table they’re not always heard.

Laurier Nichols, ing. of Dessau — another Montreal mechanical engineer who has won the highest technical awards from ASHRAE — was not impressed after participating in one integrated design team. The design session was for a computer data centre.

“The owner was a government agency, so there were many owners in this meeting,” Nichols explains. “But the architect chaired the meeting and the contractor was there.”

“We were present, but we were quite disappointed about the participation we had in the decision. It was very important to have a continuous electrical supply for the equipment, but they didn’t seem to realize what the importance of this was, and the discussions were mostly on the entrance and the fenestration — the ‘walk-through’ of the building and the architecture.”

Makes a better design Still, many architects and owners are enthusiastic about the integrated team approach.

David Dow, an architect with Diamond Schmitt Architects of Toronto, welcomes more input from engineers: “The integrated design process gets the consulting engineers involved in the process very early in the design and gives them a bigger voice than they’ve had in the past. It both empowers them and also teases them to speak a lot more openly to the design team. The integrated design process has been something that has been spurred very much by the green agenda. But, frankly, it’s a good process regardless. Just having the engineers involved helps to produce a better design.”

From the building owner side, Lee Gavel sees great advantages to an integrated design approach. He is the university architect and chief facilities officer at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., a campus that currently has $130 million in construction under way. “Absolutely there is a need for earlier and more conceptual input from the engineering profession than perhaps there has been in the past,” Gavel says. “Increasingly in the business of getting a building created, the integration of architecture and engineering and all the other specialty technical knowledge bases is paramount.

32

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

Particularly when you are moving into sustainability issues, whether it’s LEED or Green Globes, or any of the green building rating systems, the input and consideration of the basic mechanical, electrical, power and civil infrastructure systems need to come in much earlier and need to be fundamentally part of the process.”

Guy Pocock of Kasian Architecture’s Calgary office has been focused on building large hospital projects. Pocock says: “I’m very much in favour of having the engineers on board from almost Day One. The architects often think of the design from the aesthetic side and functional aspects. But when all the information is there and you are sitting with the client and trying to figure out a solution to a particular problem, then the engineers are there at the table giving out ideas as much as anyone else.”

Problem of the reluctant green engineers It has to be said, however, that many engineers are reluctant to use unconventional green technologies, which means their views are not always popular among the other design team members.

Cameron Blair, P.Eng. is a manager of sustainable building practices for the eastern division of the giant construction company, EllisDon. “I attend a lot of early design meetings,” says Blair, “and I see eyes rolling when the discussion turns to environmental enhancements and sustainable design. The engineer does not want to be on the “bLEEDing” edge and so discourages the owner from the same.”

But Blair believes designers should be willing to try alternative technologies. “Certainly engineers, through standards of care, must safeguard owners from costly unproven technologies,” he says. “But there must also be a willingness to research, learn, and accept some degree of risk, or progress will stagnate.”

John Souleles’ experience is similar: “Not all engineers that we’ve worked with are interested in exploring sustainable design. If their clients aren’t requiring them to bring sustainability to the table, then they won’t.”

Consequently, architects like Souleles who favour green design prefer to work with engineers who are proactive and will bring forward new ideas: “There are certain types of engineers we work with who are on the same page as us,” says Souleles. “They will bring initiatives to the table that we’ve never considered — such as innovative ways to use stormwater to supplement cooling systems, that kind of thing.”

What architects want from engineers What these architects want from engineers is for them to come to the table bursting with new ideas and well versed in the latest technological innovations: “Sustainable design has great potential and there are lots of different technologies out there,” says Guy Pocock. “I would suggest that the engineers have to keep up with what’s on the cutting edge of design and what are new ideas. They need to know how

building energy to apply those ideas in new situations — for a new building type or for a new client.”

David Dow agrees: “Where we want to see a good engineer excel is at the front end of the construction cycle.

Speaking selfishly as an architect, that is where we want to see the interaction, and where we can benefit from their input. Their ideas, their opinions — they can really make the project a lot better.”

But first engineers have to be invited to the table. And that’s not happening enough now. Sustainable design has the potential to empower engineers, giving them an influence over the design that they’ve never had before.

Sustainable design is not just about materials or ordering new equipment, it requires a delicate balance of myriad physical forces that only engineers can calculate, analyze and manage. It’s for that reason that green design requires an integrated design process with engineers at the table from the beginning.

Asked whether he sometimes finds it difficult as an engineer to get a word in edgewise at design meetings, Mark Lucuik answers: “When there is integrated design going on and you have the right individuals at the table, then, No, it’s not hard at all.”

He continues, “It’s not hard — But usually it’s not an integrated design process, so you’re just not there. It’s hard to get a word in when you’re not there.” cce

Construction & Infrastructure Group A leading provider of construction and infrastructure legal advice, we have extensive experience in a full range of public and private sector projects.           

Procurement and Tendering Public Private Partnerships Infrastructure Projects Health Care Construction Contracts and Design Agreements Project Financing Insurance and Bonding Claims Management Alternate Dispute Resolution Construction Liens Construction Litigation

WWW.MILLERTHOMSON.COM

VANCOUVER

Owen D. Pawson 604.643.1254 TORONTO

William (Bill) M. Pigott 416.595.8179 CALGARY

Kathleen J. Kendrick 403.298.2455 EDMONTON

William J. Kenny, Q.C. 780.429.9784 MONTRÉAL

Louis-Michel Tremblay 514.871.5421

TORONTO VANCOUVER CALGARY EDMONTON LONDON KITCHENER-WATERLOO GUELPH MARKHAM MONTRÉAL

RE-VERBER-RAY INFRA-RED HEATING: PROVEN TECHNOLOGY FOCUSING ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY Documented energy savings will continue year after year •compared to hot air systems (ASHRAE Paper #4643).

•

Canada’s largest product line of infra-red heating for industrial, commercial, agricultural and residential applications – new construction or retrofit. factory-trained distributors serving •theKnowledgeable Canadian market and ready to consult with you.

Manufactured in Canada for Canadian •conditions

by Brant Radiant Heaters for over 40 years.

•

For energy conservation... the natural alternative.

BRANT RADIANT HEATERS LIMITED 1.800.387.4778 - www.brantradiant.com

companies

By Debby Blyth and Peggy Doe

The record of H.H. Angus & Associates echoes the history of building technology development in Canada.

H.H. Angus & Associates 90 Years of Innovation 1946, when we worked with Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto.

Like many others of its time, the building was designed to be heated with coal. H.H. Angus developed the engineering site plan, as well as the mechanical designs to install the first hospital electrical air-conditioning unit in what was then the largest hospital in the British Commonwealth.

In 1967, H.H. Angus provided the electrical and mechanical engineering for the tallest tower in the British Commonwealth, the 56-floor TD Bank Tower of the Toronto-Dominion Centre.

H.H. Angus adapted a new concept of electrical distribution to make it work in a building of this scale and size. Managing rainwater drainage in a building this tall also required creative thinking. H.H. Angus developed intermediate transition stations to create breaks in the descending water to prevent damage due to the height of the fall. The project began a working relationship that still exists today, as the firm continues to do work in all five of the TorontoDominion Centre towers.

Environmentally clean and technically complex, Eastman Chemical’s PET plant, built in 1987 at Kodak’s Toronto site in Mount Dennis, used a closed system operating in a hot nitrogen environment to process the Polyethylene Tetrathyalate (PET) resin for moulding into “squashy plastic” bottles. This facility was the first of its Sean Weaver/Copyright Art Gallery of Ontario 2009

I

n 1920, Professor R. Angus gave a speech to the Royal Canadian Institute saying, “I foresee the day when electricity will be manufactured cheaply enough to replace coal in the heating of homes.” Today, Angus is looking ahead at sustainable fuel alternatives and using co-generation systems, keeping with our goal to remain leaders in engineering.

Over 90 years in business, H.H. Angus has weathered the bad times and grown stronger in the good. Our company has developed expertise in many sectors: healthcare, industrial, technology, and commercial buildings.

Three generations of the Angus family — Harry Holborn (founder), Donald Lloyd, and current chief executive officer and president, Harry G. — have led H.H. Angus through the evolution of the dynamic industry.

Above: inside the Art Gallery of Ontario. H.H. Angus engineered the systems for the original building in the 1920s and during its recent renovations.

A history of “Firsts” A glimpse back at the company’s past reads a bit like the history of building technology development in Canada.

Much has changed, for example, in museum design since 1926, when company founder H.H. Angus first took part in the engineering of an extension of what was then called the Art Gallery of Toronto. An ink-on-linen image of this design, hand drawn

by H.H. Angus, is framed and hung in our offices, providing a reminder of our past.

Decades later in 2009, our company held its 90th anniversary celebration in the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), newly transformed by architect Frank Gehry and mechanically engineered by our firm. We had to develop sophisticated hidden mechanisms tailored to the requirements of each gallery, while ensuring the interior environmental conditions met the gallery’s archival standards. The AGO is just one example of the innovative spirit that has allowed H.H. Angus to meet the needs of an ever-changing and challenging client base.

Another of the firm’s longeststanding client relationships began in

March/April 2010

continued on page 36 Canadian Consulting Engineer

35

companies

continued from page 35

kind in Canada. As prime consultants, H.H. Angus helped Kodak design a new method for “solid stating” the resin pellets to make them suitable for injection molding and then blowmolding plastic drink bottles. After researching different methods of heating the resin pellets, the team identified a German method used for cooking cereal flakes, and redesigned the machinery to allow it to heat the crystals by blowing them around in hot nitrogen. The pellets and the nitrogen were then cooled using a chilled glycol system that replaced the traditional ambient air cooling arrangement used in similar facilities. These and other innovations increased the process through-put capacity by a factor of close to four, significantly increasing the plant’s efficiency.

In 1989, Toronto’s SkyDome (now the Rogers Centre) was designed with a fully-retractable motorized dome, the first roof of this kind in the world to be done on the scale of a stadium. The project required not only innovative engineering; it was also an example of how the various groups in H.H. Angus were working closely together. In this case, mechanical and electrical groups teamed up with the firm’s vertical transportation and lighting experts. The design included a method of cooling that focused on washing the cool air down over the patrons, then allowing the air to rise as it warmed. This approach produced energy savings by not cooling the large empty volume of space just under the dome roof. In addition, the team’s lighting innovation won the Edwin Guth award for incorporating cutting edge vertical illuminants within a stadium environment.

The 1990s took H.H. Angus to

Above right: Canary Wharf, London, U.K. H.H. Angus led an international team studying the utility needs for a huge block of commercial buildings on the site. Above left: Rogers Centre (SkyDome) in Toronto. The design included a method of cooling that washed cool air down over the patrons.

the Royal Docklands area of Canary Wharf, in the United Kingdom. They were part of a hand chosen international team of architects, merchant bankers, city planners and engineers given the task of assessing options to develop this huge block. H.H. Angus led the team and conducted a utilities study that involved evaluating and designing how the electrical, heating and cooling systems would be configured for a variety of land uses.

From India ink hand drawings and slide rulers, to automated design tools, the firm has evolved its own methods of design as the industry evolved.

Today, the firm is using three-dimensional CAD software to design the mechanical cooling plant for Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children’s new 700,000-sq.ft. Research Tower, as well as the new Fort St. John Hospital in B.C. Green building design and stateof-the art technologies are driving the vision for these projects.

As proud as H.H. Angus is of its past, the firm’s focus is on the future, with a steady eye on deliver-

Left to right: Harry Holborn Angus, founded company in 1919; Donald Lloyd Angus in charge 1950-1985; and current president and CEO Harry G. Angus.

36

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

ing sound engineering solutions that serve clients’ needs. Harry G. Angus explains: “No matter how innovative our designs are, they must be coupled with excellent engineering functionality — systems must work reliably and both operational and life cycle costs must be considered. If anything, these skills are more important today as our clients look for ways to improve their own business competitiveness, and as they focus increasingly on environmental practices and sustainability.

We plan to be right there alongside them every step of the way, just as we have been for 90 years.” cce Debby Blyth is creative director at H.H. Angus & Associates in Toronto. Peggy Doe is a freelance writer.

Today, H.H. Angus & Associates and its affiliated companies have close to 500 employees. Privately-owned, the company continues to specialize in mechanical and electrical design, related building services such as elevators, lighting, sustainable design and facilities management. The corporate headquarters are in Toronto. The company also has offices in Western Canada and plans to expand geographically.

“There is no magic in doing a good job; it takes knowledge, determination, good staff and interesting clients” - D.L. Angus

professional directory

ENGINEERS

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE PROGRAM

• Contract Review Services • Seminars

For more information, please call: Pro-Form Insurance Services 15 Allstate Parkway, Suite 220 Markham ON L3R 5B4 Tel: 905-305-1054 Fax: 905-305-1093 www.proforminsurance.ca

Tough drainage for worry free designs The ACO PowerDrain trench drain products are designed for applications where heavy loads associated with vehicle maneuvers on top of the drain are expects.

From bus garages to airports, military facilities or fire stations, ACO PowerDrain products ensure safe and efficient drainage and a long service life.

Independent load test reports are available for all ACO Drain products.

ACO Systems, Ltd. (877) 226-4255 www.acocan.ca

We Offer: • Loss Prevention Assistance • Complete Commercial Insurance Programs

Members of PLAN, Professional Liability Agents Network

For information on placing an advertisement in the Canadian Consulting Engineer Professional Directory, contact Maureen Levy, Publisher, 416-510-5111, email: mlevy@ccemag.com Vince Naccarato, Sales Manager, 416-510-5118, email: vnaccarato@ccemag.com

March/April 2010

Canadian Consulting Engineer

37

finance

By James Ward Rosenswig McRae Thorpe, LLP

Harmonized Sales Tax What’s the impact for engineers?

A

lthough the Maritime provinces apart from Prince annually based on how often you file. On these forms, Edward Island have had the Harmonized Sales Tax you will need to indicate your total sales for the period, (HST) for over a decade, the tax is being adopted the amount of HST that you receive from billings, and the in Ontario and British Columbia for the first time this year. amount of HST you paid for goods and services. You will In these two provinces the HST is set to take effect on either owe money or be owed a rebate depending on the July 1. It will combine the provincial sales tax (8% Ontario; net amount of HST you paid and received.

7% B.C.) and the federal Goods To assist small firms, the Good news for and Services Tax (GST) of 5%, into a single tax that will be federgovernment will be providing engineering firms ally administered.

For businesses, the obvious advana credit of up to $1,000 to tage to this system is that the With the exception of a limsubsidize the transition. entire 13% HST can be claimed ited number of rebates (on the provincial component), the HST as a tax credit. Under the former will apply to all goods and services, including those items system, the GST could be claimed as a credit, but the PST previously not taxable under the provincial sales tax (PST) could not. So businesses were stuck paying PST on items regime such as child care, condominium fees, commercial where they were considered the end user (property, equiprents, utilities and engineering services. ment, supplies) and were receiving no credit. Because all What will be the impact for engineering firms?

HST paid by businesses will be refundable, if all else is equal, an engineering firm potentially can see a cash flow Billing increase of 4–8%.

In terms of billing, firms will encounter a very minimal To assist small firms (defined as associated companies difference when adopting the HST system. The principal with taxable sales of less than $2 million) the government change will be that instead of charging the historical 5% will be providing firms in Ontario and B.C. with a credit GST; firms will need to charge the combined HST of 13% of up to $1,000 as a means of subsidizing HST transition in Ontario, 12% in B.C. costs that are incurred. This subsidy will be administered Under the GST/PST system, engineering firms were by the federal government and considered on a company exempt from charging PST and were only obligated to by company basis. charge the 5% GST for their services. So with HST at the end of the day your engineering services will cost your cli- A few key dates ents 8% more in Ontario, 7% more in B.C. • May 1, 2010 – when amounts are prepaid or become payable for goods or services that will be provided or delivered Claiming Input Tax Credits after June 30, 2010, HST will need to be collected.

In order to have a minimal impact on consumers and busi- • July 1, 2010 – all transactions after this date will be subject nesses the government has decided to operate the HST to HST except for the specific rebate detailed below. system the same way that they operated the GST system. • For those services that straddle the July 1, 2010 implemenSpecifically, as mentioned above, when an engineering firm tation date, the HST will need to be prorated for work billed receives payment for their invoice, the portion relating to after the implementation date.

HST is payable to the Government of Canada. To help busiAlthough there has been some public outcry regarding nesses offset this, any HST paid by an engineering firm for the implementation of HST, it is actually quite beneficial goods and services such as supplies, capital expenses, and for businesses. In our view, at the end of the day, it will subcontractors, can be netted against the HST your firm make businesses more profitable, and make the adopting owes to the government as a result of billing. provinces more appealing to investment. cce How to submit HST forms HST forms will be mailed to you monthly, quarterly, or 38

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com

March/April 2010

James Ward practises with Rosenswig McRae Thorpe LLP, a Torontobased accounting firm specializing in the professional services sector.

Specifier’s Literature Review

ACO ROAD – DESIGNED TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION ACO Road consists of four different, yet complimentary, product offerings. Each product within the range addresses a variety of unique design criteria required in different types of road and/or bridge projects.

Products address several key issues: • Minimize roadside ponding and sheeting (TraffikDrain & CurbDrain) • Cope with the challenges of fast moving vehicles (HighwayDrain) • Avoid multiple grades (line drainage) • Fast evacuation of stormwater on bridges (BridgeDrain) (877) 226-4255 www.acocan.ca SUPPLIER: ACO SYSTEMS

DESIGN CHANCE® HELICAL PIERS AND ANCHORS WITH CONFIDENCE

OVER 20 YEARS AGO, FLEXHEAD INVENTED THE FIRST FLEXIBLE FIRE SPRINKLER CONNECTION.

This comprehensive Technical Design Manual provides in-depth methodology and design assistance for the many applications of Chance® Helical Piers and Anchors. This resource has been compiled to provide information to geotechnical and structural engineers on how to design Chance Helical Piers and Anchors for structural retrofits, new structures, telecom towers, soil retention and environmental boardwalks. Contact us for a free copy before your next deep foundation project. Please visit www. c3group.com/ebs for further information on EBS Engineering and Construction Limited and CHANCE® HELICAL PIER® Systems.

SUPPLIER: EBS ENGINEERING

That system was used in protecting billion dollar clean room facilities. Now, we’ve applied the same technology and quality to the commercial marketplace, and offer flexible fire sprinkler connections designed for use in suspended ceilings. FlexHeads are fast and simple to install; requiring no measuring, no cutting and no infield assembly. Benefits include simplified project management, faster occupancy, easier retrofits, and cost effective code compliance.

FlexHead has also been seismically qualified for use in seismic areas and offer green benefits to building owners. Call us at (800) 829-6975 or visit flexhead.com for more information.

SUPPLIER: FLEXHEAD INDUSTRIES

THE MOST POWERFUL GENERATOR SIZING & DESIGN SOFTWARE AVAILABLE

LG ELECTRONICS CANADA INC. INTRODUCES MULTI-V AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

Generac® Industrial Power introduces Power Design Pro™, the one stop power sizing solution for engineers. State-of-the-art algorithms, full harmonic and transient analysis, direct linking to supporting dealers for quoting, and much more. Free download at generac.com/PowerDesignPro SUPPLIER: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS

The internationally recognized Multi-V variable refrigerant-flow technology uses multiple indoor units available in numerous models and sizes. Multiple indoor units can be controlled from a single outdoor unit utilizing green technology. Stylish and sophisticated, the energy-efficient Multi-V units match any requirement with generous piping capability. These network capable machines easily connect with LON works or BACnet. www.LG.ca SUPPLIER: LG ELECTRONICS CANADA INC.

CITY MULTI HYDRA DAN WASTE ENERGY TO HOT WATER SYSTEM

SOFT STARTER SSW-06

City Multi HydraDan is a shining example of Mitsubishi Electric’s commitment to leadingedge energy efficient HVAC technology.

City Multi is famous for its industry-leading VRF technology, geothermal applications, and the world’s only 2-pipe system featuring simultaneous heating and cooling. The new HydraDan units work with City Multi to convert recovered heat energy into hot water for sanitary use or hydronic heating, facilitates virtually no energy waste, reduced CO2 emissions, operating costs and installation costs, ultimately helping your future projects to achieve LEED certifications. For more information please visit www.HydraDan.ca SUPPLIER: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

The SSW-06 is WEG’s third generation Soft Starter line. Its Keypad with dual display provides high visibility with bright red LED digits and easy programming. With built-in bypass contacts to eliminate heat dissipation once the motor is at full voltage it is extremely compact. This allows for simple integration in non-ventilated enclosures and replacement of electromechanical starters in Motor Control Centers. This product recently won the IF Design Award - Industrial Products Category. The main design attributes which conferred this award to the SSW-06 were the simplicity of constructive solutions and its user friendly operator interface. Call 1 877 PAMENSKY www.pamensky.com SUPPLIER: V.J. PAMENSKY

SUSTAINABLE LED SOLUTIONS

S-CONCRETE FOR WINDOWS

BetaLED by Ruud Lighting has thousands of in-market installations with measurable, proven performance. Our complete line of energy saving and sustainable LED luminaires include:

S-CONCRETE is a reinforced concrete section design and detailing software that operates in stand-alone mode or integrated with our structural analyis software, S-FRAME and P-FRAME. S-CONCRETE supports the current American, Canadian, British, and Singapore standards. It will design beams, columns, composite columns, and shear walls subjected to wind and earthquake loads. For more information please visit our website at www.s-frame.com SUPPLIER: SOFTEK SERVICES LTD.

• Street • Area • Security

• Pathway • Canopy • Parkade

1-800-473-1234 info@ruud.ca www.ruud.ca SUPPLIER: RUUD LIGHTING

SPECTRALERT ADVANCE SERIES

VICTAULIC CIRCUIT BALANCING

These speakers and strobes feature a universal mounting plate and plug-in design that helps reduce ground faults and simplifies installation. Rotary dials allow for on-site selection of voltage, audible tones and 11 different candela ratings. The visual signals may be synchronized and coloured lenses are available for Mass Notification applications.

1-800-736-7672 SUPPLIER: SYSTEM SENSOR

Enhance comfort and cut energy costs through precise control of building temperature.

Hydronic balancing is the means and method to control hydronic systems thus providing a comfortable indoor climate, minimizing energy costs and preventing problems during operations. Victaulic provides a complete line of balancing products that allow for accurate control of building temperatures while optimizing energy efficiency. For more information visit, www.victaulic.com/balancing SUPPLIER: VICTAULIC

CCE june09gm1020 SaaS half page.qxd

8/6/09

11:07 AM

Page 1

INTRODUCING SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE (SaaS) WEB/HOSTED BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Our web hosted (SaaS) business solutions can be implemented quickly. The online CRM and Project Management systems have been designed from the ground up to be easy-to-use, fast to set up, and fully hosted, removing the burden of IT support.

In addition, monthly or quarterly subscription fees reduce up front capital costs and makes acquisition/usage simple and quick.

PROJECT/JOB MANAGEMENT (PM)

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM)

The Best in online job management

Powerful CRM Features – Simple To Use

Account/Contact Management Opportunity Management Lead/Marketing Campaign Management Personalized email Management Customer Support/Service Management Reporting & Collaboration For more information visit:

Powerful PM Features – Simple To Use

Time Sheet Management Job Tracking Management Project Management Quote & Invoice Management Purchase Order Management Reporting & Collaboration

www.4Growth.ca/SaaSCCE

or

Call: 905.480.0717 x3036

engineer Canadian Consulting

ad index

Need more Info?

Advertiser

Contact Our Advertisers Listed Below

Pg#

Email

Telephone

March/April 2010

Website

Atlantic Industries Ltd

24

see website

877-245-7473

Brant Radiant Heaters

33

sales@brantradiant.com

800-387-4778

Canadian Security Association (CANASA)

34

staff@canasa.org

905-513-0622

www.canasa.org/www.securitycanadaexpo.com

4Growth Inc - CRM

40

stevebielawski@4growth.ca

416-389-5930

www.4growth.ca/SaaSCCE

4Growth Inc - S360

37

stevebielawski@4growth.ca

416-389-5930

www.4growth.ca/360CCE

Generac

23

Hatch Mott McDonald

28

elaine.daniels@hatchmott.com

905-403-7989

www.hatchmott.com

LG Electronics

25

nmierkalns@lge.com

888 542-2623

www.lg.ca

Manulife

9

am_service@manulife.com

877-598-2273

www.manulife.com/CCE

Miller Thomson LLC

33

opawson@millerthomson.com

604-643-1254

www millerthomson.com

Moen

2

800-465-6130

www.moen.ca

National Defence

5,7

800-856-8488

www.forces.ca

VJ Pamensky

18

anthonyz@pamensky.com

877-726-3675

www.pamensky.com

Philips Lighting

10

therightmove@philips.com

905-201-4100 x2419

Rittal Systems

43

rittal@sales.ca

800-399-0748

www.rittal.ca

Softek Services

44

sales@s-frame.com

604-273-7737

www.s-frame.com

Systemair Inc

19

sales@systemair.net

416-689-9693

www.systemair.net

System Sensor Canada

16

Joe.Davis@systemsensor.com

 800-736-7672

www.systemsensor.ca

Victaulic Co of Canada

29

VicCanada@Victaulic.com

905-884-7444

www.victaulic.com

engineer Canadian Consulting

www.ail.ca

1-888-GENERAC

www.generac.com

www.lighting.philips.com

FREE SUBSCRIPTION*

Name___________________________________________________________________________________ Please sign here if you wish to receive/continue to receive Canadian Consulting Engineer FREE* Title_ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Company________________________________________________________________________________ Select your format:

Digital

Print

Both

Address_________________________________________________________________________________ Signature_____________________________________________________ City_________________________________ Province________ Postal Code_______________________ Date_____________________________________________________ Telephone (

)_ __________________________ Fax (

)_____________________________

E-Mail___________________________________________________________________________________ Canadian Consulting Engineer 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 Telephone toll free 1-800-268-7742 (Canada), 416 442-5600 ext 3543 Fax 416-510-6875. E-mail: bolechnowicz@bizinfogroup.ca Please provide us with the name of another professional engineer or specification writer at your company who would like to receive Canadian Consulting Magazine FREE*.

Name______________________________________ Title_________________________________________

MAIL THIS FORM OR FAX TO (416) 510-6875 TODAY! * Free subscription to qualified readers.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS I am engaged in the following Professional Engineer in a consulting engineering practice Specification Writer in a consulting engineering or architectural firm, government department or development company Engineering Technologist/Technician in a consulting engineering firm Other (Please specify)________________________________________________ Engineering discipline (Check one box only) Civil Structural Mechanical Electrical Other (Please specify)________________________________________________ Do you have product specification responsibility?

March/April 2010

Yes

Canadian Consulting Engineer

No

41

the human edge

INTERVIEW

Rusty Morgan

Saving lives around the world with shotcrete

R

usty Morgan, P.Eng. is chief materials engineer with AMEC in Burnaby, B.C. He is also a renowned expert in shotcrete and has helped to share the technology with countries around the world. He is an author, a lecturer, and was a founding member of the American Shotcrete Association, which last year published a book of his papers in celebration of his 33-year consulting career.

Q. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO WORK WITH SHOTCRETE IN THE BEGINNING?

I’m a civil engineer and did my Masters and doctoral thesis studies in concrete technology. Shotcrete really is just a subset of concrete technology.

I taught for seven years at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, but I had married a Canadian so we came to Vancouver in 1976 and I joined what was then R.M. Hardy and Associates.

I had a client — Target Products in Burnaby here. The owner of the company had heard of something called steel fibre reinforcement, so he asked us to look at its potential for use in shotcrete for lining tunnels.

The work was in its infancy at that time. Shotcrete had been used here in the mid-1960s for lining some tunnels, but it was just a plain, or mesh-reinforced shotcrete.

Q. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO TYPES?

With mesh you have to attach it to the rock and then spray a plain shotcrete through it to get everything to adhere. The mesh gives it the tensile reinforcement.

With the fibre reinforcement you add the fibre directly to the shotcrete mixture at the batch plant. So the reinforcement is in the system when it is sprayed out of the nozzle.

Fibre reinforcement caught on and started to be widely used here in the West with our Rocky Mountains and the like. BC Rail, the BC Ministry of Highways, BC Hydro, all these organizations started using it and with considerable success.

From that I found I was getting invited to participate in transferring the technology to other countries. I worked, for example, on mining projects in Australia with an engineer from Ontario, David Wood. We went to Queensland and put on a week-long shotcrete training session there for about 60 miners from all over Australia.

At the time Australian mines were having a lot of deaths from falling rock. The government was concerned and 42

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com March/April 2010

Rusty Morgan last year at the Afton Mine in Kamloops, B.C.

came down heavily on the mining companies, saying that the next time someone was killed from fallen rock in the mining environment, the directors were going to jail. So there was a massive safety program to line all the drifts, declines, haulage ways and other underground openings. The companies found the technology so effective they almost eliminated injuries and certainly deaths by this process. And they found it economical because they weren’t having to go back to fix the mesh-lined rock.

Subsequently I had the opportunity to introduce the technology around the world. For example it is used throughout India on many of the hydroelectric and other underground civil engineering projects.

In the 1980s we introduced silica fume into shotcrete technology in North America, which makes the shotcrete stick better.

Q. IT MUST BE SATISFYING TO THINK THAT YOU HAVE SAVED THE LIVES OF PEOPLE

BY DEVELOPING THIS TECHNOLOGY.

Yes. In Australia I saw the number of injuries and deaths plotted on the same graph as the volume of consumption of shotcrete. As the increasing consumption of shotcrete appeared in the Australian mines, so the numbers of deaths and injuries dropped dramatically in the opposite direction.

It was quite striking.

CCE

Cut and Assembled... ...the way you want it Power Distribution

Enclosures Cooling Industrial IT

HMI

Quick Customized Solutions Done Locally!

Ordering a customized Rittal Solution is easier and quicker than you think, thanks to an in-house team dedicated to making your vision a reality.

In-stock solutions Rittal Systems Ltd. - 7320 Pacific Circle, Mississauga ON L5T 1V1 Phone 1-800-399-0748 - www.Rittal.ca R