Canadian Consulting Engineer March/April 2013

For professional engineers in private practice

MARCH/APRIL 2013

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contents

March/April 2013 Volume 54, No. 2

features Cover: artist’s rendering of competition pool at the Aquatic Centre-Field House-CSIO centre being built for the 2015 Toronto Pan/Parapan American Games. Rendering courtesy PCL Aquatics 2012/NORR. See story p. 38.

Proposal Writing: Choose Your Battles.

See story p. 34

departments Comment 4 Up Front

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ACEC Review

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Advertiser Index

45

Next issue: Green buildings and technologies, solar chimneys, benchmark systems, Nova Scotia Power headquarters.

Community Power: the Advent of District Energy Systems. Denser urban plans create ideal opportunities for centralized heating and cooling networks.

By Ken Church, P.Eng., Natural Resources Canada

18

Pipe Dreams, Markham Realities. District energy success in a city north of Toronto.

By John G. Smith

22

Ammonia vs CO2. A comparison of two natural refrigeration systems for ice arenas.

By Mathieu Courchesne, ing., Dessau

24

Smoke Management in Large Venues. Dealing with the complex issues requires NFPA 101.

By Jonathan Rubes, P.Eng., Rubes Code Consultants

30

Proposal Writing: Choose Your Battles.

Is the laborious effort of writing proposals always worth it? Advice to help you decide.

By Tara Landes, Bellrock

34

After a Tornado. A devastated Sifto salt evaporator plant in Goderich, Ontario is quickly rebuilt.

By Alan Greer, CET, Ausenco

36

A Heady Pace: Toronto’s 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.

A snapshot of three venues under construction.

By Bronwen Parsons

38

on topic ENGINEERS & THE LAW Mining Sector Opportunities.

Smaller firms don’t need to be left out.

By Chad Eggerman, Miller Thomson LLP 41

March/April 2013

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SPEAKING OUT Shock Wave. The head of AICQ reflects on evidence at the Charbonneau Inquiry.

By Johanne Desrochers 46

Canadian Consulting Engineer

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engineer FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE

comment

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

Webs, walls, and where’s the information?

T

rying to find out information about construction projects these days is ... well, trying. It took me two months to put together the article about some of the venues being built for the 2015 Pan/Parapan Games in Toronto (p. 38). I was simply trying to obtain straightforward information on what the buildings will look like and whether they have any outstanding engineering features. Still it took dozens of e-mails, interviews, text reviews and re-reviews, so that we didn’t get final “approval” until we were right down to the wire.

This kind of controlled access to information happens all the time, especially with P3 projects. Contractors don’t seem keen on promoting their projects, perhaps in deference to the wishes of their government and financier partners. I hear of strict protocols being set on what messages go out to the media.

Consequently, I have a file full of projects on which I have tried to find out more information than what was given in a press release or on the website, all to no avail. Examples across Canada include a large museum, an airport, and an infamously cancelled power generating plant (O.K., perhaps I can understand the silence on that one).

As a journalist I am happy to have technical content checked for accuracy, but I do have qualms about having entire articles reviewed and “approved” by project owners. Controlling the media is a good or a bad thing, depending on your point of view. In the last issue we published an article on how engineering companies need to manage how they deal with the media in a crisis. We called it “Damage Control.” But this month I’m looking at the issue from the other side, and I have to say it’s disturbing. Suffice it to say, that Democracy 101 teaches that a free and independent press, and the free flow of information, are the axes upon which our political, social and economic systems turn.

Living in the internet era, there has never been more information available to us. But the idea that this free-for-all platform has opened up the avenues of knowledge and truth is an illusion. On one hand the web allows any crank to post a far-out theory and have it believed. On the other hand it allows governments, corporations and organizations to put up walls and deflect enquiries. Websites are online brochures, and organizations naturally use them to present only their best faces to the world. It’s often impossible to penetrate any deeper. Big infrastructure project websites are packed with information, but that’s another problem. How do you know you have found the right page? Is the document up to date or superseded? You can spend hours uncovering the layers. It’s like being in a library, lost in the stacks and having to search through every book.

And, when you’re on the hunt for engineering information it is disconcerting to find that consultants are afraid to speak to the media. No wonder engineers don’t have a high profile. As long as they don’t insist on their right to talk about projects and promote themselves as the engineers, they will stay low in the public’s awareness. At present, the only time engineers do emerge into the limelight — witness the Elliot Lake and Charbonneau inquiries — is when there’s trouble.

Bronwen Parsons

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

Ellie Robinson Contributing Editor

Rosalind Cairncross, P.Eng. Advertising Sales Manager

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

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., Andrew Steeves, P.Eng. Circulation

Barbara Adelt (416) 442-5600 x3546 badelt@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

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March/April 2013

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HOK/Stantec Architecture

up front

ENERGY

Edmonton Clinic Health Academy. University of Alberta.

PROFESSION

Elliot Lake mall collapsed due to single connector Hearings into what caused the fatal collapse of a roof at the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake began on March 5. Things didn’t start off well, with the mall’s owner, Robert Nazarian, withholding thousands of e-mails and documents, prompting Commissioner Paul Belanger to take him to court.

On March 6, John Kadlec, the original structural engineer of the mall which opened in 1980, testified that he had doubts about the wisdom of putting a parking garage on a rooftop in the first place. He had also expressed concerns about shoddy construction.

According to Canadian Press reports, Kadlec’s defence was that he was “part of a team” and had only visited the site a few times. Asked about problems with the waterproofing, he said, “I know nothing about waterproofing ... it’s a different profession.”

A surveillance video shot on the fatal day on June 23 last year shows the roof starting to break apart after a car drives over a seam in the roof. In a 700-page forensic report done by NORR, engineers say they believe the problem was a single steel connector on a column that had corroded badly, 6

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com

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thanks to years of salt water leaking through the roof. The mall was notoriously badly maintained. NORR said they were surprised that the connector had held the roof up for so long.

When it gave way above a kiosk in the mall, concrete slabs and a parked SUV came crashing down, killing two women and injuring 20.

Professional Engineers of Ontario had revoked Kadlec’s licence in 1994, but reinstated it in 1999. He was not given a certificate of authorization to practice.

The purpose of the Inquiry is to investigate the events surrounding the collapse of the roof and to make recommendations to prevent such occurrences in the future.

A fascinating article on the problem-plagued history of the mall was published in Maclean’s, March 11, 2013.

AWARDS

Calgary’s largest infrastructure project wins top award Consulting Engineers of Alberta celebrated its annual Showcase Awards on January 26 at the Edmonton Expo Centre. “Arabian Nights” was the theme for the evening.

Awards of excellence went to the following:

Almost half a million buildings surveyed The NRCan Office of Energy Efficiency’s Survey of Commercial and Institutional Energy Use Buildings 2009 Detailed Statistical Report has been published.

The researchers found: • There were more than 480,000 commercial and institutional buildings in Canada in 2009.

• More than 34% were built between 1970 and 1989.

• Nearly half of the 480,000 buildings were in the Great Lakes climate zone.

• The overall energy intensity of the buildings in Canada was 1.10 GJ/m2 in 2009.

• Natural gas was the primary energy source for space heating by the majority (54.0%).

• Nearly half (45.6%) had some type of renovation done in the last five years.

“B

EDUCATION

Massively Schooled Around 30 universities around the world are offering “Massive Open Online Courses,” or MOOCs, reports SFU News.

The courses are free and have no enrolment limits, no prerequisites and no credit, but are being taken increasingly seriously in academia. The University of Toronto, University of B.C. and Harvard offer MOOCs, which are given through programs like Coursera.

U

B c F h

continued on page 8 ©

March/April 2013

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up front

continued from page 6

– Dialog and Yolles/CH2M HILL for the Edmonton Clinic and the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (buildings category). The two firms partnered to “super-fast-track” the structural designs for this 1,250,000 sq. ft., $900-million project at the University of Alberta. One building is in cast-in-place concrete, and the other is in structural steel.

– Hatch Mott MacDonald won two awards of excellence (transportation and project management) for the fasttrack delivery of Calgary’s West LRT. The 8-kilometre extension to Calgary’s LRT includes 1.5 kilometres of elevated guideway, 2.5 kilometres of tunnel and trench, and 4 kilometres of at-grade rail alignment, as well as six stations. The project is the largest infrastructure project in Calgary’s history and was completed in five years.

– ISL Engineering and Land Services for the Exshaw Municipal Water System (water resources/energy). The low tech, low maintenance system effectively treats complex raw water and has a low lifecycle cost.

– Stantec Consulting for the Calgary Public Building Restoration (sustainable design). Stantec did mechanical engineering and commissioning for the project, which restored original mechanical design features and added new technologies to the heritage building.

– CH2M HILL Canada for the Jackpine Mine Integrated Closure, Conservation and Reclamation Plan (natural resources/mining/industry). Com-

8

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Calgary’s West LRT.

pleted for Shell Canada in the Athabasca Oil Sands region, the plan outlines the return of reclaimed mine uplands, wetlands and lakes to the equivalent of pre-development conditions.

– SMA Consulting for a Risk-Based Infrastructure Management System (RIMS) for the City of Edmonton (small firm/big impact). The system uses generic algorithms to generate asset management strategies, giving options for cost and performance.

– SMA Consulting for the West Edmonton Sanitary Sewer, Stage W12 (studies/software/special services).

The tunnel is a $44-million, 1,135-m syphon under the North Saskatchewan River. It connects northwest Edmonton to the Goldbar Wastewater Treatment plant. SMA Consulting provided decision support techniques, including simulation and 4D visualization.

– MMM Group for the Calgary Zoo Antarctic Landing (community development). MMM Group engineered the complex servicing, grading and drainage for the Penguin Plunge exhibit.

– Golder Associates for the Caring for Communities project, including its support for 25 charitable causes and the Golder Trust for Orphans (community outreach).

– EBA/Tetra Tech for Community Aid Work in Ethopia for the organization Partners in the Horn of Africa (community outreach).

Three individuals won 2013 CEA Lieutenant Governor Awards for Distinguished Achievement. One was Charlie Weir, who passed away in March 2012. He was the second chief executive officer and a former senior partner of the firm Stewart Weir.

John Chomiak, chief executive officer and president of Hemisphere Engineering, and Gino Ferri, a principal at Read Jones Christoffersen, were also recipients. Charlie Weir.

The 2013 Harold L. Morrison Rising Young Professional Award went to Robin Zirnhelt, P.Eng. of ISL Engineering.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Preparing for the Plug-In Era Utility managers, manufacturers, government policy makers and power worker unions were at the 2nd Electric continued on page 10

March/April 2013

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Vehicle Infrastructure Summit held by the Strategy Institute in downtown Toronto on February 5-6. Ontario has a goal of having electric vehicles make up 5% of the traffic on its roads by 2020. British Columbia and Quebec are further along. In Vancouver a pilot study involving 70 public charging stations is under way, and Quebec Hydro already has 150 charging stations installed in 34 cities. ©iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Jim Burpee, P.Eng., president and chief executive office of the Canadian Electricity Association, said that environmental concerns are driving the growth in electric vehicles. Transportation is a major producer of greenhouse gas emissions, currently producing 31% of Canada’s emissions, compared to 16% from electricity generation. Plugging your car into an electricity source means plugging into a much greener power source than gasoline. But as well, Burpee pointed out, there’s the fact that electric motors are “vastly more efficient” than the internal combustion engine.

What hasn’t been assessed, however, is the impact on the electricity grid, said Burpee. If electric vehicles are adopted at a mass scale, there may have to be rules as to who can charge when, and where. “All hell could break loose” if too many people are charging their cars at home at the same time, he suggested. Frequent power failures would of course affect reliability — no power; no vehicle; no way to get to work.

His slide of an Environics study in Vancouver suggests that home electric vehicle charging will happen in geographic clusters, and that residential peak power usage in some areas will rise 155%.

Already Canada has an ageing electricity grid and ageing power stations, which will require approximately $294 billion in upgrades over the next 20 years, said Burpee.

Malcolm Shield, climate programs engineer with the City of Vancouver’s Sustainability Group, said they are researching long-term strategies for siting the charging infrastructure and are currently looking at installing stations near cell phone towers. The other types of locations are malls, libraries and community centres.

Shield pointed out that Vancouver is a relatively dense city which means that running range for electric vehicles is not so critical. As well. Vancouver has its own building code so it was able to mandate that all new buildings must supply 20% of their parking spaces with vehicle charging equipment.

COMPANY NEWS

Stephenson, Enermodal, RJC Stephenson Engineering, structural engineers of Toronto, has opened an office in Calgary. The office will be run by Pat Romerman who recently joined the company.

Braden Kurzak of Enermodal Engineering/MMM in Kitchener has been named one of McMaster University’s People of Impact – in company with astronaut Roberta Bondar and politician Tommy Douglas.

Read Jones Christoffersen has appointed three new principals: Daryl Prefontaine, P.Eng. in Edmonton, Bryan Colvin, P.Eng. in Calgary, and Brent Lodge, P.Eng. in Toronto. Brent Lodge.

Chris Davis has been appointed an associate in Calgary.

CORRECTION

Wrong church pictured The photograph on p. 6 of the January-February issue was of MarieReine-du-Monde in Montreal, not St. Patrick’s Basilica as stated. St. Patrick’s is a few blocks to the east.

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW CHAIR’S MESSAGE

Consulting engineers have a major role in overcoming barriers to competitiveness

A

CEC Canada is the national voice of the industry and the business association representing the consulting engineering sector. The success of our members is directly tied to the overall business and regulatory climate in Canada. It was therefore of great interest to ACEC and its members – as it should be to any business in any sector in Canada – when the Canadian Chamber of Commerce recently released its report, Top 10 Barriers to Competitiveness. I would encourage you to read the report, available at www.chamber.ca.

Reflecting on the report, I was struck by how it reinforced our assertion that engineering touches virtually every aspect of our prosperity in Canada. Not only are the identified barriers interrelated, they are all areas where consulting engineering companies can be part of the solution both directly and indirectly.

ACEC President, John Gamble, attended the official launch of the report in Ottawa where Chamber President and CEO, Perrin Beatty, emphasized we cannot just look to government to solve our problems. The private sector must

be a proactive part of the solution. I agree.

A major conclusion of the report is the need for adequate infrastructure planning. ACEC’s leadership and advocacy for long-term infrastructure planning and funding are well recognized by both the Chamber and by government. This is an obvious strength for ACEC. Still, our industry needs to do more to apply its influence and expertise to help overcome the other barriers. Accessing markets for Canada’s energy resources, addressing the skills shortage, and improving workforce productivity and innovation are just some of the areas where we can and should be contributing.

These areas are not only vital to Canada’s overall prosperity, but are directly connected to the success of engineering firms.

That’s why ACEC Canada is expanding its advocacy beyond government and public projects and strengthening its voice and influence in the broader economy. Many of our firms depend on the prosperity of their private sector clients, but also offer perspectives and solutions that can create prosperity.

MURRAY D. THOMPSON, P.ENG. CHAIR, ACEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MESSAGE DU PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL

Élimination des obstacles à la compétitivité Les ingénieurs-conseils ont un rôle vital à jouer

L

’AFIC, qui est le porte-parole national de l’industrie canadienne du génie-conseil, a pour mission de représenter et de défendre les intérêts des firmes d’ingénieursconseils membres dont le succès est directement lié au climat commercial et réglementaire du Canada. L’industrie a donc accueilli avec un intérêt particulier le récent rapport de la Chambre de commerce du Canada intitulé Les 10 principaux obstacles à la compétitivité. Ce rapport, qui devrait intéresser toutes les entreprises dans tous les secteurs au Canada, est disponible à www.chamber.ca.

Ce rapport renforce notre affirmation que l’ingénierie touche pratiquement tous les aspects de la prospérité du pays. En plus d’être interreliés, les obstacles identifiés dans le rapport représentent aussi tous des domaines où les firmes de génie-conseil peuvent contribuer à une solution.

Le président de l’AFIC, John Gamble, était à la table d’honneur lors du lancement officiel du rapport à Ottawa. À cette occasion, le président de la Chambre, Perrin Beatty, a clairement indiqué que nous ne pouvons pas simplement nous attendre à ce que le gouvernement règle nos problèmes, et que le secteur privé devra être un participant proactif à la solution. Je partage cet avis.

Le rapport fait appel à une planification intelligente de l’infrastructure. Le gouvernement et la Chambre reconnaissent le leadership de l’AFIC en faveur d’une planification et d’un financement de l’infrastructure à long terme. C’est une force évidente de l’AFIC. Notre industrie doit toutefois davantage appliquer son influence et son expertise pour contribuer à éliminer tous les obstacles identifiés dans le rapport : obstacles à l’accès aux marchés mondiaux pour les produits énergétiques canadiens, pénurie de compétences, productivité inadéquate de la main-d’œuvre, et piètre rendement du pays sur le plan de l’innovation.

En plus d’être essentiels à la prospérité du Canada, ces enjeux sont aussi directement liés à la réussite des firmes de génie-conseil. C’est pourquoi l’AFIC a entrepris d’étendre son programme de représentation au-delà du gouvernement et des projets publics et de renforcer son influence à l’ensemble de l’économie. Plusieurs de nos firmes dépendent de la prospérité de leurs clients du secteur privé, mais elles offrent aussi des perspectives et des solutions qui peuvent créer de la prospérité.

MURRAY D. THOMPSON, P.ENG. PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL D’ADMINISTRATION DE L’AFIC

March/April 2013

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Canadian Consulting Engineer

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW

Canadian Chamber of Commerce Top 10 Barriers to Competitiveness for 2013 • Skills shortages

• Barriers to world markets for Canadian energy products • Inadequate workforce productivity • Inadequate public infrastructure planning • Tax complexity and structure • Poor innovation performance • Deficient strategies for trade success in new markets • Internal barriers to trade • Uncompetitive travel and tourism strategies • Lack of access to capital

Les 10 principaux obstacles à la compétitivité pour 2013 : • Pénuries de compétences • Obstacles à l’accès aux marchés mondiaux pour les produits énergétiques canadiens • Productivité inadéquate de la main-d’œuvre • Planification inadéquate de l’infrastructure publique • Complexité et structure du régime fiscal • Piètre rendement sur le plan de l’innovation • Stratégies insatisfaisantes pour assurer la réussite commerciale dans de nouveaux marchés • Obstacles au commerce intérieur • Stratégies non concurrentielles en matière de voyage et de tourisme • Manque d’accès au capital

ACEC promotes consulting engineering as key to Canada’s prosperity

T

he consulting engineering sector’s importance to Canada’s future prosperity was a key message recently delivered to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology in Ottawa. ACEC President, John Gamble, was invited to appear before the all-party committee studying the state of engineering in Canada today. The committee was most interested in hearing about areas in which Canadian engineers and expertise are globally competitive, and areas for opportunity and growth.

Mr. Gamble stated that consulting engineering is the single most important investment in the success of a project. Consulting engineers are involved in the planning, design and execution of all types of engineering projects as well as providing independent advice and expertise in a wide range of engineering and engineering-related fields. ACEC member firms have a direct influence on virtually every aspect of our economic, social and environmental quality of life in Canada. For example, the impact of long-term, predictable infrastructure investment on Canada’s competitiveness includes skills development in the industry. Short-term programs make it difficult for firms (and infrastructure agencies) to attract and retain employees. Conversely, a longterm predictable program will give employers the confidence to hire, retain and invest in their workforce.

To ensure that clients, both public and private, receive good value for their investment in engineering services, Mr. Gamble recommended the adoption of Qualifications-Based Se-

ACEC President John Gamble appears before the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology on Parliament Hill, Ottawa.

lection (QBS) for procurement of all professional engineering services.

QBS, as opposed to price-based selection, leads to significant savings over the entire life-cycle of a project by rewarding firms that have the foresight to anticipate complications, that propose innovation, or that have a clearer understanding of the client’s needs. It provides accountability by ensuring that fees will correspond to the level of service and the deliverables to be provided. QBS also results in more realistic and predictable budgets and schedules for capital expenditures.

For government and governmentfunded projects, Mr. Gamble specifically recommended Best Practice: Selecting a Professional Consultant published by the National Guide to Sustainable Infrastructure (InfraGuide).

Mr. Gamble also stated that the trend of clients unilaterally off-loading risk onto engineering consultants is having a detrimental impact on the ability of engineers to offer creative and innovative solutions to their cli-

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

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW ents. Too often the risks are disproportionate to the engineering fees and in some cases uninsurable. However, a fair and equitable sharing of risk and reward encourages creativity and innovation.

Internationally, Canada is recognized for its engineering services and is the fifth largest exporter of engineering services. Canada’s consulting engineering sector has strong capabilities and provides high quality service in virtually all sectors. In fact, improved access for Canadian resources and manufacturing to foreign markets can potentially create significant opportunity and job creation in the

consulting engineering sector as well.

Mr. Gamble expressed concern, however, about policies in many countries that effectively make Canadianowned businesses less competitive.

The government should leverage trade negotiations to reduce barriers, include limits on the percentage of foreign ownership of firms, and excessive bureaucracy and delays in receiving the necessary approvals. This should include ensuring that various ministries and jurisdictions within countries are obliged to respect national commitments. Trade agreements should also ensure that there is a mechanism for protection of Cana-

dian interests when disputes occur.

Companies investing in Canada can rely on the Canadian courts to protect their interests in the event of a dispute, but in some cases there is no similar option for Canadian companies investing in some countries.

Most importantly, based on ACEC’s experience with the New West Partnership Trade Agreement, any trade agreement must avoid language that disallows recognition of criteria other than price, i.e., legitimate qualifications or technical expertise.

For more information on ACEC’s advocacy and government relations program, visit www.acec.ca.

Infrastructure investments drive productivity, new report finds

A

CEC has endorsed a landmark study released by the Canada West Foundation concluding that Canada’s governments should not hesitate when it comes to maintaining a high level of investment in public infrastructure because it is a key driver of economic productivity.

At the Intersection: The Case for Sustained and Strategic Public Infrastructure Investment is based on over 200 studies and shows a strong link between public infrastructure investment and longterm economic growth. ACEC President John Gamble praised the report, noting that it adds to a growing body of evidence that infrastructure investment is critical to Canada’s prosperity and competitiveness. He stated: “This report clearly demonstrates that economic performance is directly linked to infrastructure investment.” Currently, Canadian public and private infrastructure assets, which are used daily and enable our economy to function, are valued at $4 trillion.

“The Canadian economy has to become more productive or we won’t be able to maintain social programs in the face of an aging population with-

out significantly increasing taxes. The good news is that investing in public infrastructure can boost economic productivity,” says Casey Vander Ploeg, Canada West Foundation Senior Policy Analyst and co-author of the report.

At the Intersection proposes five recommendations to help grow the economy and maintain our quality of life: 1. Sustained and strategic investments in Canada’s public infrastructure should be continued.

2. Priority should be given to public infrastructure that enhances economic performance.

3. Governments should encourage innovative approaches to the design of public infrastructure.

4. Governments should not focus exclusively on new infrastructure and should give due consideration to renewing existing public infrastructure.

5. Ongoing analysis and evaluation of recent public infrastructure investments should be conducted and the lessons applied to future investments.

“It would be a shame if we decided to wiggle out of our fiscal problems by offloading the cost of repairing our

existing infrastructure onto the next generation,” said Vander Ploeg. “Similarly, if we fail to consider the economic value of investing in public infrastructure, we risk undermining the economic prosperity we need to maintain our high quality of life in this country.”

Other organizations that have endorsed the report include the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Construction Association, Canadian Public Works Association, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Canadian Urban Transit Association, Engineers Canada, Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Insurance Bureau of Canada and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering.

The report was well received by the federal government. Following its release, Mr. Gamble and Michael Atkinson, President of the Canadian Construction Association were invited to discuss the report with Finance Minister Flaherty’s office.

To access At the Intersection: The Case for Sustained and Strategic Public Infrastructure Investment go to http://cwf. ca/publications/.

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ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES | REVIEW

ACEC Summit 2013 June 20-22 Lake Louise, Alberta

Visit www.acec.ca for details!

Leading the way, shaping our future

Connecting leaders in the business of consulting engineering

Gain insight and inspiration, learn from industry experts, and enjoy the spectacular scenery and world-class accommodations. All this and much more awaits you at ACEC Summit 2013. Don’t miss this exceptional industry event!

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LEC

energy

COMMUNITY POWER ADVENT OF DISTRICT ENERGY SYSTEMS Urban designers are favouring building tighter, more dense communities, which present ideal opportunities for adding centralized heating and cooling networks that run on greener fuels.

BY KEN CHURCH, P.ENG., NATURAL RESOURCES CANADA

I

n 1973, just 40 years ago, Denmark experienced what might be called a life-altering event. The oil crisis across Europe had the effect of changing the value system of the country. Suddenly Europeans recognized that without a constant supply of fossil fuel, the lifestyle to which they were accustomed would cease to exist.

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Denmark learned from this and began to change its policies and standards to reflect the increased importance of energy. Energy plans became obligatory, and building owners, developers and municipalities were responsible for the energy that their buildings consumed in terms of both quality and quantity. The notion of “less is

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energy

Ken Church

Left: Lonsdale Energy Centre, North Vancouver. It provides heating, cooling and hot water to 31 buildings totalling more than 2.4 million sq.ft. It uses natural gas but the city is also investigating adding geothermal energy.

Right: monitoring the heating and cooling within an apartment fed by a district energy system. Private business contracts between networks and their clients can stabilize energy prices for the building owners.

more” became the mainstay of design.

Oil shortages, as we know, are not limited to Europe.

Canada has experienced its own mini-crises, usually driven by price surges or natural disasters that reduce production. However, here in Canada the holistic approach to urban design when it comes to energy use is still struggling to be realized.

City planners and utilities have an ongoing struggle to find ways to provide their services at an economic price, and although the sprawling subdivision has been a standard practice for many years, their development eats deeply into the municipal coffers. Nowadays both the planner and the utility share the same ideals: they look to increasing the density of developments to offset the cost of infrastructure.

Both planners and utilities agree that the thermal grid is one way to maximize the benefit of intensification. By networking heating and cooling services between building clusters, the grid allows the entire community to make savings in their energy needs, infrastructure requirements and their lifecycle expenses. District energy quickly becomes the central pillar for energy reduction measures in commercial, institutional and apartment buildings. This triangle of opportunity — where the developer, the urban planner and the energy engineer are brought together at the concept planning stages of any development — is critical to energy saving opportunities that benefit all parties.

Benefits are for community at large As a means of energy distribution, the design of a district energy system is straightforward. One or more plants provide hot water through a network of underground piping to a variety of buildings. Each building then extracts its required heat from the water and returns the cooler water to the plant. The parallel arrangement ensures that each building receives the same supply temperature.

A commonly asked question is: if this approach involves more piping and infrastructure than a stand-alone boiler, then where’s the advantage? To answer there needs to be a shift in focus from the single building to the community at large.

For the building owners, the system provides a service and not a fuel. There is no future capital for equipment and the maintenance is included within the cost of the purchased energy.

The network design involves an aggregation of many building energy profiles, but the diversity of uses lowers the overall demand and maximises the use of the high efficiency equipment. Anecdotally too, the elimination of temperature cycling leads to increased user comfort and lower demand for building energy.

Building owners benefit from the elimination of much of the traditional mechanical hardware, which gives them increased usable space. Architects and the design team gain flexibility in terms of having rooflines uncluttered by bulky chillers and other equipment, and having more vistas and public space.

Much new construction uses LEED accreditation as a target and a property connected to a district energy system that uses a low carbon or renewable fuel source would move the building even further towards a state of net-zero emissions. The Dockside Green development in Victoria, B.C., for example, has a biomass-fuelled district heating system within its LEED Platinum development. continued on page 20

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energy

continued from page 19

LEC

Hamilton Energy Centre

Right: equipment inside the Hamilton Energy Centre, Hamilton, Ontario. The natural-gas fuelled plant was built in 2002 on the grounds of a high school and produces thermal energy for 2 million sq.ft. of downtown customers, including city hall. It also produces 3.5 MW of electrical power. In 2010 the centre formed a partnership with McMaster Innovation Park to build a satellite operation that uses geo-exchange and solar thermal technology.

Below: high-efficiency gas-fired condensing boilers at the Lonsdale Energy Centre.

No allegiance to one fuel

It is often said that district energy is new to Canada but in reality this is not the case. Steam-based heating systems have been operational for over 100 years, providing heating to institutions or other government complexes. The system at the University of Toronto, for example, started life in 1911 and the Central Heating System for the Dominion Government Buildings in Ottawa entered service in 1920.

Both are still operational. Similar systems exist in London, Montreal, Vancouver and Charlottetown.

Over time, as natural gas became universally available, the economic advantages of using bulk fuel (coal or heavy oil) diminished and systems built after 1980 use water as the heat transfer medium. Around this time, district systems were also recognized more for their environmental benefits and their ability to contribute to local economic development. Currently more than 180 systems operate in Canada with thermal capacities ranging in size from a few hundred kilowatts to almost 200 megawatts.

District heating bears no allegiance to any one particular 20

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fuel or technology and in times of fuel price instability this can be a major advantage to building owners. The customer receives heat from hot water and knows not what the fuel or fuel mix might be. Systems may have a single fuel supply (e.g. the Hamilton Energy Centre or Enwave's deep lakewater cooling project in Toronto), or they may draw their energy from a variety of technologies (e.g. Lonsdale Energy Centre, North Vancouver or Markham District Energy, Ontario). System operators often consider natural gas, used either directly as in North Vancouver, or indirectly through cogeneration units (Hamilton), as being an interim measure. They also look to other more renewable or local energy sources such as biomass (Revelstoke, B.C), ground source heat pumps (North Vancouver), solar panels (Okotoks, Alberta), or even use heat recovered from anaerobic digesters, or sewer lines (Vancouver’s Southeast False Creek Neighbourhood Utility) or ice chillers (Richmond, B.C.).

Building interface is key aspect of design The piping design of a district energy system follows conventional engineering practices and generally delivers hot water at 90° C. Some systems referred to as “ambient district energy systems” deliver water at between 10° C and 30° C to the buildings, but they must be coupled to heat pumps to raise that working temperature before use. These systems offer many advantages but require having low electrical prices (as in B.C., Quebec and Manitoba) to be economic and environmentally effective.

Specific standards exist for the instrumentation and metering but not for the insulated piping. Like many fledgling industries, European standards will be used until the market is large enough to warrant a Canadian equivalent.

The piping and the building interface are key parts of the design. The interface, or the energy transfer station, is designed to extract the maximum heat from the

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energy minimum amount of district energy water. In this way the operating (pumping) costs are minimized and the system is cost effective.

Reconfiguration of the HVAC systems of buildings on the system is often required regardless of whether their system is hydronic or forced air. The building is considered an integral part of the energy network and not simply a silent customer: a cost-effective district energy system needs an efficient building and a cost-effective building needs an efficient district energy system. Their symbiotic relationship benefits both.

Depending upon the design of the energy transfer station, a building's HVAC reconfiguration would generally involve increasing the size of coils and increasing the fan throughput. The temperature of the air being circulated will be reduced but the temperature controls throughout the building should not require replacement. Re-commissioning provides the fine tuning. Hydronic systems may require an increased pumping capacity and increased radiator surfaces. Ironically, electrically heated buildings, whose costs would reduce most from district energy, are rarely connected to district systems since the entire building would require an HVAC refit.

Negotiation is 90% of the game Currently very little policy or legislation exists to direct the development of these networks. Their holistic approach is beyond the immediate mandate of either gas or electrical utilities, whose programs are often limited by the various utility commissions.

Only in British Columbia with Bill 27 (“Green Communities�) is there a requirement for municipalities to prepare greenhouse gas reduction plans, and in many cases they have selected district energy as a key mechanism to achieve their targets. The bill initiated at least 15 proposed systems in the province, with a potential total value estimated at more than $200 million. Ontario is considering following suit with clauses in their Green Energy Act (Bill 150) which could see a further surge of interest in district energy.

Unlike electrical and natural gas utilities, most district energy system owners do not have to answer to their provincial governments regarding their pricing structure. Connection to the thermal grid is a business arrangement between supplier and building owner and can be a long term contract, thereby stabilizing to some degree the building owners’ operating costs for 10 or more years. The cost savings are passed back to the building owner in terms of reduced operating cost.

Because of the minimal legislation and lack of a single authority over district systems, their design and implementation requires tact and diplomacy. Indeed, the design of district energy networks is often described as 10% engineering and 90% negotiation. In each project, the proponents must discuss and negotiate with the many stakeholders. The majority of new systems are initiated by the municipalities that have the expertise for managing these multi-stakeholder, multi-sector infrastructure projects, but nowadays a new private sector is emerging in this field.

These vertically integrated consortia include within their ranks the necessary engineering and marketing expertise.

Both parties benefit: the consortium gains a revenue stream and the municipality gains increased community assets, grows employment and the local economy.

So, where is district energy heading? From all indications its growth is strong and getting stronger. District energy is fast becoming a household word in planning circles, not because of the technology, but rather as a tool that leads to more compact urban form and less infrastructure costs.

Together, through district energy, planners and engineers can do a lot to shape the communities of tomorrow. CCE Kenneth Church, P.Eng. is the team leader for research into communities in the Housing, Buildings and Communities Group of Natural Resources Canada. Based in Ottawa, he manages research to develop tools, guidelines and best practices for community energy generation and consumption in relation to the urban form. E-mail kchurch@nrcan.gc.ca http://canmetenergy.nrcan.gc.ca/buildings-communities/2218

Less heat loss with Reduce operating costs and CO2 emissions by as much as 50%.

Logstor TwinPipe with diffusion barrier sets new standards in energy efficiency for district heating.

See www.urecon.com/TwinPipe for more information.

and Over 80 years of combined experience in hot water district heating pipe systems.

www.urecon.com Logstor district heating pipe is distributed in North America by Urecon Ltd.

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energy

By John G. Smith

Two district energy systems in Markham north of Toronto service a diverse range of public and private buildings, including a condominium, data centres, schools and a hotel.

Pipe Dreams, Markham Realities

M

arkham had big plans in the 1990s for 1,000 acres of green fields just north of Toronto. The land, then punctuated with little more than a civic centre and hotel, was to become a new urban hub, eventually featuring more than 30 million square feet of residential, commercial and institutional buildings.

But there wouldn’t be a boiler, chiller or cooling tower among them.

Instead, the buildings would rely on a central district energy system.

Today, Markham District Energy thermally connects 7 million sq.ft. of commercial, institutional and residential space, providing 100% of their heating, cooling and domestic hot water loads. The clients include IBM Canada, Motorola and Honeywell, as well as condominiums by Tridel, Remington and Times, two secondary schools and a Hilton hotel. The YMCA, civic centre and a facility for the Pan Am Games are also tapping into the system. A second district energy system was commissioned last year to support the expanding Markham-Stouffville Hospital, a new community centre and other surrounding buildings.

Boilers and chillers at four natural gas-fueled energy centres feed 25 kilometres of 8" to 20" diameter waterfilled pipes buried 1.5 metres below ground. There are four lines in all: a supply and return line for heating and a supply and return line for cooling.

Markham District Energy supplies each customer with heat exchangers in their buildings to accept and transfer energy from the district system.

The two Markham systems now boast a combined 14,100 tons of cooling capacity, 48 MW of heating capac22

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Left: two of the buildings hooked into the system, Markham Civic Centre (top) and Hilton Suites Hotel (above). Top right: energy transfer station in client building. Above right: Birchmount Energy Centre at Highway 407, one of two plants serving the 7-million sq. ft. system.

ity, 40 MWh of thermal storage, and 15 MW of combined heat and power.

The building owners and developers required some convincing to connect their buildings to the system.

And Bruce Ander, P.Eng., president of Markham District Energy, admits that early opponents included consulting engineers who were reluctant to strip million-dollar heating and cooling packages out of individual projects.

“In North America, the competition is the status quo,” he says.

Reliability hasn’t been a problem.

In 12 years there has been only one three-hour outage in the cooling supply, and that was caused by someone digging where they shouldn’t.

Ander suggests that district energy systems could help to reinvent Cana-

da’s growing suburbs. Heating and cooling account for more than half of an urban centre’s energy needs, and he sees centralized systems as a better option than relying on building owners to generate power through rooftop solar arrays or wind turbines.

“Building owners are not typically trained to run exotic equipment or even run conventional equipment at peak efficiency.... It’s not their core competency,” he says.

As well, district energy systems are not limited by a building’s specific load profile. When energy is not needed in one location, it can be redirected to the next.

CCE John G. Smith owns WordSmith Media in Ajax, Ont.

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sports venues

By Mathieu Courchesne, ing., Dessau

Concerns over global climate change are prompting engineers to become more interested in using natural refrigerants for ice arenas. Dessau has done research on two systems and compared their advantages.

Refrigerants: Ammonia vs CO2

A

renas are to be seen in almost every municipality across Canada, providing a place for people to enjoy playing or watching hockey, and for other sports and special events. The Canadian Recreation Facilities Council conducted a national census1 in 2005 showing that there are more than 2,450 arenas and 1,300 curling rinks in Canada. The largest construction boom of arenas in Canada occurred throughout the 1970s, and most of them are municipally owned.

The census also found that 65% of ice arenas use ammonia as a refrigerant, 25% use hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) (mainly R22), and 10% have natural ice.

HCFSs are ozone-depleting substances and, under the terms of the Montreal Protocol, the Canadian government has adopted a phaseout schedule. Since 2010, no new R22 equipment is manufactured in

Canada or imported.

The average amount of synthetic refrigerant (e.g. HCFCs and ammonia) released into the atmosphere every year is 60 kg2. An arena using R22 refrigerant generates greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of over 145 CO2 equivalent tonnes per year.

Due to global environmental concerns and the phase out of HCFCs, engineers are becoming more interested in the use of natural refrigerants in arenas. Safety concerns regarding refrigerants are also an important concern as arenas are often located in residential areas.

CO2 is a natural refrigerant that has recently been considered as one of the most promising for its characteristics, as presented in the table below. Therefore Dessau has recently conducted research of different arenas comparing ammonia and CO2 in their refrigeration systems. This paper outlines our findings.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE REFRIGERANTS Refrigerant

R-22

R-717 (NH3) (ammonia)

R-744 (CO2)

Natural

No

Yes

Yes

Ozone destruction potential (ODP)

0,05

0

0

Global warming potential (GWP)

1 810

0

1

Inflammability

No

Yes

No

Toxicity

No

Yes

No

Grade (B52 code)

A1

B2

A1

49,7 / 96

113 / 132

73,6 / 31

240

117

2 800

1 350

1 359

9 000

Critical Point (bar / °C) Standard operating pressure (kPa) evaporating side Standard operating pressure (kPa) Condensing side 24

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EVAPORATING SIDE Ammonia R-22 and R-717 are widely used as primary refrigerants to cool a secondary fluid, traditionally brine. A tubing network installed in the concrete slab is usually made of 25-mm OD polyethylene pipes. An efficient set-up with secondary fluid, as described in ASHRAE’S 2009 publication "Improving Energy Efficiency in Ice Hockey Arenas"3, is to modify the conventional two-pass arrangement to a four-pass arrangement, therefore reducing the energy consumption of the brine pump (15 HP variablespeed pump instead of 25 HP pump) and consequently reducing the refrigeration load.

CO2 We can now use CO2 as the primary and secondary fluid, consequently eliminating the need for a heat exchanger and improving the overall efficiency of the refrigeration cycle.

Carbon dioxide can be pumped directly from a low pressure receiver directly into a tubing network in the concrete slab made of 13 mm OD plastic-coated copper tube. A standard 80-ton installation would require a nominal flow rate of 30 GPM, that can be pumped by a 5 HP variablespeed pump. This setup comes with a huge amount of CO2 that needs to be pumped to the receiver and cooled during the off season.

CO2 can also be used only as a primary fluid combined with a conventional secondary fluid. This configuration would be equal to R-717 in terms of efficiency on the evaporating side,

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sports venues the heat exchange occurs inside the gas cooler. The lower the gas cooler’s outlet temperature, the higher the compressor’s cooling capacity and efficiency. A COP of 3 can be obtained in winter with a 5° C gas cooler outlet temperature. The efficiency will drop below COP of 2 with an outlet temperature above 30° C, with a yearround average of COP of 2.5. Gas coolers require low maintenance and can easily be fitted on existing structures to replace R-22 condensers.

ENERGY RECOVERY

College Jean-de-Brebeuf's Arena (3,070-m2) in Montreal was built in 1974 and operates year-round using ammonia as a primary refrigerant. In a recent retrofit, the compressors were replaced with a new refrigeration package, still using ammonia and the existing evaporative condenser. The retrofit involved adding: a direct recovery low temperature (35° C) heating loop using existing pipelines, with new fancoils to heat the stands and other rooms; a desuperheater (heat recovery) for the resurfacer and domestic hot water (arena and adjacent residence for 200 students); an enthalpy wheel for heat recovery of exhaust air to preheat fresh air, and conversion of a 2-pass to 4-pass arrangement for secondary fluid. The arena's energy consumption improved from 2,993,279 kWh-eq to 1,147,591 kWheq. Project costs were $1,365,000. Annual energy savings: $103,805.

yet would significantly reduce the amount of CO2 that needs to be managed during off season.

CONDENSING SIDE Ammonia Cooling towers or evaporative condensers offer the best efficiency with ammonia systems. These pieces of equipment require water treatment and can be a challenge to install on existing roofs due to their heavy weight. The energy recovery concept will define the operating pressures and temperatures.

CO2 One interesting characteristic of CO2 is its very low critical temperature (31° C).

It opens possibilities that have been studied for years by scientists, such as a transcritical CO2 cycle for refrigeration.

Quebec supermarkets have been pioneers in North America of this type of system, which was first installed in Europe. In the last three years, manufacturers offered the technology to arenas, and a small number of systems using a transcritical CO2 cycle have been installed in arenas in Quebec.

Transcritical conditions are reached when operating pressures (and therefore temperatures) are above the critical point for a given fluid. In a transcritical CO2 application, the system won’t have a condenser but has a gas cooler to cool down the CO2. Therefore the global efficiency of the system will strongly depend on how efficiently

In most small municipalities, arenas represent the public buildings with the highest annual energy use and consumption — at the same level as public lighting or transport. Around 40% of the total energy consumption goes for heating, mainly using natural gas. Electricity is the second most common energy source, while a few arenas are still using fuel.

With both ammonia and CO2 refrigerants, domestic hot water (showers and ice resurfacer) heating loads to 60°C can be fulfilled with heat recovery by using a high pressure double-wall heat exchanger for CO2 and a desuperheater for ammonia. Other building energy efficiency measures such as low-e ceilings (e.g. installing a thin layer of lowemissivity metallic material just below the structure truss above the ice rink), efficient lighting systems, exhaust heat recovery, and subfloor and snowmelt heating by heat recovery can be applied regardless of the refrigerant chosen.

Ammonia Being considered as a toxic refrigerant, ammonia can’t be used in a heat recovery condensing coil in a heating system. Therefore, a heat exchanger is required to transfer recoverable energy to a heating loop. Three options can be considered: (1) a tempered 21°C heating loop with water-to-air heat pumps, (2) a direct recovery low temperature (35°C) heating loop with fan-coils, or (3) radiant heating floor-

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sports venues

continued from page 25

Comparison ammonia vs Co2 refrigeration systems' energy consumption

CO2 CO2 heat recovery systems 800 000 benefit from very high tem700 000 perature gas that can be used in heat recovery coils to heat 600 000 the spectator stands, perhaps 500 000 requiring stainless steel piping 400 000 and precise welding to resist 300 000 high pressure. The Canadian 200 000 Standards Association B52 Re100 000 frigeration Code states that 0 Heating Refrigeration Heat reject Pumps Lighting HVAC fans DHW and Miscellaneous Subfloor heat recovery coils should resurfacing heating only be installed in large areas Exisiting arena CO efficient arena Ammonia efficient arena such as the stands. As CO2 gas can carry more energy in a ing, mainly for stands. Option 1 will ing, reaching COP of 2.9 year round given volume, piping size is reduced benefit the ammonia cycle efficiency with a steady condensing temperature and there is no need for insulation by reaching COP of 4 with floating of 38°C. Option 3 can be considered unless for safety concerns. The instalhead pressure, despite requiring elecas the best strategy in terms of energy lation costs therefore compete with tric input for the heat pumps. Option for a new arena. Generally, the low standard heating piping. CO2 certain2 will be the most energy efficient opwater heating temperatures will rely offers a little more recoverable ention in the context of an existing buildquire larger equipment. ergy and at a higher temperature, but kWh-eq

900 000

2

continued on page 29

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A Watts Water Technologies Company Canadian Consulting Engineer

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continued from page 27

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF AMMONIA VS. CO2 ADVANTAGES | AMMONIA » Excellent efficiency of the refrigeration cycle » Easy to operate, easy maintenance » Well known refrigerant in the industry » Low operating pressure not requiring special piping » Natural refrigerant, 0 ODP, 0 GWP

the variable heating loads of each arena need to be studied closely to see if such energy is really required on an annual basis.

The chart on page 27 shows the energy consumption for a standard retrofitted 3,250-m2 arena in Montreal The NHL size ice rink has seating for

500 people and operates eight months per year. Heating to 16°C is provided in the stands, while the main hall, players’ rooms, kitchen area and service rooms are maintained at 22°C. The “Existing arena” in the chart matches the energy consumption of continued on page 32

DISADVANTAGES | AMMONIA

» Requires a class T mechanical room » Requires special training for an emergency » Low condensing temperature that produces low temperature water for heat recovery » Toxic (heavily regulated in some jurisdictions) » Heat recovery ammonia coils can’t be used in systems » Requires a water cooling tower (heavy, water treatment, high maintenance)

ADVANTAGES | CO2 » No need for class T mechanical room » High temperature fluids for heat recovery » Heat recovery CO2 coils can be used for the stands » Non-toxic » Gas cooler (lightweight, no water treatment, low maintenance) » Natural refrigerant, 0 ODP, 1 GWP DISADVANTAGES | CO2 » Medium efficiency of the refrigeration cycle (mainly in summer) » Not very well known refrigerant in arena industry » High operating pressure requiring stainless steel piping and good welding

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fire protection

By Jonathan Rubes, P.Eng. Rubes Code Consultants

The design of fire protection systems for large indoor arenas and venues with stadium seating can be complex. The use of the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code helps.

Smoke Management in Large Arenas

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© iStockphoto/Thinkstock

P

rior to the 2010 National Building Code of Canada (NBC), designing a code-conforming indoor stadium or arena with more than about 2,000 seats was a challenge (some would say a nightmare). Obtaining a building permit was an equal or even greater challenge.

Subsequent to the 2010 NBC, life was a little easier if you had knowledge and expertise in applying the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Life Safety Code — assuming your office even had a copy of this code and the referenced NFPA 92B Standard for smoke management.

Essentially, the 2010 NBC (and the current 2007 Ontario Building Code) deals with public assembly spaces as either indoor assembly occupancies or outdoor occupancies. The indoor requirements are practical for facilities without fixed seats or a limited number of fixed seats. But the requirements don’t work well for stadium-style cinemas or for arenas with more than about 2,000 seats.

The problems in terms of the fire protection design are with respect to the seating layouts and the required exit capacity. In the case of the stadium-style cinemas that were constructed in Canada beginning in the 1990s, an “equivalency” was required typically based on the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code. Similarly, arenas with more than about 2,000 fixed seats also relied on the NFPA Life Safety Code.

The advantage of NFPA 101 is that it recognizes alternative seating layouts based on the actual required width for the number of occupants

Longer evacuation times in large indoor arenas may be allowed if there are systems in place to maintain the layer of smoke from a fire at least 6 feet above the highest seats while people leave.

who would use an aisle or other egress route. It also acknowledges that large indoor arenas can provide protection to allow longer egress times, similar to outdoor venues.

The Ontario Building Code (OBC) was revised to address stadium-style cinema seating, but it still does not address large indoor arenas, which means alternative solutions are required. In the case of the previous 2005 NBC, it was recognized that significant code changes would be required to address alternative seating layouts and indoor arenas with fixed seats. Due to time and manpower constraints, it was determined that the best solution for the current 2010 NBC was to reference NFPA 101 rather than delay providing requirements to address these types of buildings.

Therefore the current NBC permits

the use of NFPA 101 for assembly seating without being considered an “equivalency” but rather as a codeconforming design.

Allowing longer egress times The first task for a designer of such facilities is to obtain a copy of NFPA 101. The second objective is to obtain a copy of NFPA 92B Standard for Smoke Management Systems in Malls, Atria and Large Spaces, which is referenced by NFPA 101.

NFPA 101 includes requirements applicable to “smoke protected assembly seating.” These requirements allow facilities to have less exit capacity and reduced row and aisle widths based on providing smoke protection that will allow longer times for people to exit the building, similar to what is permitted for outdoor stadi-

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fire protection ums. The basic performance criteria for permitting longer egress times is that systems are available that will maintain the layer of smoke originating from a fire more than 6 feet above the floor level, including 6 feet above the highest seats, during the time required for evacuation.

Calculating the smoke layer NFPA 92B provides the formulas for calculating the smoke layer from a fire. However, there are a number of different formulas and it must be determined which is the correct one based on the size and location of the fire and ceiling heights.

The most important public areas of an arena facility for fire protection purposes are the concourse and seating bowl. A typical concourse provides the primary circulation to the seating bowl and has the concessions and washrooms. The height of a concourse generally ranges from about 13 to 20 feet. A seating bowl on the other hand may range from 50 feet to more than twice that height.

In order to design the smoke management system it is first necessary to determine the size and type of fire.

Most engineers cannot envisage what a 1mW, 5mW or 10mW fire might look like, or a fast t-Squared fire versus an ultrafast t-Squared fire. NFPA 92B does provide some guidance on the fuel load associated with certain types and quantities of combustible material. In an arena, the concourse would have a fuel load associated with concession stands, such as counters or stored boxes of styrofoam cups.

The ice surface would have a very low combustible load during a hockey game but a much more significant load when a combustible stage is constructed for a music concert, for example, or when the arena is filled with fiberglass boats for a boat show.

As well, in the case of the concourse, the fire would be controlled by sprinklers and therefore the fire size would be limited. But the effectiveness of sprinklers in the bowl performance space would be question-

able due to the ceiling height. Therefore it would be necessary to design the smoke exhaust system based on a fire that involves the entire performance stage or other venue structure in the space that has a high combustible fire load.

Containing smoke in the high space Smoke management is required for the unenclosed egress route, which generally includes the seating bowl and concourse. The seating bowl’s very high ceiling is both good and bad. The height provides a very large volume to contain smoke, but on the other hand, as smoke rises it expands and its volume becomes much larger, although less concentrated. In the concourse, based on its lower ceiling height and having sprinklers operating, less smoke volume is produced. However, the reservoir to contain smoke above the occupants’ heads is smaller.

Typically, the engineer will design the smoke management system as two zones: the bowl and the concourse. In addition to determining the amount of smoke exhaust required it is necessary to determine the quantity and location of the make-up air. Again there are two aspects to make-up air. One is to make sure the required smoke exhaust rate will be achieved, and the other is to make sure the smoke will not spread out of the respective zone.

Detection is tricky The other challenge in arenas is providing a system for detecting a fire and activating the smoke management system. Typically, in the case of the bowl automatic detection is not practical.

For example, the heat and smoke may not be sufficient to activate sprinklers or smoke detectors located at the very high ceiling in the seating bowl. It is more likely that occupants will have left the bowl before the detector is activated automatically and therefore it would be necessary to activate the bowl smoke management system manually.

However, it is possible to estimate the time for automatic detection in this

high space by further analyses of the heat and smoke produced by a fire.

Smoke detection is also problematic in arenas due to the different uses and temperatures of the space.

For example, normally smoke detectors are located on the underside of the roof, but some tests in an arena have suggested that smoke may stratify well below the roof and never reach a detector.

In the case of a concourse it is necessary to confirm that the smoke layer will not have descended too low before it is detected and the smoke management system has been activated. Where there is a high concourse ceiling there is an inherent large smoke reservoir volume above occupants' heads so there is more time available to activate the smoke management system. However, where the concourse ceiling is lower, early detection and fast activation of the smoke management system is necessary, which means these spaces often require a smoke detection system. The analysis of the smoke layer must also take into account the time between the detection of a fire and the time that the smoke exhaust fans reach full speed and maximum exhaust capacity.

In summary, there are many design advantages for the use of NFPA 101, especially for indoor arenas where the designer can use its provisions for a smoke protected building. Naturally architects will enjoy the benefits of the seating and egress routes in their designs, and it will be up to the engineer to design a smoke management system that supports their designs.

At the same time, as with all designs there are cost implications. In the case of arenas these usually end up as a comparison of the cost of the smoke management system versus more seats.

CCE Jonathan Rubes, P.Eng. is principal of Rubes Codes Consultants in Toronto. He has over 30 years experience on more than 5,000 projects and has served on National Building Code of Canada committees for 25 years. E-mail jrubes@rubescodes.com

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sports venues Refrigerants: Ammonia vs CO2

continued from page 29

the reference model described in the 2009 ASHRAE publication mentioned above (footnote 3).

The “Efficient arena” includes energy efficiency measures proposed in the same publication. The “CO2 efficient” arena has been modeled with CO2 as the primary fluid plus full energy recovery in heat recovery coils.

The “Ammonia efficient” arena has been modeled using a direct recovery low temperature (35°C) heating loop with fan-coils (option 2 as described above in “Energy Recovery”).

HOW TO DECIDE? In our cold climate transcritical systems using CO2 compete well with ammonia systems in terms of the overall energy consumption, despite the drawback of having a high working pressure. The colder the climate and the

more low temperature heat recovery applications (e.g. subfloor heating and snowmelting), the better the performance with CO2 systems.

Ammonia will benefit from any application having high refrigeration loads and low heating loads, as the efficiency of the cycle is much better. For each arena, the energy consumption of ammonia’s pumping and vent fans need to be compared to CO2’s loss of refrigeration cycle efficiency.

In sum, arenas appear to be the turning point where both technologies offer comparable overall performances.

The refrigerant chosen, therefore, will strongly depend on existing conditions such as the space in the mechanical room, pipelines, existing ducts, the structure of the roof, architectural features, and the qualifications of the operating staff. The good thing about both technologies offer-

ing comparable performances is that the existing conditions will define which option will better suit a given project and which will allow the municipalities to reduce their installation or operating costs.

CCE Mathieu Courchesne, ing. is a mechanical and energy efficiency engineer with Dessau in Longueuil, Quebec.

1

National Arena Census May 2005 - December 2005, Canadian Recreation Facilities Council in association with Hockey Canada and CANMET Energy.

Potentiel d’économies d’énergie en refrigeration dans les arenas du Québec [Energy2

saving potential in refrigeration in the arenas of Quebec], CEDRL (now CanmetENERGY, Varennes Research Centre).

3 Nichols L. 2009. "Improving energy efficiency in ice hockey arenas." ASHRAE Journal June 2009.

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business

© iStockphoto/Thinkstock

PROPOSAL WRITING CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES Writing proposals is a tedious but necessary part of the engineer’s job.

Here’s some advice on how to decide when the effort is worth it.

BY TARA LANDES, BELLROCK

I

f the heady anticipation of the next Request for Proposal you will respond to is what gets you out of bed in the morning, you can stop reading this article now.

However, if the thought of writing an RFP evokes a feeling somewhere between irritation and passionate hate, keep reading. If you are following all of the best practices I’m about to describe and still having that kind of reaction, then I’ll buy you lunch to find out why.

Having spent the better part of a decade helping engineering firms improve their business development systems, I’ve come to the conclusion that the most egregious training gap that universities perpetuate is in not preparing graduates to create proposals. They simply do not teach them the essential writing skills they need to win more business. This gap in the curriculum seems odd, because any practicing engineer knows that whether writing an RFP or responding to one, concise, efficiently composed and rele34

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vant responses are a successful consultant’s stock-in-trade.

The lack of attention to the process of winning work continues throughout most professionals’ careers. After all, no-one becomes an engineer because they love writing proposals. Nevertheless, those who excel at proposal writing prove themselves invaluable to the companies they work for and are more likely to accelerate through the partner track.

Moreover, companies that give the technical skills of business development the same importance as the technical skills of engineering ... well, they are unstoppable.

Is your firm using the following essential proposal tactics?

The “Go/No Go” Process “Go/No Go” is a well trodden concept in the consulting world, and for our purposes is the method a company uses to decide whether a given RFP is worth the effort and resources required to respond. At Bellrock, when we evaluate

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business RFP opportunities but the firm has litfor engineering tle chance of winCHECKLIST OF TACTICS firms, the Go/No ning. In the latter If you answer “Yes” to 5 of these 7 questions, you’re among Go process is one of case, the best run the top proposal writers in Canada. the first things we companies take a assess. few minutes to de We use a formal Go/No Go Our company maintains First thing on termine what they evaluation process current databases of: the agenda is to use can do to improve

• Projects Senior staff are the last to a standard series of their chances the

• Client testimonials review an RFP (never first) questions about the next time around

• Staff qualifications prospect. Your gut and develop a stra “No Gos” are analyzed for

W

e include cover letters and instinct should be tegic plan for impotential corporate improvement executive summaries every time the final test approvement. It may Juniors are routinely included plied to the analysis mean attracting a on the proposal teams We have NEVER recycled a cover of any opportunity leading technical letter or executive summary — never the first. expert — which can A typical Go/No be expensive. It is Go tool uses 10-15 more likely that a questions. If the opportunity scores less than about 70%, the firm will want to further develop its relationship with the engineering firm knows they are unlikely to win the work, prospective client to improve their chance of proceeding and will not invest the time writing a proposal. with a proposal next time.

The questions might include: Q. Have we worked with the potential client before?

Juniors on the proposal team If the prospective client or project is familiar, the bid can Many companies mistakenly assign proposal writing responbe customized to the specific needs of the decision makers sibility to senior staff — after all, they have the most connecinvolved. You have the advantage of knowing if the project tions and the most experience. However, writing the first lead prefers to receive detailed written reports that he can draft of a proposal is usually a time consuming task that customize and forward along to his boss, or whether he is does not require the dedication of the company’s most exthe hands-on type who wants to participate in the planning perienced (and expensive) minds. The best companies use and decision-making at each step. their senior talent only at the end of the proposal writing Q. Do we know their decision-making processes? process. It is simpler and faster to edit a proposal than to Do not mistake this as simply learning whether they use write one from scratch. a one or two envelope system. What do you know about how the actual evaluation process works? For example, will each Liberal and automated use of boilerplate member on the evaluation committee score: Usually half a proposal you write is made up of CVs and – each and every proposal in its entirety; information about past projects. Ninety per cent of this – some of the proposals but not all; or content is standard boilerplate, and if the information is – each proposal will be divided by section, i.e. evaluator kept well organized administrative staff can quickly and #1 scores all of the section 1’s, evaluator #2 evaluates all of easily pull it for a proposal. Companies typically use keythe section 2’s, etc? words to categorize their past projects. Some use technical Q. Is there a unique selling proposition our firm can offer categories (type of project, date, size). Other companies to stand out from the competition? are client-focused, using keywords typically found in the The simplest way to differentiate your firm is to employ RFP itself, such as examples of being on time or on budthe foremost technical expert in the relevant field, but since get, creating a unique design, demonstrating efficient only one company can have that advantage, another unique project management, using local staff, etc. References and proposition might involve providing local or unique staffing testimonials are also cross-referenced in the database, so capabilities, offering superior project management or com- those relevant to the RFP can be liberally scattered munication processes, or presenting a new twist on the solu- throughout the proposal. tion the organization is looking for. Whatever your unique selling proposition is, it must be legitimately one-of-a-kind Custom cover letters and executive and easy to prove in the written proposal. summaries — every time These two documents make up your proposal’s first impresThe “No Go” process improvement plan sion. It is critical that they speak specifically to the client’s Some RFPs are decided as “No Gos” because the opportunity requests and concerns. Woe to the company that thinks was not attractive. Other opportunities are highly interesting, continued on page 37 March/April 2013

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industry

By Alan Greer, CET, Ausenco

Rebuilding a devastated salt evaporator plant in a small town in Ontario required quick action and careful construction management.

After a Tornado

W

hen a tornado devastated the southern Ontario town of Goderich in August 2011, it also shattered many of the above-ground structures of the town’s largest employer, Sifto salt. The storm formed at Sifto’s rock salt mine and took only 13 seconds to cross the town to Sifto’s evaporator plant. The tornado damaged the plant’s boiler house, evaporation plant, processing tower and maintenance buildings.

Ausenco was called in to help get Sifto’s evaporation plant back up and running. This was not a typical engineering project, but rather a very fast paced engineering and construction management assignment, requiring a variety of trades to cover all aspects of the work.

Good engineering, careful project and construction management, and collaboration with the insurance companies who would ultimately be paying for the re-build helped the company meet critical delivery schedules, get the workforce back on the job and

give the community a much-needed bit of optimism.

The tornado’s winds had ripped the roofs off most of the plant’s buildings. Low air pressure had caused the higher pressure inside the buildings to push the roofs of lightweight cement panels upward. As the panels failed and dropped to the floors below, they brought down the lighting systems, ventilation ducts and other building services that had been supported from the roofs.

The winds also shredded the asbestos cement wall cladding on the exterior walls, including the 53-metre high processing tower. The asbestos-containing materials would require special handling in compliance with Ministry of Labour guidelines.

The salt itself also created challenges that called for quick action.

Salt turns corrosive when wet, potentially eating into the structural steel, plumbing, ventilation ducts, electrical cabling and control systems. With the roofs gone and rainy weather in the

weeks after the tornado, it was impossible to keep the salt-laden equipment dry. With all walls and roofs gone and no lighting or power yet available, this was a complex situation.

Working with few drawings and limited information on the buildings and process power-and-control systems, the Ausenco team began by formulating a plan to assess what systems could be salvaged and what could be done to seal the buildings.

Much of the previous electrical wiring and infrastructure such as ventilation systems and piping was disposed of, along with the remains of the roofing and wall cladding materials.

With winter fast approaching, our next priority was to get Sifto’s consumer deicing salt production underway again. When the tornado struck, Sifto had been on the verge of ramping up production to meet the seasonal demand. We needed to develop a way to bring production back on line.

To reconstruct new walls and roof

Above left: Sifto’s plant in Goderich after being damaged by the August 2011 tornado. Above right: reconstructed plant.

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industry shells onto the existing building skeleton we used compatible materials that could meet the company standards, the Ontario Building Code and other regulatory bodies. We needed to locate cost-efficient materials that were available in large quantities on short notice.

We determined that the most effective roofing solution was galvanized steel decking that was specially rolled for this job, topped off with insulation boards and a built up roofing system.

The new roofing materials were screwed down to the existing framework with stainless-steel screws. For the walls, we chose insulated panels made of fibre-reinforced plastic.

Since many of the existing buildings dated back to the 1960s, we also installed upgraded heating and ventilation systems and a current fire-suppression system. We tested the previ-

Proposal Writing

continued from page 35

these two documents are unnecessary because they are not explicitly requested. Almost as egregious an error is using this first impression to talk about your own company instead of talking about the client and their specific requests.

A great cover letter is as unique as the opportunity it is addressing. This is not the time for boilerplate. A terrible cover letter reads something like this: "We greatly appreciate the opportunity to bid on this <insert project name>. <insert verbatim project description from the RFP thinking this “proves” you understand their needs>. Our company has been in business for <number of years> and is the foremost in the market. With our unmatched ability to bring projects in on time, on budget and with the utmost quality, we are confident that we can offer exactly what you seek.

We look forward to discussing this opportunity with you further. Thank you again for the opportunity."

If I were in the evaluator’s shoes,

p34-37 CCE MarApril13 Propasals_Sifko.indd 37

ous steam header piping system and found some of it to be workable, so we were able to connect new and existing heaters and small bore distribution piping to it.

Throughout the process, it was important that construction interfere as little as possible with processing, storing and shipping Sifto’s products and to ensure that quality standards were never compromised.

Just six weeks after the storm, the majority of the evaporator plant’s workforce was back at work in unusual but safe conditions. In five months, most of the building was weather tight and the plant's production was back in full swing.

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Alan Greer, CET is operations manager with Ausenco in Burlington, Ont. E-mail, Alan.Greer@ausenco.com.

business I’d file a proposal with that cover letter in the round bin without bothering to read the content. The service provider clearly has not taken anything but the most cursory glance at what I asked for, and I can only imagine how that would translate into the quality of the actual work.

As long as the economy remains turbulent, everyone can use a refresher on best practices for writing proposals. Whether you are a recent graduate or a grizzled veteran, see how you measure up against the checklist of proposal writing tactics in the sidebar on p. 35. Do you use them consistently? Do they work? We have found that companies ignore these tactics at their peril, while those who use them spend less time writing proposals, win interesting, profitable projects more often and attract higher caliber talent. CCE Tara Landes is the President of Bellrock, a boutique management consulting firm, based in Vancouver that specializes in training engineers to enjoy being sales people.

E-mail tlandes@bellrock.ca, www.bellrock.ca

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sports venues

A HEADY PACE Building for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games is getting under way, with just two years to construct or renovate a host of venues.

BY BRONWEN PARSONS

In

AQUATICS CENTRE, FIELD HOUSE AND CANADIAN SPORTS INSTITUTE ONTARIO

a swath that stretches around Toronto from Welland and Hamilton in the southwest, to Oro-

This complex (images below and right) of approximately 400,000 sq.ft. gross is one of the largest facilities being built for the Pan/Parapan Games. Located on land jointly owned by the city of Toronto and the University of Toronto Scarborough in the east end of the city, its facilities will be available to both students and the community after the Games.

There are three components. East of the main northsouth circulation spine lies the aquatics area consisting of two 50-metre, 10-lane competition pools and a 5-metre deep diving tank. This area has seating for about 6,000 spectators during the Games.

On the west side of the complex are the CSIO facilities, and a Field House that has a track and flexible gymnasium space for both training and performances. It will seat 2,000 for the Games.

The angular building is wrapped in an energy efficient envelope that combines areas of precast architectural concrete, composite metal panels, high-performance glazing and translucent panels. The transparent and solid walls are ar-

Medonte north of Barrie, to Oshawa in the east,

a score of new facilities are being built or renovated for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.

The Games are being held July 10-26 and August 7-14, 2015 when 7,000 athletes will arrive in Toronto to compete in 36 sports. The Games were last held in Canada in Winnipeg in 1999, but since this is the first international multi-sport event that Ontario has seen since 1930, excitement is growing (especially after Toronto’s bids for the Summer Olympics failed twice).

I n f r a s t r u c t u re O n t a r i o i s s p e a r h e a d i n g t h e construction of some of the larger sports venues for the 2015 Games. Using an “alternative financing and procurement” method of competitive bidding, the crown corporation has contracted with consortia to design and/or build and finance the venues, often assigning them a group of projects for a fixed contract price. According to the Games’ website, the total capital budget for the event is approximately $700 million.

Time is of the essence. Most of the consortia were hired in 2012, giving them up to two years to build. Making things more complex, their projects often involve several stakeholders as they are located on university campuses or on land owned by municipalities.

All of this building activity will, of course, leave this heavily populated area of Canada with a much improved stock of recreational and sports facilities. As well, the Athletes Village, which is taking shape east precinct near the waterfront, will become a mixed-use neighbourhood of market and affordable housing after the Games.

Following are snapshots of three of the major venues.

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p38-40 CCE MarApril13 PanamGames.indd 38

PCL Aquatics 2012/NORR

of downtown Toronto on the new West Don Lands

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Above and below left: Aquatics Centre, Field House, CSIO, University of Toronto, Scarborough campus.

ranged to provide a bright interior space, while avoiding producing glare during the competitions and affording privacy where necessary.

Open web roof trusses in the competition pool area span 80 metres. In this space, unique pool dehumidification units help prevent condensation and save energy by reclaiming waste heat generated from the dehumidification process.

This energy is in turn used to heat the supply air and pool water. The units are also equipped with an air-to-air energy recovery heat piping to reclaim exhaust air energy. In the pool areas, air is continually supplied over the triple-glazed exterior envelope to reduce condensation on the glass.

The building has a closed-loop ground source heat pump system of 100 geothermal boreholes extending 600 feet deep under the north parking lot. The system allows the earth to act as a free heat source or heat sink for the building depending on the usage. It provides 320 tons of cooling, or 40% of the peak cooling requirements, and 20-50% of the heating requirements.

Targeted LEED Silver, the building has environmental features such as a green roof over 30% of its area and cisterns to collect rain water for landscape irrigation. Its enenergy cost savings are intended to be 32% compared to the Model National Energy Code for Buildings. As for its materials, they incorporate 30% recycled content and 95% environmentally certified wood.

MILTON VELODROME Starting construction on a greenfield site in Milton, a town 40 kilometres west of Toronto, is the Velodrome. This striking structure (image below) is an oval volume with solid walls that are split horizontally with a band of glazing. The glass dips to almost full wall height at the entrance. The roof plan is 90 m x 115 m, with a 12-m clear height space inside the building.

The Velodrome will host the track cycling competitions on a 250-metre indoor category 1 cycling track and with 1,500 permanent seats for spectators. After the Games the facility will become the Canadian Cycling Centre, but it will also serve as a recreational centre for the community. It has a 3,200-sq.ft. fitness centre, and the infield area can be used for activities such as volleyball and basketball, as well as musical and trade show events.

Hassan Ally, P.Eng. of Arup, who are doing the structural and mechanical-electrical engineer for the building, explains that an important goal was to provide a column free space and generally make the structure adaptable to different users. continued on page 40 Below: Milton Velodrome.

Cannon Design/ FaulknerBrowns / Arup /Morrison Hershfield.

PCL Aquatics 2012/NORR

sports venues

Design-build-finance consortium: PCL Aquatics Centre 2012 - PCL Constructors Canada, developer and construction; NORR/Counsilman-Hunsaker, design; TD Securities, financial advisor. Structural engineer: Halsall.

Mechanical-electrical engineer: Smith + Andersen.

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Canadian Consulting Engineer

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continued from page 39

Cannon Design/ FaulknerBrowns / Arup /Morrison Hershfield.

sports venues

Above: Pan American Athletics Stadium, York University.

The team explored different options for the roof, but decided that a conventional steel truss was the most efficient, economic and buildable solution (the initial concepts included arches, diagrids and a space frame).

The cycling track is wood and banked at a 42-degree angle which varies around the track. It is designed by World Record Tracks and is assembled by specialist carpenters with hammer and nails to achieve high performance design tolerances. Because the wood is sensitive to changes in heat and humidity, the track requires year-round conditioning through an independent air distribution system.

The Class 1 track will be the sole facility in Canada to meet the International Cycling Union requirements for international competitions.

Design-build-finance consortium: Ontario Sports Solutions Bouygues Building Canada/Kenaidan Contracting, developers and construction; Cannon Design/Faulkner Browns Architects/ Arup, designers.

PAN AMERICAN ATHLETICS STADIUM, YORK UNIVERSITY The Pan American Athletics Stadium located at York University in the northwest of Toronto (image above) is being built as an open air venue that will host athletics events for the Toronto 2015 Games. Subsequently it will be used by York University.

The stadium will have 3,000 seats around the perimeter and a four-storey stand with seating along one side. The stand interior has press areas, change rooms, concessions, kitchen areas, etc. On the campus side the stadium has a two storey external walkway that visually integrates the struc40

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com

p38-40 CCE MarApril13 PanamGames.indd 40

ture with adjacent buildings and surroundings.

For Hassan Ally of Arup, the most important aspect of this and the Velodrome project is less their engineering features than the process of delivery. The deadlines are very tight and as part of a design-build team that is also funding the project, the architects, engineers and contractor have worked together holistically from the start.

“What it comes down to on these projects is integrated design,” says Ally. “How to deliver a project with such a hard timeline and fast schedule with a very complex framework of stakeholders. That’s a very big challenge.

“The reality is that the contractor has to be part of the design process,” Ally says. “So these jobs carry a real potential for applying a true integrated project delivery process.

You have a team of a contractor-design-engineer-architect who are all driven for the same result, the same goal. That starts to look a lot like the old master builder concept.

“If it’s done right, this can actually be a very effective arrangement that can result in some real value for the project and end user. The trick is to get it done right, which is not an easy thing to do.”

The team uses building information modelling (BIM) to integrate their designs right from the start. Ally says that when the integrated design process is set up right then the 3D design tool enables fast communication and interaction between the designers, thereby allowing the development of a better integrated virtual building.

Design-build-finance consortium: Ontario Sports Solutions Bouygues Building Canada/Kenaidan Contracting, developers and construction; Cannon Design/Faulkner Browns Architects/ Arup, designers.

CCE

March/April 2013

13-03-13 1:54 PM

engineers and the law

By Chad Eggerman, Miller Thomson LLP

While EPCM contracts in the mining sector have generally involved the multinational engineering corporations, there are growing opportunities for smaller, specialized firms.

Opportunities in the Mining Sector

I

n Saskatchewan, where a number of greenfield and work directly with suppliers. For some time, equipment supbrownfield mining projects, mainly in potash and ura- pliers in the mining sector have been moving away from nium are under way, and with many more planned, we employing and paying for large in-house engineering are seeing a trend developing which may be favourable to teams. We expect that this is a trend which will continue as consulting engineers with specialized expertise and knowl- suppliers on large projects look to cut costs further and adedge in mining. just more quickly to fluctuating and increasingly unpredictMany of these large mining projects are undertaken able markets, particularly in mining. using an EPCM (engineering, procurement, construction Often, the suppliers of equipment to large projects premanagement) model, with large multinational engineering fer to supply the equipment only to the project owner. Due firms as one of the partners. But although the project owners to the specialized nature of the equipment and its signifihave procured an EPCM contractor cant cost, the project owner may prefer and are basically using an EPCM model, to purchase the equipment from a The expectations and they may, for example, decide to carve supplier who has retained a consulting interests of the parties to out certain critical work packages from engineer to assist with both the basic an EPCM contract vary the EPCM contractorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scope of work and detailed engineering. So a consultand contract them to other, specialized ing engineer with specialized expertise significantly. engineering consulting firms. The and knowledge of the equipment and owner may take this course in order to contain the increas- project may be named as an approved subcontractor in the ing cost of EPCM contractors, or in anticipation of labour contract. If the supplier is engaged in a competitive bidding shortages (such as those currently in Saskatchewan). Or the process, the supplier who has subcontracted a consulting owner may be relying on its existing relationships with con- engineer with specialized expertise in the industry may have tractors and suppliers in other jurisdictions on similar proj- a significant advantage. ects. Irrespective of the reasons, the owners who carve out After enjoying success for many years, the EPCM model these packages from the EPCM contract create opportuni- in the mining sector seems to be approaching a point of ties, particularly for firms that have a broad understanding of evolution which may ultimately benefit both large and small how different work must be positioned. There can, for ex- consulting engineering firms. ample, be considerable benefits to retaining a consulting engineer to ensure both project management and design Legal risks remains aligned between the EPCM contractor, the other As with many construction contracts, the expectations and contractors and the suppliers throughout the duration of interests of the parties to an EPCM contract vary significantthe project. ly. Project owners are expecting the lowest cost certainty while the EPCM contractor is seeking to maximize its profitWorking for the EPCM contractor or suppliers ability; owners are seeking to maximize schedule predictabilThe EPCM contractor too can retain a consulting engineer to ity while the EPCM contractor wants to maximize possible coordinate and mitigate its risks. EPCM contracts include schedule changes; owners want flexibility to adjust to change some provisions for project management and design, but while EPCM contractors want to lock in the ownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; design they lack the comprehensive and integrating framework that intent; the owner wants to minimize scope change while the consulting engineers can provide in these areas. Project EPCM contractor wants to control scope change. Generally management and design has established principles, a body of owners will want to retain control and EPCM contractors will knowledge and professional institutions that are generally want self-autonomy to undertake the project. Resolving not as developed in the EPCM world. The opportunity for these competing expectations in the EPCM contract can be consulting engineers is to sell specialized project manage- challenging but is critical for the EPCM contractor to deliver ment and design services to such EPCM contractors that on-time and on-budget â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is where a consulting engineer recognize this evolution. can add significant value in ensuring industry-specific comThere are also opportunities for consulting engineers to continued on page 44 March/April 2013

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Canadian Consulting Engineer

41

13-03-14 7:21 AM

ADVERTORIAL

manufacturer case study

pumps

GRUNDFOS

Small Footprint and Smooth Operation Make Grundfos VSM the Top Choice for the University of British Columbia

T

he University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences (EOS) is the largest and most highly ranked earth sciences department in Canada.

Since 1974 EOS has been nestled inside the Earth Systems Science Building. However, with students’ evolving educational needs there wasn’t enough space to accommodate them.

In the new $57-million laboratory building constructed to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, an advanced mechanical room was required to ensure the building would operate sustainably and efficiently. Stantec Consulting faced the challenge of designing a multi-million dollar system that would adjust to new requirements in terms of flexibility, while maintaining a small footprint. The system, consisting of six layers of piping and 16 pumps, required a specific sequence of installation and had to meet specific seismic mounting and vibration requirements.

The PACO Vertical Space Miser (VSM) pump was chosen for the following reasons: • Its vertical mount allows the pump to fit in tight spaces and its pull-out design makes for easy maintenance and service without having to disturb the volute, motor or piping.

• It has a double volute design which extends the pump’s life cycle and helps reduce radial loads, internal recirculation and turbulence, thus also increasing efficiency.

• With the Francis vane impellers and contoured suction vanes, the VSM provides high efficiency.

• The design of the VSM already incorporates the turns in pipe at suction and discharge points (which is usually a part of a standard vertical inline install) and the product is still comparable in efficiency or in some cases higher. This was a major factor in the selection process. The design means the VSMS product is more efficient with all the pipe turns at suction and discharge included, versus a standard vertical inline pump.

• The VSMS pumps are built with a ductile iron casing and have a built-in ductile iron pump base versus cast iron. This feature increases the longevity of the pump substantially. Also, this material of construction does not change the flange rating, which remains a 150LB ANSI connection.

• Same-size suction and discharge connections simplify piping and make it easy to install.

Since the new building was designed to be independent from the UBC’s distribution system, it will be able to take heat from that system when there is excess, or contribute heat into the loop. It will also have the ability to optimize either electrical or gas power by shutting down the heat recovery chillers to run the boilers if electricity prices climb higher than gas prices.

The VSM has proved to be the perfect solution because of its compact footprint which fits the requirements of the small mechanical room. Also, the rigid and reliable mounting service met seismic readiness requirements due to the low turbulence of the pump.

Ever since the installation of the VSMs in 2011 they have been running perfectly without a single issue, not even a mechanical seal failure to date. The new Earth Systems Science Building opened its doors in November 2012 and in addition to the EOS department, it houses the Department of Statistics, the Pacific Institute of Mathematical Sciences, the Dean of Science and the Pacific Museum of Earth.

Grundfos is the world’s largest manufacturer of pumps and pumping systems. Grundfos’ Canadian headquarters is located in Oakville, Ont. 1-800-644-9599, www.grundfos.ca

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March/April 2013

13-03-14 7:21 AM

Specifier’s Literature Review

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ACO Stormbrixx is a unique and patented plastic geocellular stormwater management system. Designed for surface water infiltration and storage, its versatility allows it to be used in applications as a standalone solution or as part of an integrated sustainable urban drainage scheme. Its ingenious brickbonding and crossbonding feature delivers greater structural integrity – increasing reliability.

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If you were planning to rout and seal your asphalt joints after they fail, think about the added costs of repairing what you’ve already done. Denso Re-instatement Tape is a polymer modified bituminous strip that is cold applied and designed to seal the joints between asphalt, concrete and steel, the first time. Re-instatement Tape seals around catch basins, manholes, utility cuts and next to concrete curbs prior to paving. Do it right the first time with Denso Road Products. For more information contact: Blair Slessor at 416-291-3435, email: blair@densona.com, or visit our website at www.densona.com SUPPLIER: DENSO NORTH AMERICA INC.

NEW PUMPS CAN CUT ENERGY COSTS BY UP TO 80%

A Grundfos pump system refurbishment can deliver fantastic savings and performance improvements in older buildings – even without changes to the building envelope or piping. Learn more at www.thinkingbuildings.ca/grundfoscrew SUPPLIER: GRUNDFOS

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The Canam InfoTech Express bulletin, aimed at the consulting engineering community, is intended to keep decision-makers informed about the various products Canam fabricates. By consulting Canam InfoTech Express, designers will learn how to make optimum use of Canam products for the benefit of their customers. Registration is free of charge at www.canam.ws/engineers. For more information, contact us at www.canam-construction.com SUPPLIER: CANAM

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 www.flexhead.com for more information.

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WATER-SOURCE HEAT PUMPS FOR COMPLETE BUILDING

It is geothermal ready and integrates with building’s water loop, each City Multi WaterSource Heat Pump (WR2) is compact enough to fit easily in an elevator and a machine room for providing efficient heating and cooling to each and every floor on high-rises and multi-stories buildings. Equipped with Mitsubishi Electric’s energy-efficient VRF technology, City Multi WR2 systems has been applied worldwide in hotels, offices, condos and institutions to keep indoor environment consistently comfortable.

To learn more about the wide array of styles and capacities of City Multi indoor and outdoor units, or to download specifications, please visit www.CityMulti.ca SUPPLIER: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

13-03-14 7:21 AM

SOFT STARTER SSW-06

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

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SELECT THE RIGHT CONTROLS FOR YOUR APPLICATION WITH HELP FROM TEKMARCONTROLS.COM.

Every second lost, every bit of data destroyed can mean huge financial losses. To keep your mission critical facility running 24/7, you need to be alerted to the faintest traces of smoke — the first indication of trouble. Dual vision is only one of the unique innovations that make the FAAST, from System Sensor the new standard for Very Early Warning Fire Detection.

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Online product comparison charts are available for each product group. Look for comparison chart links in the lower left corner when viewing product pages. Comparison charts can also be found in the Product Catalog I000. Request a copy from your local tekmar representative or download from tekmarControls.com today.

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EMERGENCY AND GENERALPURPOSE BROADCAST

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TOA, which boasts 50 years’ experience in the development of emergency broadcast systems worldwide, now introduces a system that fully integrates emergency and general-purpose broadcast functions. The VM-3000 Series incorporates such emergency functions as continuous speaker line monitoring and a built-in voice alarm. This easy-to-install system also offers PA broadcasting, paging and BGM functions that ensure consistently high intelligibility. The incorporation of wide-ranging functional capabilities, superb reliability and versatility make the VM-3000 a highly costeffective emergency broadcast system.

For more information: sales@toacanada.com 1-800-263-7639, www.TOAcanada.com SUPPLIER: TOA CANADA CORPORATION

engineers and the law

www.canadianconsultingengineer.com

The VicFlex Series AQB Fitting System— featuring the Series AH2 Hose and Style AB1 Bracket—is fully engineered and manufactured by Victaulic for consistent installation and performance.

Tamper resistant, the Vic-Flex system features easy-to-install patented bracket technology, 100% kink resistance with the tightest and most bends available (UL listed 2” radius).

Vic-Flex applications include suspended ceilings, hard-lid ceilings, institutional, clean room and duct environments.

For more information, see Victaulic publication PB-412, submittal 10.85 and online at: www.victaulic.com/vicflex SUPPLIER: VICTAULIC

continued from page 41

pliance with the contract.

The EPCM model is dependent for its definition and legal interpretation on the specific contract agreed between the project owner and EPCM contractor. The elements of the EPCM model may be subdivided and become increasingly fragmented as the project progresses, leading to 44

S-CONCRETE TRIAL AT S-FRAME.COM/TRIALS

additional risk for the project owner.

Given the conflicting interests, the parties that take the time and expense to negotiate the details and draft an EPCM contract that properly defines the parties’ rights and obligations could find that it means the difference between delivering the project successfully or ending up

mired in litigation. By retaining consulting engineers with industry expertise, the parties involved in a mining project can further mitigate risk.

CCE Chad Eggerman is a partner with Miller Thomson LLP in Saskatoon, Sask.. E-mail ceggerman@millerthomson.com

March/April 2013

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ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS I am engaged in the following P rofessional Engineer in a consulting engineering practice S pecification 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) C ivil S tructural M echanical E lectrical Other (Please specify)________________________________________________ Do you have product specification responsibility?

March/April 2013

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Digital

Yes

Canadian Consulting Engineer

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45

13-03-14 7:21 AM

speaking out

By Johanne Desrochers, AICQ

Being worry With emplo hards you a yours You d posse more ability

The head of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Quebec responds to the allegations made about engineering firms at the Charbonneau Inquiry.

Shock Wave

M

46

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Heal

Suppl cover BP/CCE

AICQ

ichel Lalonde’s testimony before the Charbon- government partners and with our engineering and busineau Commission caused a veritable shockwave ness clients. The feedback I have received is very clear: our and consternation throughout the engineering partners remain confident in the AICQ and in the consultsector, at the AICQ, in the business world, and within the ing engineering industry, although they do fully condemn general population. The stratagems and behaviours de- the alleged actions. scribed in his testimony go against all the AICQ’s work of the last 40 years in promoting good business practices and measures aimed at promoting healthy competition.

It is not for us to judge all those concerned by Lalonde’s revelations. They will certainly have the right and the opportunity to present their version of the facts.

This time will come, and in all fairness, we Above left: Johanne Desrochers. Above right: Road construction in Montreal. must wait.

Our industry’s practices must change so that in 5 or 10 However, the damage has been done. The purported questionable actions undoubtedly affected an entire industry in years Québec can again be proud of its consulting engineers terms of its reputation, client relations, contracts, staff reten- and consulting engineers can be proud of their profession. tion, succession planning, and the credibility of the indepen- The consulting engineering industry is poised for a small revolution. . . . dent professional status of consulting engineers.

CCE At a personal level, these recent events have prompted me to take a step back, if only to avoid letting myself be in- Johanne Desrochers, B.A.A., CAE is president and chief executive vaded by only bad news. I am however convinced that if we officer of the Association des ingénieurs-conseils du Québec (AICQ)/ want to weather this crisis, we must always stay in touch with Association of Consulting Engineers of Quebec, based in Montreal. the essence of Québec's consulting engineering and its This article is a translation of an article she wrote in the February reputation for technical excellence and ability to innovate. 2013 issue of the AICQ newsletter, InfoConseil. It is reproduced If certain business practices must now be eliminated, the with permission.

Mme. Desrochers wrote the article about allegations made in engineering excellence that is the force of our industry must remain intact. And it will, thanks to the values of integ- January at the Charbonneau Commission of Inquiry being held in rity shared by the great majority of the 23,000 employees Montreal that is looking into corruption in the Quebec construction that make up our industry and who are the spearhead of industry. Consulting engineer Michel Lalonde of Génius Conseil rebuilding its reputation. In these unpleasant times for our (formerly Groupe Séguin) told the Inquiry that between 2004 and industry, we must avoid losing this perspective while con- 2009 several large Quebec engineering companies had colluded on public infrastructure contracts and had arranged to pay the protinuing to promote these values more than ever.

In this situation, I have increased my meetings with our ceeds to various political parties.

March/April 2013

13-03-14 7:22 AM

Pre D

$4

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A closer look at health and disability insurance How coverage can help the self-employed, contractual and underinsured Being ill or injured can be challenging enough without worrying about being driven into debt.

With health and living costs rising steadily, those who are selfemployed or don’t have coverage at work could face financial hardships. Without an employer’s group insurance benefits, you are left to your own means when it comes to protecting yourself and your family.

You don’t hesitate to insure your home, car and other valuable possessions, so why wouldn’t you insure those that are much more valuable than all those things — your health and your ability to earn an income?

Health insurance Supplementary health insurance starts where government coverage ends.

coverage while unemployed. If you become disabled within 12 months of your last job, you remain eligible for a monthly benefit payment.

Look for a disability plan that offers coverage for different types of disability, such as total disability, partial disability, residual disability (you are able to return to your regular occupation but in a limited capacity), and catastrophic loss.

And if you pay your own premiums (not your partnership), your monthly disability benefits may be tax free.2

Are you among those with protection?

Across Canada, many residents have chosen to protect themselves with supplementary health and disability coverage.

Make sure you’re protected as well.

67%

Canadian household health spending1 (Annual, excluding health insurance premiums)

Prescribed Drugs

Dental

Vision

Practitioners†

$491 $352 $208 $104 Other than physicians, dental and vision care professionals

†

With no supplementary health coverage, you would have to pay out of your own pocket for common expenses like prescriptions, dental care, vision care, therapeutic services and more.

If your spouse doesn’t have coverage at work, your out-ofpocket medical expenses can get even bigger, especially if you have children.

Private health insurance can be more affordable than you think.

Plus, if you’re self-employed, you may be able to deduct the cost of your health insurance premiums from your business income.2

Disability insurance Disability insurance helps to replace a portion of your income if you 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.

Unlike employee disability plans that end when you change jobs, some association-sponsored disability plans can provide continuation of coverage between jobs so you are not left without

of Canadian residents have supplementary health coverage3

31%

of Canadian residents have disability income protection3

Cost is a common reason offered by those who are not covered by any plans to explain the lack of coverage.

Affordable coverage is available for professional engineers through the Engineers Canada-sponsored plans. This allows you to enjoy many of the benefits of a group plan (e.g., lower cost) so you can focus on your recovery, not on the bills.

Average household annual spending (Source: Statistics Canada, 2010 Survey of Household Spending, April 2012).

2 Contact your financial advisor or the Canada Revenue Agency for details.

3 Percentages are based on persons covered at end of 2011 (Source: Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, Facts & Figures, Life and Health Insurance, 2012 Edition) and 2011 provincial population figures (Source: Statistics Canada).

1

CCE Members can learn more and apply for:

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S-FRAME SOFTWARE

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