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VISION OF SUCCESS
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p.04-05_Contents.indd 4 1/20/11 2:20:44 PM
 contents
FEBRUARY 2011

FEATURES
79

y
7 RAIC Perspective Waterloo Region Museum.
Building a chapter of Olympic proportions. Photo: Tom Arban.

8 Insight Design Group

The beautiful results of envisioning success.

13 Appliance Science
In renovations or new builds, there is solid evidence that high-quality appliances
are a wise investment.

19 Water Works
Current plumbing products do not sacrifice performance or design.

23 Systematic Simplicity
The efficient design of today’s office systems results in enhanced human interaction.

25 High Voltage
Members of the electrical and communication systems’ community are working to
clear the backlog from 2010.

29 Off the Grid

ON THE COVER The Aerie, West Vancouver, B.C.
33
Interior Designer: Insight Design Group Inc.
Cover photo and above: Michael Boland.
The energy management field develops innovative solutions to the challenges
inherent in the green-focused building industry.
Within Arm’s Reach
Members of the architectural hardware sector describe working through tough
economic times.

y 37 Making Old New Again

Rendering of the new R10 Renovation and restoration principles are rediscovered in environmentally and
showerhead by Rubinet Faucet socially conscious times.
Canada.
41 An Eye on the Future
In these technologically progressive times, the audiovisual sector is keeping in

19 44
stride.

2010 Ontario Concrete Awards

PROJECTS
47 School of Population & Public Health 73 Recreation Centre – Town of Banff: Banff, Alberta
(SPPH) – UBC: Vancouver, B.C.
75 Quest: Edmonton, Alberta
49 Patient Care Centre (PCC) – Royal Jubilee
Hospital: Victoria, B.C. 79 Waterloo Region Museum: Kitchener, Ontario
55 Health Sciences Centre – UBCO: 81 York Regional Police Central Services Building: Aurora, Ontario
Kelowna, B.C.
83 Mews – UBC: Vancouver, B.C.
57 947 Fort Street: Victoria, B.C.
85 The Learning Exchange – Mohawk College: Hamilton, Ontario
61 Taylor Family Digital Library –
University of Calgary: Calgary, Alberta 87 MuseumHouse: Toronto, Ontario

65 Bold Center: Lac La Biche, Alberta 89 Engineering Complex – University of Guelph: Guelph, Ontario

69 YWCA Elm Centre: Toronto, Ontario 91 Buhler Centre – University of Winnipeg: Winnipeg, Manitoba

FEBRUARY 2011 5

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p.06-07RAIC.indd 6 1/20/11 2:21:06 PM
 FEBRUARY 2011 • Volume 25 • Number 1
EDITOR Shannon Miller
ART DIRECTOR Laurel MacLean
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Angela Altass
Bill Armstrong
Luigi Benetton
Robin Brunet
Godfrey Budd
Susan M. Boyce
PERSPECTIVE
Stacey Carefoot
Jerry Eberts
Lawrence Herzog
by Wayne De Angelis, MRAIC
Laurie Jones
Lauren Kramer
Architecture Canada | RAIC Regional Director
Jessica Kirby
Helen Lammers-Helps
for British Columbia / Yukon
Stacey McLachlan
Dan O’Reilly
Christine Peets
Don Procter
Sonu Purhar
Irwin Rapoport

BUILDING A CHAPTER OF
Corey Van’t Haaff

CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Boland
Chris Bolin
Philip Castleton
Nik West

OLYMPIC PROPORTIONS
PRODUCTION MANAGER Suzy Williamson
STUDIO MANAGER Kristina Borys
ASSISTANT STUDIO MANAGER Mandy Lau
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Sonia Prasad
PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
MANAGER Kim McLane
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Allison Griffioen
Kate Hood
British Columbia and more Millennium Water, which served as the Athlete’s
ELECTRONIC PRODUCTION
Chris Sherwood
Ina Bowerbank
specifically Richmond, Village, under construction.
SENIOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN Debbie Lynn Craig Whistler and Vancouver
ELECTRONIC IMAGING Bernhard Holzmann,
Laura Michaels recently hosted something much
PUBLISHER Dan Chapman larger than just the 2010 Olympic
Alexander Sugden
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Riqueen Blumenthal
and Paralympic Winter Games
AWARD MAGAZINE – HEAD OFFICE
and architects played a significant
PHONE 604.299.7311 FAX 604.299.9188 role contributing a unique talent,
one of enduring legacy for local
communities, the host cities, our
province and for Canada. In fact,
the Olympics would have been
CHAIRMAN, CEO Peter Legge, O.B.C., LL.D (HON)
PRESIDENT Karen Foss insignificant without the awe-
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Heather Parker, CGA
inspiring structures built to house
LIJUAN GUO/ISTOCK

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Millie Warren, CGA

VICE PRESIDENT/PRODUCTION
VICE PRESIDENT/
Corinne Smith some of the competitions.
MARKETING & DIGITAL MEDIA Samantha Legge, MBA While the public perception of
VICE PRESIDENT/EDITORIAL Kathleen Freimond
VICE PRESIDENT/FINANCE Farnaz Riahi the architects’ role in the Olympics
VICE PRESIDENT/SALES Rebecca Legge
DIRECTOR/CIRCULATION Scott Wheatley may have seemed more akin to an
DIRECTOR/INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY Carsten Arnold
athlete waiting on the sidelines, it
DIRECTOR/BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT Michael Oldewening
is important to note that fortunately in the Lower Mainland. Their goal Early on, some colleagues
DIRECTOR/SALES all these architects had a head focuses on the promotion and pointed out the B.C. Chapter was
OPERATIONS Rhea Attar
DIRECTOR/DIGITAL MEDIA Shannon Emmerson (on leave) start – decades – and brought advocacy of architecture for those taking on the ‘impossible’. . . far
EDITORIAL OPERATIONS
MANAGER Mike Roberts expertise much more valuable working in firms, sole practitioners, too many goals for a group of
John Bucher, Yau Bing Chong,
DIGITAL MEDIA
Hilary Henegar, Kristen Hilderman, than the singular training a hockey architects in government positions, professional volunteers.
Darren Jarvis, Paul Jassal,
Debbie Jiang, Christina McPhail, player or downhill skier may have interns honing their skills and Interestingly enough, the
Lisa Manfield, Alex Pavlovic,
Davinia Yip had to endure. students intent on becoming Chapter has been able to attain
SENIOR MARKETING &
SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGER Tamara Johnston
Each architect brings with them registered professionals. Each many of its goals: promoting
MARKETING COORDINATOR Tim Reyes years of education and decades month, the BC RAIC Chapter of partnerships with other professions
MARKETING & MEDIA
STRATEGIST Casey Crawford of practice in fields such as the Architecture Canada members take and educational institutions;
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Mark Jeffrey, Craig Kitagawa
APPLICATION SUPPORT arts, structural design, history, time from their daily schedules sponsoring events and promoting
ANALYST Eileen Gajowski
ACCOUNTING Rita French, Joy Ginete-Cockle,
building codes, along with intense to meet and discuss innovative public forums; continuing
Ambrocia James, Terri Mason,
Sonia Roxburgh, Jocelyn Snelling
experience in grueling design ways to promote architecture not education courses; creating an
CIRCULATION MANAGER Tracy McRitchie competitions amongst colleagues solely for the profession but more Architecture Speaker Series; and
CIRCULATION Millie Coskun, Ginger Jessamine,
Kelly Kalirai, Ruth Pisko, and peers. On another competitive importantly to the public. the promotion of an international
Isabelle Ringham, Jalline Stark,
Anny Yu stage, architects held their own The dedication of Chapter design round table with the Italian
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS Heidi Christie, Jackie Lee
RECEPTION Maria Vlasenko demonstrating to Canadians and members who each month come to Consulate. These are only a few
the world that we were capable of meetings geared in promoting this of a long, long list of the Chapter’s
Award magazine is published six times a year by Canada Wide Media
Limited. Head office: 4th Floor - 4180 Lougheed Highway, Burnaby, record-breaking feats in flexible, great and honourable profession accomplishments.
B.C. V5C 6A7. Phone 604.299.7311, Fax 604.299.9188. Send covers of
undeliverable copies to address above. Publications Mail Agreement No. sustainable, energy-efficient, we call architecture is impressive. We are not writers, poets,
40065475. © 2011.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission

cutting-edge design. Each member brings a small musicians, artists, philosophers
of the publisher. Award is distributed to architects, interior designers,
landscape architects, consulting engineers, specification writers,
Closer to home, 2008 was but significant responsibility in or film directors, but we are
development companies and major construction companies throughout
Western Canada and Ontario. witness to British Columbian advocating for architecture. architects who as a united group
For subscription information call 604.299.1023 or email: architects, interns and students During the two short years since are concerned with all of the
awardsubscriptions@canadawide.com National Library No. ISSN
1202-5925. Printed in Canada by Transcontinental LGM Graphics. tackling another Olympic challenge its inception, the B.C. Chapter above while remaining committed
Award magazine welcomes your letters, corporate announcements
or company information. The statements, opinions and points of view
(the second such initiative in has worked diligently on these to letting all know that in B.C.
expressed in articles published in this magazine are those of the authors
and publication shall not be deemed to mean that they are necessarily
Canada): that of creating a BC RAIC tasks, completing many as well as and indeed around the world –
those of the publisher, editor or Canada Wide Media Limited. The
acceptance and publication of advertisement of
Chapter of Architecture Canada initiating goals for the future. Architecture matters. ■
products and services does not indicate endorsement
of such products or services. The publishers cannot
be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and
photographs. FEBRUARY 2011 7

p.06-07RAIC.indd 7 1/31/11 9:21:15 AM

 8 FEBRUARY 2011

p.08-11Insight cover story.indd 8 1/20/11 2:21:35 PM

 INSIGHT DESIGN GROUP INC.
THE BEAUTIFUL RESULTS OF ENVISIONING SUCCESS
by Corey Van’t Haaff

For Kari Henshaw, founder and principal of Insight Design

Group, owning an interior design firm is all about creating
relationships. Whether designing a multifamily project, a luxury residential
home, commercial space – or even a spa – it’s all about the relationships with the
client, the developer, the architect and the marketing teams. Mostly, she says,
relevant and timeless interior design is about building a relationship with the
one person she doesn’t know but has to totally understand – the ultimate buyer
or end-user.
Henshaw opened Insight Design Group in 1995. She built her business around
what she knows best: multifamily residential dwellings, display suites, high-end
single-family homes, and commercial space for developers and private individuals.
“We do so much but we are probably known best for our multifamily projects.
We like to start each project with an envisioning session with the project team:
the developer, the architect, the graphic designers and the marketing company.
Then we work with the developer and architect in suite design and space plan-
ning. We know what the project is about. We know who it is marketed to. We
know what our client wants it to be,” says Henshaw.
One of the pleasures of multifamily design is that it touches on so many
different aspects of interior design. There’s the commercial side that is evident
during the design of the presentation centre and amenity spaces, and then, of course, there is the These pages: Highgrove, West Vancouver, B.C.
residential side that allows the design of the interiors of each unit along with choosing finishes, Photos: John Sinal Photography Inc.
plumbing fixtures and appliances. Last but not least are the display suites.
“A display suite sells the unit. If your display suite is great, it’s your top selling tool. We’re known lot of what we create is a lifestyle. A purchaser, from when
for our display suites. We do exceptional display suites but we also provide exceptional service be- he or she walks into a presentation centre, through the dis-
cause we really care about everything and want our clients to be happy.” play suite to departure, understands the project, relates to
“Everything in a suite, we design; what the kitchen and bath look like, the layout of the cabinets, it and envisions living there.”
and any custom details,” says Henshaw. “We already know and have painted a picture of who the buy- Henshaw has wanted to be an interior designer since
ers are, because we’ve met with the developer and marketing people and a strong direction has been she was young. She loved to decorate but knew design was
set. We give the space personality.” far more complex and complete than that. She was serious
“When we produce something cohesive, the purchaser ‘gets’ it. The environment complements the about learning both the mechanics of design (she says she
marketing and it all tells the same story. We have a very good understanding of the target market. A was the only girl in her high school drafting class) as well
as the esthetics. After graduating from
Kwantlen College’s interior design pro-
gram, she went to work for a company
that focused on multifamily projects.
When that firm closed up shop to pur-
sue a business opportunity, Henshaw
saw another opportunity in all the ex-
isting clients that still needed design
help.
“I was 25 years old and had only
been working for a few years. Never
in a million years did I think I would
start my own firm but the opportunity
landed in my lap, and these clients
needed service,” she says. She credits
her logical side for bringing leadership
abilities to her creative passion.
She launched Insight Design with
two employees, and now has a team
of 12 along with contractors she relies
on. “When I thought about my firm,
I knew I wanted to create an environ-
ment where everyone would enjoy
coming to work every day. We have
a quote posted in the office that says
‘If attitude was contagious, would you

FEBRUARY 2011 9

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 want someone catching yours?’ What
that relates to is a fun working environ-
ment. A lot of our clients we work with
year after year and I like to think they
have a positive energy when they come
in here, too.”
She says that is what Insight De-
sign Inc. is known for: positive energy,
teamwork and great design. “Great
design,” she says, “isn’t just education.
You either have it or you don’t. I think
the best approach to the design esthetic
is timelessness. It’s clean and unclut-
tered. When you walk into a space that
we’ve done, even if it isn’t to your per-
sonal taste, you can still appreciate it.
That’s good design.”
She says Insight Design pays solid
attention to detail. Her firm is commit-
ted to efficiencies, especially in draw-
ings and specs, so Henshaw, along
with her team, created systems to allow
for timely turnarounds for clients. She
watched as many interior design firms
“did their own thing” when pulling
together drawing and specification
packages and found it curious that
architectural firms all followed a mas-
ter format. She thought it would make
sense to employ those same systems to
provide reliable consistency to clients.
“Let’s start doing that, I thought.
We decided to do our drawings and specifications to read challenges, in particular trying to maintain the original design of the homes and maintaining the
the same way as architects’ would. I like to think our plans building core. With 343 homes, there will be a lot of product to sell.”
are cohesive and easy to understand for the trade. We do it Bury says that the Insight Design team is good at translating the needs of its target markets into
the same way for everyone,” says Henshaw. the project’s design. “They have always managed to source new and interesting products so we have
Long-time clients, such as Intracorp, appreciate the something exciting to offer,” says Bury. “It’s a very collaborative partnership. We work together in
firm’s ability to fully understand target markets. Insight terms of identifying key objectives for our homes which they then develop into their design.”
Design is working with Intracorp on Metroplace, across the Henshaw says one of her challenges with Metroplace was to design the project with a low to mod-
street from Metrotown in Burnaby. At 46 storeys, it will be erate budget but with “added sparkle.” Buyers need to feel they are getting an exceptional product.
the tallest residential building in Metrotown. There had to be some key memory points. “It’s different than other Burnaby projects. This one has
“The outdoor public plaza is intended to become a new Inform kitchens; there’s brand recognition throughout. It’s truly affordable luxury.”
gathering spot for the community, so the combination of Insight Design Group may have cut its teeth on multifamily projects, which are still one of its
location and public amenities makes it unique. The homes main focuses, but it perfected the art of creating welcoming, livable and lovely interiors in high-end
themselves have great designer touches, efficient floor residential homes, and is now introducing its talents into the hospitality sector.
plans, and amazing views, making them highly desirable,” In addition to welcoming new developer and private clients, Henshaw is proud of some longstand-
says Carla Bury, Intracorp’s director of marketing. “The in- ing relationships with repeat clients, such as British Pacific Properties. She and her team are currently
creased height in the building has brought some interesting working with British Pacific Properties on both Highgrove and The Aerie, with more developments
underway.
This page: The Aerie, West Vancouver, B.C. Highgrove, located in West Vancouver, is an exclusive development of single-family residences and
Photos: John Sinal Photography Inc. executive townhouses. Henshaw designed the interior of an over-6,000-square-foot, five-bedroom,
seven-bath luxury home, built on spec.
“People fall in love with these homes from the moment they walk into our
display home,” she says.
From furnishing the great room to selecting state-of-the-art appliances and
finishes in the kitchen, while preserving a feeling of warmth, says Henshaw,
“that’s the challenge. You design one home and have one shot for people to love
it and spend multimillions of dollars based on what they see.”
It was a different challenge at the equally impressive 5,000-square-foot pent-
house encompassing an entire floor at The Aerie. It had to have a certain look,
says Henshaw, but if she chose the wrong look, it would totally lose its appeal.
With its open concept, abundant light and breathtaking views, The Aerie had to
look like the penthouse that is was, down to the last detail. When Henshaw and
her team were done, the client was thrilled.
“Clients hire us knowing they can count on us to work with them and they
know we have the expertise to produce something cohesive. A lot of clients
I have worked with for a long time and I’ve been in business a long time and
there’s a level of mutual respect there,” says Henshaw. “We like working with
people who build quality projects. We bring a high level of expertise to a project.
We know what we are talking about and we care about producing a good quality
project. They really listen and count on us, and vice versa. It’s a good team.” ■

10 FEBRUARY 2011

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p.12-17Appliances.indd 12 1/20/11 2:22:03 PM
 APPLIANCE SCIENCE
In renovations or new builds, there is solid evidence that high-
quality appliances are a wise investment
by Laurie Jones
COURTESY AGA MARVEL

For the last few years, appliance manufacturers Part of Tasco Distributors’ success freezer drawer on top.”
and distributors have enjoyed an increase in is in supplying a variety of appliances Other popular products for Tasco are the front-load
sales of high-end models as builders and consumers that address the needs of custom laundry pairs due to the reduced need for water and elec-
are recognizing the benefits of quality-built products and homebuilders and developers of high- tricity, and the significantly larger load capacity. “During a
are eager to have them installed. Popular choices in cook- end condos and homes. The availabil- recent Ontario provincial government rebate program, we
ing and refrigeration products are setting new standards for ity of Sub Zero, Wolf, Miele, Kitchen had exceptionally strong sales,” says Nandalal. “In fact, a
conventional uses. Aid and Jenn-Air brands allows Tasco recap showed that we had the highest percentage of front-
Edmonds Appliances continues to be a forerunner in to diversify its line-up completely. load sales at 95 per cent. In Canada, the numbers range at
supplying high-end products for developers across Canada. “We offer medium-low to extremely approximately 75 per cent sales in this category.”
“Our focus on providing multi-residential housing projects high-end products to both the public Tasco also supplies unique products for grilling enthu-
with singular brand, luxury appliances gives a sense of and custom homebuilders, including siasts. “We carry high-end appliances for outdoor cooking,
prestige and desirability for the entire building, and ensures developers of luxury condos and from manufacturers such as Wolf, Viking, Dacor or Lynx
buyers they are making a wise lifestyle investment,” says homes,” says Cerrone Nandalal, Tasco’s Professional Grills. We have a complete line-up including
Glenn Anderson, general manager. product manager. grills, outdoor refrigeration, ventilation hoods for the grill,
He says the company’s approach in dealing with clients “One new trend in refrigeration is warming drawers and beer dispensers.”
is that of a partnership. “Premium developers look to us the four-door model. The top section AGA Marvel launched its new PRO+™ series of cooking
for direction creating the ‘best-of-the-very-best’ kitchens, offers two doors for the fridge section, and refrigeration products in 2010. “With energy saving and
and we provide the finest brands and experience to achieve and below are two drawers,” he says. flexibility at the forefront of its development, AGA Marvel
that goal. In the past, we have supplied appliances to devel- “Some offer two freezer drawers, and is proud to introduce the revolutionary PRO+™,” says Brad
opments in Vancouver such as the Shangri-La and Fairmont others have a convertible fridge or Michael, senior vice-president of sales and marketing. “At
Pacific Rim hotels and residences, and we are just complet-
ing the third tower of the Harbour Green Place trilogy in Above: The AGA Marvel PRO+ ™ Series. Below: Jenn-Air induction range.
Coal Harbour, which includes one of the most expensive
penthouses in Vancouver.”
Anderson says he is about to begin delivery to Toronto’s
Shangri-La, and the company is also the exclusive supplier
to Aspac Development’s River Green community in Rich-
mond, which will ultimately include over 2,600 residences
around the Richmond Oval.
After-purchase service remains paramount for the com-
pany as well. “We want to make sure the new homeowners
in each Edmonds multi-residential projects are completely
happy with their products,” says Anderson.
Coast Wholesale Appliances offers a range of appliances
to suit any budget. However, one product that is at the fore-
front of consumer choice in the kitchen is induction cook-
ing. “This option is very popular in Europe, and is just now
coming into vogue in North America,” says Cortney Janzen,
assistant manager. “Manufacturers are coming through
with ranges that have induction tops and electric ovens,
similar to duel-fuel products that have gas on top and an
electric oven.”
Induction is becoming a well-known phrase and more
people are willing to try it. The cooking process is done
through magnetic transfer to a specific induction pot, but
COURTESY COAST WHOLESALE APPLIANCES

the basic cooktop itself does not heat up. “You could put
a piece of paper between the cooktop and the pot and the
only reason the paper would heat up is because of the trans-
fer process,” says Janzen. “If something boils over, an auto-
matic shutoff will be triggered. It’s a safer way of cooking
and faster – you can heat water to a boiling point within a
couple of minutes. The reason this is popular is to satisfy
the increased pace of society and lack of time prevalent in
people’s lives.”

APPLIANCES

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p.12-17Appliances.indd 14 1/20/11 2:22:07 PM
 the heart of the unique PRO+™ is an Left and below: Bertazzoni built-
internationally patented Energy Sav- in wall oven. Bottom: Samsung
ing Panel (ESP) which splits the oven Induction Range.
cavity in two – offering you the choice
of either a hefty 4.9 cubic feet of cook-
ing space or an everyday 2.4-cubic- the range is finished in stainless steel,
foot oven. Flexible for your changing and in the modern series, the oven is
needs, this modern 36-inch range is all black glass with a stainless steel
loaded with rich features, a self-clean trim and is designed to be exactly
function and energy saving benefits. flush with the cabinets,” he says. In
It is the perfect match for the environ- the middle of the oven control panel
mentally conscious and avid chef.” is an LCD screen for interacting with
The AGA PRO+™ range is comple- the oven. “An added function is the
mented by a matching suite of kitchen Chef Assist feature, which has a num-
COURTESY BERTAZZONI

appliances, including a dishwasher, ber of recipes already programmed. If

vent hood, French door refrigerator you cook a pot roast, you can put in
and under-counter refrigeration made the food probe and the cooking will
by Marvel. AGA PRO+™ series is avail- be done automatically. However, we
able in four PRO+™ designer colours all have styles of cooking and the Chef
and stainless steel. Assist is able to learn how you cook
“We are pleased to announce that the AGA’s PRO+™ was the Viking, Sub Zero and many others, we and records the programmed recipe in exact sequence. The
proud recipient of the American Society of Interior Designers have a lot to offer.” next time this dish is prepared, you just have to key in the
(ASID) Imagine Top Pick award,” says Craig Friedman, vice- For over 25 years, Amiel Distribu- recipe and it will be done perfectly to your taste.” ■
president of eastern marketing and AGA Marvel distributor tions Ltd. has been offering prestigious
for the Eastern seaboard. “This award reflects the design brands of household appliances. It was
community’s recognition of the value and style of the new the pioneer distributor in Canada for
AGA PRO+™ suite of appliances.” Bertazzoni, an Italian company with a
Integrated Appliances Ltd., Canada’s only independent high-end line of pro-style ranges, which
national distributor of Best in Class brands, is pleased with has been on the market for five genera-
the results of its new line. “These are exciting times for all tions. “Bertazzoni has been in North
of our brands, but especially for Capital Cooking,” says America for five years and we were
Alex Brown, chief operation officer. “In response to user the pioneer in Eastern Canada,” says
demand, we have just introduced the Culinarian Series to Anthony Amiel, director of marketing
the Capital lineup. All of the new features are available from and business development. “Histori-
our website but I must mention the new powerful 23,000 cally, it has been a range supplier here
BTU burners with turndown true simmer to 130F on each but in January, the company launched
one. The response has been spectacular. If there ever was an its built-in collections of products,
appliance that went viral, this is it!” including cooktops and ovens.”
COURTESY BERTAZZONI

Another new addition for 2010 was the Maestro Series The built-in ovens are available as
wall oven by Capital Cooking. Exclusive features include electric models, with either single or
mist baking, which garnered rave responses by cooks for double oven configurations. “What’s
the moister cooking in this electric oven. Also incorporated interesting about the ovens is they
in this unit are a meat probe, roller racks, a rotisserie, and have two looks – on the pro-series,
the bake and broil elements under glass. “Our experience
this year tells us once again the modern consumer is par-
ticularly interested in value for money spent, so our Best in
Class brands selection is right for the times,” says Brown.
Midnorthern Appliance, founded in 1959, was acquired
by The Brick in 2002 and continues to operate as a commer-
cial sales division selling to builders, property managers and
landlords, and direct to the public. “We do business from
Vancouver to Halifax and sell items for new construction,
predominantly multi-unit highrise and low-rise buildings,”
says Michael Gnat. “We carry all freestanding appliances,
including fridges and ranges, and a complete line of built-
in appliances such as integrated refrigeration, dishwashers,
cooktops, built-in ovens, ventilation, coffee systems and
other lifestyle products.”
One unique product that is gaining popularity due to
its healthy cooking aspect is the steam oven. “Steam ovens
that offer healthy, oil-free cooking are now manufactured
by Miele, Gaggenau and AEG,” says Gnat. “We sell a lot of
COURTESY COAST WHOLESALE APPLIANCES

steam ovens for residential use and they are really versatile.
You can cook poultry, fish, vegetables and even pastries. A
water reservoir is filled to provide the steam, and to infuse
some flavour of the finished product, we suggest adding tea
leaves such as Oolong or Jasmine.”
Gnat says the company has been having great success
with the builders, designers and retail customers who look
to the experts for advice. “We have an unmatched passion
for what we do, and with brand such as Miele, GE, Blomberg,

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p.12-17Appliances.indd 16 1/20/11 2:22:10 PM
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p.18-21_Plumbing.indd 18 1/20/11 2:23:21 PM

 WATER WORKS
Current plumbing products do not sacrifice performance or design
by Robin Brunet
Just as granite countertops, free-floating
fireplaces and other fixtures have become
marketable assets for building developers, so too has
plumbing – provided the plumbing is manufactured
by trusted companies like Kohler and Delta or design
specialists like Rubinet.
Plumbing that helps achieve energy savings is
also a highly marketable commodity, especially if it’s
coupled with great performance. Such is the case
with Oxygenics by Timeless Canada Inc. Oxygenics
showerheads are able to produce a high-pressure
shower at low-flow rates without flow restrictors:
instead, miniature turbos use less water (just one-
third that of a full flow showerhead) more efficiently.
The showerheads are self-pressurizing and
generate a high-velocity stream; oxygen is infused
into the spray to volumize the mist, providing a spa
experience. Oxygenics showerheads are made from
commercial-grade stainless steel and lined with
non-stick Delrin, which makes them impervious to
clogging and completely maintenance-free (their
performance is backed by a lifetime warranty).
They can also be counted towards LEED Platinum
certification. “Our reasonably priced showerheads are
a great solution for designers and developers,” says
Oxygenics sales and marketing director Joe Suskin.
“For landlords and managers, they not only help save
millions of gallons and thousands of therms, but are
popular with tenants and residents because of the
satisfying shower experience.”
Style alone is sometimes impressive enough
for plumbing to become a feature in real estate
marketing, and this is certainly true of the Rubinet
Faucet Company’s latest line of fine fixtures, the R10
faucets. The R10 line is so radical in appearance
– bold angles combined with fl at surfaces – that
the faucets almost defy description. Rubinet
representative Dave Jackson says, “R10 has the same
contemporary style as the faucets we designed for
the now-defunct condo/hotel/ casino Fontainebleau
project in Las Vegas.”
Jackson credits Rubinet owner Domenic Luisi
for “adding a little something to anything he puts
the Rubinet name to. The Swarovski crystals in ice
and the small knurled accent pieces at the tip of
the R10 spouts and in the handles impart that ‘little
something’ above and beyond the Fontainebleau
faucets.” Rubinet is marketing R10 by using the
phrase from the Huey Lewis song ‘It’s Hip to be
Square.’ “The title says it all,” says Jackson. “The R10
faucets have a contemporary look that will appeal to
the generation that rocked along with Huey.”
Appearance-wise, what do customers want from
plumbing in 2011? Fortunately for manufacturers,
there are numerous consumer-driven trends to
exploit in the residential sector. As Franke Kindred
PLUMBING PRODUCTS
p.18-21_Plumbing.indd 19
Canada Ltd. marketing coordinator Angela Bird notes,
“We see a trend moving towards chrome instead of
the satin nickel look in bathrooms. The look is clean,
reflective and purely neutral.”
Kindred’s new semi-recessed residential vanity
basins “are mirror polished on the inside of the bowl
and bring a sparkle to the bathroom unlike any other
material,” says Bird. The basins, which come in oval
and round shapes, are a hybrid between a vessel
sink and a traditional drop-in basin. This allows
homeowners to have the raised look of a vessel
without changing the height of the vanity cabinet.
The faucet is mounted directly into the countertop,
not in the sink deck. “The semi-recessed vanity
basins are also available in our Commercial
product line,” says Bird. “Kindred’s Commercial
products feature a brushed bowl finish to
withstand the heavier traffic and wear and tear of
public spaces.”
Arguably, Kindred’s most visually impressive
new luxury washroom product is the sculptural
XINH201, a wall-mounted floating sink that’s
unlike anything else in the market. It’s formed
from 11-gauge stainless steel and consists of a
seamlessly integrated 18-gauge round basin.
“It’s a showstopper,” says Bird. “It’s so striking
that visitors to our showroom go out of their
way to compliment us.”
While some consumers embrace chrome,
Delta Faucet, a subsidiary of Masco Canada,
is catering to what it calls a “resurgent mid- Both photos: In2ition,
century modern movement” with its new a combination
Vero bath collection. Featuring the clean showerhead/hand
lines of a ribbon and modern styling, the shower unit, from
Vero collection enables fashion-forward Delta Faucet Canada.
homeowners to create a high-end ambiance
without a high-end price.
Delta Faucet industrial design director
Judd Lord points out that modern “is no
longer perceived as a cold or industrial style,
but an easy and livable way of life. The Vero suite
was designed to complement this movement with
sophisticated, sleek lines.”
The Vero collection includes WaterSense-labelled
lavatories, which use up to 32 per cent less water
than standard faucets without compromising user
convenience. Similarly, Vero’s WaterSense-labelled
showerhead saves water without sacrificing the
shower experience. Delta’s H2Okinetic Technology
enables the showerhead to improve water efficiency
by 40 per cent, providing a flow of 1.5 gallons per
minute (gpm) that feels to users like an enhanced
flow of 2.5 gpm. Also, Delta’s exclusive Touch-Clean
technology allows calcium and lime build-up to be
wiped away from the spray face of the showerhead or
hand shower with a touch of a finger.
1/20/11 2:23:22 PM
p.18-21_Plumbing.indd 20 1/20/11 2:23:24 PM
 Delta’s penchant for innovation has led the
company to create a combination showerhead/
hand shower unit called In2ition, which features a
detachable hand shower that can run separately or
simultaneously, giving the homeowner the warmth
and flexibility of two streams of water at once.
In2ition provides a variety of shower experiences.
“The user can enjoy the comfort of water streaming
from the showerhead position, while the hand shower
is flexible enough to accomplish other tasks, such
as bathing children, washing pets and cleaning the
shower,” says Delta Canadian marketing brand
manager Anita Griffin. “When finished, the hand
shower simply slips into place on the showerhead.”
In2ition is available in Classic or Traditional styles.
The Traditional model features a fi ve-setting hand
shower, while the Classic offers four settings from
relaxing massage to invigorating spray. Both styles
have a pause setting that reduces the water to a
trickle when a full stream isn’t required. Finishes
consist of chrome, Venetian Bronze and Brilliance®
(anti-tarnish).
The organic look is yet another trend in the
plumbing sector, and the cast bronze Katagami
Wading Pool lavatory from Kohler Co. embodies that
specific appearance to the fullest four up to 16,500 gallons of water annually. Despite
possible degree, from the
wildflower
motif to the
ever-changing
bronze patina. The lavatory’s shallow
design highlights texture and ensures nearly
limitless faucet options.
Katagami’s 20- by 16-inch wading pool basin
includes a distinctive, elevated drain cover. The
shallow texture of its floral motif creates unique water
patterns, and the drain cover’s elevation over the drain system solely due to the natural quartz material,”
allows water to visually disappear into the sink.
Kohler’s new ultra-sleek Loure bathroom products none of the maintenance that real granite requires
are intended to enhance the ever-growing popularity
of contemporary design. The Loure faucets, available
in Polished Chrome, Vibrant Brushed Nickel and
Vibrant Polished Nickel, feature a sleek profile and soft Lavatory System because the quartz material
Clockwise from top: Katagami Wading Pool lavatory from Kohler Co.;
The Storm Shower from Oxygenics; XINH201 wall-mounted floating sink
from Kindred Commercial.
PLUMBING PRODUCTS
p.18-21_Plumbing.indd 21
curves, and they provide
a generous flow of water
with precise temperature
and volume control via
the UltraGlide valving
platform (they also
blend seamlessly with
many contemporary
bathing and showering
components such as
the Kohler Shift Square
hand shower, thus giving
homeowners more options
in the configuration of their
baths and showers). The Loure
bath filler boasts an easy-to-
use single-control lever, and the
pressure-balancing shower components
support both a showerhead and hand shower
with a simple integrated diverter.
As is the case with Oxygenics and Delta, Kohler is
keenly aware that water conservation is a perpetual
concern for many users. Its contribution to water
savings includes a wide array of WaterSense-labelled
High-Efficiency Toilets, which can save a family of
these savings, the new 1.28-gallon toilets do not
sacrifice performance or design.
At Bradley Corp.,
attention continues
to be focused
on its Verge
Lavatory System.
Senior marketing manager Kris
Alderson points out that the product
“is popular because of the design and the
material. The design fits well in many different
building types, from offices and college campuses to
restaurants and retail locations.”
“Many architects and owners have specified this
Alderson adds, “which has a very natural look with
and is also more durable than other solid surface
products currently available.”
In fact, some schools have specified the Verge
provides the longevity needed
in their restrooms. Verge
was designed for higher-
end commercial restroom
applications, but its appearance
is that of a high-end residential
product due to its beautifully
sculpted elongated basins with
hidden drains.
The quartz Alderson refers to
is Bradley’s Evero Natural Quartz,
a resilient natural composite
material ideal for high-end retail
environments, restaurants, hotels,
museums, universities and other
heavy-traffic facilities. Unlike
granite, Evero does not require
sealing, buffing or reconditioning.
It is also repairable, while granite
is not. Evero’s non-porous surface
does not support microbial growth
and is stain-, chemical-, scratch-
and heat-resistant.
The Verge may be ordered in
60-inch (two-person) and 90-inch
(three-person) lengths, and is
available in 15 colours inspired
by nature. Commercial-grade
capacitive sensing faucets are
available or designers may choose
their own faucets to further
customize the look and operation
of the lavatory system.
Blanco Canada has developed
a worldwide reputation for its
beautiful sinks (the handcrafted
STEELART is one example) and
faucets, and the warmth and
textural appeal of its Siligrant sink
continues to attract designers and
consumers. The sink is made from
a natural granite material that is
scratch-proof and stain-resistant,
and its heat resistance of up to
280C is due to small particles
of granite imbedded near the
material’s surface.
It’s one thing for designers and
consumers to read about new
plumbing products, but another to
view them in a desirable setting.
Robinson Lighting and Bath’s
17,500-square-foot showroom
contains the latest products from
Kohler, Delta, Franke Kindred,
Blanco and other respected
manufacturers from across North
America and Europe. Products
are constantly being added to
Robinson showrooms across
Canada, and each venue is staffed
by professionals who can discuss
the latest trends and innovations.
LuxSalon Bathrooms Inc., the
importer of European bathroom
fixtures, also has a Vancouver
showroom and a staff conversant
on the latest global trends.
LuxSalon, whose imports include
the Royal Sphinx bathroom
collections, carries domestic
fixtures, faucets, accessories,
waterless urinals, heated towel
bars, glass bowls and other unique
products. ■
FEBRUARY 2011 21
1/20/11 2:23:31 PM
p.22-23Office Systems.indd 22 1/20/11 2:24:37 PM
 Systematic Simplicity
THE EFFICIENT DESIGN OF TODAY’S
OFFICE SYSTEMS RESULTS IN ENHANCED HUMAN INTERACTION
by Laurie Jones
As another decade begins, office systems manufac-
turers are once again addressing the simplicity factor. This
restrained approach works to support the smaller footprints
of the modern, collaborative corporate world.
Global Contract wrapped up 2010 by introducing its
new Foundations casegoods products. Foundations draws
on a contemporary minimal esthetic, paring down furni-
ture structure and surface to reveal an architecture of sim-
ple horizontal and vertical planar elements. “Each piece is
designed to serve the needs of a changing office landscape,
elevating the look and function of the private office and tak-
ing into account the diverse uses of meeting rooms in the
modern work environment,” says Christopher Wright of
Figure 3. “One goal of this product is to provide more stor-
age with less space, providing increased flexibility for cus-
tomers.” The unique workwall allows users to reduce floor
space and maximize vertical space. With standard optional
heights of 26 inches, 50 inches, 70 inches and 84 inches,
Foundations works to fit a number of office designs.
Today’s private office is less formal, more functional.
“Foundations casegood components for the private office
include modular desks, credenzas and wall storage units
punctuated by niches set into the vertical plane of the unit,”
says Wright. “With this multi-use system, personal items
or work tools can be stored in the niches, desks and storage
components that combine to suit individual work styles.”
Teknion Corp. introduced its dna collection of modular
lounge seating and tables created by Acer Design in con-
junction with Teknion’s design team. dna was designed to
meet the needs of today’s collaborative spaces for increased
flexibility, reconfigurability and the ability to provide
access to power and communications. “Collaboration
occurs at various locations and any time of day as people share
knowledge, skills and experience to reach common goals,”
says Geoffrey Milligan, director of design, Teknion. “Recog-
nizing that such interaction is
vital to innovation, companies
are giving space to open, infor-
mal settings throughout the
office that invite interaction
Top of page: Global Total Office’s Foundations.
Here: M8 from Humanscale.
OFFICE SYSTEMS
p.22-23Office Systems.indd 23
and provide an outlet for collective
creativity. The intent behind dna was
to provide a unique modular system of
connectable units that, when config-
ured, fosters collaboration common in
today’s workplaces.”
Steelcase Inc. recently launched
FrameOne, a benching system based
on insights from a global research proj-
ect that identified four types of bench
users with distinct needs. A key find-
ing is that a one-size-fits-all approach
to benching can compromise worker
efficiency and satisfaction. FrameOne
was designed to support these diverse
needs while using space efficiently.
“Benching has been popular in Europe
for years, and it can be about more
than real estate efficiency and cost sav-
ings,” says Jim Keane, president, Steel-
case Group. “FrameOne is a solution
that supports an agile workplace with
different types of workers in different
modes of work. It can help employees
shift between collaboration on a proj-
ect or focused individual work.”
The different work styles include
Residents, individually focused work-
ers; Functional Groups that focus on
work primarily at their workspace and
need to collaborate frequently; Nomads
who are highly mobile; and Project
Teams that are highly collaborative.
FrameOne offers component choices
and tools that can flex to meet these
needs. Designed to offer versatility in
an open-plan space, it is available as a
single- or dual-sided bench.
SIMO has announced
the release of Shadow, the
new laminate and veneer
casegoods line designed
by Michael Beaulieu of
XcepDesign from Montreal.
“We designed Shadow to
elevate the most efficient
elements of office furniture
to new levels of elegance
and refinement by bring-
ing together practicality
and prestige,” says Beaulieu.
The concept and design
of Shadow are perfect ex-
pansion opportunities for
SIMO’s professional solutions product offerings. “Shadow
allows SIMO’s history of craftsmanship and quality to reach
new markets while continuing to express our focus and
passion of concentrate and collaborate,” says Gary Scitthelm,
president of SIMO.
The addition of laminate offerings comes at a perfect time
for SIMO. “We are excelling in the areas of ‘concentrate and
collaborate’ within office furniture. Shadow will strengthen
our abilities, widen our reach and enable us to offer even
better professional product solutions,” says Scitthelm.
Horizon Furniture offers the new Jazz2™ keyboard/mouse
support system. “We have designed this combo to include
top-quality components that provide comfortable keyboard-
ing on a thin, durable product,” says Peter Miscio, national
sales manager. “The nine-inch, clip-on mouse platform can
accommodate both right- and left-handed users, and the
height, angle and depth are fully adjustable.” The lift n’lock™
leverless model can be easily adjusted to a range from 2.5
inches above to six inches below the worksurface. A 19-inch
gelfoam wrist rest is included.
“The Jazz2 keyboard tray is excellent for workstations
with multiple users because the tray disappears under-
neath the surface when not in use,” says Miscio. “To add
to the comfort component, the low-profile mechanism and
platform maximizes knee clearance. It also has a 21-inch,
smooth glide storage track with 360-degree swivel.” The
dial tilt™ tray angle adjustment promotes healthy keying
posture, an ideal solution for ergonomic needs.
Humanscale’s newest monitor arm solution, the M8,
offers incredible weight capacity within a slim profile
that accommodates the widest range of monitors avail-
able. Designed by the award-winning Humanscale Design
Studio, the M8 offers a solution to a modern workplace
conundrum. “With personnel turnover, shuffling worksta-
tions and the evolution of technology, today’s workplace
demands a monitor arm flexible enough to accommodate
ever-changing needs,” says Steve Bender, global director,
monitor arm division. “Many applications call for heavy
monitors or dual-monitor configurations that traditional
arms can’t handle.”
The M8’s high-capacity construction accommodates
small monitors weighing as little as eight pounds, large
monitors weighing as much as 40 pounds, and everything
in between. “If a dual-monitor configuration is needed,
the M8’s optional crossbar support easily accommodates
two monitors weighing up to 20 pounds each,” says
Bender. “Such incredible versatility means not only can it
handle virtually any monitor available today, it is flexible
enough to grow and evolve with a company – an invaluable
feature.”
Despite its high-capacity design, the M8 offers 11.5
inches of dynamic height adjustment and a 22-inch reach,
allowing the user to quickly and easily position the display
for ideal ergonomic viewing. ■
FEBRUARY 2011 23
1/20/11 2:24:38 PM
 WESTERN PACIFIC ENTERPRISES GP
ELECTRICAL & DATA CONTRACTORS
1321 Ketch Court, Coquitlam BC V3K 6X7
Tel: 604.540.1321 Fax: 604.540.1390
www.wpe.bc.ca BC Reg#3730

WPE provides complete Electrical & Data Installations

including
• Distribution & Lighting
• Fire Alarm
• Design Build
• High Voltage
• Controls
• Special Projects
Current Projects Include: BC Place Renovations; Queen
Elizabeth Theatre Renewal; Southeast False Creek
Community Centre; Vancouver Convention Centre
Expansion; Gordon & Leslie Diamond HealthCare
Centre VGH; ICORD at VGH; BC Hydro Substation
Upgrades; VANOC Whistler Slide Centre; Canada Line
(RAV) System-wide Power Cabling; Canada Line (RAV)
Stations; Villa Casino, Burnaby; Terminus & Grand
Gastown; Bentall V Tower Addition, Vancouver.

WPE
37 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
Established 1973

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • DATA • CONTROLS • FIRE ALARM • HIGH VOLTAGE

Western Pacific.indd 1 1/22/10 12:13:14 PM

p.24-27_Elec&Comm.indd 24 1/20/11 2:25:04 PM

 S
uch was the state of the
electrical contracting industry
in late 2010 that the normally
effusive Hal Moore, a partner of West-
ern Pacific Enterprises, says, “We’ve
been too busy to do anything but keep
our noses to the grindstone. And every-
one seems to be in the same boat.”
Much of the hubbub was due to the
March cutoff for infrastructure spend-
ing. But now that the deadline has been
pushed back to October, some indus-
try experts have a chance to take a
breath and look ahead. “For one thing,
the new deadline means that a lot of
long-planned projects will be back on
the books, which is great news,” says
Les Coughlan, president and owner of
Glenco Electric Ltd.
Glenco is involved in various insti-
tutional projects, including the design-
build Burnaby Secondary School and
the new Abbotsford Collegiate facility.
“We’re working on health-care facili-
ties, police facilities, corrections centres
– you name it,” says Coughlan. “The
recession didn’t really affect us, and in
terms of carry-over work alone, we still
have a year’s worth of backlog to com-
plete in 2011.”
Deborah Cahill, president of the
Electrical Contractors Association of
HIGH VOLTAGE
Members of the electrical and communication systems’
BC, agrees that 2011 is shaping up to
be an interesting year. “The consult-
community are working to clear the backlog from 2010
ing community certainly seems busy,
which bodes well for our contractors,” by Robin Brunet
she says. “Plus, our association has
been making headway on a number of issues, including the turnkey power substations for the gov- “Maximizing potential while reducing cost is on the
procedures BC Hydro uses for procurement of work and the ernment and private sector, upgrading agenda of most owners and developers when consider-
process by which foreign trade workers obtain their Red existing substations, and undertaking ing multiple electrical and electronic systems in building
Seal certification.” special fill-out projects. Moore refers to projects,” says Myron Washchyshyn of Mulvey & Banani
BC Hydro’s convoluted procurement procedures have this as a growth sector because B.C.’s International Inc. (MBII). “When related electrical and
frustrated many contractors because, as Cahill points out, demand for electricity has long over- electronic systems are designed concurrently there is great
“the amount of work available from the organization is enor- reached its current capacity. opportunity to achieve a seamless converged solution.”
mous, whether it’s local upgrades, large-scale energy proj- Energy-related projects and issues Washchyshyn is referring to the notion of electrical and
ects, or the current wave of infrastructure upgrades.” are increasingly important to com- electronic systems converging in a building, resulting in a
Cahill reports that the ECABC has talked extensively panies like Hemisphere Engineering ‘central nervous system.’ “One could characterize the elec-
with BC Hydro decision-makers and outlined solutions that Ltd. Hemisphere’s energy involvement trical and electronic systems that are the niche focus of MBII
could begin to be implemented in 2011: “BC Hydro’s chief of extends to the company’s power systems as the ‘central nervous system’ of the building: data, voice,
procurement has a firm grasp of the problems we face, and I group in its Edmonton and Calgary building automation, security, control systems and media
give full credit to David Cobb, BC Hydro’s new CEO, for his offices. Customer connects, under- communications can be delivered through integrated struc-
organization’s willingness to tackle the issues.” ground subdivision electrical design tured cabling and converged networks. ‘Value engineering,’ a
The ECABC is also making progress in triggering an over- and distribution engineering are some part of MBII’s everyday methodology and approach, is ampli-
haul of Red Seal procedures that enable foreign trade work- of this team’s abilities. fied when individual specialty services are provided within
ers to obtain certification – even if they don’t have enough According to marketing coordina- the greater context of the overall electrical design.”
practical experience to work efficiently and safely on job tor Louise Gray, Hemisphere recently Toronto-based Mulvey & Banani provides comprehensive
sites. “Our call for proper screening and testing of Red Seal hired an energy management specialist and integrated engineering services for multiple and related
applicants is gaining traction, along with other improve- “who, amongst other things, inspects electrical and electronic systems. These services are innova-
ment ideas – such as electrical contractors assessing appli- buildings upon request and determines tive, resilient and adaptable for new building construction
cants before certification is awarded,” says Cahill. exactly how and to what extent energy and re-purposing or renovation of existing buildings. MBII’s
As for trends in the electrical contracting industry, Cahill savings can be achieved.” Hemisphere’s scope of services ranges from engineering-intensive work
notes that energy savings continues to be a preoccupation. energy management skills are nothing such as mission critical power interventions to the artistry
“Whether it’s upgrading buildings according to LEED stan- new: it was improving energy efficiency of sound and light; delivering dynamically current solutions
dards, wiring new ‘smart’ buildings to achieve energy savings, in schools as far back as the 1960s. in the areas of electrical engineering, critical power, IT/
or using technology like solar or wind power to create energy, Gray reports that 2011 is shaping up communications, life safety, electronic security, audiovisual,
energy overall is huge,” she says. to be “exciting for our Buildings divi- acoustic and architectural lighting design.
Western Pacific Enterprises, which provided complete sion. A number of institutional projects When discussing the ‘central nervous system’ building
electrical design and installation for Vancouver’s Canada are getting underway in Alberta, and concept, Washchyshyn notes the importance of reaching a
Line stations, has spent much time and effort supplying there are opportunities for everyone.” seamless converged solution. “Beyond achieving a reduction

Vancouver International Airport contains some of Canada’s most intricate electrical systems. Photo courtesy Bernard + Associates.

ELECTRICAL & COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS FEBRUARY 2011 25

p.24-27_Elec&Comm.indd 25 1/20/11 2:25:07 PM

p.24-27_Elec&Comm.indd 26 1/20/11 2:25:08 PM
 in resources and capital,” he says, “a converged solution enables
the integration of building technologies, central management,
enhanced efficiency, customization and adaptability.”
Vancouver-based Bernard + Associates is relied upon by
residential and commercial end-users to provide integrated
systems ranging from custom-regulated automatic lighting
to intricate systems for companies such as Vancouver Inter-
national Airport and Rogers Arena (formerly GM Place).
Bernard represents lighting control systems such as Lite-
Touch and Ecoflex. But as advanced as the systems are, Ber-
nard’s managing director David Rawlings is most excited by
the notion that LEDs will be used for general illumination in
offices and commercial settings in 2011. “It’ll mean even more
business than we’ve currently got on our plate,” he says.
Bernard is working on several design-build school proj-
ects outside of Vancouver in which LEDs are being used for
theatre applications. Even though the venue is specialized,
it demonstrates the widespread potential and energy savings
of LEDs in a commercial setting. “For example, stage cyclo-
ramas that were once lit by 24 500-watt lamps can now be
lit by six 100-watt lamps,” says Rawlings. “Because of LEDs,
theatres can reduce the number of dimming racks, which
produce huge amounts of heat and which in turn require
energy to be spent on cooling.”
Rawlings points out that companies such as Altman Light-
ing of Yonkers, New York have created track lighting systems
whose heads can be independently controlled and “can ac-
cept LED, incandescent and other bulbs,” he says. “Develop-
ments like this combined with LED improvements represent
a huge leap forward in lighting. Imagine the benefits for the
retail sector or in grocery chains where lighting is crucial to
selling products.” Bernard is collaborating with a Calgary-
based restaurant chain to install an elaborate LED system
that would, amongst other things, change the colour temper-
atures of each venue according to the time of year: cool blues
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
Building Science and Materials Engineers
Rocco Liscio, M.Eng., P. Eng.
Vice-President
2051 Williams Parkway Unit 21
Brampton, Ontario L6S 5T4
www.davroc.com 4EL 
s&AX 

ELECTRICAL & COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
p.24-27_Elec&Comm.indd 27
for summer, warm hues for winter, and
various ‘mood’ shades in between.
Nemetz (S/A) & Associates Ltd. is
working on the 66-storey Shangri-La
hotel and residences in Toronto for
Westbank Projects Corp. and is gear-
ing up for what president Steve Nemetz
refers to as “a five-star project for us”:
the master-planned entertainment
complex at the BC Place stadium site. It
will include a new 110,000-square-foot
casino and two international hotels,
plus eight new restaurants. It will take
over two years to build, increasing
direct and indirect jobs by 8,400 during
the course of the development phase.
NSA’s ability to handle a variety of
complex tasks while offering specialized
service in lighting design, communica-
tion and security allows the company to
secure projects of BC Place’s magnitude.
Nemetz notes that “there’s a lot more
optimism for 2011 and we’re mobilizing
our forces to provide a high level of ser-
vice and efficient design.”
Bridge Electric Corp., a member
of the Granby Group of Companies,
recently earned three Awards of
Excellence from the Vancouver Regional
Construction Association (VRCA). The
first was a 2010 VRCA Silver Award of
Excellence in the category electrical
contracts up to $2 million for the UBC
Old Auditorium renovation project. The
company also received a 2010 VRCA
Gold Award of Excellence in the category electrical con-
tracts over $2 million, as well as the 2010 VRCA Innovation
Award of Excellence for its work on the Fairmont Pacific Rim
Hotel, whose $22-million electrical budget encompassed the
installation of two 3500 KVA unit subs, a 1500KW emergency
generator, over 400 panel boards, 17,000 light fixtures and
17 elevators. This comes to a total of 10 Awards of Excellence
Bridge has earned over the past decade.
Although the Fairmont is Bridge’s largest and most ambi-
tious project, president Terry Lange and colleagues are busy
on new developments, including the Shrum Science Build-
ing at Simon Fraser University, the ACRE research facility on
Annacis Island, the first phases of construction on the
Guildford Shopping Centre upgrade, and VanDusen Gardens.
Lange is optimistic about the market coming out of the reces-
sion in 2011 and B.C. offering plenty of future opportunities.
Finally, Houle Electric is no stranger to accolades: it
recently won the Silver VCRA for its instrumental effort
in helping the Dockside Green Development achieve its
sustainability goals. The team from Houle’s Automated Con-
trols Division contributed to over half of the LEED points
award in the first phase of the project, which is the highest
LEED-scoring residential development in the world.
Of Houle’s specialized divisions, which include design-
build construction, security systems, data networks, DDC
building controls and electrical preventative maintenance,
security continues to be the sector that demands a good deal
of the company’s technical resources and human talent. The
security division caters to various needs, especially those of
hospitals, transportation and other critical institutions, and
the sector overall benefits from the fact that advanced tech-
nology such as license plate scanners, tagging systems in
hospitals and even biometrics systems – all of which Houle
provides to clients – is becoming increasingly affordable and
easy to install. ■
FEBRUARY 2011 27
1/20/11 2:25:12 PM
p.28-31_EnergyMgmt.indd 28 1/20/11 2:25:35 PM
 OFF THE GRID
THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT FIELD DEVELOPS INNOVATIVE
SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGES INHERENT
IN THE GREEN-FOCUSED BUILDING INDUSTRY
by Don Procter
Not long ago, going green was incentives from $250 to $400 and designers $50 to $100 per
not to be taken too seriously. kilowatt saved when the building code is exceeded by 50 per
It might have been good for the
environment but not so good for the
pocketbook. But as energy rates soar,
sustainable technologies and energy-
saving initiatives mature – illustrating
how the still-fledgling industry can
make an increasingly strong financial
case for itself. And perhaps at the same
time, give users a warm and fuzzy feel-
ing from doing good for the planet.
A case in point is the Ontario Power
Authority’s (OPA) High Performance
New Construction (HPNC) Program,
launched in March 2008. It provides
design assistance and financial incen-
tives to reduce summer peak demand
for new construction, additions and
renovations that exceed building code
standards in Ontario (other than the
416 area code in Toronto). Eligible sec-
tors are ICI and multi-unit residential.
Enbridge Gas Distribution and Union
Gas also offer gas incentive programs
that can be piggy-backed on the HPNC.
If success is measured by interest,
the program has hit its mark: it received
1,300 applications for projects ranging
from small retail to large office buildings
when sales wrapped up on Oct. 31, 2010.
Participants have a two-year build-out
period, says Susan Clinesmith, manager
of HPNC for Enbridge Gas Distribution,
who delivers the program on behalf of
the Ontario Power Authority.
The program offers two incen-
tive streams. The first is prescriptive,
tailored to small or less complex build-
ings. Incentives are available for high-
efficiency equipment, such as lighting
and energy-saving HVAC systems. One
participant, Shoppers Drug Mart, in-
stalled improved cooling and lighting
systems in 120 new stores and expan-
sions. In addition to cutting energy
costs, the retail drug store chain ben-
efits from a reduced environmental
footprint, says Clinesmith.
The second incentive stream is for
those who are stretching the envelope
with designs based on complex engi-
neering calculations. Owners receive
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
p.28-31_EnergyMgmt.indd 29
cent or more. “Savings are tangible,” she points out. “Average
custom projects are saving over 100 kW and are receiving
incentives ranging from $25,000 to $40,000.”
The OPA is expected to announce the second generation
of the HPNC program soon. “I think people are evaluating
the business case around energy efficiency and are finding
it makes a lot of sense,” says Clinesmith.
Government initiatives are a key driver in the green energy
industry. Ontario’s Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) program, for example,
allows owners of solar systems to sell electricity back to the
grid – more than 80 cents/kWh for rooftop systems, less for
ground-mounted systems. Saskatchewan offers a 35 per
cent grant on solar electric projects and is reviewing other
financial initiatives. Through its Clean Energy Act, B.C. is
assessing a possible feed-in-tariff initiative for emerging
sustainable technologies such as tidal power.
The downside to any government incentive is longevity.
When the governing party loses power, will the next party
axe the program? Ontario’s Conservatives have indicated
that if elected they would trash the Liberal’s FIT program,
says Tim Schulhauser, president, SkyFire Energy, which
provides turnkey solar electric systems for commercial and
residential across Canada. Among SkyFire Energy’s projects
is the largest in Alberta, a 43.4-kilowatt solar system on the
University of Calgary’s Child Development Centre, a LEED
Platinum building erected in 2007. At Okanagan College’s
Penticton campus, SkyFire is installing a solar electric sys-
tem on a research centre into sustainable technology. It will
produce more than 200 kilowatts of solar power – twice
that of any other building in Canada outside Ontario.
Schulhauser says one of the issues holding solar back is
that the industry is not on a level playing field with the oil,
gas and coal sectors which receive government subsidies.
Another impediment is electricity rates. While some coun-
tries are at or near grid parody (solar is priced on par with
traditional electrical), rates in Canada are still relatively low.
As they rise, however, solar sales will grow, resulting in more
production – mass production, in fact – which will bring the
price of solar down.
Schulhauser says many developers take advantage of the
“good PR” that solar brings them. “It’s a great marketing
“investment because many people want to go green now.”
That’s what the owners of Bullfrog Power are betting on.
The green electricity provider’s customers are loyal because
they are reducing their carbon footprints and not because
they get cheaper electricity prices. In fact, Bullfrog’s cus-
tomers pay 20 per cent more, on average in Alberta, but
realize they are helping the renewable energy industry grow,
says Theresa Howland, vice-president, western region,
Bullfrog Power. Rates paid in other provinces vary.
Bullfrog’s electricity comes exclusively from wind and
hydro facilities certified as low impact by Environment
Canada under its EcoLogo® program. “We’re helping to
create the market for renewable electricity,” says Howland,
noting that more than 1,200 businesses and 8,000 house-
holds across Canada are customers. Increasing the customer
base will lead to the development of more wind energy, ulti-
mately lowering prices in the future.
There are approximately 3,500 megawatts of wind power
in the country: about a million homes or just over one per
cent of the country’s total electrical demand. Those num-
bers might seem insignificant but Howland points out only
about a decade ago wind power was new to the renewable
energy market. “Every year, it [wind power] sets records for
growth.”
How fast it grows will depend on the voluntary customer
demand and government initiatives. In 2009, The Juniper
Hotel & Bistro became the first hotel in Western Canada
to move entirely to renewable electricity through Bullfrog
Power. It is part of the Banff hotel’s agenda as a green des-
tination, explains Howland, noting the hotel had also com-
pleted a number of green renovations in 2003-2004.
Automated heat management systems that rely on exterior
thermostats to determine optimum temperatures inside high-
rise residential buildings are not accurate enough to main-
tain uniform temperatures. A better alternative? Intelligent
computer control systems designed to maintain near-uniform
temperatures – 21C, for instance, using temperature sensors
placed in various outdoor locations and throughout the boiler
system (on risers, return lines, hot water lines and stacks, for
instance) to feed real-time data to the control system.
Above: Proposed solar electric system for the
Okanagan College, Penticton, B.C. campus. 109 kW
have been officially approved – the remaining 60% is
in design stage. Below: Child Development Centre,
Calgary, Alberta: 43.4-kW grid-tied solar electric
system. Photos courtesy Skyfire Energy.
FEBRUARY 2011 29
1/20/11 2:25:37 PM
 Build Green Solutions Canada (BGSC) does that and more:
it installs wireless sensors in 30 per cent of the apartments
and its outdoor thermostats are linked to weather station
forecasts so temperatures can be adjusted accordingly. “It’s
a huge component to taking away the guesswork of manag-
ing heat,” explains Albert Frankel, president of BGSC, which
opened in Toronto for business across Canada last fall.
BGSC’s digital remote heat control system, VB-2100, contin-
uously monitors conditions, analyzes performance, produc-
es reports and sends alerts when a heating system requires
attention. Shortly after installation, the computer ‘learns’ the
temperature habits of residents to calculate appropriate heat
loads for the building, 24 hours a day, says Frankel.
Are systems like it the wave of the future? The energy
savings would indicate so. Frankel’s company guarantees
a minimum 15 per cent energy savings – which typically
translates to an 18-month amortization. Surveys indicate,
however, payback for many clients is under a year because
energy cuts are often 23 to 35 per cent, says Frankel, not-
ing that BGSC has completed two installations in the Greater
Toronto Area and is finalizing deals on 10 more. Its U.S.
company has installed systems in about 1,000 buildings – a
number he expects will be topped in Canada in a few years.
High-quality solar lighting products are not always an
easy sell, even though they can be an integral part of a suc-
cessful energy management system. A number of reputable
solar light manufacturers have gone out of business in recent
years because many potential clients (architects, engineers
and landscape architects) shun solar lights sold in big box
retail stores, perceiving the products to be of poor quality.
But not every solar light is created equal. While run-of-
the-mill units use inexpensive rechargeable batteries with
short lifespans, superior systems incorporate long-lasting
capacitors that store energy for hundreds of years. Such
lights are becoming energy efficient wayfinding systems for
30 FEBRUARY 2011
p.28-31_EnergyMgmt.indd 30
school campuses, commercial and residential landscaping
and as safety markers for crosswalks and highways.
Another application is airports. Skyfuel Enterprises Inc.
is testing its solar lighting at a U.S. international airport to
delineate air traffic ground lanes. The current red and white
painted markers are difficult for aircraft operators on the
ground to see at night, says Skyfuel’s president Ross Christie.
The storage capacitors in Skyfuel’s lights operate for
100,000 cycles – each cycle representing a day. They work
without performance degradation from -40C to 70C. The
company’s lights cost more than low-voltage lights before
installation but less than the equivalent hard-wired light.
However, Christie says through energy savings and low
maintenance costs they best both competitors. For exam-
ple, based on conservative energy costs, 10 Skyfuel lights
cost about $1,700 to install and operate for 10 years. Ten
low-voltage lights will cost about $3,400 over the same
period, while hard-wired lights will run $7,500. Skyfuel’s
lights are just one more example of why green energy is
starting to be taken very seriously.
Gregory Lord, a partner of MCW Consultants Ltd., says
his firm enjoyed a record year in 2010 thanks to a mix of
retrofit and new construction projects. Though he acknowl-
edges the construction market is showing signs of weak-
ness, “we have plenty of spillover work to keep us busy.”
MCW Vancouver’s current projects include:
• Surrey City Hall (new LEED-certified building
featuring geothermal heating/cooling and under-
floor air distribution throughout)
• UBC Biological Sciences (LEED renewal of two old
science buildings into a modern research lab)
• Marine Gateway (mixed-use LEED project; the first
major Vancouver project aimed at creating density
and community nodes around Canada Line stations)
April 2011 issue
ANNUAL INDUSTRY FEATURE:
Green Roof Systems
Book your ad space now:
Lord remarks, “It’s fair to say that
LEED continues to be a powerful trend
in the province. It’s almost totally per-
vasive in the public sector on new build-
ings, and interest in sustainable design
and energy efficiency is continuing to
strengthen in the private sector.”
He adds that “the Energy Services
Contracting (ESCo) field has been
great, whether the work is in Nova
Scotia, B.C., or anywhere in between.
In the field of energy retrofits, we do
everything from chiller replacements
to building controls, lighting retrofits
and envelope upgrades. Government
mandates have helped keep us busy,
including B.C.’s Climate Action Plan
which passed into law the greenhouse
gas emissions reduction targets.”
MCW Custom Energy Solutions
Ltd. is a leading Canadian energy
services company. It provides energy
performance contracting (EPC) that
incorporates several key provisions:
superior organizational management
skills and experience with EPC; in-
house engineering skills; and program
cost-effectiveness combined with the
ability to secure utility incentives. Proj-
ects on the go include energy retrofits
and building renewal for BC Housing,
an energy services contract on govern-
ment buildings in Iqaluit, ESCo of city
facilities in Kingston and a campus-
wide ESCo for York University. ■
Dan Chapman 604.473.0316
Alexander Sugden 604.473.0358
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
1/20/11 2:25:39 PM
p.28-31_EnergyMgmt.indd 31 1/20/11 2:25:41 PM
 #33#/..%#4/23
FOR WOOD &
CONCRETE STRUCTURES
Canada Scaffold manufactures not only standard products,
it also has full facilities to provide its customers with
“specialities” and custom one-off products.
CSS connectors are made in British Columbia, Canada.

HOLD DOWNS
(Anchor Downs)
s5SEDBYBUILDERSFORANCHORINGVERTICALWOODMEMBERS
TOFOUNDATIONTORESISTUPLIFTSRESULTINGFROMOVERTURNINGs/FFERSTHE
BUILDINGCONTRACTORALIGHTERANCHORDOWNDEVICEWITHGREATER
LOADCAPACITYATLOWERPRICESs!LSOUSEDTOTRANSFERTENSIONLOADS
BETWEENmOORSTOTHEPURLINSTOMASONRYORCONCRETE
-ANUFACTUREDBY

#!.!$!3#!&&/,$3500,9#/,4$
4WIGG0LACE2ICHMOND"#66#
4EL  &AX  

p.32-35Arch hardware.indd 32 1/20/11 2:26:21 PM

 Within Arm’s Reach
MEMBERS OF THE ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE SECTOR DESCRIBE
WORKING THROUGH TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES
by Lauren Kramer
The economic recession is still fresh in the While the residential development market is still wear-
public consciousness, and many in the architectural ing a tight belt, the commercial market has stayed relatively
hardware industry are still hurting. “There’s definitely been a
slowdown,” confides Tony Dente, general manager at East &
West Alum Craft Ltd. in Burnaby, B.C. The company has been
through recessions before. The business has been around for
over 45 years and grown to be the largest custom fabricator
of welded aluminum railings in western North America.
East & West Alum Craft Ltd. manufactures custom high-
end designs for commercial residential projects including
The Atlantis, located in the Bahamas and The Disney Hotel
in Hawaii, while here in Vancouver you can see its product
on the Shangri-La, Fairmont Hotel and the Olympic Vil-
lage, among others. However, demand for the manufacture
of balcony railings has slowed by 70 per cent compared
to two to three years ago. “We’re currently on work-share
arrangements in order to try and keep our key personnel
with us,” he says. “We have to ride this wave of the reces-
sion out, and once we do things may go back to normal.”
Though East & West Alum Craft Ltd. is seeing activity
in new estimating opportunities, it needs to be cognizant
that even if the company is awarded those contracts it may
not see that work for another couple of years or longer. In
projects that are presently underway, Dente says, “Some
developers are cutting back and choosing less expensive
designs while using the recession card to drive the costs
down. Doing so drives everyone to be more cost-efficient
and in my opinion only the strong will survive long term
in such a marketplace. Meanwhile, we have some devel-
opers, along with their architects, who do not look at the
recession as a crutch. These individuals want to ensure
their projects are milestones in their portfolios. This is
where East & West Alum Craft Ltd.’s strengths are. Our
company will meet with people, review the designs and
concepts and at that point may provide some value
engineering to ensure we can produce and keep
the original concept intact.”
At McGregor Thompson Hardware in
Vancouver, the demand for doors and
their accompanying accessories is also
going back to basics, says Robert Rule,
regional sales manager. “We find that
developers for highrise, multi-family
developments are getting back to
basics in terms of style and being as
cost-conscious as possible,” he says.
“That’s affecting the style of product
going into those jobs today.” Last year,
Shaker-style panels were popular, and
though they remain trendy, Rule says
they are “value-engineered out more often
than they are kept in right now.”
ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE
p.32-35Arch hardware.indd 33
strong. “We just wrapped up the Shangri-La in Vancouver,
where we supplied over 3,000 doors. The Hotel Georgia, an-
other project with 3,000 doors, is in full swing,” Rule says.
“We’re working at River Green in Richmond and at UBC
Pharmaceuticals.”
The company, a leading distributor of doors, frames,
finish hardware and construction specialty products in
Western Canada, is also receiving steady work from the
government’s release of funding for infrastructure projects.
That has meant school renovations, seismic upgrades, new
schools and recreational facilities for McGregor Thomp-
son’s six locations in B.C., Alberta and Washington state.
When you have doors, more often than not you need
to lock them, and that’s where Ingersoll Rand’s prod-
ucts come in. Last year, the company launched its
Schlage AD portfolio of products, where the lock chassis
remains on the door while the technology platform can be
upgraded according to changing security needs.
The AD portfolio is priced between $1,200 and $1,500
and the contracts are starting to roll in. “We just won the
Chapmans Ice Cream facility contract in London, Ontario,
a $175,000 project that we just completed,” says Srikanth
Bala, marketing manager for commercial products. “We
also won a project at 333 King Street in Toronto. Basically,
we are targeting hospitals, education and commercial mar-
kets for the AD locks. Education and health-care projects
have a long lifecycle, but there’s a quicker turnaround with
commercial jobs and so we’re seeing faster success with
them.”
This year, the company launched the CO Series, an
expansion of its electronic locking portfolio. “It’s an entry-
level electronic lock,” explains Bala. “It doesn’t have the
adaptability and scalability of
the AD lock, but if you’re in
a certain budget, the CO
Series will be appealing
for commercial and
some residential ap-
plications. The CO
Series is priced
between $600 and
$750.”
Ingersoll Rand
also launched a
new line of parts
supplies this year.
Left: Brixton door knob and above, the Grayson door handle
and locking system. Both shown in a Venetian Bronze finish,
from Weiser.
FEBRUARY 2011 33
1/20/11 2:26:23 PM

The Power of a Dream
By the bestselling author and
BCBusiness magazine publisher
Peter Legge
It isn’t the size of the dream,
it’s the power of the dream that really counts.
$25.00 includes taxes and S&H (Regular cost $29.95)
Visit www.peterlegge.com or call 604-473-0332 to order today.
34 FEBRUARY 2011
p.32-35Arch hardware.indd 34
The CS 900 Series is an integrated port-
folio of parts with optional boards that
are field selectable. “In the past, with
the power supplies we used to sell,
the bolts were factory installed,” Bala
says. “With this system, customers
can choose a base power supply and
upgrade as they expand their access
control system.”
In the kitchen, the most popu-
lar handles and knobs on the market
are the 20th Century America style,
though transitional and contemporary
styles registered the most significant
increases in popularity, according
to Mihai Subran, product manager
of decorative hardware at Richelieu
Hardware in Montreal. “The industry
is getting back into shape and demand
is building up as end-users look for
innovation and unique items with un-
usual materials and textures, to create
distinctiveness in their kitchens,” he
explains.
In the past year, Richelieu launched
two new traditional collections titled
Emerald and Empire. “They’re made
in cast iron and they’re solid, bold,
detailed and refined,” he says. “We’ve
made them massive yet elegant; tex-
tural yet harmonious.”
“The hardware industry is no differ-
ent from other industries,” he continues.
“The company that can design, produce
and market more products crafted with
fine quality materials, intricate details
or transitional, special finishes and
original designs more often than the
competition will set the pace.”
Demand for rectangular shapes
and geometrical forms is still strong
and is expected to increase as the
North American design emulates the
contemporary European design influ-
ence, he says. “Customers are search-
ing for items that are virtually flawless,
organized in collections with different
dimensions and finishesthat bring ver-
satility and flexibility in making their
choices for their projects.”
With 50 branches in North America,
Richelieu has a diversity of decorative
hardware and a vast choice of finishes,
innovative and trend-setting products.
“We’re also one of very few companies
carrying and promoting green prod-
ucts that contribute towards satisfying
Credit 4.1 and 4.2 Recycled Content
for LEED certification,” he adds.
Knobs and handles aren’t always
necessary. The people at Hettich
Canada are proud of their recent cre-
ation, the Touch-in handle that creates
handle-less furniture. “What appears to
be a flat surface without handles at first
sight, turns out to be an ingenious han-
dle solution when touched,” says Laura
Underhill, specification representative
for the company. “Perfectly matching
the design of the front, the decora-
tive panel can be operated from any
ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE
1/20/11 2:26:24 PM
 Both from Richelieu Hardware: Emerald oversize pulls, and below, cast
iron Empire knobs.
direction. Pressed in, the Touch-in han-
dle is conveniently operated for open-
ing, and it’s designed for use in any type
of furniture.”
Another innovation the company is
promoting is DesignSide for InnoTech, a
drawer platform that allows customers
to add to or decorate drawers by add-
ing profiles in glass, chrome, stainless
steel or dark grey colours. “DesignSide
turns drawer sides into design elements
with a purist look, and you get to put
an individual stamp on your product
range with a single drawer platform,”
ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE
p.32-35Arch hardware.indd 35
says Underhill. “It’s very design-orient-
ed and upscale, and it’s just starting to
take off now.”
Last year, the company launched a
sliding door hardware system titled the
New Grant 500 series, to carry loads
up to 500 pounds per door. “It’s made
for applications that require move-
ment of heavy panels, space dividers or
large doors,” says Underhill. Among its
unique features are top-mount installa-
tion, a quick-release mechanism, a self-
levelling design and precision bearing
wheels. ■
FEBRUARY 2011 35
1/20/11 2:26:34 PM
p.36-39Restoration.indd 36 1/20/11 2:27:29 PM
 MAKING OLD NEW AGAIN
Renovation and restoration principles are rediscovered in environmentally and
socially conscious times
by Dan O’Reilly

Although specific dollar figures are not

available, Canada's renovation and restoration 5,000-square-metre glass atrium over the historic Toronto Union Station.
sector is undoubtedly a multi-million dollar
industry.
With the tight economy of the past two years, private
sector owners are continuously looking at ways to save and
repair buildings and, despite the end of the federal govern-
ment infrastructure funding stimulus program in March,
governments at all levels are spending or have earmarked
funds for the restoration of aging bridges, roads, power
dams and other infrastructure facilities.
Considering the importance of building preservation and
restoration, from both an economic and environmental per-
spective, a focus on the role that restoration firms provide
is warranted. “Buildings are like cars. They require mainte-
nance as they age and if that maintenance isn’t provided, it
usually results in trouble,” says Randy Christie, sales man-
ager for CuraFlo British Columbia.
The Vancouver-based firm repairs and restores water
pipes, notably copper plumbing systems. Its unique solution
includes cleaning the pipes to remove built-up corrosion
and then applying a corrosion resistant epoxy through the
use of high-pressure air flow.
There was a time copper plumbing would last 50 years
or even longer. That changed around 1979 when manufac-
turing changes to alloys were implemented to removed lead
COURTESY GO TRANSIT

and other impurities. The changes, however, combined with

the aggressive nature of chlorine water treatment and the
softer water found in some communities such as Vancouver,
have resulted in unforeseen consequences, he says. “Copper
plumbing pipes are failing much more quickly than in the
past, especially in larger or multi-tenant buildings with a
central source of domestic hot water and a hot water recir- Water can certainly play havoc with other components to collapse, especially if preventative
culation system.” of buildings, especially concrete, says Les Faure, advertising maintenance is taken. He points to the
If not detected and rectified in time, water pipe failures manager of the XYPEX Chemical Corporation. The Vancou- 60-year-old Jackson Gulch Reservoir in
can result in costly repairs and emotional upheaval for own- ver firm produces VOC-free concrete waterproofing products Colorado which supplies water to an
ers, managers, users and occupants, warns Christie. that have been used to remedy water infiltration problems almost 14,000-acre area, including a
As devastating as water pipe breaks can be, water infiltra- on structures as diverse as the Sydney Opera House and a national park. It is owned by the Mancos
tion through the roof and building envelope is probably the water treatment plant in the Dominican Republic. Rural Water Company that commis-
greatest challenge facing owners, says Paul Sheey, Ontario A crystalline structure is created deep within the pores sioned a geotechnical study after staff
regional manager for Tremco Canada. The firm’s roofing and capillary tracts of the concrete mass to prevent the detected signs of wear and tear.
division is the manufacturer of a number of roofing and penetration of water and aggressive chemicals. In contrast, With a few exceptions, the consul-
weatherproofing systems – which it complements with tech- barrier-type products function only at the surface. Because tant concluded that the reservoir was
nical support to owners, architects and other consultants. It is Xypex isn’t dependent on surface adhesion to achieve water- structurally sound. However, a U-
the material supplier for the Toronto Union Station train shed proofing, it is resistant to extreme hydrostatic pressure and shaped fume on the 2.6-mile concrete
redevelopment. This four-year, $196-million project includes, will seal hairline cracks up to 0.4 millimetres, he explains. canal which feeds the reservoir was
among other phases, the installation of a 5,000-square-metre Deteriorating concrete may not be top of mind for the gen- showing signs of corrosion ranging
glass atrium over the historic wooden structure. eral public – unless there is an accident such as the bridge from surface spalling of the floor, wall
With developments in roof design and uses, such as overpass collapse in Laval, Quebec a few years ago. But it blowouts and vertical wall cracks. As
green roofs, the need for premium roofing systems is critical. is a growing concern both in Canada and the U.S. where the limited construction season in the
There are other factors that weren’t in play 20 years ago, says there are an estimated 10,000 bridges in need of repair, adds 7,000-foot-high area ruled out conven-
Sheehy, citing the popularity of public private partnerships. Dave Ross, the company’s director of technical services. tional measures like installing liners,
Under this project delivery method, the private sector part- Even though they were only designed for a 30- to 40-year the owner opted to have the XYPEX’s
ner operates a facility for 25 or 30 years, then hands it over life span, many bridges and other infrastructure facilities in waterproofing system applied to the
in good repair to the public sector partner. With Tremco’s North America are almost 50 years old, says Ross. “Now you canal, says Ross.
30-year roof warranty, the roof and building performance have the age problem combined with the recession and not Another Vancouver-based firm
are ensured, not just during concessionaire contract period, enough dollars available for repairs.” also provides concrete waterproofing
but after the facility reverts to government control, says Sheehy. That’s not to suggest that all concrete structures are going services. Kryton International Inc. is

RESTORATION PRODUCTS & SERVICES FEBRUARY 2011 37

p.36-39Restoration.indd 37 1/20/11 2:27:34 PM

p.36-39Restoration.indd 38 1/20/11 2:27:40 PM
 the developer of the Crystalline Con-
crete Waterproofing system, a crys-
talline technology that turns porous
concrete into an impermeable barrier.
Its products were designed to pro-
tect concrete underground structures
subject to hydrostatic pressure, says
Kevin Yuers, vice-president of product
development. But above-ground con-
crete is also vulnerable to the effects
of rain, snow, moisture and salt-laden
air.
That was the dilemma BC Hydro, a
long-time client, presented about two
years ago. Most of its power dams and
other facilities date to the 1950s and
many were showing signs of deteriora-
tion. As much as the utility wanted a
product that would address those struc-
tural defects, it also wanted one with a
pleasing esthetic appearance, he says.
In response, Kryton created the three-
step Hydrostop Restore & Protect Sys-
tem. The first step uses a non-shrink
waterproof grout to repair cracks and
defects at the concrete surface. Once the
substrate is repaired, the entire surface
is coated with a polymerized, cementi-
tious slurry which provides a durable
barrier against water and chemical in-
trusion and improves the concrete’s
overall esthetics. The final procedure
uses a high-quality sealer creating of a
long-lasting water-repellent effect.
The product was unveiled in Sep-
tember after being applied to ancillary
buildings, pumps houses and spillways
as part of a trial experiment in the sum-
mer of 2010. More work by BC Hydro is
planned for the spring and New Bruns-
wick Power is considering using the
product, says Yuers.
Not all of Canada’s buildings and
structures are in decline, but many do
show the symptoms of age and abuse.
That’s where service providers such as
BNE Contractors come in. The Kitch-
ener-based firm is saving private sector
building owners in floor maintenance
costs with its patented Retro Plate pol-
ished concrete system. The three-step
system alters the molecular structure
of the concrete surface to increase its
density, hardness and abrasion resis-
tance by up to 400 per cent, says Chris
Henderson, company president.
Utilizing large planetary diamond
grinding machines workers grind
away a thin layer of the top surface. A
densifier is added, which penetrates
into the pours of the surface causing
a chemical reaction which perma-
nently dust-proofs the concrete. The
final stage is to polish the floor with
finer and finer diamonds to a beautiful
shine, he says.
Three machine operators working
in 20,000-square-foot factory could
install the system in a week. In schools,
hospitals and other encumbered
buildings with rooms and partitions
RESTORATION PRODUCTS & SERVICES
p.36-39Restoration.indd 39
about half that square footage could be
completed in the same period.
The operation does require moving
equipment and readjusting shift sched-
ules of workers normally occupying
the premises. At the same time, dis-
coloured and difficult-to-clean floors
are transformed into smooth, hardened,
dust-free surfaces. The result is a floor
that enhances the overall appearance of
the space, while reducing yearly main-
tenance costs by at much as 65 per cent,
says Henderson. “Facility managers no
longer have to spend time and money on
stripping and re-waxing floors. The cost
savings represent about $1 per square
foot, per year. For a 60,000-square-foot
building, that amounts to $60,000 per
year in savings.”
The RetroPlate process has zero
VOCs and no reapplication is neces-
sary. The building owner is left with a
sustainable, environmentally friendly
concrete floor, he says.
Sometimes the work the firm pro-
vides helps reinforce the cultural iden-
tity and mission of the building’s users,
as in the case of the Native Child and
Family Services of Toronto. The non-
profit association provides services for
the City’s growing Aboriginal popula-
tion, and operates from a building it
purchased and extensively refurbished
in 2008. The refurbishment included
removing the unsightly tiles and car-
pet on the building’s four floors, says
facilities manager Norman Clarke.
Not only did BNE Contractors bring
the concrete floors back to life, it creat-
ed a pattern based on an Ojibway purse
from the early 1800s after an associa-
tion employee proposed the idea, says
Clarke. “The design is a centrepiece of
each floor and one of the first things
people notice when they arrive.”
In conjunction with the application of
the polished concrete floor, BNE applied
a penetrating colourant to the concrete
surface, says Henderson. “With the abil-
ity to apply colour to 20-, 30- or even
40-year-old concrete floors, it opens up
many options for architectural appeal
on concrete floors.”
So what is the future of restoration in
Canada? “We can’t afford not to restore
and renovate. We don’t have the money
to completely build new,” says University
of Toronto professor Ted Kesik, one of the
authors of Tower Renewal Guidelines, a
set of best practices for the renovation
and retrofit of apartment buildings and
commercial towers.
Even if there was unlimited money
for new construction, there are rea-
sons for preservation. “When a facility
or building is saved from demolition
there is a green benefit,” says Kesik.
“Material isn’t going to landfill sites.
There is also a sense of continuity in
the community when older buildings
remain intact.” ■
FEBRUARY 2011 39
1/20/11 2:27:42 PM
 Preserving the Past
For Canada’s Future
Colonial Building Restoration
43 Cosentio Dr, Scarborough, ON M1P 3A3
T: 416-332-3770 Fax: 416-332-3771
April 2011 issue www.colonial.on.ca
ANNUAL INDUSTRY FEATURE:
Precast Concrete Do you have a project
of interest to our readers?
If you would like your project to be considered
Book your ad space now: Dan Chapman 604.473.0316 for a future issue of Award, please email:
Dan Chapman, Publisher
Alexander Sugden 604.473.0358 dchapman@canadawide.com

p.40-41AudioVisual.indd 40 1/20/11 3:51:29 PM

 AN EYE ON THE FUTURE
IN THESE TECHNOLOGICALLY PROGRESSIVE TIMES, THE AUDIOVISUAL SECTOR
IS KEEPING IN STRIDE
by Robin Brunet
Although the audiovisual and “Sanyo recently launched a number of
grocery sectors couldn’t be products including new technologies
more dissimilar, they do have such as 3-D projectors that demonstrate
something in common. The latter is con-
sidered recession-proof because even in
the darkest of times, people have to eat.
Given the resilience of audiovisual com-
panies in 2010, people must have their
gadgets too.
One reason audiovisual specialists
do brisk business during downturns
is because they listen to consumers
rather than simply hawk products. “We
spend a lot of time and effort learning
what our residential customers want
and what their physical surroundings
are in order to determine the most ap-
propriate solution,” says Hal Clark,
director of design and engineering in
Commercial Electronics’ RSI Group
division. Clark is enjoying the 3-D rev-
olution that was once confined to IMAX
theatres. “We’ll be installing our first
3-D home cinema in Vancouver in the
spring that will consist of a 135-inch
wide curved screen,” he says. “A 3-D
system must be developed correctly:
plasma levels on flat screens and bulbs
in projectors must be incredibly strong
or the 3-D effect won’t have much of an
impact. Also, the viewing screen has
to be the appropriate size for the space.
That’s why services such as ours are so
important.”
It may not be 3-D, but technology
from Tandberg (now a part of Cisco)
enables Commercial Electronics to
provide an authentic you-are-there
experience in boardrooms during con-
ferences. Mike Leksinski, Commercial’s
project manager and sales engineer,
says, “It’s Tandberg’s design approach
to video conferencing that makes the
experience so impressive. For exam-
ple, the high-definition monitors and
cameras are positioned in such a way
throughout the boardroom that people
in different locations almost appear as
if they’re in the same room.”
Sanyo has been busy securing a
formidable presence in the 3-D sector.
AUDIOVISUAL SYSTEMS
p.40-41AudioVisual.indd 41
our innovations as we continue to ad-
vance our leadership in the commercial
marketplace,” says Cathy Tucker, vice
president sales and marketing of Sanyo
Canada Inc. Presentation Technology
Group.
Sanyo has been able to significantly
reduce both the throw distances and
the chassis size of its new short throw
projectors. The PDG-DWL2500 (WXGA
resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio) is nearly
half the size of conventional projec-
tors, and it can produce an 80-inch
screen image at the world’s shortest
throw distance of just 320 millimetres
(12.6 inches). This model is 3-D ready
and compatible with the frame sequen-
tial 3-D format. The wide aspect ratio
(WXGA resolution) PLC-WL2500 uses
a new ultra short focus lens to project
an 80-inch image at a distance of less
than three feet, and its 3LCD system is
capable of tremendous brightness at
2,500 ANSI lumens.
Technology is becoming less obtru-
sive than ever – for a reason. “The trend
is to move things out of living and work
spaces in order to create a spare, clean
look,” says Marilyn Sanford, president
of La Scala Integrated Media. “Fortu-
nately, with developments like stream-
ing video and integrated controls, this
isn’t too hard to achieve.”
Still, components like audio systems
require a lot of physical space in which
to operate. How can they be hidden?
La Scala’s answer is TRUFIG, which of-
fers revolutionary flush-mounting solu-
tions. TRUFIG’s custom installation kits
are designed to integrate technology
supplied by various manufacturers, in-
cluding Crestron and Lutron, to provide
a consistent colour, texture and indus-
trial design to any wall or ceiling sur-
face. This, combined with a repeatable
mounting process, allows the designer
to achieve seamless integration into the
architecture.
Just as Commercial Electronics
maintains its dominance in both the
home and boardroom setting, Applied
Electronics Limited is a leader in broad-
cast, post production and presentation
technology in sales, systems design,
integration, after-sale service and
technical support. It recently designed
and integrated display technology for
two new sets and studio configura-
tions to augment the rebranding of
CBC Newsworld and the relaunch of
“The National.” The new set for CBC
News Network features two custom-
designed DNP rear-projection screens,
one flat 16- by nine-foot screen and a
curved 12- by seven-foot screen, fed by
a pair of 10,000-ANSI lumens Christie
HD10K-M projectors. These are true
HD (1920 by 1080), three-chip DLP
projectors built for conditions such as
those found in broadcast studios. “The
National” studio also boasts a curved
12- by seven-foot DNP rear-projection
screen, custom designed by RP Visual,
with another Christie HD10K-M
projector plus a Panasonic 103-inch
plasma screen and an array of 14
Planar 46-inch LCD screens fed by a
Vista Spyder X20-1608.
As resilient as the audiovisual sec-
tor is during tough times, budgets
are still limited, especially those of
institutions. This is keenly appreci-
ated by Lyle Fuller, general manager
at Wallworks Acoustic Architectural
Products Inc. In order to retain his
accounts without compromising the
quality of his products, Fuller’s com-
pany has “evolved existing product
lines to match the purchasing power of
schools, hospitals and other clients.”
Wallworks provides clients the same
Fabri-Lok and Architectural Silence
product line, which includes site-ap-
plied and modular acoustical products
used in gyms, theatres, boardrooms,
auditoriums, performing arts centres
and museums. “We streamlined our
manufacturing processes and now dis-
tribute for some local and European
manufacturers that have quality prod-
ucts at lower prices compared to what
has been available prior,” explains
Fuller.
Wallworks enjoyed a successful and
somewhat surprising 2010. “Most of
our activity was in the Prairies instead
of B.C. or Ontario,” says Fuller. “Our
services in Calgary and Edmonton
were especially sought, thanks largely
to institutional and oil patch activity,
and even business in Saskatchewan
was significant.”
Last year was also good for Sharp’s
Audio Visual, which saw a solid increase
in the demand for its after sales service
level agreements (SLA). “We offer a
product that was finally trademarked
last year under the name Rapid Care
and Rapid Care Plus,” says VP of sales
Tim St. Louis. “Rapid Care was the
first formalized program of its kind in
Canada and offers two primary levels
of support differentiated by whether the
end-user requires extended warranties
as in Rapid Care Plus or just mainte-
nance and guaranteed response times
as in Rapid Care.”
St. Louis admits that it’s hard to
know why the market is demanding
more after-sales service agreements.
“It may be a symptom of the times, in
which clients simply need to get more
longevity out of their audio visual sys-
tems, or it may be the markets realize
that these systems are critical to their
operation,” he says.
SLAs require a major investment on
the part of the audiovisual dealer. Some
of the necessary components include
employees with a specific skill set, spe-
cially outfitted vans, a pool of loaner
equipment, and more help make the
proper SLA work for end users. How-
ever, the payoff for clients is consider-
able. “We’ve seen a dramatic decrease
in down time of audiovisual systems
over the long term with our Rapid Care
customers,” says St. Louis. “I think the
regular maintenance we provide con-
tributes to this reliability.” ■
FEBRUARY 2011 41
1/20/11 3:51:32 PM
p.42-45Ontario Concrete Awards.indd 42 1/21/11 9:29:42 AM
p.42-45Ontario Concrete Awards.indd 43 1/21/11 9:29:59 AM
 2010 ONTARIO C
AWARDS
The tenth annual Ontario Concrete Awards were held on December 1, 2010
at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Award magazine would like to add
its congratulations to all the winners.

2. ARCHITECTURAL
1. ARCHITECTURAL MERIT: ROY McMURTRY YOUTH HARDSCAPE: ASHBRIDGES
CENTRE BAY SKATEPARK

5. MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT
& INNOVATION –
4. MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATION – Cast-in- Precast Concrete:
Place Concrete: ROY McMURTRY YOUTH CENTRE BOB GALE ARENA COMPLEX

7. SPECIALTY CONCRETE PRODUCTS: 8. STRUCTURAL DESIGN

ALGOMA ORCHARDS INNOVATION: AEROCENTRE V

44 FEBRUARY 2011

p.42-45Ontario Concrete Awards.indd 44 1/21/11 9:30:08 AM

 1. ARCHITECTURAL MERIT: ROY McMURTRY YOUTH CENTRE
Owner: Infrastructure Ontario, Ministry of Children and
Youth Services
Architect of Record: Kleinfeldt Mychajlowycz Architects Inc.

CONCRETE
Engineer of Record: Halsall Associates Limited
General Contractor: Bird Construction
Material Supplier: Dufferin Concrete, a division of Holcim (Canada) Inc.

2. ARCHITECTURAL HARDSCAPE: ASHBRIDGES BAY SKATEPARK

Owner: City of Toronto, Parks, Forestry & Recreation
Architect of Record: LANDinc
Engineer of Record: Blackwell Bowick Partnership Ltd.
General Contractor: Pine Valley Enterprises Inc.
Specialty Contractor: UCC Group Inc.
Material Supplier: St Marys CBM

3. INFRASTRUCTURE: DUFFERIN STREET WIDENING & RECONSTRUCTION

Owner: York Region
Architect of Record: G. O’Connor Consultants Inc.
Engineer of Record: Morrison Hershfield Limited
General Contractor: Pave-Al Limited
Material Supplier: Miller Concrete

4. MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATION – Cast-in-Place Concrete:

ROY McMURTRY YOUTH CENTRE
Owner: Infrastructure Ontario, Ministry of Children and
Youth Services
Architect of Record: Kleinfeldt Mychajlowycz Architects Inc.
Engineer of Record: Halsall Associates Limited
General Contractor: Bird Construction
Material Supplier: Dufferin Concrete, a division of Holcim (Canada) Inc.

5. MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATION – Precast Concrete:

BOB GALE ARENA COMPLEX
3. INFRASTRUCTURE: DUFFERIN STREET WIDENING
Owner: City of Niagara Falls
& RECONSTRUCTION
Architect of Record: Barry • Bryan Associates (1991) Limited, Architects,
Engineers, Project Managers
Engineer of Record: Barry • Bryan Associates (1991) Limited, Architects,
Engineers, Project Managers
General Contractor: Aquicon Construction Co. Ltd.
Material Supplier: Coreslab Structures (ONT) Inc.

6. MID TO HIGH RISE RESIDENTIAL: VILLAGE SUITES OSHAWA

Owner: Dundurn Capital Partners Inc. and DC Land Corp.
Architect of Record: Lintack Architects Incorporated
Engineer of Record: MTE Consultants Inc.
General Contractor: Dundurn Edge Developments Inc.
Material Supplier: Coreslab Structures (ONT) Inc.

7. SPECIALTY CONCRETE PRODUCTS: ALGOMA ORCHARDS

Owner: Algoma Orchards Ltd.
Architects of Record: The Walter Fedy Partnership
Engineer of Record: The Walter Fedy Partnership
6. MID TO HIGH RISE RESIDENTIAL: VILLAGE SUITES General Contractor: Johnson Building Construction Inc.
OSHAWA Specialty Contractor: Tilt Wall Ontario Inc.
Material Supplier: Dufferin Concrete, a division of Holcim (Canada) Inc.

8. STRUCTURAL DESIGN INNOVATION: AEROCENTRE V

Owner: Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP)
Architect of Record: Sweeny Sterling Finlayson & Co. Architects Inc.
Engineer of Record: Stephenson Engineering Ltd.
General Contractor: Vanbots, a division of Carillion Construction Inc.
Forming Contractor: Structform International Limited
Project Management Firm: BPI Consultants Corp.
Material Suppliers: James Dick Construction Limited Armtec Pre-Con

9. SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION: RBC CENTRE

Owner: The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Architect of Record: B+H Architects
Design Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates Architects &
Planners
Design Architect: Sweeny Sterling Finlayson & Co. Architects Ltd.
9. SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION: Engineer of Record: Halcrow Yolles
V RBC CENTRE General Contractor: PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
Material Supplier: St Marys CBM

FEBRUARY 2011 45

p.42-45Ontario Concrete Awards.indd 45 1/21/11 9:30:21 AM

 April 2011
ANNUAL INDUSTRY FEATURE:
Paint and Coatings
Book your ad space now: Dan Chapman 604.473.0316
Alexander Sugden 604.473.0358

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School of Population & Public
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p.46-47School of Population.indd 46 1/20/11 3:52:01 PM

 T he School of Population and Public Health (SPPH)
at the University of British Columbia focuses on the
discussion, creation and application of initiatives to
protect and improve the health and well-being of people
and communities, at home and around the world. It is fit-
ting that this new school should have a good home.
“The elements of the school were distributed in differ-
ent locations,” says Dr. Martin Schechter, director of SPPH.
“Part of it was in the Library Processing Building and part
was in the Mather Centre Building on the fringe of the
campus. UBC wanted to convert the James Mather Building
to housing, so the decision was made to redesign the Library
Processing Building to become the new SPPH Building.”
Discussions began in early 2008 to combine the locations,
including finding a new space for the work done at the
Library Processing Building. “This required a paradigm shift
in thinking,” says David English, development manager for
UBC Properties Trust. “As part of the team, the architects
came up with a brilliant solution.”
That solution included the creation of a new entrance to
the building and corner plaza to make the SPPH Building a
focus for the campus’s East Mall. “It’s a big concrete build-
ing,” says Schechter. “The plan was to blow out one side and
put in new, big windows and create a new entrance. The
basement also needed a lot of work to create classrooms.
Because of the low ceilings, we wanted to dig down, but
engineering and code issues kept us from doing that.”
Erik Mak, an associate with MCW Consultants Ltd.,
agrees the basement space was a challenge. As electrical
consultant for the team, Mak was tasked with upgrading
the aging library building to modern standards for lighting
and power supply. “Lighting was a challenge,” says Mak.
“We had high-end fixtures to coordinate, with projectors
and other equipment. We had to reroute wiring for specific
lighting needs. Plus it was a fast-track project; we only had
about eight months to do the job.”
Mak’s colleague at MCW, Henry Leung, was mechanical
consultant for the team.
Virginia Anthony, senior administrator at SPPH, was a
member of the building committee and liaison between
the designers and the school. She says the process worked
well and it was a “pleasant surprise” that the project
took less than a year to complete. “I was impressed with
Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd.,” says
Anthony. “They made sure that our requests for open spaces
and a stairwell were taken into consideration. They were
always amenable and all our wishes were taken into account.
Not everything was in our control, but it all worked out in
the end.”
With the existing glazing on the ground floor removed
and full-height glazing installed, the new entry was prop-
erly defined and the interior flooded with natural light.
As well, a new canopy was installed over the new entry
point and can be used as an outdoor classroom. A 30-foot
‘community table,’ made with blown-down logs from Van-
couver Island, is located under the canopy.
Scott Webster, principal with Axis Engineering Ltd.,
describes the outdoor canopy as a fun part of the redesign.
“The work was deceptively tricky,” says Webster. “The lay-
out of the building columns is at asymmetric angles and we
had to consider the heavy gravity load from snow buildup.
Other than that, it was a fairly straightforward process,
though not a normal sort of job for our company.”
Carol Jones, a principal with Kasian, says there were a few
challenges. “The building is now in what was the Library
Processing depot and was really a concrete bunker built in
the late 1970s,” says Jones. “One challenge was that it had
few windows and quite low ceilings on the bottom floor.
Making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear was our challenge. The
second challenge was timing. We started work in late Sep-
tember 2009 and the building had to reopen in one year.”
p.46-47School of Population.indd 47
PHOTOS: MICHAEL BOLAND PHOTOGRAPHY FOR KASIAN ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN AND PLANNING LTD.
The School of Population and
Public Health (SPPH) – UBC
by Jerry Eberts
“Partway through, the school decided it wanted the
outside done as well, though we were originally asked just
LOCATION
for the interior design,” says Erica Wickes, senior interior 2206 East Mall
designer and project manager for Kasian. “We recommend- University of British Columbia
ed a single entry point and blew them out of the water with Vancouver, B.C.
our proposal. But it was just an idea. We then had to incor-
OWNER/DEVELOPER
porate these further changes into the original budget.” UBC Properties Trust
“It was important to the school to have a connection to
the rest of the campus,” says Jones. “We wanted an entry ARCHITECT/PROJECT MANAGER
Kasian Architecture Interior Design
that welcomed people and passersby to the building. We and Planning Ltd.
also had to connect the landscape around the building to the
master plan for the campus and consider how the exterior GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Donovan Management Ltd.
walkways connected with the infrastructure.”
Christopher Phillips, a principal with Phillips Farevaag STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Smallenberg, was landscape architect for the project. “As a Axis Engineering Ltd.
strategy to improve UBC’s public realm, the entrance reno- MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL
vation for the SPPH took an anonymous building and reori- CONSULTANT
ented its primary entry towards East Mall, giving the build- MCW Consultants Ltd.
ing a presence, public outdoor social space and an address LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
along this primary campus pedestrian route,” he says. “The Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg
outdoor space takes advantage of the southwest aspect of TOTAL AREA
the site by providing an elevated outdoor gathering space for 30,000 square feet
socializing, studying and group classes, while multiple paths
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST
address desired lines through the site and connect to the sur- $3.5 million
rounding walkways and streets.”
Phillips also helped design the system for utilizing rain- TOTAL PROJECT COST
$7.8 million
water. “The new canopy offered the opportunity to collect
and reveal stormwater by way of a rain chain and water
channel running the length of the terrace,” he says. “The
water is collected from the canopy via a decorative rock
channel. A water runnel allows for infiltration and natural
lawn irrigation prior to entering the campus system.”
Joe Ross, president of Donovan Management Ltd. and
general contractor for the project, says this was an excellent
team with which to work. “We’ve been doing renovations
for a long time,” says Ross, “and we’ve done bigger jobs than
this. But this one went extremely well.”
The design team paid tribute to the work of Dr. John
Snow, father of epidemiology. His name is embossed in the
concrete water wall located close to the entrance and along
the trough where rainwater flows. “That was a pleasant sur-
prise for the people at the school,” says Wickes. ■
FEBRUARY 2011 47
1/20/11 3:52:04 PM
 Proud to have provided Industrial Hygiene
services during the construction of the New Patient
Care Centre at the Royal Jubilee Hospital


QPre demolition and renovation surveys  Hazardous Material Training
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Q  DOP Testing
Q
 Hygiene Testing
Q  WorkSafeBC Compliance
Q

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250.384.9695 northwest@.nwest.bc.ca
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Jensen Contract Flooring Ltd.

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p.48-53Royal Jubilee.indd 48 1/31/11 9:26:09 AM

 of the five most common room types,
providing the opportunity to work
out the details of floors, ceilings, wall
heights and other components. “We
got to walk through and experience
the rooms before making decisions
about the interior design,” says van
den Broek.
The patient room was the building
block in the design approach, meaning
everything began there, says McIntyre.
“Once the functionality of the room
was established, we looked at how the
rooms function together, and then how
the wing functions, and finally how the
building functions overall.”
A ‘hub and spoke’ configuration
clusters bedrooms around supply and
work areas. The beds are positioned to
allow patients to see the doorway, and
standardized configurations ensure
time efficiency during regular and
emergency care. The rooms are more
spacious and inviting for families, and
each is designed to receive generous
natural light.
into the construction, which were designed, manufactured
and tested offsite to be ready as needed. “This enabled us
to accommodate any changes to the build schedule, reduce
the installation time, and focus valuable skills onto other
areas of the project,” says Ian Rothera, operations manager
for Acciona Infrastructures Inc. Canada.
The pods are lightweight and seamlessly integrated into
the patient rooms and public and staff areas by means of
simple connections to services. The design team also revisit-
ed the typical patient care delivery model with both central-
ized and decentralized nursing stations, which minimize
the number of steps it takes for staff to reach the patients.
“The provision of space for staff on and off the unit was
an important consideration,” says McIntyre. “If the goal is
to have an attractive workplace, it has to feature an environ-
ment that people want to work in.”
There are staff team areas on each unit, training areas
on each floor and large staff respite areas on the building’s
main floor. Educational areas, private gardens and a fitness
centre as well as easy parking access, cyclist facilities and
lockers enhance the overall working environment. Sound-
absorbing panels on ceilings and walls and quiet flooring
and equipment minimize noise, while natural-themed art
and calming music further reduce stress. “When you look
at a unit and how it functions, it involves a multitude of
evidence-based design parameters,” says McIntyre.

A 10-storey, 500-bed Patient Care Centre (PCC) is the

highlight of a major overhaul at Victoria’s Royal
Jubilee Hospital campus. The tower will provide
acute inpatient care and replace approx-
imately 400 beds currently situated in
General contractor Acciona Lark
Joint Venture introduced 448 factory-
built modular bathrooms or ‘pods’
Slips, trips and falls, for instance, are a major problem
for seniors, and often revolve around trips to the bathroom,
he says. Evidence shows that locating a bathroom on the

older buildings on the campus, some of

which were built in the 1920s and ’30s.
The Patient Care Centre is designed,
Patient Care Centre (PCC) –
constructed and will be maintained
around VIHA’s three-pillar approach
to excellence – patient-centred care,
Royal Jubilee Hospital
staff engagement and the environment. by Jessica Kirby
Its design requirements called for a
seamless integration with the adjacent
neighbourhoods. It was designed to
reflect a human scale at the street level,
providing an environment that is com-
fortable and attractive for both the
building users and the public. “It’s the
tallest building on campus and that was
a challenge,” says principal architect
Ronald McIntyre of Cannon Design.
“Part of what we did with curtain wall,
brick and Swiss pearl panels was split
the building vertically so it doesn’t read
as one solid mass.”
Curved rock walls with adjacent
seating are located between the build-
ing face and the sidewalk to bring
the scale of the building down to the
ground plane, creating interest at the
eye level and removing focus from the
mass of the building.
The tower is one of B.C.’s first P3
hospital projects. Vancouver Island
Health Authority (VIHA) partnered
with ISL Health to design, build,
finance and maintain the facility. Rudi
van den Broek, chief project officer and
general manager of special projects for
VIHA, says the P3 process allowed for
PHOTOS: NIK WEST

a more efficient schedule. VIHA was

able to begin on the foundations with
only partial drawings, he says.
The team built full-scale mock-ups

FEBRUARY 2011 49

p.48-53Royal Jubilee.indd 49 1/20/11 3:52:35 PM


same wall as the head of the bed with a continuous rail
from the bed to the bathroom – as was done on the project
– results in a measurable reduction in the number of falls.
“The end result is an environment of care for residents that
will be second to none in this industry,” says McIntyre.
Energy efficiency played a key role in achieving the
requirements for LEED Gold, says Bob
Landell, energy technologist for Avalon
Energy Management, LEED commission-
ing authority. “Because hospitals use far
more outdoor air than other buildings,
they used heat recovery energy wheels
on all of the large ventilation systems,”
says Landell.
Low-wattage lighting and variable
air volume systems reduce electricity
use. A high-performance building auto-
mation system for advanced sequencing
of the mechanical systems and a heat
recovery chiller also minimize energy
consumption.
Sustainability is a critical compo-
nent in the landscape design. Rain
water is captured from the roof and
stored for irrigation in nine under-
ground cisterns with a total capac-
ity of 240 cubic metres. Excess storm
water will flow into rain gardens. The
planting is drought tolerant with
approximately 35 per cent native or
adaptive species.
Gardens and outdoor areas were
carefully designed for safety, moti-
vation and comfort, says Deborah
LeFrank, principal, LeFrank &
Associates Ltd. Minimal slopes on all the
circulation routes, as well as handrails
along all main walking routes including
sidewalk edges, provide a safe walking
experience.
NIK WEST
Medallions set into the paving create
a ‘Wellness Walkway.’ “It is a wayfinding and physiotherapy
tool to encourage people to get outside and get some fresh
air. It acts like a guided walkway, motivating people to go
outside,” says LeFrank.
Three fully enclosed courtyards totalling 117 square
metres are designed to encourage patients outdoors with

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 6793 Kirkpatrick Crescent
Saanichton, BC V8M 1Z8
Phone: (250) 544-2020
Fax: (250) 544-2047

Fabrication and Installation of Structural Steel and Ornamental Metals Congratulations Acciona Lark Joint Venture
on the completion of the Royal Jubilee Hospital
We are proud to be part of the Patient Care Centre project.
Royal Jubilee Hospital Patient Dept. 902, Suite 101, 1001 West Broadway,
Vancouver, B.C. V6H 4E4
Care Centre construction team. 4EL  s&AX  
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p.48-53Royal Jubilee.indd 52 1/20/11 3:52:45 PM

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planting, seating and water compo-
nents. Two geriatric deck gardens also LOCATION ANNUAL INDUSTRY FEATURE:
1952 Bay Street
feature water, seating and planting,
Victoria, B.C.
Green Roof Systems
and are completely secure.
A 120-square-metre outdoor phys- OWNER/DEVELOPER Book your ad space now: Dan Chapman 604.473.0316
iotherapy area features a railed ‘bridge’ Vancouver Island Health Authority
Alexander Sugden 604.473.0358
and surfaces with various paving P3 PARTNER
materials, providing a safe outdoor ISL Health Canada
area in which to practice mobility. On ARCHITECT
the street front, visible from above, are Cannon Design Architecture Inc.
what LeFrank calls the project’s “eco- GENERAL CONTRACTOR
logical footprints” – two landscaped Acciona Lark Joint Venture
areas in the shape of feet. Meadow grass
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
fills the centres, while a seating wall Bogdonov Pau Associates
curves around one side of each foot.
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
The stepping stone toes made of flat Jones Kwong Kishi
rocks at various heights create a playful
public space. “The footprints are open MECHANICAL/LEED CONSULTANT
Avalon Energy Management
to the public and are a gift back to the
community,” says LeFrank. An out- MECHANICAL CONSULTANT
door sign board for community notices H.H. Angus & Associates Limited
also encourages engagement with the ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
surrounding neighbourhoods. Glotman Simpson
The outdoor staff garden is com- ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
pletely separate and, at 480 square Hirschfield Williams Timmins Ltd.
metres, allows for sufficient space to MECHANICAL/
find quiet and solitude. It is oriented ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
south to take advantage of the sun, Genivar
and shade can be found under trees CIVIL CONSULTANT
and metal arbours covered in scented R.F. Binnie & Associates
flowering vines. “It is secluded, but COST CONSULTANT
quite open in terms of light,” says BTY Group
Lefrank. “It is unique with the staff ACOUSTIC CONSULTANT
room and exercise room looking right Wakefield Acoustics
out into this space.”
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
The Patient Care Centre is designed Durante Kreuk Landscape Architects
to meet capacity requirements esti- LeFrank & Associates Ltd.
mated for 2020 and beyond. “We are
TOTAL AREA
very happy with the final product,” 410,000 square feet
says van den Broek. “When the hos-
CONSTRUCTION COST
pital opens for tours in February, $348.6 million
the public will see it as a world-class
building here in Victoria.” ■

FEBRUARY 2011 53

p.48-53Royal Jubilee.indd 53 1/20/11 3:52:47 PM

 PLOUTOS ENTERPRISES LTD. Proud Supplier
CARPET U HARDWOOD U CERAMIC to the Health
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p.54-55HealthSci.indd 54 1/20/11 3:53:13 PM

“T o the inquiring mind, all the world is a laboratory.”
This saying, attributed to the American physician
Martin H. Fischer, could well be the vision: the sub-
tle yet powerful foundation of a new way of learning that’s
gaining strength at the University of British Columbia Oka-
nagan (UBCO) campus.
Here, it’s not just about education: an environment that
Health Sciences Centre –
fosters a passion for learning is as highly valued as expert
instruction. Cutting-edge technology encourages a diversity
of learning styles unimaginable to previous generations,
UBCO
and students are encouraged to interact with faculty, visit- by Susan M. Boyce
ing experts and one another in the learning process.
The starting point was a provincial initiative to expand
UBC’s medical program by creating opportunities for more
students to train in areas outside the Vancouver campus.
First came satellite schools of medicine in Victoria and
Prince George. Then came Kelowna, where a state-of-the-art
teaching facility is nearing completion. When it welcomes
faculty and staff early this spring, the UBCO Health Sciences
Centre will be the third of this new breed of educational
buildings on campus – following the visionary Charles E.
Fipke Centre and last year’s Arts and Sciences Building.
COURTESY UBC PROPERTIES TRUST

From the beginning, the Health Sciences Centre was no

ordinary educational facility. “It’s extremely rare for the
government to provide all funding – typically it would be
a combination of funding from the provincial government,
the university itself, and often a donor component,” says
Nick Maile, development manager at UBC Properties Trust.
In this case, B.C. pledged the full $32 million required.
Located on an undeveloped part of campus known as
the Health and Wellness Quadrant, the structure’s central
feature is a dramatic three-storey atrium that separates the it possible for students and faculty in all four locations to style – whether it’s on your own, in a
building from the two lecture theatres. The ceiling is finished interact as if they are physically face-to-face. formal group, in a casual group or in a
with one-by-four yellow cedar found in smaller displays Lighting, electrical, acoustics and even colour choices are classroom. Traditional teaching spaces
throughout the campus. A frit glass pattern reminiscent of all meticulously chosen for compatibility with the demands must change and this is the beginning.
an abstract tree branch provides solar shading for people of live broadcasting. “For example, wood finishings are beau- There’s an energy and motivation that
socializing in the public spaces and privacy for people work- tiful but cause people to appear completely washed out from flows from the scientists and faculty to
ing in adjacent open office or research areas. the way it reflects light,” Maile says. the students and back. And when stu-
Originally, upright steel columns were planned as the Like all scientific research-based facilities, flex- dents are motivated to learn, they will
atrium’s structural support – a heavy-looking if tried-and- ibility in the lab areas required innovative thinking. The learn better – it’s just that simple.” ■
true technique. “However, by inclining the columns and solution, elegant in its simplicity, was to replace the typical
inducing tension restrained by lightweight steel rods, we were lab benches with a ceiling service conduit above where
able to reduce the diameter of the members by more than 50 the benches would normally be located. Users now adjust LOCATION
per cent,” says Michael McColl, principal of Stantec Architec- the space to their needs – acid-resistant desks for a wet lab 3333 University Way
Kelowna, B.C.
ture Inc. The resulting visual lightness and rhythmic angu- application, installation of a large piece of specialized equip-
larity echoes the look of B.C.’s many historic railways while ment, cooling for high-heat computer applications – and OWNER/DEVELOPER
introducing a distinctly modern esthetic. “Creating a balance then simply clip into the required power or data services. UBC Properties Trust
between privacy, openness and shading, which is extremely To help prepare for the inevitable changing require- ARCHITECT
important in this climate, was a significant and challenging ments of scientific advancement, gas and water services Stantec Architecture Inc.
part of this project.” have larger piping than current loads require and a ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT
The building’s setting, too, is a careful balance between low-temperature heating water supply was used. The build- Meiklejohn Architects Inc.
the easily seen and the unexpected; between tradition and ing is connected to a campus-wide geothermal heating/
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
innovation. “Campus guidelines dictated a natural, Okanagan cooling system and has local control for lab exhaust valves. Yellowridge Construction
landscape,” says Fiona Chamberlain, principal of Outland “These kinds of trade-offs are always, by definition, a balance
Design Landscape Architecture. “We developed an annual- between flexibility and budget,” says Adam Juck, associate STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Bush, Bohlman and Partners
interest woody-plants-and-meadow garden concept with at MCW Consultants Ltd.
landscape architect Dean Gregory, but also thought it would Ever aware of the environment, the Health Sciences MECHANICAL CONSULTANT
be exciting to incorporate plants that were used by First Centre is anticipated to achieve LEED Gold, but McColl MCW Consultants Ltd.
Nations people for medicinal purposes. This means you notes there are “the Big Four” that are always present in ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
can see a beautiful landscape but behind that landscape is a building designed by Stantec. “Naturally, there’s water Falcon Engineering
another level of meaning.” conservation and energy reduction,” he says, adding this CIVIL CONSULTANT
Inside, there is little question this is a pure 21st century building has eight energy efficiency points, a number that’s CTQ Consultants Ltd.
facility that’s propelling distance learning into the future: almost impossible to improve upon for a wet/dry lab. “But
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
wet and dry lab facilities, a gross anatomy lab, offices and two we also look at durability because tearing down a 50-year- Outland Design Landscape
lecture theatres that could easily be mistaken for television old structure is hardly demonstrating sustainable building Architecture
news rooms. A complex, interactive audiovisual system practices.” And finally, there’s extensive, conscious use of
TOTAL AREA
connects the two theatres to the Victoria and Prince George locally sourced materials to reduce transportation costs 47,361 square feet
satellite facilities, as well as the Vancouver campus. Between and stimulate local economies.
each pair of students’ seats, a push-to-talk microphone not “I believe this building represents the future of edu- TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST
$32 million
only activates audio but causes a camera to zoom in on the cation,” says McColl. “It’s all about enticing students to
speaker. This creates a single, virtual classroom that makes want to learn. Imagine having spaces for every learning

FEBRUARY 2011 55

p.54-55HealthSci.indd 55 1/20/11 3:53:16 PM

 )',$*,+)9cXej_Xi[Jki\\k#
M`Zkfi`X#9:#M/O(N*
K\c1),'$+.)$-*''s=Xo1),'$+.)$-*+'
:\cc1),'$//)$-*/'snnn%gcXe)[\j`^e%Zfd
Congratulations to Homewood Constructors Ltd. & Tri-Eagle Development Corp.
We are pleased to have provided Electrical Engineering Services
for 947 Fort Street Office Building
Applied Engineering Solutions Ltd.
Specializing in Electrical Engineering for Institutional, Industrial,

ÈGifl[D\dY\if]Gifa\Zk;\j`^eK\XdÉ Commercial, Recreational, Technical & Health Care Facilities

250.381.6121 | 604.569.6500
aes@appliedengineering.ca www.appliedengineering.ca
ÈN\jg\Z`Xc`q\`ej`k\j\im`Z`e^#^iX[`e^ifX[[\j`^eÉ

2B-495 Dupplin Road

Victoria, BC V8Z 1B8
Do you have a project
250.598.0105
www.ladrla.ca
of interest to our readers? If you would like your project to be considered
for a future issue of Award, please email:
Dan Chapman, Publisher
Pleased to be the Landscape Architects for 947 Fort Street dchapman@canadawide.com

p.56-59FortStreet.indd 56 1/20/11 3:53:37 PM

 947 Fort Street
by Lawrence Herzog

P urpose-built and designed as a

LEED-Gold-certified building,
947 Fort Street is going easy on
the planet and the people who occupy
it. Located on downtown Victoria’s
vibrant and eclectic Fort Street, the
development contains 44,000 square
feet of space over six floors. It includes
five storeys of class ‘A’ office space
along with retail space on the main
floor, as well as residential units.
Designed by Charles Kierulf of
de Hoog & Kierulf Architects, the
building’s perimeter uses brick and
glass panels for maximum distention
of natural light while ensuring that
the structure fits well with its brick
neighbours along Fort Street. “Six
storeys can be a tall building in the city
of Victoria,” Kierulf says. “We’ve used
setbacks and emphasized the bays up
to the fourth floor, and then all glass
PHOTOS COURTESY HOMEWOOD CONSTRUCTORS LTD.

above that to help break down the

mass. It tricks the eye into not looking
at it as one six-storey facade.”
The first level is split between Fort
Street and Meares Street elevations,
and retail and the office lobby spaces
are accessed from Fort only. Meares
Street, which borders a green space
known as Pioneer Square, is fronted
with three single-level town homes,
and provides secondary access to the
main lobby area. There is direct access
from the lobby to the main floor’s fit-
ness studio and changing room areas. During construction, indoor atmos- footprint we can, but in our climate
“The building is situated between the commercial uses of Fort Street and the pheric quality management plans it can be a challenge,” Kierulf says.
residential border on Meares Street,” says Travis Lee, president, Tri-Eagle Devel- and programs were implemented to “We’ve pushed on this one, and looked
opments, one of the project’s three partners. “That was a way of integrating it into improve air quality during occupancy. carefully at every decision and every
a border area where you’ve got commercial meeting residential.” Low- and no-VOC finishes were design element. Occupant comfort was
Setbacks from both streets provide building mass variation and opportunities specified and interior air quality was a big push for us on this project.”
for mid-level green roof terraces and balconies on both frontages. There is a verified by testing prior to occupancy. The building sits atop a two-and-
green roof on the second storey and a rooftop garden provides stormwater man- High-quality low-flow toilets and fix- a-half-storey parkade, with 48 vehicle
agement and heat reduction benefits. tures have been used, resulting in a 30 stalls and 40 secure underground
High-efficiency glass in anodized aluminum frames, glazed canopies and per cent reduction in potable water use. bicycle spaces. “With each and every
metal sunshades ensure energy efficiency and provide a delicate contrast to the Stormwater run-off is used for land- project we undertake, we strive to
solid red brick pillars anchoring the building to the street. Balconies, stepped scape irrigation, reducing the amount implement the latest green initiatives
terraces and gardens provide natural access to the outdoors at every floor. All entering the storm sewer system. and building trends,” Lee says. The
windows are operable, and daylighting was a primary consideration. “Normally, we try to get the lowest anchor office tenant, the Province of

FEBRUARY 2011 57

p.56-59FortStreet.indd 57 1/20/11 3:53:42 PM

 Cairnview Mechanical Ltd. is proud to
have supported Homewood Constructors
in the successful completion of the
947 Fort Street project

1138 Old Esquimalt Road, Victoria, BC V9A 4X6

Tel: 250.385.8439 Fax: 250.385.8559

COURTESY HOMEWOOD CONSTRUCTORS LTD.

Congratulations to
Homewood Constructors and de Hoog & Kierulf
Architects on the 947 Fort Street project.
British Columbia, started moving in for the majority of staff will translate
last October and occupies 77 per cent into higher levels of productivity,
of the building. To meet the province’s improved staff morale and lower rates
occupancy deadline, the project was of absenteeism. ■
completed in just 16 months.
“We’re thrilled to see such a quality
building complete in such a short time LOCATION
Proud to be part of frame and it’s the result of our amaz- 947 Fort Street
Victoria, B.C.
Homewood Constructors ing project team,” Lee says. Mike and
success on Dave Jawl of Trebizond Developments OWNERS/DEVELOPERS
led the project team that included Tri-Eagle Development Corporation
947 Fort Street Homewood Constructors Ltd.
construction managers Homewood Trebizond Developments Ltd.
UÊ
VViÃÃÊ
œ˜ÌÀœ Constructors Ltd., de Hoog & Kierulf Sansar Development
I N T E R N A T I O N A L UÊ
ÀV…ˆÌiVÌÕÀ>Ê>À`Ü>Ài Architects and DTZ Barnicke.
UÊœœÜÊiÌ>ÊœœÀÃÊEÊÀ>“ià ARCHITECT
During construction, the team de Hoog & Kierulf Architects
Victoria Tel. (250) 383-8860
115-1057 Langford Parkway
www.allmar.com
œ˜ÃÌÀÕV̈œ˜Ê-«iVˆ>ÌˆiÃ
The Door & Hardware People
April 2011 issue
ANNUAL INDUSTRY FEATURE:
Structural Steel
Book your ad space now:
58 FEBRUARY 2011
p.56-59FortStreet.indd 58
UÊ7œœ`ÊœœÀà managed to divert an astounding
UÊ7>ÅÀœœ“Ê
VViÃÜÀˆià CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
96 per cent of construction waste to
UÊ/œˆiÌÊ*>À̈̈œ˜Ã Homewood Constructors Ltd.
UÊœVŽiÀÃ
recycling, and more than 10 per cent of
UÊ
the materials used during construction STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
were sourced and manufactured region- Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.
ally. “We kept construction waste to an MECHANICAL CONSULTANT
absolute minimum by making sure all
trades and suppliers understood, and
Hirschfield Williams Timmins Ltd.
ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
by unpacking the materials before Applied Engineering Solutions Ltd.
delivery as much as possible,” Lee says.
LEED COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY
“Our project manager was right on top
Avalon Energy Management
of it, and leadership creates that kind
of success.” LEED AIR QUALITY TESTING
As the first LEED Gold building on Christopher Collett & Associates Ltd.
Fort Street, Lee proudly observes that ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT
this development is leading the way by North West Environmental Group Ltd.
bringing a more vibrant, diverse and LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
environmentally sound building to the Ladr Landscape Architects
area. “We’re very pleased with how it
turned out, and to see the benefits of
INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTANT
InSpace Design Inc.
an occupant-oriented approach to
energy and environmental efficiency. TOTAL AREA
44,000 square feet
It will cost about 40 per cent less to
Dan Chapman 604.473.0316 operate from a utility point of view.” TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST
Alexander Sugden 604.473.0358 A better interior environment with $25 million
natural lighting and exterior views
1/20/11 3:53:45 PM
p.56-59FortStreet.indd 59 1/20/11 3:53:48 PM
p.60-63TaylorFamily.indd 60 1/20/11 3:54:18 PM
 T he university library, often con-
sidered the heart and soul of a
campus, is radically changing
as a result of digital technology. The
University of Calgary’s Taylor Family
Digital Library (TFDL) reflects this
trend and is prepared for a fast-evolving
digital future. It opened to students in
January 2011, and has been designed
and built to not only reflect the digital

PHOTOS: ROY OOMS FOR KASIAN ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN AND PLANNING LTD.
revolution in education and the result-
ing new ways of learning of recent
years, but also with the flexibility to
accommodate the twists and turns of
future educational requirements – and
new technologies.
The shift to online education and
research and the resulting diminished
use of a significant portion of the uni-
versity’s library collection is reflected
in the fact that the new library will
have about 60 per cent fewer books
than the former main library. Instead
of being on site at the university, the
remaining 60 per cent, consisting of
books that are seldom borrowed or
used, are now housed in a new High
Density Library. This is located at a
university-leased site at the edge of
the city. The High Density Library is
of relatively inexpensive warehouse-
type construction with a robust
foundation to support the weight of
Taylor Family Digital Library –
book stacks 35 feet high. Books are
easily accessed and transported to the University of Calgary
university on request with a library
card. “Many universities are now stor- by Godfrey Budd
ing their less frequently used books
this way. Harvard and the University library. It breaks away from many sought a balance of supplied computers quad, which is a high-traffic area. The
of Toronto have done this,” says Steve traditions and looks at and addresses and docking stations. The large digi- high ceiling of the main floor, with its
Dantzer, associate vice-president, facili- the new ways people learn today. In tal component, electronic complexity window wall and lots of natural light,
ties development at the university. the last two decades, it has moved to a and the shifting, but uncertain, library and west entrance are designed to
The existing library, an adjacent leader-and-team model with students, trends of the future are accommodated maximize the connection between the
12-storey building known as the with each student working as part of a with a flexible interior design with quad and library.
MacKimmie Library Tower, will be team. The library has lots of systems demountable walls and a raised or The irregular configuration of rect-
re-purposed for a range of uses, includ- to support collaboration,” says Bill access floor system, providing two feet angles, which vary slightly in size and
ing administration, says Dantzer. Chomik, project director and principal of space between floor and slab. colour, of curtain and window wall is
The TFDL, or new main library, at Kasian Architecture Interior Design The new six-storey, 265,000-square- more than an esthetic response to the
is located at the heart of the univer- and Planning Ltd. foot library is about three times longer digital age, but also stems in part from
sity campus, and its layout is geared The design encourages the use of than its width to allow plenty of room practical considerations. “We needed to
to accommodate a range of study and computers, says Chomik. With many for a newly designed large quad at the address the different window require-
learning modes, particularly ones that students today bringing their own heart of the university’s campus. The ments that change somewhat from floor
have emerged in recent years. On the laptops and iPads, the new library has main entrance faces west onto the to floor, so we went with the irregular
library research front, clearly, the old look. Instead of being challenged by
practice of trolling through neglected it, we embraced it,” says Chomik. An
book stacks, perusing here and skim- exterior steel screen also protects part
ming there in search of a hoped-for of the building, including the main
trove in some forgotten text long out learning commons area on the second
of fashion and print, has been shunted floor, from sunlight.
aside with the advent of the High As one might expect, the ground
Density Library and by today’s more floor is the busiest in some ways and
systematic online catalogue, database the loudest. But as the floors ascend,
and search technologies. work and study areas will become
When it comes to study and doing progressively quieter, with more
some, but not necessarily all, assign- books on the higher floors. The main
ments, students can, of course, study floor includes an information desk,
and work on their own or with friends a copy centre and a small cafeteria
in small, informal groups of two, three that extends toward a study area with
or four. Increasingly, however, these computers and docking stations. All
ways of study are being supplanted. floors have a soft seating area where
“The TFDL design is about a new-age small groups can lounge or one can sit

FEBRUARY 2011 61

p.60-63TaylorFamily.indd 61 1/20/11 3:54:23 PM

 Proud to have been part of the
Taylor Family Digital Library project!
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p.60-63TaylorFamily.indd 62 1/20/11 3:54:28 PM


quietly and curl up with a book.
Except for portions of the main floor,
all floors consist of carpet tile.
The second floor is the site of the
main learning commons, with comput-
ers and docking stations for laptops.
There are also study tables and ‘learn-
ing clusters’ of various sizes as well
as meeting rooms. The third floor is
slightly quieter, and has rooms for digi-
tally filming, testing and viewing pre-
sentations, a multi-media lab and some
seminar room. Floors are cantilevered
out about six feet from columns, and,
on the three upper floors, shelve stacks,
in some sections only four to five feet
high, run east-west, allowing natural
light to stream throughout. Stacks are
book-ended by the columns and the
perimeter area by the window wall
provides space for a walkway and tables
and chairs. “Fundamental is the way
IT technology drives how we design
spaces. The way in which people learn
changes over time,” says Lois Wellwood,
a principal at Kasian in charge of
interior design.
The Sextant Group Inc., IT tech-
nologies consultants, dealt with IT,
wireless networks and phones and
designed the multi-media technologies
for the project. These included digital
interactive systems for up to 32 laptops
and the latest SMART board systems.
“The university told us it wanted the
best digital library in the world,” says
Michael Shafer, Sextant’s project man-
ager for the TFDL.
The southwest corner of the build-
ing’s main floor is also the new home
of the university’s Nickle Arts Museum
and abuts a building that houses a
theatre. “Its exterior wall is now an
interior wall,” says Rein Matiisen, a
principal at Read Jones Christoffersen
Ltd.
Although the raised floor system in-
volved a relatively simple mechanical
design, says Sean Piper, a mechanical
engineer with Stantec Consulting,
areas that house special collections, like
the Nickle Arts Museum, required Class
A level control for their environment.
p.60-63TaylorFamily.indd 63
Pro Pavingstone
0ROUDTOBEPARTOFTHE4AYLOR&AMILY$IGITAL,IBRARYPROJECT
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The raised floor system reduces energy
requirements for air conditioning.
“There’s a greater number of hours
during the year when the building
can rely on 100 per cent fresh air for
cooling,” says Piper.
Few buildings, even today, are built
with a raised flooring system through-
out. For the construction process, it
requires a significantly altered work North West Paving Ltd. is proud to be part of
sequence for the interior. So first complet- the team that built this wonderful facility.
ing as much of the above-floor work as
possible, including drywall installation,
is important, says Jason North, project
manager with CANA Management Ltd.
Aspects of the digital age even 780.468.4144 | www.northwestpaving.com
played a role in the new quad’s land-
scape design. As well as incorporat-
ing local species of trees, shrubs and
fescues, Douglas Olson, president of
O2 Planning + Design Inc., notes that
satellite imagery of regional fields were
used for the proportions and patterns
of the new precast paving stones. ■
LOCATION
2500 University Drive N.W.
Calgary, Alberta
OWNER/DEVELOPER
University of Calgary
ARCHITECT
Kasian Architecture Interior Design
and Planning Ltd.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
CANA Management Ltd.
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.
MECHANICAL/
ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
Stantec Consulting Ltd.
IT TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT
The Sextant Group Inc.
LANDSCAPE CONSULTANT
O2 Planning + Design Inc.
TOTAL AREA
300,000 square feet
(265,000 for TFDL, 35,000 for High
Density Library)
TOTAL PROJECT COST
$200 million
FEBRUARY 2011 63
1/20/11 3:54:31 PM
p.64-67Bold Centre.indd 64 1/20/11 3:55:06 PM
 Bold Center
by Stacey Carefoot
T he Lac La Biche County area
was originally recognized as
a major portage connecting
Canada’s Churchill Basin to the Atha-
basca-McKenzie Basin, the location
is now known for being situated atop
one of Alberta’s most lucrative natural
gas fields at the crossroads between
Cold Lake and heavy oil giant Fort
McMurray.
225 kilometres northeast of Edmon-
ton, Lac La Biche County boasts a mix-
ture of oil and gas, forestry, agriculture
and a bounty of recreation pursuits. The
recreation options for the area’s some
ten thousand residents have recently in-
creased with the construction of a new
multiplex.
The 227,000-square-foot Bold Cen-
ter will provide area residents with
access to two NHL-sized ice surfaces,
two indoor field houses, a community
centre, a four-sheet curling facility, a
fully outfitted fitness centre, archery
lanes, numerous multipurpose rooms
and ample leasable space. A project of
this magnitude called for experienced
players, Lac La Biche Country officials
teamed up with Clark Builders and
Architecture | Arndt Tkalcic Bengert
(ATB); both having extensive experi-
ence in the field of recreation complex
design and construction.
Keeping with an integrated de-
p.64-67Bold Centre.indd 65
sign process, the group toured several facilities and consulted with numerous
user groups before settling on its final design. There was also a regional design
approach for the facility, “The large venues tend to drive the massing of these
types of facilities,” says Brian Bengert, project architect at ATB. “We introduced
architectural features, glazing patterns and fenestration, and features and fin-
The building’s interior follows the
two main themes of environment
and technology. “The themes are very
important to our community mem-
bers, who identify themselves by the
ishings to try to bring down the mass of the building to a more human scale,” natural environment that surrounds
us and plays a significant role in our
outdoor recreation pursuits,” says
“THE THEMES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY Kristin Walsh, Lac La Biche County’s
WHO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES BY THE NATURAL manager of recreation and culture. “At
ENVIRONMENT THAT SURROUNDS US AND PLAYS A one end of the building the colours,
SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN OUR OUTDOOR RECREATION materials and design features reflect
PURSUITS.” forests.” This phases through to the
– KRISTIN WALSH, other end of the buildings into a more
LAC LA BICHE COUNTY’S MANAGER OF RECREATION AND CULTURE modern mineral and metal theme. The
continues Bengert. Extensive use of
heavy timber, natural stone and feature
RENDERINGS COURTESY ARCHITECTURE | ARNDT TKALCIC BENGERT
cladding fields were used in the Bold
Center design and construction to
bring colour and texture to the facades
of the building.
From the exterior, the Bold Cen-
ter’s larger components including the
ice rinks and field houses are scaled
by an extensive amount of glazing
and custom coloured metal cladding.
Two main entrances welcome visitors
to the building; both are marked by a
colonnade of glulam frames. The front
entrance is the most striking with a cir-
cular driveway leading up to the heated
sidewalk and sliding glass doors.
FEBRUARY 2011 65
1/20/11 3:55:12 PM
 Jensen Contract Flooring Ltd.
ROOFING-METALS
LEED SYSTEMS AND GREEN ROOFING Proud to be a part of the Bold Center
METAL CONTRACTING Recreation Multiplex project
• Pre-Finished • Galvanized Copper • Zinc • Aluminum • Decking • Cladding / Siding • Metal
Roof Tile • Custom Sheet Metal • Eavestroughing • Emergency Repairs • Snow Guards

ROOFING CONTRACTING
• Roof Maintenance • Flat Roofing • B.U.R. • Single Ply Modified
• Shingle Roofing • Asphalt • Cedar • Clay • Flat Shingle • Emergency Repairs

METAL ROOFING And Accessories

Supply and Deliver to Contractors & Owners
• Custom Flashings • Aluminum Products (Fascia / Soffit)
• Seamless Eavestroughing Delivered (5” and 6”)
• Metal Roof Panels - Formed Seamless on Site (or Pick-Up)
• Accessories and Tools
Other Services
• Roof Maintenance Programs • Project Management
• Wood and Metal Framing to Suite Roofing Installations
photo by Clifford Korman

BONDED - INSURED - I.C.I. - RESIDENTIAL image courtesy of Architecture | Arndt Tkalcic Bengert

Phone: (416) 534-8877 Ext: #233 Fax: (416) 534-8863

28 Main Street East, Box 420, Big Valley, Alberta T0J 0G0
E-mail: mribeiro@triumphinc.ca
Phone: 403-876-2574 | Fax: 403-876-2554 | E-mail: jensen@jcfgroup.ca

Triumph Aluminum.indd 1 9/11/09 3:42:26 PM

&RPPXQLW\'HYHORSPHQW
,QGXVWULDO'HYHORSPHQW
8WLOLW\'HYHORSPHQW
5HVRXUFH'HYHORSPHQW
6XUYH\LQJ(QJLQHHULQJ
*HRPDWLFV
1RZ+LULQJ

p.64-67Bold Centre.indd 66 1/20/11 3:55:19 PM

 forest is depicted through the natural
wood product finishings, abundance
of stone columns and a rich earth-tone
colour palette.
“Colour psychology was carefully
considered as we selected specific hues
to create a comfortable, warm and visu-
ally stimulating interior environment,”
says Brian Bengert, referring to the de-
sire to provide a destination that is not
the stereotypical industrial recreation
facility. “Finishing materials were cho-
sen for their durability, cleanability and
visual interest. Smooth, clean surfaces
surround rough stone walls and frame
textured wood accents, all elements
interacting with one another as they
would in nature.”
Arguably the most notable interior
design feature of the Bold Center is
the main circulation area floor pattern
that reflects the southwest boreal for-
est region. The east side of the circu-
lation concourse represents the forest
rendered geometrically with straight,
crisp, angular lines. This modern and
sophisticated floor pattern is contrasted
by the west side where the floor pattern
represents the forest in cross section,
soft, flowing lines which as described
by the architect are more organic and
fun.
This main floor concourse leads
visitors to the facilities many attrac-
tions. The two NHL-sized ice surfaces
located on one side of the concourse
include elevated seating, one with
spectator seating for over a thousand
people. Team dressing rooms, a Zam-
boni room, utility rooms and an ice
plant support the arena area. A four-
sheet curling rink facility is located
beside the ice surfaces on the same
side of the concourse.
Two indoor field houses are located
on the opposite side of the concourse.
One of the surfaces is finished
with hardwood marked with sport-
designated floor markings while the
other has a Pulastic (liquid applied)
sports floor. The field houses currently
have elevated seating to accommodate
250 spectators and are supported by
team dressing rooms and flex rooms.
The field houses are flanked by an
administration area and a community
hall. Also located on the main level is
a child play area with access to an out-
door play enclosure. The second storey
is home to the elevated spectator seat-
ing, a fitness facility, change rooms,
p.64-67Bold Centre.indd 67
washrooms, multipurpose rooms and
a designated boxing area while on the
third floor a three-lane suspended run-
ning track encircles the field houses
below.
“What’s unique from our per-
spective is that this project is built to
accommodate the addition of other
facilities including two full-sized
schools, a library and a theatre,” says
Clark Builders’ project manager, Derek
Goossen.
With the construction of an adjoin-
ing library space already underway the
schools, pending funding, may not be
too far behind. “It is planned in such
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BOLD
a way that the high school will be CENTER RECREATION MULTIPLEX
built onto the east side at an angle and 12010 - 111th Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5G 0E6
connect with the Bold Center at the Phone (780) 454-5048 Fax: (780) 454-5222
library and the wood-floor field house,” Idaa;gZZE]dcZ/&"-++"**)"*%)-™Idaa;gZZ;Vm/&"-++")*)"*'''
explains Kristin Walsh. “An elementary www.inspectionsgroup.com
school was planned to be built onto ™6XXgZY^iZY6\ZcXnegdk^Y^c\HV[Zin8dYZEZgb^i>cheZXi^dcHZgk^XZh0
the west side, also at an angle and Please contact us for all your permit and inspection needs!
attach at the community hall and
rubberized floor field house.”
Also in the works and waiting for
the northern ground to thaw is the
addition of an outdoor basketball
court and two outdoor tennis courts
at the southeast end of the parking
lot, making the Bold Center one of
Alberta’s premier indoor/outdoor rec-
reation destinations. ■
LOCATION
9103 Beaverhill Road
Lac La Biche, Alberta
OWNER/DEVELOPER
Lac La Biche County
ARCHITECT
Architecture | Arndt Tkalcic Bengert
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
Clark Builders
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.
MECHANICAL/
ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
Stantec Consulting
GEOTECHNICAL CONSULTANT
EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.
MUNICIPAL CONSULTANT
DCL Siemens Engineering Ltd.
TOTAL AREA
227,000 square feet
CONSTRUCTION COST
$50 million
FEBRUARY 2011 67
1/20/11 3:55:24 PM
 Proud suppliers of Doors, Frames, Hardware and Building
Specialties for the Bold Center Recreation Complex.
4715 Eleniak Rd, Edmonton, AB T6B 2N1
Tel: (780) 468-6754 | www.cpdist.ca | Fax: (780) 465-3278

`Ua5ggcW]UhYg@hX"
Mechanical/Electrical Engineers
160 Applewood Crescent, Unit 25,
Concord, ON L4K 4H2
Tel: 905-660-7670 Fax: 905-660-7693

Proud to be part of the

YWCA Elm Centre project

p.68-71YWCA Elm St.indd 68 1/20/11 3:56:24 PM

 T he $55-million, 212,500-square-
foot YWCA Elm Centre, to be
completed this June, occupies a
large city block in downtown Toronto
bounded by Elm, Elizabeth, Edward
and Chestnut streets. This large com-
plex, which consists of three towers,
combines much-needed affordable and
supportive housing (302 units).
YWCA Elm Centre
by Irwin Rapoport
The project unites a new struc-
ture with three blocks/towers – five,
10 and 17 storeys (that border on a
common courtyard) – and an 1848
heritage building that provides office
space, links two of the towers and
includes a 200-seat auditorium; offices
and a meeting hall; and an aboriginal
economic development centre. It will
also house the YWCA Toronto’s admin-
istration headquarters and become the
new home for YWCA Canada. There is
retail space and a restaurant, and one
floor of underground parking.
“There are currently 70,000 families
on the waitlist for affordable housing in
Toronto and our Centre will help address
this need,” says Joan White, director of
Housing and Development for YWCA
Toronto. “It will also provide a hub for
p.68-71YWCA Elm St.indd 69
women in downtown Toronto. This is
necessary because the YWCA provides
services in four program areas including
Housing and Support; Employment and
Skills Development; Girls and Family
RENDERINGS COURTESY REGIONAL ARCHITECTS
Programs and advocacy to address the
issue of violence against women.”
While not a LEED-certified build-
ing, the YWCA called for a design that
meets LEED Silver standards with a Paul Kulig. “The five-storey tower is defer attention to it. Everything is set
focus on energy efficiency. “Having clad in black brick and curtain wall back in a sensitive fashion and tied into
an environmentally sustainable proj- and the two taller towers are mostly the landscaping on the north side.”
ect is the right thing to do and sends window wall, with some curtain wall Neighbouring buildings include the
an important message for other non- and brick at the ground floor. We also Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, the
profit housing providers in the city,” have a few feature walls in limestone main bus terminal and the University
says White. “We are very satisfied with and black granite.” of Toronto’s dentistry school. Integrat-
design and look forward to the com- Kulig says a contemporary design ing the Elm Centre into the area was
pleted project.” was selected, with each of the three key. “The stepping of the buildings
The Centre’s design was taken on towers having slightly different from five to 17 storeys ties into the
by two Toronto-based architectural exteriors to allow for individual pro- south to north context as it goes from
firms: regionalArchitects, which dealt fi les. the bus terminal to the taller build-
primarily with the exterior aspects and “Most of it has to do with the mass- ings,” says Kulig. “The courtyard is
Hilditch Architect, which focused pri- ing of the heights that were arranged also sloped and is designed for mixed
marily on the interior of the building. to maximize sunlight into the court- use – a playground, sitting areas and
“For the most part, it is a window yard and secure the best views for the landscaping that features trees. It is
wall system on the towers with some highrise buildings in the back,” he connected to the auditorium, mean-
articulation at both the base and says. “Integrating the heritage building ing people can spill out into the green
around the heritage building in cur- into the tower was critical and that was space after an event.”
tain wall,” says regionalArchitects’ done with curtain wall on either side to There are green roofs and terraces –
1/20/11 3:56:25 PM
p.68-71YWCA Elm St.indd 70 1/20/11 3:56:29 PM
 one atop the five-storey tower and an-
other on the 10-storey tower that has
a patio and a playground. Other green
features include 97 geothermal wells,
radiant in-slab heating and cooling,
heat exchangers and ventilation.
“There is a heat recovery system for
all the exhausts, which are centrally
collected,” says Kulig. “We are target-
ing a level that is similar to LEED Silver
that meets the City of Toronto’s Green
Development Standard. One of the
issues of affordable housing is that if
energy prices soar, housing becomes
less affordable. The YWCA was con-
cerned about creating something that
is going to be affordable in the long-
term.”
Steve Hilditch of Hilditch Archi-
tect, says the interiors of the residen-
tial components are treated similarly
throughout the buildings across a
range of different tenants.
The five-storey tower provides 52
units for Wigwamen to serve aboriginal
families that range from single to three-
bedroom units – with the same mix for
the 250 women-led families units in the
other towers (connected in an L-shaped
floor plate), which offer supportive
housing as well as below-market-value
rental housing.
“The design for the YWCA Toronto
head offices has been driven by the
client and closely reflects the require-
ments of the agency,” says Hilditch.
“We are also satisfying diverse resi-
dential tenants’ needs that include
support and amenity spaces to make
LOCATION
87 Elm Street
Toronto, Ontario
OWNER/DEVELOPER
YWCA Toronto
ARCHITECTS
regionalArchitects
Hilditch Architect
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Bondfield Construction Company
Limited
HERITAGE ARCHITECTURAL
CONSULTANT
Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd.
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Jablonsky, Ast and Partners
MECHANICAL/
ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
Lam & Associates Ltd.
LEED CONSULTANT
Cobalt Engineering
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Ferris + Associates Inc.
TOTAL AREA
212,500 square feet
TOTAL COST
$55 million
p.68-71YWCA Elm St.indd 71
people feel comfortable whether
they prefer shared spaces or desire
more privacy and seclusion, which is
reflected in the indoor spaces and in
the design of roof terrace.”
There is a separate entrance for the
Wigwamen tower, an entrance for the
residences for women-led families and
an entrance to the public/office aspects
of the building.
“We tried to create a sense that the
building is finished in higher-quality
materials,” says Hilditch. “We have
three-quarter-inch wood flooring in
most of the suites and ceramic tiles for
the washrooms. Most of the residential
corridors have polished concrete, while
the suites have exposed concrete ceil-
ings. We used more durable materials
than would often be the case in afford-
able housing. We’ve created a warm and
welcoming environment.”
The second floors and up have a
maximum of 40 per cent glazing to
maximize energy efficiency. There are
elevator banks in each tower. Ensuring
the security of tenants was a prime con-
sideration via concierge stations and
reception areas, and providing secure
doors that grant access to public areas,
but the keep the public out of residen-
tial areas.
Most of the first floor of the centre
has curtain wall with floor-to-ceiling
glazing and porcelain floor tiles – red-
dish brown for the five-storey tower
and dark grey tile for the other two
– plus some exposed concrete and
drywall. “We have more glazing on
the ground-floor to provide a sense of
connectivity to the outside and to pro-
“Preserving the Past for Canada’s Future”
vide views into the courtyard,” says
Kulig. “The social aspects of the build- What We Do
ings and the community that are being
r Brickwork Old & New
created are key element of the design.
r Stone Preservation
This drove much of the thinking around
r Tuckpointing
the courtyard and the central space.”
r Jahn Repairs
The project began in January 2009,
r Wood Restoration
and did have some logistical chal-
r Epoxy Repairs
lenges. “Any building in downtown
r Dutchman Repairs
Toronto is difficult just from a logistic
r Caulking
point of view,” says John Aquino,
r Painting
Bondfield Construction Company
r Stone Consolidation
Limited’s owner. “It’s a very tight site.
r Carbon Fibre Installation
It was a challenge to unite the heritage
r Concrete Repairs
building, which we had to restore with
r Blockwork
the new construction. We had soil and
r J.O.S. Cleaning
foundation problems – remainders of
r Micro-Blasting
old buildings that nobody knew about.
r Waterproofing
When you work in Toronto, you are
going to find some surprises when you
start digging.” Toronto: Ottawa:
With the initial problems resolved,
construction is now proceeding on
schedule. “Public safety is important
Tel: 416-332-3770 Tel: 613-232-7111
when you have three streets and side-
Fax: 416-332-3771 Fax: 613-232-5777
walks surrounding the site, are moving
material and labour in and you are put-
ting up three towers,” says Aquino. “It’s
an important project for the city and
we’re proud to be associated with it.” ■
www.colonial.on.ca
FEBRUARY 2011 71
1/20/11 3:56:31 PM
 HONOURED TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE RECREATION CENTRE - TOWN OF BANFF PROJECT
H & H Norwest provides both commercial and high
volume residential framing, as well as construction Congratulations on the wonderful addition to your community
management services. We would like to congratulate
Stuart Olson on the Town of Banff Recreation Centre
project and are proud to have worked with them.
HH NORWEST LTD John Hunter
P.O Box 8339, Canmore, AB T1W 2V1
tel 403-851-2093 x1 | fax 403-851-2094 | johnh@hhnorwest.com Phone: 403.609.2534 | Fax: 403.609.2532 | Email: lpfa@shaw.ca

Would like to congratulate the Town of Banff

upon completion of

the Banff Recreation Centre project

p.72-77Banff_Quest.indd 72 1/20/11 3:59:09 PM

 A s the first building you see,
approaching along Mt. Norquay
Road, the Town of Banff’s new
recreation centre appears tailor-made
as an introduction to the charm of the
world-famous ski resort. Its sloping
standing-seam metal roof, expanses of
exterior wood panelling interspersed
with vertical lines of fir, and the tex-
tured richness of ground-face blocks
at the base all combine to achieve the
kind of relaxed architectural elegance
that welcomes both tourists and town
residents alike to the 91,500 square-foot
facility. Designed to meet the needs of
what Mary Brewster, manager of com-
munity services for the Town of Banff,
describes as “a permanent population
of 8,800 but an effective population
of 12,500 and 93,000 user visits over
the year,” the new centre includes two
PHOTOS: CHRIS BOLIN

hockey rinks, a curling arena, offices,

meeting rooms, a concourse area and
new changing rooms.
The new centre is the product of a
combination of new construction and
renovation, with the original hockey
rink and concrete bleachers for 500 in-
tact, but fully refurbished complete with
a new slab and refrigeration lines. The
rink’s renovation also included a new
ventilation system, in sync with that
of the rest of the centre, new lighting,
reinforced roof structural supports, as
well as a new roof, part of the standing-
seam metal roof of the entire facility.
Besides the fact that this kind of
roof has a 60-plus-year life span and
is very low-maintenance, the selection
also addressed the esthetic require-
ments of a world-class travel and tour-
ism destination. “Banff has rigorous
design standards and there are lots of
opportunities to see roofs, given the
surrounding mountain topography.
Esthetically, you don’t want to see large,
flat roofs,” says Rob Copeland, project
architect with GEC Architecture.
With its additional amenities and
new hockey and curling arenas, the
new centre is better geared for the
needs of tourists and a larger local
population, half of which is in the 18-
to-35 age group.
The former centre had been built
mostly with children and minor hockey
in mind, while the new centre is in
tune with a more adult demographic.
“The new facility involves an expanded
Recreation Centre – Town of Banff
by Godfrey Budd
vision for the building’s use. The design allows for enhanced community use so Wherever possible, components
groups within the community can host events that bring visitors to Banff. It’s from the original structure were incor-
now as much for adults as for children,” says Brewster. “The community wanted porated. As well as glulam beams from
affordable space for local people.” In summer, when the rinks are closed for the the original building, strengthened
season, the areas can add to the inventory of space available for local community glulam beams from a Canmore school
groups, craft fairs, trade shows and events hosted by local hotels. that was to be replaced were re-used in
The community focus that drove the project in the first place is reflected in the new recreation centre.
both the amenities themselves and aspects of the new centre’s layout and design. The new curling arena has a post-
There is an extra changing room exclusively for the use of students at a hockey and-beam glulam structural sys-
school based in Banff. A suite of three meeting rooms, for instance, looks out tem that includes re-used glulam for
onto a hockey rink, notes Copeland. The main entrance faces south and has a trusses, which have been augmented
huge roof canopy covering a patio just outside the curling lounge, extending the with steel tension rods and queen
all-weather use of the adjacent outdoors area by about 800 square feet. post struts. “With its large windows
The entrance opens onto an interior concourse area, whose large windows let and great views, we tell people it’s the
in lots of natural light – a feature throughout the building. The new curling arena nicest curling rink in Canada that
has a sloping wall facing north, with a roof overhang. The dramatic aluminum- Olympic money didn’t buy,” says
framed windows along the north wall of the 160-foot-long arena, with an excellent Reid Costley, a principal at Cascade
view of Mt. Norquay, are designed and built to allow rainwater to run down Engineering Group, the structural con-
along them as on a skylight. “Step into the curling arena and you’ll know you’re sultant for the project.
in the Rockies,” comments Brewster. Long glulam trusses that are very
The LEED-Silver-designed recreation centre, besides its large expanses of substantial, giving them a “three-
windows that allow in an exceptional amount of natural light for a facility of dimensional look,” says Costley, are
this type, includes automation components like ventilation for changing rooms also a feature of the new hockey arena.
that kicks in when occupied, as well as a bioswale water run-off management “Assembling and erecting the 11 big
system that attenuates and collects stormwater, filters, cleans it and returns it to trusses for this arena involved lots of
the earth. thought because of their complexity.

FEBRUARY 2011 73

p.72-77Banff_Quest.indd 73 1/20/11 3:59:12 PM

 LOCATION
Mt. Norquay Road
Banff, Alberta
OWNER/DEVELOPER
Town of Banff
OWNER’S REPRESENTATIVE
Mistaya Construction Ltd.
ARCHITECT
GEC Architecture
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Stuart Olson Dominion
Construction Ltd.
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Cascade Engineering Group
MECHANICAL CONSULTANT
Hemisphere Engineering Inc.
ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
Stebnicki & Partners
LEED/ENERGY MODELLING
CONSULTANT
Enermodal Engineering Ltd.
CIVIL CONSULTANT
MMM Group
CHRIS BOLIN
It was a pioneering way to do this. Edgar, project manager with Stuart Olson Dominion Construction Ltd. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
With the re-used glulam and steel The roof trusses are supported at one end by a concrete beam and at the other Scatliff Miller Murray
reinforcements, there were many com- by Alaskan yellow cedar logs. TOTAL AREA
ponents. They were assembled on site A sequenced tendering approach was used on the fast track project and con- 91,500 square feet
as it was best to do this as close to the struction began in May 2009. “There was considerable co-ordination involved
required location as possible. There between the owners and the construction manager as the existing hockey rink CONSTRUCTION COST
are constraints when building in a remained in use during winter construction,” says Sean Dunn, a project manager $33 million
national park setting,” says Robert with Mistaya Construction Ltd., the owner’s representative on the project. ■

6ISITUSONLINEATWWWCEGWEBCA

Structural Engineers

#ALGARYs#ANMOREs&ERNIE

74 FEBRUARY 2011

p.72-77Banff_Quest.indd 74 1/20/11 3:59:15 PM

 S earching for the perfect home is a journey. Many
factors need to be considered: location, atmosphere
and esthetic appeal, among others. Particularly in an
unstable economy, buyers want assurance they’re paying for
quality homes. Luckily for Edmontonions, the developers
the north side,” Elwi says. “We had to design special cam-
bers to account for long-term deflections and bring the floor
to a level condition. Luckily, our solution worked.”
Architectural compromises also became necessary as
development unfolded. Brinsmead notes that many of these
space that brings together individu-
als from all walks of life. Though the
tower’s esthetics are a major sales at-
traction, Quest’s central location is also
a recognized benefit. The building is
at local real estate firm Regency Developments understand adjustments enhanced the design. “We ended up adding within twenty minutes’ walking dis-
that today’s homebuyers are diverse, and deserve first-rate another unit, which fit into the existing floor plan without tance of offices in the city core, offering
living spaces that cater to their lifestyles. The result: Quest, changing the exterior design,” he says. “This reduced the size a quick commute for up-and-coming
a recently completed 22-storey dwelling in the heart of of some of the other units, making them more affordable.” professionals. Older residents appreci-
Edmonton’s vibrant downtown core. Other changes further increased affordability, such as replac- ate the proximity of cultural favourites
The urban residential tower was inspired by city coun- ing concrete blocks on the side tower with acrylic stucco. Yet like Churchill Square and the art gal-
cil’s recent focus on revitalizing Edmonton’s cityscape, a the design team encountered more difficult hurdles as well. lery, while young singles and couples
venture that consists of supporting local businesses, pro- “Some of the biggest problems came early on,” Brinsmead can stroll down trendy Jasper and
moting the arts and building quality infrastructure. “Quest says. “For example, some neighbours were concerned when 104th Avenues, both lined with popu-
resulted from a desire to help shift the dynamics of down- the developer wanted to reduce parking requirements, since lar restaurants, wine bars and farmers’
town Edmonton,” explains Raj Dhunna, chief operations the building is located along a major public transit route.” markets. And just across the street is
officer, Regency Developments. “We felt the building’s Still, he acknowledges that seeing the finished product was MacEwan College, making Quest the
unique architecture and central location would play an well worth the snags along the way. “I remember waiting ideal home base for students.
important role in promoting the city’s revival.” months for the hoarding to come down and finally unveil the Dhunna says the response from the
Regency Developments is known for building high-end tower,” he remembers. “The visual impact on the streetscape Edmonton community has been over-
homes, commercial shopping centres and townhouses. was stunning.” whelmingly positive. “It was important
Quest is the company’s first foray into highrise develop- Now nearing full occupation, Quest offers a trendy living for us to leave a great first impression
ments, and the finished product reflects its dedication to
creating sleek, top-quality buildings that appease diverse
palates. The development features 117 units that range
from 605-square-foot one-bedroom suites to 1,839-square-
foot penthouses. Buyers can choose from one of five pack-
Quest
ages whose names evoke the urbane sophistication of their by Sonu Purhar
respective layouts. The Espresso, for example, incorporates
dark wood cabinets and granite backsplashes while The
Infusion features red cabinets and black granite counters.
Each unit includes a gourmet kitchen with European-style
cabinetry, streamlined appliances and self-closing drawers
and cabinets. Residents benefit from spacious balconies and
floor-to-ceiling windows that offer spectacular views.
Quest’s sleek appearance is largely thanks to the profes-
sionals at Brinsmead Kennedy Architecture, whose designs
were inspired by the company’s specialization in urban
design. “Quest definitely makes a strong urban statement,”
says Fraser Brinsmead, the firm’s principal. “Take the main
level, for example. The corner entrance canopy is set off
with colourful art pieces representing earth, wind, fire and
water. This installation provides a strong visual landmark
at a significant downtown intersection.”
Brinsmead and his team were also mindful of sustain-
ing the design concept of the neighbouring warehouse
district, which they achieved by using modern materials
like metal panels and curtain wall glass. The exterior’s
prefinished steel cladding and mullioned windows and
handrails contribute to the industrial appearance. “The
material complements the building’s main-floor retail
space,” Brinsmead explains. “The overall effect is a less
structured and more rehabilitated look.”
Pagnotta Industries provided general contracting ser-
vices for the project, a natural choice given the company’s
reputation as local go-to firm for Edmonton-based highrise
projects. With nearly 20 years’ experience in concrete con-
tracting and construction management, Pagnotta Industries
has overseen projects across Saskatchewan, British Colum-
bia and Alberta. Owner Mario Pagnotta makes it a prior-
ity to regularly visit construction sites, and thanks to such
COURTESY BRINSMEAD KENNEDY ARCHITECTURE

attention to detail, Pagnotta and his team ensured that

Quest’s schedule, budget and quality control standards not
only met but exceeded the developer’s expectations.
Structural design was appointed to Protostatix Engi-
neering Consultants Inc., an Alberta-based engineering
firm that has completed projects throughout the Yukon,
Ontario and everywhere in between. Alaa Elwi, the com-
pany’s principal, says his team encountered few difficulties
in ensuring the solid structure and foundation of the tower.
“The only major obstacle was the large span of flooring on

p.72-77Banff_Quest.indd 75 1/20/11 3:59:21 PM

p.72-77Banff_Quest.indd 76 1/20/11 3:59:25 PM
 on our clients and the city of Edmon-
ton,” says Dhunna. “With the project LOCATION
now completed, it has been extremely 105 Street and 104 Avenue
gratifying to know that we’ve fulfilled Edmonton, Alberta
the desires of homeowners. We are de-
lighted by the appreciation conveyed by OWNER/DEVELOPER
Regency Developments
Edmontonions for Quest and our other
developments.” ARCHITECT /INTERIOR DESIGN
Indeed, the success of Quest has Brinsmead Kennedy Architecture
motivated Regency Developments to Residential & Commercial
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
expand its residential portfolio. Cur- Pagnotta Industries Over 50 years of outstanding service in Edmonton &
rently, the company is involved in four
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT surrounding area
projects in Edmonton alone, includ-
ing 80- and 174-unit condominiums Protostatix Engineering Consultants Certificate of Recognition - workplace health & safety
and two skyscraper developments, one MECHANICAL/
of which will become the tallest resi- ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Plumbing
dential tower in Edmonton. Though Implicit Engineering Radiant floor heating
diverse, the projects are united by their Designer showroom (by appointment only)
BUILDING ENVELOPE CONSULTANT
locations in vibrant neighbourhoods Williams Engineering Canada Inc. Snowmelt design & installation
with rich history. Gasfitting
“The executives at Regency have TOTAL AREA
deeply rooted connections as long-time 120,000 square feet
Specializing in new construction
Edmontonions,” Dhunna says. “We TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST Single & multifamily homes, apartments, condos
believe each of our projects will have a $40 million
and custom homes
lasting impact on helping to shape the
future of this great city.” ■
15035-114 Avenue Edmonton Alberta T5M 2Z1
Phone: 780.451.2732 / Fax: 780.455.0746
www.jetcomechanical.com

Proud to be the Structural Consultant for the Quest project

#1100, 10117 Jasper Avenue, Phone: (780) 423-5855 Proud to be the Mechanical
Edmonton, Alberta Fax: (780) 425-7227
T5J 1W8 E-mail: protostatix@caisnet.com Contractor for Quest

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FEBRUARY 2011 77

p.72-77Banff_Quest.indd 77 1/20/11 3:59:32 PM

 Frey Building Contractors
3435 Broadway Street
Hawkesville, ON N0B 1X0
(519) 699-4641 p
(519) 699-4875 f
www.freybc.com

Proud to be part of the Waterloo Region Museum

April 2011
ANNUAL INDUSTRY FEATURE:
Paint and Coatings
Book your ad space now: Dan Chapman 604.473.0316
Alexander Sugden 604.473.0358

METZ & LORENTZ LIMITED

71 Weber Street E
Kitchener ON N2H 1C6

Proud to be associated with the

Waterloo Region Museum project

p.78-79Waterloo Region.indd 78 1/20/11 4:00:43 PM

 R espect for the past while looking toward the future is manifested in the
design of the Waterloo Region Museum in Kitchener, Ontario. Owned
and operated by the Region of Waterloo, the museum receives opera-
tional support from the Government of Ontario and the Friends of the Museum.
The federal government’s Canada Cultural Spaces Fund provided support for the
$26-million project.
The 47,000-square-foot main building, which opened in May 2010, houses
community spaces including a grand foyer, theatre and classrooms. The foyer
can be used for events seating 150 for dinner, or 250 theatre-style. The Christie
Digital Theatre seats 114 and has state-of-the-art projection and audio systems.
Three classrooms, which open to terraces for use as outdoor classrooms, can
be configured to different-sized rooms to accommodate between 20 and 160
people. Galleries for long-term and temporary exhibits will open in late 2011.

and look to the future while punctuat-

LOCATION ing the importance of technology in
10 Huron Road our region,” says Roger Farwell, asso-
Kitchener, Ontario ciate architect from The Walter Fedy
OWNER/DEVELOPER Partnership. With its rough-hewn
Region of Waterloo walnut and stone floors, pine plank and
ARCHITECT stone walls, the main lobby space at the
Moriyama & Teshima Architects entrance to the museum – sitting adja-
cent to Huron Road – is reminiscent of
ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT/
earlier times, says Farwell. “A large sky-
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER/
STRUCTURAL, MECHANICAL, light running continuously above the
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER stone walls shows the change of seasons
The Walter Fedy Partnership and the changing quality of light.” The
PHOTOS: TOM ARBAN / COURTESY MORIYAMA & TESHIMA ARCHITECTS

ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANT
wood cladding the interior entrance hall
Aercoustics Engineering Ltd. and lobby is reclaimed from a barn built
in the early 1800s by one of the first
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Mennonite families that settled in the
Moriyama & Teshima Planners
region. (A descendant of this family is
EXHIBITION DESIGN one of the lead architects on the project.)
Terry Heard Designers The pond directly in front of
TOTAL PROJECT SIZE the museum holding 150,000 litres
47,000 square feet of water is part of the sustainable
TOTAL PROJECT COST design. “Using water from the pond
$26 million for non-potable uses such as flush-
ing toilets, sees the pond functioning
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST
$19 million
for storm water retention as well as a
water cistern for the grey water sys-
tem,” says Jamie Van Dyk, project
architect and LEED AP from The
Walter Fedy Partnership. “We are off-

Waterloo Region Museum setting the use of potable municipal

water by 60 per cent and the fountain
in the centre of the pond adds esthetic
by Christine Peets appeal. The fountain ensures that the
water is circulated regularly to main-
“The museum builds upon more than 50 years of development at Doon Heri- from the main highway passing through tain its quality appearance and reduce
tage Village, which opened in 1957. Locating the museum here makes use of Kitchener. Its design draws on the his- maintenance costs for the pond and
existing staff and building infrastructure,” says Tom Reitz, manager/curator of tory of quilt-making in the region. Six- plumbing systems.”
the museum. (Doon Heritage Village adjacent to the new building is ‘a living teen colours on the wall were chosen Along with designing the water sys-
history museum’ that interprets life in this area as it was in 1914.) “Most impor- from quilts in the museum’s collections tem, The Walter Fedy Partnership was
tantly, the Waterloo Region Museum will celebrate the history of this region of and have been translated into (math- the project manager for the sustainable
Canada, showcasing the stories that connect people today to the past, present ematical and computer) hexadecimal structural, electrical and mechanical,
and future.” code. Layered in the code is part of a and civil designs that enable the LEED
The museum will tell the larger story of the Waterloo region from prehistoric speech made in 1905 by then Prime Silver designation to be sought. “The
times to its early Scottish, German and Mennonite roots and on to its multi- Minister Wilfrid Laurier: total energy savings in this building
cultural, high-tech present, according to project architect Brian Rudy, from will be more than 35 per cent of [en-
Moriyama & Teshima Architects. “It [the museum] sits at the crossroads of two “We do not want, that any individu- ergy] costs in a similar sized and use
historic transportation routes that were critical to the development of Canada als should forget the land of their origin building,” notes Van Dyk.
and the Waterloo Region: the Huron Road, built in the 1830s to encourage set- or their ancestors. Let them look to the The project has already won the
tlers to populate the western parts of Upper Canada, and the Elmira-Galt railway past, but let them also look to the future; 2010 Ontario WoodWORKS! Green
line that connected the southern and northern halves of Waterloo County,” Rudy let them look to the land of their ances- Building Wood Design Award. As
says. “Actual fragments of both these historic pathways cross on site, defining tors, but let them look also to the land of Farwell notes, “That demonstrates
the heart of the museum’s design. At the main entrance, the names of the seven their children.” the commitment to the sustainable
municipalities of the Region: Cambridge, Kitchener, North Dumfries, Waterloo, design of this building and the wonder-
Wellesley, Wilmot & Woolwich, are expressed as coloured glass panels imprinted “We worked closely with the museum ful contributions that wood makes to
with images from the museum’s collection.” staff developing this design in order the success of the museum in both an
The coloured glass facade faces Homer Watson Boulevard, a major thoroughfare to respect the past, reflect the present esthetic and historical context.” ■

FEBRUARY 2011 79

p.78-79Waterloo Region.indd 79 1/20/11 4:00:46 PM

 1*1&"--
1-6.#*/(

)&"5*/(
-5%
Plumbing U Heating U Fire Protection April 2011 issue

ANNUAL INDUSTRY FEATURE:

Proud to be the Mechanical
Contractor for the York Regional
Precast Concrete
Police Central Services Building.

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p.80-81York.indd 80 1/20/11 4:02:25 PM

 A fter years of leasing four locations
to house investigative and sup-
port services, the York Regional
Police moved into its new $52.5-million,
230,000-square-foot Central Services
Building in Aurora last December.
The four-storey structure (a back-
split basement with access for vehicles
plus three above-ground floors), is

COURTESY PARKIN ARCHITECTS LIMITED

essentially a 30-minute drive from
most of the major cities in the region
that is home to 1.7 million people.
“It is primarily an administration
building,” says Bernadette Searle, the
police’s manager for capital projects.
“The building houses all of our inves-
tigative services and support services
bureaus which include major crimes,
forensic identification, auto-cargo and
central fraud, traffic, emergency sup-
port and canine units to name but a
few. We were supported by the Police
York Regional Police Central
Services Board in our desire to con-
solidate our services which improve
working conditions and provide better
Services Building
services for the community.” by Irwin Rapoport
The LEED-Silver building, located
in an industrial park, is two minutes
away from Highway 404 and thus far, in terms of finishes. The police wanted exposed concrete ceilings with up- and there were some issues with the
nearly 500 people are now housed in a modern building that does not look lighting for uniform illumination,” says soil and caissons that held up the
the structure’s first three floors, with appear out of date, but at the same Nyman. “Large open areas utilize building,” says John Aquino, owner
the top floor set aside for future needs time, was discreet. This is not a public systems furniture on raised, carpeted of Bondfield Construction. “With the
and designed to allow for an expan- police building.” floors. For LEED purposes, we have an consultants, we were able to resolve
sion of staff for the building. The police enter a main pedestrian under-floor mechanical system that everything in a short time. We used
“We wanted something that was entrance facing north and the vehicle places the mechanical/electrical systems many forming techniques to pour the
going to serve the needs of our staff and access to the basement on the south in an 18-inch-high access floor. It also slabs and brought in three tower cranes
meet the requirements of the Ontario side. Glazing was a key component and serves as an air supply, giving individual which helped. All the sub-trades
Building Code because as a post-disaster maximizing natural light was essential control for people of the amount of air worked well together and that helped
emergency facility, it had to handle a to securing LEED points and creating a that they receive. us to close up the building quickly.
seismic load,” says Searle. positive interior atmosphere. “There is wood panelling in the atri- “A LEED building always makes
Police Chief Eric Jolliffe says the “There is a large atrium on the um and porcelain tiles on the floors,” things a little more complicated when
new building, which had been in the south side that brings light into vir- he adds. “The stone masonry that is on you are putting up heavy structural
planning for eight years, is excellent. tually every office,” says Nyman. “It the exterior is brought into the lobby buildings with lots of concrete,” he
“It’s a beautiful atmosphere and a was a challenge, but the atrium is a and forms the west wall of the lobby to adds. “We had a very aggressive sched-
warm environment that make our per- highlight of the building. It provides connect the exterior and interior. The ule for the size of the building and all
sonnel and clients feel welcome and flexible space for many activities as it carpet is all recycled from previous went well through good teamwork.” ■
comfortable,” he says. “It’s a nice place is large and open, and is able to accom- materials for LEED points. We have
to come to work.” modate large groups of people. worked on a number of LEED projects
The building contains several “The atrium is one of the most suc- and we are improving the process each
LOCATION
state-of-the-art laboratories, including cessful spaces in the building,” he adds. time we undertake another one.” 47 Don Hillock Drive
identification labs. “It gives you a year-round pleasant area Systems were installed to minimize Aurora, Ontario
Parkin Architects Limited designed to be in and is linked by bridges on energy consumption and maximize
the free-standing building, which has each level. It was an important area to natural light and heating. Each floor, OWNER/DEVELOPER
York Regional Police
labs, offices and storage areas in the focus on as people are passing through at either end, has fan and heat recovery
basement and office space for the top the atrium throughout the day.” rooms which feed the recovered heat ARCHITECT/INTERIOR DESIGN
floors. The project required architect The lobby is a two-storey open area into a system located in the penthouse. Parkin Architects Limited
Lind Nyman and his team to unite sev- that includes a security/reception desk, “The energy efficiency of the GENERAL CONTRACTOR
eral concepts in a LEED building, as well north entrance and vehicle reporting entire building is quite phenomenal and Bondfield Construction Company
as design a three level concrete parking centre, the only public function of the because the fan systems are intercon- Limited
structure (422 spots) that is connected building. There are three elevators – a nected, if one breaks down, the other is STRUCTURAL/MECHANICAL/
by means of an underground tunnel to central passenger/freight elevator and a back-up,” says Nyman. “There is very ELECTRICAL/LANDSCAPE
the police structure. There is also a 212- single-passenger units on the east and little heat that is diverted outdoors. The CONSULTANT
spot space surface parking lot. west sides. completed building has exceeded what MMM Group
“It’s a modern building – a combi- The lab component of the struc- we were trying to create and the users COST CONSULTANT
nation of metal panelling and curtain ture has vehicle examination bays and are more than thrilled with it.” A.W. Hooker Associates Ltd.
wall,” says Nyman. “The lowest level is allows for delivery of vehicles to Bondfield Construction Company TOTAL AREA
a plinth of light beige masonry, which directly access facilities that identify Limited began work on the foundation 210,000 square feet
is also used for the stair towers of the and catalogue evidence and materials. in May 2009. There were challenges
parking structure. The building blends The interior design and materials from the beginning, but the building TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST
$52.5 million
in with the neighbouring industrial used are simple and effective. was delivered on schedule.
buildings, but it is one step above them “The upper-floor offices have “The foundation was complicated

FEBRUARY 2011 81

p.80-81York.indd 81 1/20/11 4:02:25 PM

 We are proud of our contribution to Congratulations Jabin Engineering &
the Mews - University of British Construction on the completion of the
Mews - University of British Columbia project.
Columbia project
Dept. 902, Suite 101, 1001 West Broadway,
1-800-567-5911 Vancouver, B.C. V6H 4E4
4EL  s&AX  
www.midlandwoodproducts.com Terra Design Inc. terradesign@shaw.ca

Proud to be part of the Mews-University of British Columbia project.

Front First Designs

#120-1200 Valmont Way
Proud to have been involved in the Mews - Richmond, BC V6V 1Y4
University of British Columbia project. P: 604.276.9582 F: 604.276.9583
#1 - 8555 Greenall Ave., Burnaby, BC V5J 3M8 P: 604-254-3999 F: 604-254-5222 www.frontfirstdesigns.com

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Proud to be associated with the Mews project
s Fire Protection s Plumbing
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s Service & s A/C Vancouver, BC, V6A 1G1
604-669-6002
Maintenance s Ventilation E-mail: staff@rositchhemphill.com

Proud to be the Architects for the UBC Properties Trust

Proud to be associated with UBC Properties Trust “Mews at Wesbrook Village”.
and their continued achievements.

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p.82-83Meeew!.indd 82 1/20/11 4:03:00 PM

 I n the heart of the University of British
Columbia’s Wesbrook Village, the
REAP-Gold Mews development is
making its mark on an already vibrant
campus. Developed for mixed-use, the
84,000-square-foot space promises to

RENDERING AND PHOTO COURTESY UBC PROPERTIES TRUST

be a vital part of the neighbourhood’s
developing community and to change
the standards of rental housing for stu-
dents, faculty and Vancouverites alike.
Because the Mews is on university
land, it was important to the design
team to pull inspiration from both
traditional and modern sources. “Our
intent is to produce a building with
a high level of traditional qualities to
reflect the long-term nature of the col-
legiate environment, while express-
ing a degree of contemporary design
features that would stand the test of
time,” says architect Keith Hemphill of
Rositch Hemphill & Associates Archi-
tects. Details like brick masonry and
Mews
timber accents are a nod to UBC’s his- by Stacey McLachlan
torical roots, while aluminium window
walls and Energy Star® vinyl windows
speak to the school’s commitment to a saving devices like low-flow toilets and Energy Star in-suite
progressive, eco-friendly future. appliances, but in an innovative heat-recovery system as
These green features weren’t a last- well. “Next door to our building is a Save On Foods, with
minute addition: from the first stages freezer systems that work by rejecting heat,” explains Free-
of planning, the developers were com- man Lane of Jakin Engineering & Construction. “We have
mitted to sustainability. “Achieving piping to recover the heat from that building to heat our
the challenging REAP Gold rating was domestic water.” The Mews’ boiler management system
of utmost importance,” says Michelle then efficiently modulates that water according to demand,
Paquet, development manager at UBC only boiling it to high temperatures when necessary. Lane
Properties Trust. “[It] guided the also points to the individual hot and cold water meters for patterns established in the neighbourhood to maintain conti-
design and development from the each suite, providing residents with a monthly statement on nuity. The intent for the retail village is to create a pedestrian
onset.” This bottom-up planning result- water usage. “A big part of reducing water use is just know- environment similar to Granville Island.” Overcoming a
ed not only in the use of standard energy ing how much is being used,” says Lane. grading challenge was the first step in creating a continuous
While a ground-floor concrete base provides units for landscape, but numerous steps in the underground parkade
retail shops and services, the top four storeys are constructed slab accommodated a north to south grade change to allow
LOCATION around a wood frame; this was a new experience for the a smooth transition from interior to exterior.
3333 Wesbrook Mall developers, as recent changes to the building code now allow Completed in January 2011, the Mews’ 72 apartment units
Vancouver, B.C. for taller wood frame construction. Thomas Leung, structural are already garnering attention from interested tenants. UBC
OWNER/DEVELOPER consultant from Thomas Leung Structural Engineering Inc., Properties Trust hopes to attract “anyone and everyone who
UBC Properties Trust says that they went above and beyond to meet and exceed wants to live on the UBC campus” as well as “vital shops and
ARCHITECT the new guidelines. “We applied the bulletin from APEGBC services to support a growing neighbourhood,” says Paquet.
Rositch Hemphill & Associates [Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists “This building supports the healthy and environmentally
Architects of BC] for five- and six-storey buildings, even though this is friendly lifestyle that Wesbrook Village promotes.”
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER a mixed-use building,” he says, adding that the building is The concept of designing for high-end rentals was new for
Jakin Engineering & Construction also fully designed for seismic and wind regulations. interior designer Laura Vroom of Laura Vroom Design. “The
Despite high sustainability standards and new build- Mews was challenging in that we tried to create a living en-
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Thomas Leung Structural ing codes, the greatest challenge the Mews’ development vironment that uses commercial grade materials but has the
Engineering Inc. faced was the location. Bound on three sides by streets and feel of a luxury home,” she explains. “We wanted the units
a public square on the fourth, the situation made for “very to exceed expectations of a typical rental unit, while consid-
MECHANICAL CONSULTANT
MCW Consultants Ltd. tight logistics to get materials in and out without affecting ering the longevity of the building materials.” The result is
pedestrians and cars,” says Lane. It took cooperation with one- and two-bedroom suites finished in materials selected
ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT UBC, clear communication with the public, and a lot of flag- to meet and exceed UBC’s criteria for energy-efficient, long-
Jarvis Engineering Consultants Ltd.
people, but eventually everything was delivered – on schedule lasting buildings: the kitchen and bathroom countertops are
BUILDING ENVELOPE CONSULTANT and still under the $26-million budget. And while the com- a hardy engineered quartz, while the cabinetry is formalde-
Aqua-Coast Engineering Ltd. pleted building may still face some challenges integrating hyde-free MDF substrate with Greenlam-Phillipine Teak full
LANDSCAPE CONSULTANT service aspects like loading, the overall benefit in animating wrap fronts. Features like water-saving faucets and LED light-
Perry + Associates the village is considerable. “Essentially, the building does ing make the design as sustainable as it is attractive. Durable
INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTANT not have a back,” points out Paquet. “There is great oppor- polyester carpeting will protect the floor from wear-and-tear
Laura Vroom Design tunity for retailers and café operators to take advantage of while wooden door casings, a dynamic glass kitchen-wall
our indoor/outdoor climate for much of the year [with] the backsplash and polished chrome hardware make the apart-
TOTAL AREA
84,000 square feet
provision of outdoor plazas, patios and seating.” ment feel more like a home than a rental.
Careful thought was put into the landscape design to ac- Hemphill is confident that the Mews will “enhance the
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST commodate this outdoor community space. According to richness of life in the neighbourhood by providing variety of
$26 million
Michael Patterson, principal landscape designer for Perry + shopping, entertainment and social activity”; UBC’s newest
Associates, “Our intent is to carry through the materials and residents are sure to agree. ■

FEBRUARY 2011 83

p.82-83Meeew!.indd 83 1/20/11 4:03:01 PM

p.84-85 The Learning Exchange.indd 84 1/20/11 4:03:22 PM
 PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHER LYN
The Learning Exchange – Mohawk College of Applied Arts
by Helen Lammers-Helps
T he new Learning Exchange is
one of the cornerstones of the
largest campus renewal project
in the history of Mohawk College, says
Jay Robb, director of communications
at Mohawk College. The building is
home to the new Cummings Library
and Collaboratory, an applied research
and innovation lab and five multi-
media classrooms. A candidate for
LEED Gold certification, the build-
ing was finished in a natural palette
of wood, stone and glass, says Vaidila
Banelis, a partner and design architect
with Zeidler Partnership Architects.
The exterior finishes include local
materials such as limestone from
Owen Sound and recycled wood clad-
ding from a barn, along with coloured
glass accents. One of the building’s sig-
nature features is the custom-formed,
mushroom-shaped set of columns, vis-
ible through the glazed curtain wall,
says Banelis. “We had to work closely
with the contractor on these and they
turned out well.”
The new Cummings Library is not
a traditional library. Located on the
ground floor of the Learning Exchange,
about two-thirds of its offerings are
digital. Students will have access to on-
line resources, presentation software
and software needed for courses.
The Learning Exchange also offers
a Collaboratory on the second floor.
Students can use the latest in informa-
tion, computing and communication
technology to access shared data and
communicate with staff and students.
Another part of the Learning
Exchange is an applied research and
innovation lab with five multi-purpose
classrooms. Wired with the latest
p.84-85 The Learning Exchange.indd 85
technology such as interactive white
boards and web conferencing equip-
ment, the classrooms maximize both
group and one-on-one interaction. A
media production centre in the base-
ment is a convenient location to prepare
multi-media presentations and projects.
The Learning Exchange has ap-
proximately 75 per cent usable space,
significantly higher than the indus-
try average of 40 to 50 per cent for
academic buildings, says Robb.
In addition to the new Learning
Exchange, major classroom and lab
renovations throughout the cam-
pus are planned, along with the con-
version of the former library into a
Student Services Centre, says Robb.
Previously, these functions were
provided at 17 different locations across
campus. “This will give students more
and better spaces to learn, collaborate
and get together,” says Robb.
The renewal of Mohawk’s Fennel
Campus follows a $27-million transfor-
mation of the College’s Skilled Trades
campus. The Renewal Project is in
direct response to the needs identified
by students in the Key Performance
Indicator Surveys for improving the
quality of campus facilities.
One of the most environmentally
sustainable buildings in the City of
Hamilton, the Learning Exchange
features many green features while
providing for optimal occupant com-
fort. High-performance glazing and in-
creased wall and roof insulation were
used, explains Jonathan Waltr, project
manager with Enermodal Engineering
Ltd. A new glazing system developed
by Zeidler Partnership Architects used
on the north-facing wall results in
improved energy efficiency, says
Banelis. Careful attention was paid to
minimizing thermal bridging, which
often allows heat to bypass the insul-
ating components within a wall, and
during the first 12 months of operation.
If the energy consumption of any sys-
tem is higher than anticipated, it will
be identified and corrected, resulting
in an optimally performing building.
typically results in poorer energy One of the biggest challenges in the
performance, adds Waltr. design phase was the tight schedule, says
The roofing consists of reflective Banelis. Excavation began only a few
(white) and green roof surfaces. Where months after the architecture firm got
students and faculty have access to the involved. “It was fast-tracked,” explains
roof on the terrace, a green roof has Banelis who says it was a real accom-
been planted using native or adaptive plishment to get all the permits and
species. The surrounding area similar- drawings in place on time. The project
ly uses native and adaptive vegetation. was completed on schedule. ■
A Dedicated Outdoor Air Sys-
tem (DOAS) provides fresh air that
has been tempered with an enthalpy LOCATION
135 Fennell Avenue West
recovery wheel. The building is heated Hamilton, Ontario
with a radiant floor system and cooled
through an efficient variable air-based OWNER/DEVELOPER
Mohawk College of Applied Arts
system, ensuring it is conditioned to
optimize occupant comfort, says Waltr. ARCHITECT
Zone level controls such as occupancy, Zeidler Partnership Architects
daylight and carbon dioxide sensors al- PROJECT MANAGER
low the building to respond quickly to Arcturus Realty Corporation
actual space conditions as they vary. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
To ensure a healthy work, study Halcrow Yolles
and socializing space, the building has MECHANICAL/
strategically incorporated glazing to ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
increase daylight and provide a con- MCW Consultants Ltd.
nection to the campus, explains Waltr. GEOTECHNICAL CONSULTANT
The combination of a well-designed Trow Associates Inc.
building envelope and efficient me-
LEED CONSULTANT
chanical and electrical systems will Enermodal Engineering Ltd.
result in a roughly 40 per cent energy
cost saving over its lifetime, relative to a CIVIL ENGINEERING CONSULTANT/
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
MNECB reference building, says Waltr. IBI Group
To ensure actual energy performance
matches that which was modelled, a TOTAL AREA
40,000 square feet
measurement and verification program
is currently in place. This program will TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST
monitor each energy-related system $16.5 million
(lighting, hot water, fans, pumps, etc.)
FEBRUARY 2011 85
1/20/11 4:03:24 PM
 are proud to be Architects for the MuseumHouse project.

Address: 95 St. Clair Ave. West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4V 1N6
Tel: (416) 924-9966
Fax: (416) 924-9067
pagesteele.info@ibigroup.com
www.pagesteele.com www.ibigroup.com

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Woodbridge, ON
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Toll Free outside GTA: 1-888-535-3333
Over 45 years of Solid Performance
“Proud to have supplied and installed the drywall, acoustical
Proud to be associated with and insulation for the MuseumHouse.”
The Learning Exchange - Mohawk College
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Proud to have supplied and installed the structural
and miscellaneous steel work for the MuseumHouse

Tel. 905-451-1899
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40 Selby Road,
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Proudly serving the Electrical

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Congratulations to
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MuseumHouse

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p.86-87Museum House.indd 86 1/20/11 4:03:43 PM

 MuseumHouse
by Luigi Benetton
P erhaps inspired by the way
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa
smiles from a small canvas
hung in the massive Louvre, Yorkville
Corporation chose a narrow plot of
land in a tony area of Toronto to erect
a masterpiece: the MuseumHouse con-
dominium residence.
MuseumHouse neighbours include
the Royal Ontario Museum (across the
street), the Gardiner Museum (across
another street from the ROM) and the
Bata Shoe Museum (two blocks away),
hence the name. Four square blocks
of the city’s finest retail and dining
stretch to the east, while the Univer-
sity of Toronto downtown campus
sprawls to the south.
Residents will enjoy great views of
the neighbourhood. Those views enter
suites via floor-to-ceiling glass on the
north, south and east sides. Since des-
ignated heritage buildings circle the
building, north and south views will
remain protected indefinitely.
Exterior details on the 19-storey,
26-suite limestone, metal-and-glass
tower will include a hotel-style porte-
cochère on Bloor Street and stone
terraces featuring stainless steel flower
boxes and glass rails.
A waterfall and Zen garden add at-
mosphere to the lobby, all overlooked
by a 24-hour-per-day concierge/valet.
An as-yet-unknown retail boutique
will reside on the first two floors of
MuseumHouse.
Direct access elevators will whisk
residents directly into their suites.
Once there, they can choose where to
unwind: by a gas fireplace, in the hot
tub on the terrace, or simply standing
for a few moments on the heated floors
of the master ensuite spas.
Modern conveniences include
European-style kitchens complete with
Miele and SubZero appliances, plus a
central vacuum system and optional
audio and video prewiring for Bang &
Olufsen entertainment components.
And to keep these devices running
seamlessly during a blackout, the team
chose an emergency generator that
runs on either gas or diesel.
Fine as these residences are, the
two-storey penthouse will outdo them
all. Its twelve-foot main-floor ceilings
will edge the ten- to eleven-foot ones
on lower floors. Where half-floor suites
have one terrace and full-floor suites
get two, the penthouse will boast 1,152
square feet of outdoor space spread
over four terraces.
Asking price for 5,618 square feet
p.86-87Museum House.indd 87
on the 18th and 19th floors is $12.8
million. (Other suites range from $2.1
million to $6.8 million.)
To showcase the penthouse’s pos-
sibilities and inspire potential buyers,
COURTESY YORKVILLE CORPORATION
three highly regarded interior design
firms – Powell & Bonnell, Munge
Leung and Patty Xenos Design – un-
veiled their visions of the space at a fall
2010 media event.
All three designers delivered draw-
ings under the same conditions: buyer
unknown, no set budget and very little
direction provided (deliberately) by
the builder. To varying degrees, all plenty of groundwater and had to the building,” says Mike Shiu, a part-
three designers made the penthouse waterproof the garage. ner with Jablonsky, Ast & Partners.
into a residential art gallery while pre- Not having room for a vehicle ramp Engineers terminated services in
serving views north and south. means cars will descend to their spots notches on the east side of the build-
Designers each added inspired using a vehicle elevator. “For us, it’s ing to preserve north and south views.
touches, including: a sculptural bath- the second time in 40 years of being in Since upper floors also feature east-
tub at the south window, with an in- business that that has come up,” says ward views, overhead heating and
finity pool on the other side of the Joe Merber, president of Merber Cor- cooling systems will be installed.
window; various grand stairway de- poration Consulting Engineers. With Wassermuhl bought a suite at
signs; a second-floor hallway that subway access, nearby public parking MuseumHouse. He and his wife plan
doubles as a small art gallery; window lots and the valet, visitors will not have to leave their Forest Hill home for
walls that open to the terraces, taking to worry about parking. MuseumHouse next fall.
‘open concept’ to a whole new level; and Sol Wassermuhl, president of Page + The Wassermuhls typify the buyers
a water wall spanning two storeys. Steele / IBI Group Architects, views the envisioned for MuseumHouse: empty-
Soon, all people will see of this small footprint less as a challenge than nesters who like to travel, appreciate
oeuvre is the structure, but its nar- an opportunity. “This small site en- art and prefer walking to galleries over
row pedestal also bears mention. Built abled us to design an intimate building driving to them. “It’s a change of life-
where a pizza place once stood, the of full- and half-floor suites,” he says, style,” says Wassermuhl. “We’re down-
42-foot property width (at Bloor Street noting the limited parking restricted sizing but not downgrading. We’d like
– 50 feet at the rear) and proximity the building’s height. to travel with peace of mind, just turn
of neighbouring buildings presented Sheldon Esbin agrees. The founder a key and leave.” ■
both design and construction chal- of Romspen Investment Corp. and a
lenges. partner in the development, Esbin told
One narrow lane east of the build- the Toronto Star: “What’s attractive LOCATION
ing is all contractors have to cart mate- about this building is that it’s small 206 Bloor Street West
rials and equipment on site. The lane and you’re not going to meet 20 people Toronto, Ontario
runs north from bustling Bloor Street, in the elevator. Plus, there are no hall- OWNER/DEVELOPER
which is also where services enter the ways, so you have privacy. You’re part Yorkville Corporation
site. With the curb lane closed to traf- of a small, exclusive community.” ARCHITECTS
fic during construction, a temporary Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Page + Steele/IBI Group Architects
two-storey structure accommodates subway tunnels run along the north
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
the transformer, labourers and materi- end of the property, metres away from Veisman Consulting Ltd.
als. “We don’t have much of a staging the garage wall. The development
area,” says Elias Veisman, president of team asked for and received the TTC’s STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Jablonsky, Ast & Partners
Veisman Consulting Ltd. “We had to approval of MuseumHouse plans (“We
create space.” often build adjacent to, and even over, MECHANICAL/
On the site, excavation of the five- subway tunnels,” Wassermuhl notes.) ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
Merber Corp Consulting Engineers
level, 60-foot-deep parking garage pro- and acoustical engineers added noise
ceeded without a ramp to bring trucks and vibration control. ACOUSTICAL/VIBRATION ENGINEER
down to the bottom. “We placed a “On the north side, we placed a HGC Engineering
special backhoe with an extended arm vibration isolation line consisting of INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTANT
on the north side of the project and a about 100 rubber pads between the Powell & Bonnell
smaller backhoe in the excavation,” parking garages and the ground floor LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Veisman recalls, “plus equipment for slab,” says Brian Howe, president of Land Art Design
shoring and caissons.” The small back- HGC Engineering, adding that builders
TOTAL AREA
hoe moved soil to the north end of the connected the south side of the build-
100,000 square feet
project, where the big backhoe, sitting ing to its foundation to take wind loads
on land rented from an adjacent park- and other ordinary stresses. TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST
ing lot, pulled the soil out and placed “Shear walls combined with rigid $65 million
it in waiting trucks. Crews also found frames contribute lateral resistance to
FEBRUARY 2011 87
1/20/11 4:03:44 PM
 We are proud of our contribution
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p.88-89Engineering Complex.indd 88 1/20/11 4:04:20 PM

 A s part of the School of Engineering expansion strat-
egy, the University of Guelph is building a new
engineering complex. “This is basically two sepa-
rate projects that are being built concurrently,” says Steven
Aquino, vice-president of operations, Bondfield Construc-
provide enhanced humidity control.”
The air handling unit serving the
machine shop recovers heat between
the outside and exhaust air through a
heat pipe energy recovery system. “De-
tion Company Limited. “The south addition was a critical mand control ventilation is also utilized
space for the owner so the foundations were completed by in some units to ensure the indoor air
a separate contractor prior to the award of our project. The quality is sufficient without introduc-
owner also ordered the structural steel prior to our involve- ing an excessive volume of outside air
ment. Bondfield came on board when a significant chunk which can be costly to heat and cool,”
of the work was completed and/or underway and needed to says Atlin. “The rooftop lab will include
acclimatize ourselves quickly.” a wind turbine and solar photovoltaic
“The schedule has been aggressive and very fixed due
to the need to accommodate students in the fall of 2010
academic year,” says Andrew Frontini, principal and
design director with architectural firm Shore Tilbe Perkins +
Will. “The complexities of strategically renovating and add-
ing on to four different generations of construction meant
there were surprises during construction and design which
placed even more pressure on the schedule. The scope of the
project has been ambitious and the budget had to be spread
over a large area with some very complex existing condi-
tions. In the end, the university opted to phase the project,
with the shop and the north and south commons being
prioritized, and work on the existing Thornbrough Building
labs and the older Richards Building being deferred.”
The multi-phase project will accomodate a doubling in
enrolment and faculty in coming years. “There are always in-
teresting aspects when you renovate and add to an existing
facility,” notes Aquino, “but this project is special in that we
PHOTOS: PHILIP CASTLETON

are interfacing with two separate buildings with entirely dif-

ferent challenges and impacts. The Richards Building is older,
with asbestos concerns and older structural methods. This is
a LEED project so we have to be careful how we dispose waste
material and have specific restrictions on materials that can
be used on site as well as obligations with stormwater man-
agement and air quality during construction.”
Phase one, including 50,000 square feet of new construc-
tion and a $22.3-million (in total) project cost, started in
2009. It involves an L-shaped addition to the southeast cor-
Engineering Complex –
ner of the university’s Albert A. Thornbrough Building that
will accommodate shop space, labs and design studios. This University of Guelph
phase also includes a four-storey addition connecting the
Thornbrough Building with the Richards Building at Branion by Angela Altass
Plaza, which will add computer labs, student presentation
spaces, faculty offices and a rooftop sustainability research cells to generate electricity. It will also be comprised of differ-
space. “The additions provide a lot of student design studios LOCATION ent types of green roofs. Students will have access to the roof-
and labs, which are critical for group design projects and ac- 80 South Ring Road East top lab to measure, sample and analyze parameters of these
tivities,” says Justin Selby, construction coordinator of Physi- Guelph, Ontario sustainable features. Mechanical and electrical services are
cal Resources, Design, Engineering and Construction with OWNER metered and logged to provide feedback to staff and students
the University of Guelph. “The north addition incorporates University of Guelph on the building’s operating efficiency.”
a large atrium space for natural light to enter but also to act The build-out will make use of the storm cistern that is
ARCHITECT
as a place for the students to display projects and work. A Shore Tilbe Perkins + Will
being constructed to use recaptured rainwater to serve the
large new machine shop provides the students, with staff as- water closets. “The outdated existing lab air systems will be
sistance, the ability to transform their designs to models.” GENERAL CONTRACTOR replaced with variable lab exhaust which provides only the
Bondfield Construction Company
The atrium space will be the heart of the school, says minimum amount of air that is required at a given time in each
Limited
Wilfred Ferwerda, the university’s project manager of Physi- space,” says Atlin. “This new lab system will also incorporate
cal Resources, Design, Engineering and Construction. “The STRUCTURAL ENGINEER heat recovery. The full build-out will include five forms of heat
atrium will be a multi-purpose space for end-of-term project Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. recovery which will contribute to the operating efficiency and
displays and also guest lectures, receptions, industry collab- MECHANICAL ENGINEER double as a learning tool for engineering students.”
orations, ad hoc design group meetings and a general meet- Smith + Andersen The project was challenging due to the constraints posed
ing place for students, staff and faculty,” says Ferwerda. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER by existing conditions from four separate eras of construction.
Integrating sustainability and green features was para- Crossey Engineering Ltd. “The building uses pallets of red bricks, charcoal steel accents
mount in the design, says Bram Atlin, project manager with and board formed poured in place concrete,” says Frontini.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Smith + Andersen. “The facility is on track to achieve LEED GSP Group Inc. “The concrete and brick are found in adjacent structures and
Silver,” says Atlin. “The North Commons addition is served personify two distinct eras of campus growth: the original
by an active chilled beam system. It reduces fan energy by TOTAL AREA phase with red brick buildings and the era of concrete Brutal-
50,000 square feet (phase one)
utilizing the minimum amount of outside air supplemented ist architecture in the 60s and 70s. Our building weaves the
by chilled water to provide cooling to various spaces. The air TOTAL COST two material expressions together. Creating a sense of coher-
handling unit incorporates an enthalpy heat recovery wheel $22.3 million ence and planning logic required a commitment to the vision
and desiccant dehumidification process to recover heat and on both the part of the client and the designers.” ■

FEBRUARY 2011 89

p.88-89Engineering Complex.indd 89 1/20/11 4:04:25 PM

 THERMO DESIGN
Proud to supply the structural steel for the
IS PROUD TO Buhler Centre - University of Winnipeg project
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p.90-91Buhler.indd 90 1/20/11 4:04:46 PM

 W innipeg’s urban core is experiencing a sig-
nificant renewal process, in part due to the
aggressive expansion plans of the University of
Winnipeg, which is developing its campus on the western
edge of downtown. The four-storey Buhler Centre is the focal

KELLY MORTON PHOTOGRAPHY / COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG

point of University president Lloyd Axworthy’s vision that
sustainable development is at the heart of revitalizing Win-
nipeg’s inner city. Located on the site of a former downtown
landmark, the United Army Surplus store, the new building
houses the University’s Faculty of Business and Economics
and the Division of Continuing Education. It also houses the
Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art and a trendy bistro.
The Buhler Centre is one of several buildings developed
by the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Cor-
poration (UWCRC), which was established as the school’s
development arm in 2005. It is named after John and Bon-
nie Buhler, whose $4-million donation is the largest ever
received by the University of Winnipeg.
“It is one of the highest profile intersections in the city,”
says Sherman Kreiner, managing director for the UWCRC.
“It is located next to an iconic building, the Winnipeg Art
Gallery. We’re optimistic that the City will come through
with street landscaping and a road closure, helping us create
an arts precinct that is part of the fabric of downtown.”
Buhler Centre –
The building site is roughly pie-shaped, with the outer
edge of the pie formed by an intersection with an elliptically
shaped corner. The building comes right to the sidewalk
University of Winnipeg
at the corner at an acute angle, which was one of the chal- by Bill Armstrong
lenges during construction.
“Any time you are working with an atypical building
shape, you run into challenges,” explains Robert Ferraro, deliberate design choices that required and that the design of these components created fluidity
who managed the project for general contractor Manshield careful attention to detail. and consistency throughout the entire building. Essentially,
Construction Inc. “The angles presented some challenges “Everything had to look like it was the unique raw look of the interior is the best part of the
with the construction sequencing and interior finishes. The supposed to be there,” says Ferraro. building. You see building materials in their truest form.”
acute angle at Portage and Colony had to be determined and “Designers and sub-trades had to meet Sampson describes how the design invites other parts
thought out carefully with all parties, before and during collectively to ensure that mechanical of the city into the building, increasing pedestrian traffic
the installation of the exterior wall panels to maintain the and electrical equipment and piping for the gallery and restaurant. The collective commissioned
architectural design intent.” going through the steel beams were colour artist Rodney LaTourelle to compose the interior
David Penner and Peter Sampson were the principal aligned in a visually appealing way, scheme, treating walls like gallery installations. The result
architects. Penner and designer Neil Minuk of DIN Projects is spectacular, with streams of natural light cascading down
invited Sampson to join with them to form a collective. all four storeys from the glass roof onto LaTourelle’s work.
Minuk had served as chair of the Plug In board until 2007, Balconies provide dramatic vantage points to view art and
and later authoured a feasibility study into a new gallery LOCATION the flow of people moving about the building.
location, which contributed to the decision to locate it in 460 Portage Avenue “The colours on the building envelope change with the
Winnipeg, Manitoba
the Buhler Centre. These collective members were heavily time of day and time of year,” says Kreiner. “The colours
involved throughout the project, Minuk explains, because DEVELOPER on the polished concrete floors also change hues with the
it was such a difficult site, and a complex, exciting project. University of Winnipeg Community light, and a rooftop garden on the third floor not only gives
Renewal Corporation
“Rather than have people exist in closed rooms,” Minuk us a great outdoor event space, it also connects with a simi-
explains, “we were excited at the prospect of hybridity and OWNER/OPERATOR lar garden on the third floor of the Winnipeg Art Gallery.”
some curated interface. It is exciting when unlikely part- University of Winnipeg and PlugIn The project also used Integrated Project Delivery, or IPD.
ners like contemporary art and business get to peer into Institute of Contemporary Art Murray Guy of Saskatoon-based Integrated Designs Inc. de-
each others’ realms.” INTEGRATED PROJECT DESIGN scribes IPD as incorporating lean thinking and relational
Sampson adds that the three talked about the history of COORDINATOR/LEED CONSULTANT contracting to achieve significantly improved performance
the site as a gateway to the downtown, and now as a gateway Integrated Designs Inc. and value. “Relational contracting means working with
for the university. “The United Army Surplus store sat on ARCHITECT people you trust and can establish more effective and ef-
that corner for more than 50 years, with a huge signboard a collective comprising DIN ficient processes with,” Guy explains. “The Buhler Centre
on top,” says Sampson, “so it was a very visible landmark. Projects, David Penner Architect and was our sixth project – the fourth for the University of
Peter Sampson Architecture Studio
Because the Buhler Centre is not just a university building, Winnipeg – using this methodology, and we won’t do it any
but also an art gallery, we wanted a design that was cultur- GENERAL CONTRACTOR other way.”
ally and artistically accessible.” Manshield Construction Inc. Manshield’s Ferraro describes IPD as a more holistic ap-
The exterior envelope of the Buhler Centre is made up STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT proach to building, with owners and consultants meeting
of foam-insulated metal panels and curtain wall. Each Wolfram Engineering once or twice a week to develop design solutions earlier in
panel – four feet wide and four storeys high – serves as air MECHANICAL/ the process. “This translates into earlier stage cost savings
barrier, insulation and hoarding, all in one package. The ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT and lower overall costs,” Ferraro states. “We had a chance
panels, Sampson notes, contribute to the building – likely to Tower Engineering Group to build a better building at a lower cost, and funds were
be LEED-Silver certified – achieving its energy performance CONSTRUCTION AREA
spent where it was most beneficial.” Guy adds that a univer-
targets, and aided the speed of construction. 50,000 square feet sity auditor followed the project, and endorsed the results.
Behind the sleek exterior, as the various players in the “Designing a sustainable building – and Manitoba
CONSTRUCTION COST
project tried to explain the look and feel of the interior mandates at least LEED Silver for university buildings like
$15 million
spaces, the word ‘raw’ kept popping up. Concrete walls, the Buhler Centre – should not add to the cost,” Kreiner
exposed steel beams and visibly exposed ceilings were states. “If it does add costs, then it’s not well-designed.” ■

FEBRUARY 2011 91

p.90-91Buhler.indd 91 1/20/11 4:04:48 PM

 Drumheller Valley
Secondary School
by Laurie Jones
W hen students at Drumheller
Composite High School
were advised the school was
to be renovated and they would attend
classes for two years at another location,
they were curious as to what they would
return to. When they arrived in January
2011, they were pleasantly surprised.
Renamed Drumheller Valley Sec-
ondary School, the building is an
example of right sizing, recycling
and modification. “In the ’60s, the
original school and 88-bed dormi-
tory were designed for 1,100 high
school students,” says Don Hartman,
facilities manager for Golden Hills
School District #75. “The modernized
school reflects current needs, which is
a 600-student capacity for grades seven
through 12.”
Stripped to its bare shell, the
school’s footprint was reduced by ap-
proximately 3,000 square metres and
a larger gym was added. “The success
of the project was largely due to hav-
ing the student body transferred to an
unused school in town during con-
struction,” says Hartman. “We rented a
few smaller places around town so we
could continue wood shop, automotive
and drama courses as the other school
didn’t have room for these type of pro-
grams. We turned the old school over
completely to the contractors and we
were able to get a better end product.”
Taking the reigns of design was
Gibbs Gage Architects. “The nice
thing about retrofitting an old school
is not having to adhere to the prescrip-
tive guidelines for areas because you
work within the shell you are given,”
says Doug Gage, partner in charge.
“The hallways are much wider than in
92 FEBRUARY 2011
p.92-95Drumheller.indd 92
COURTESY GOLDEN HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT #75
schools built today. To give it an updat-
ed look, we redid the floors, redid the
ceilings and brought in new lockers to
create a brighter, friendlier corridor.”
Referring to the city’s international sunken space. Now that boiler room the landscape of Drumheller with
acclaim for the thousands of dino- area just outside the main office is a large horizontal coal stripe stratifications
saur bones discovered nearby, Gage gathering space where students can in the surrounding hills as well as the
notes that a life-size model of one of hang out in a safe, bully-free environ- international flavour of the school.”
the first dinosaur skeletons found in ment, and view the activities through a As with any successful build, team
Drumheller was donated by the Tyrrell glass wall revealing the new gym.” effort is key. “I tip my hat to Gibbs Gage
Museum. “She sits in the middle of the Root is proud of the finished prod- and Lear Construction for all the work
library, right underneath the skylight. uct. “The school’s infrastructure is that went into making sure the proj-
This area was the former gymnasium, primarily hidden in the walls,” he ect was done on time, and done well,”
which was too small and had outlived says. “The ceilings are packed solid says Hartman. “The students benefited
its original purpose. We turned it into with cabling, duct work and heat because they didn’t miss anything
a two-storey learning resource centre. systems. Active boards are used like in the process and everyone is very
The skylights, atrium and windows iPhones by finger touch and are pleased with the end result.” ■
brighten the teaching spaces and com- included throughout the rooms. These
puter rooms around the perimeter,” boards control state-of-the art systems
says Gage. “Another pleasant addition including sound, intercom, air ventila- LOCATION
to the school is artwork created by tion and security. Because we are using 450 17th Street E.
Drumheller, Alberta
graduated students. In Drumheller, so much of the original school, we have
there is a commitment to student art higher ceilings in the shops, including OWNER/DEVELOPER
and support for fine arts programs.” the welding area, mechanics and car- Golden Hills School District #75
The two-storey building allows for pentry. There is also an esthetician ARCHITECT
age separation with the junior high course room. In the drama room and Gibbs Gage Architects
classes on the main floor, and the older band room, experts were brought in to GENERAL CONTRACTOR
high school students on the second ensure perfect acoustics.” Lear Construction Management Ltd.
level. “The school is designed to be As before the renovations, the dor-
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
barrier-free with an elevator and auto- mitory houses international students. MMP Structural Engineering Ltd.
activated doors for the physically chal- At night, they can use the library and
lenged students,” he adds. gym for recreation, entertainment and MECHANICAL ENGINEER
Weibe Forest Engineering
In the process of changing over vir- studying. “I think this section of the
tually all systems in the building, the renovation turned out very well,” says ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
construction crew was faced with chal- Hartman. “Just as the library reflects Stebnicki + Partners
lenges. “One of the most difficult as- the local geography through the hous- CIVIL CONSULTANT
pect of the deconstruction was dealing ing of the dinosaur, who we affection- Jubilee Consulting
with the removal of asbestos and other ately call Lillian, the millwork and trim TOTAL AREA
products safely,” says Dan Root, site reflects the lines of the soil and hill- 82,400 square feet
superintendent, Lear Construction sides visible from the windows. The
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST
Management Ltd. “We filled in the pillars in the gathering area have hori-
$15.5 million
empty space where the boilers used to zontal boxes reminiscent of Chinese
be and made it floor-level rather than lantern designs. This theme implies
Consulting
Engineers for
the Drumheller
Valley
Consulting Engineers U Surveyors U Planners
#200, 4393-14th Street N.E., Calgary, AB T2E 7A9
Secondary
Bus: (403) 276-1001 Fax: (403) 276-1012 School project
Celebrating another Lear Construction Management successful project
CONTRACT
FLOORING SYSTEMS
Representing:
UÊܜœ`ÊEÊÃޘ̅ïVÊëœÀÌÃÊyœœÀˆ˜}
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Unit 22 4750 106 Ave, SE Calgary, AB T2C 3G5 | P: 403-209-5090 | F: 403-209-5097 | mail@contractflooringsystems.com
1/21/11 9:24:20 AM
 ADVERTORIAL

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BY INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
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take comfort in both the auditors’ diligence and the willingness of the precasters to the mid 1990’s, the certification program moved away from plant certification
voluntarily open their doors for two unannounced audits each year, every year. process certification) to product certification with a focus on documentation and
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Determine the conformity or CPCI plant certification is more than range of products and systems. It is not a requirement of the National Building
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quality system and finished products Indeed, if designers weren’t aware of be certified by CSA International. CPCI has reintroduced an updated audit based
with the specified requirements, the program’s existence, precasters still process certification program to ensure conformance to CSA A23.4 and related
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implemented quality system in meeting processes. They know the auditor is a for precast certification. CPCI Certification will be a superior program at no
specified quality objectives provide the valuable conduit for communicating the additional cost.
Manufacturer with an opportunity to industry’s culture and latest concepts
For a PDF or print of CPCI Certification Program Brochure contact CPCI at: info@
improve their quality system, confirm for quality control. Participating in an
cpci.ca or phone (877) 937 2724 or go to www.precastcertification.ca
that the Manufacturer meets the audit is similar to going to the doctor
regulatory requirements. for a check up. Without it, one may just Brian J. Hall B.B.A., MBA
assume that everything is okay - until it’s Managing Director
Certification Reduces Cost too late. Sustainability & Business Development
More than anything, CPCI plant As with today’s doctor, a CPCI auditor Canadian Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute
certification reduces project costs. puts in long hours. “In order to see www.cpci.ca
Buildings and bridges remain functional everything we need to see, we basically
longer and remain more durable set our watch to the plant’s production
for more years as a result of this and QC schedule for the two days we’re
commitment to quality fabrication at the at the precast plant,” says auditor
structure’s inception. Wayne Kassian, one of the auditors from
This cost goes directly to the project’s Kassian Dyck and Associates of Calgary,
bottom line. By reducing the amount of Alberta. “In order to ensure precast
maintenance and repair, recouping initial concrete components are manufactured
cost is a virtual certainty. Over time, owners according to stringent industry
who lease space are paid back several fold standards, we spend many long hours
by structures built with precast concrete examining the plant, their personnel and
produced in a CPCI certified plant. the products” says Kassian.
Many architects, engineers, Most precast components cure
contractors and owners already overnight and are scheduled to be
appreciate CPCI stripped from the form early the next
Certification and what it can do for them. morning. Before the production crew can
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.1 Manufacturer: must meet requirements of CSA A23.4, including Appendices A and
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p.92-95Drumheller.indd 93 1/21/11 9:24:22 AM

p.92-95Drumheller.indd 94 1/21/11 9:24:23 AM
p.92-95Drumheller.indd 95 1/21/11 9:24:28 AM
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