News | | Aug 2, 2010

ASHRAE is offering 12 online professional development courses this fall through the ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI), including two new courses related to Standard 90.1. The online courses allow attendees to log in to learn from anywhere with an Internet connection. The organization says course participants earn three professional development hours, .3 continuing educ...

News | | Aug 2, 2010

The B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) received a rebate of approximately $50,000 from Terasen Gas for the installation of two energy-efficient boilers at its Vancouver Distribution Centre, according to a provincial government news release.   “Saving energy saves money,” said Rich Coleman, Minister of Housing and Social Development. “The LDB, like all public sector orga...

News | | Jul 30, 2010

SNC-Lavalin Construction, in joint venture with Saudi Tabreed, has been awarded a design, build and operate contract by Rayadah Investment Company (RIC) for a district cooling system to serve the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. RIC is a Saudi public company owned by the Saudi Public Pensi...

News | | Jul 28, 2010

ASHRAE (the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) is seeking papers addressing advances in alternative technologies and net-zero buildings, as well as HVAC/R fundamentals and commissioning for the association’s 2011 Annual Conference in Montreal, which is scheduled to take place from June 25-29. ASHRAE expects the conference to attract some 1,500...

News | | Jul 23, 2010

More northern and interior schools in British Columbia will benefit from energy-efficient mechanical upgrades as part of a $20-million investment by the province and school districts, according to the provincial government.   “These upgrades put student learning first while providing a more environmentally sound learning space with improved air quality and heating efficiency...

News | | Jul 15, 2010

Raising efficiency to new levels was the focus of ASHRAE’s 2010 Annual Conference held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from June 26-30. The meeting also saw the induction of the Society’s first female president, Lynn G. Bellenger.   One of the conference highlights included ASHRAE’s receipt of ENERGY STAR in recognition of energy savings following ...

Features | Joe Zwers | Mar 10, 2010

Canada has abundant resources for energy independence; from the Alberta oil patch to the hydro plants in BC and Newfoundland, and the 3,000 MW of wind farms spread across the provinces. Nevertheless, the distribution of that power isn’t always handled as efficiently as it could. Implementing a smart grid and demand ...

Features | Robert Colman | Feb 25, 2010

Humber College is one of many educational institutes that are growing substantially right now to meet the needs of students. To meet those needs requires heating and cooling facilities that can handle growth while running at peak efficiency. So when the College had to replace an old 1970s central chiller ...

Features | Ron Cox | Feb 10, 2010

One item that comes under scrutiny among facility managers looking to reduce expenses is the HVAC system. It may seem logical to save hundreds or thousands of dollars per year by reducing the frequency of air filter change-outs, or by downgrading to a lower-priced filter. In fact, the small amount ...

Features | Robert Colman | Jan 13, 2010

When considering how to make a building more energy efficient, lighting always seems to be the first thing that comes to mind. However, as Greg Towsley explained at the recent PM Expo in Toronto, there are many savings opportunities related to pumps that aren’t being captured. Towsley is the Innovation ...

Features | Robert Colman | Dec 23, 2009

Over the past year, organizations like the Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada (BOMA) and the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) have emphasized perhaps more forcefully than ever that effective and efficient building management isn’t necessarily about spending money on expensive retrofit projects. At the most basic level it’s ...

Features | Glenn Machado | Nov 11, 2009

With production time and cash flow at an all time premium, more and more companies are looking for time and cost saving alternatives to replacing slightly damaged assets. In a refinery, just to cite an example, it is very common to encounter a leak from a hole in a carbon ...

Columns | David Underwood, P.Eng | Jul 28, 2010

Due to the integration and interdependency of systems and assemblies, a performance deficiency in one system can result in less than optimal performance by other systems. The commissioning process should be implemented in new and existing buildings—and the correct management of that process is critical. The commissioning process is a quality-oriented p...

Columns | Stephen Carpenter, P.Eng | Jul 7, 2010

When designing the mechanical system for our new headquarters at A Grander View, Enermodal Engineering chose to use a variable-flow refrigerant (VFR) multi-split system. Although this system is not new—it is frequently used in Japan—it is a relatively unusual system in Canada, as suppliers only recently developed units that can operate reliably t...

Columns | Alan Sutton | Oct 8, 2009

Traditional boilers in North American heating plants are "non-condensing", which means that they discharge flue gases at a high enough temperature that all water vapour is carried out of the flue (and up the chimney, in a tall building). The water vapour is discharged with the other flue gases and ...

Columns | Scott Martin | Sep 14, 2009

If you’ve been around the heating business for any length of time, you’ll come to the realization that heating plants are almost always oversized. It is common for the heating capacity of a boiler plant to be twice as much as is needed on the coldest day of the year. ...

Columns | Mike Zongor | Aug 10, 2009

By Mike Zongor Hot water is used for a number of different purposes such as showering or bathing, doing laundry, washing dishes, cleaning or sanitizing around the house, or even killing weeds.  Unfortunately, hot water can present a significant health risk; exposure to 60°C (140°F) water can cause first degree ...

Columns | Mike Zongor | Jul 6, 2009

Flue details are regulated by the Technical Standard and Safety Authority (TSSA).  Improper flue design can be rejected by a TSSA inspector, leaving an expensive fix.  At the same time, the rules are confusing and seemingly ever-changing so this is an area that requires attention from a knowledgeable and t...