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RJC cladding rehabilitation project [before and after]; Grand Villa Casino; Richcraft Recreation Complex. J UNE 2015 | 55 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY READ JONES CHRISTOFFERSEN; FORTIS BC; MCW CONSULTANTS LTD. Sustainable Design Strategies In order to further build the industry's sustainable knowledge base, RJC recently completed a study eval- uating the energy impacts of two cladding rehabilita- tion projects they undertook in Toronto. The focus of the study was building energy usage, which was cor- related to greenhouse gas emissions. The two projects involved window replacements (single glazed to double glazed) and over-cladding of older mass wall systems. RJC evaluated the performance gaps between pre- occupied expectations versus post-occupancy findings. "The findings suggest that the peak energy reduc- tion is greater than anticipated and indicates that ongoing rehabilitation of older structures will play a key role in reducing our overall energy usage," says Rowe. "The study demonstrates that strategic choices in retrofit materials and a detailed analysis of occu- pancy behaviour are key to understanding the real energy savings in building retrofit and allow for mea- suring targets to be set and achieved." RJC plans to con- tinue its study of performance gaps and will share the findings with the industry. Mechanical and electrical engineering is also see- ing rapid advancements. MCW's projects foster a commitment to sustainable design, development and engineering embracing emerging, energy-efficient technologies and expanding renewable energy gen- eration output. MCW's work is validated through industry recogni- tion, awards and with LEED Certification on new and existing facilities. "We pair our experience in mechani- cal and electrical design and engineering with a focus on sustainability, carbon footprint reduction and environmental stewardship." says George Bellamy, founding partner. "We use a systems-first approach with established international firms, local leaders in sustainable design, and directly with building owners to ensure that new and existing facilities are role mod- els to the architectural and engineering community." One current project for MCW is the Richcraft Recreation Complex in Ottawa, Ontario. The City of Ottawa wanted to add to its portfolio of energy-effi- cient facilities with an ambitious recreational facility project in Kanata. They enlisted the expertise of Salter Pilon Architecture, MCW Consultants Ltd., Nekison Engineering & Contractors and Bondfield Construction to work with them and build a facility that exempli- fies sustainable development practices and long-term energy efficient performance and management. The Richcraft Recreation Complex was completed in 2013 and aims for LEED Gold certification facilitated by the building's unique and sustainable architec- tural, mechanical and electrical design accomplish- ments. The Complex also aims for the measurement and verification credit within the LEED rating system. Ottawa's commitment to sustainability didn't end with the building's construction completion – they'll be working with MCW to compare the real world energy usage of the facility to the design stage energy model using one year of building operation data provided by the building's advanced metering systems. Utility companies also continue to develop their sustainable design initiatives. BC Hydro's New Construction program has been providing funding for an energy-modelling study – essentially a simulation of how much energy a building will use day and night over a full year. One recipient benefiting from the pro- gram is the Richmond Kiwanis Senior Citizens Housing Society that had 14 aging, one- or two-storey buildings scattered around a large, five-acre site that required replacement. These are being replaced by two, 16-sto- rey towers with a total of 296 one-bedroom rental units for seniors with low incomes. "On a recommendation from the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, the Society and Polygon Homes Ltd. decided early in the design process to participate in the BC Hydro New Construction Program," says Oscar Ceron, senior program manager, PowerSmart. "Key to the design of both towers was ensuring the units would be energy efficient. The society wanted tenants to be comfortable and that the electricity bills they pay would be reasonable. Through the energy- modelling study, designers can compare various light- ing, heating and cooling systems as well as windows, roofing, wall and other products, and even look at how the building is situated on the site to determine the most energy-efficient design." The Kiwanis Towers study showed that durable electric baseboard heating, combined with a good, well-insulated building envelope and other passive measures, such as solar shading, could work just as well as installing a much more expensive HVAC sys- tem to help ensure happy tenants. The two towers are expected to save more than 300,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year over similar buildings constructed without similar energy-saving measures. The vast majority of those savings will come from the improved building envelope. Then there are the initiatives underway by FortisBC. Gateway Casinos' flagship location, the Grand Villa Casino in Burnaby, has signed up for renewable natural gas from FortisBC and is not only saving energy, but set- ting a standard for sustainability. "When Grand Villa Casino was built, energy efficiency was not top of mind," says Jeff Lee, energy manager for Gateway Casinos. "For example, the HVAC system struggled to keep the casino cool when outside temperatures rose above 28 degrees Celsius. Energy audits revealed Gateway Casinos could save energy and increase comfort by installing a new cooling tower with waste heat recovery. Their FortisBC key account manager provided technical expertise and helped them apply for incentives through FortisBC's Energy Efficiency and Conservation programs." Waste heat from the cooling tower is captured through a heat recovery system and redirected to the domestic hot water supply. "With additional energy efficiency upgrades, they estimate they'll save about 3,600 gigajoules of natural gas, or $30,000 per year," Lee explains. To further their sustainability efforts, Gateway Casinos used some of the savings to sign up for renew- able natural gas from FortisBC. By designating 10 per cent of the natural gas used as renewable, they antici- pate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 75 tonnes per year, the equivalent of removing about 16 cars from the road. Using Grand Villa as a model, sav- ing energy is becoming standard operating procedure across all of Gateway Casinos' B.C. locations. New prop- erties are now planned with energy efficiency in mind from the start and FortisBC will be there to help. As part of Ontario's conservation efforts, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) sup- ports a suite of saveONenergy For Business conserva- tion programs. The programs are delivered through local electricity utilities across Ontario and assist businesses from the smallest retail stores to the largest industrial complexes in managing their electricity use. The High Performance New Construction program provides design assistance and incentives for build- ing owners and planners who design and implement energy-efficient equipment within their new facility, or who invest in major renovations to their existing facilities. Developers, architects, engineers, property owners and tenants within the building industry rec- ognize the significance and positive impact of high per- formance buildings. "By designing and constructing buildings that inte- grate energy efficiency into their core, businesses have the opportunity to take advantage of a cost-effective approach to reduce energy consumption and improve their bottom line over the long-term," says Terry Young, VP of conservation and corporate relations for the IESO. "Through making energy efficient decisions, businesses can expect their facilities to cost less to operate and lower their environmental impact." A

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