Award

44 | AUGUST 2017 Mechanical & HVAC Systems PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY AQUA-TECH Weston adds that the biggest challenge facing the sector is change. "The problem is consulting engineers are not incentivized to change as change comes with risk and they are not paid to take risks. As engineers we have a desire to innovate, but you can't progress with a system that penalizes the innovator." A collaborative consulting engineer is critical to successful Thermenex solutions. "We have learned some hard lessons and now deliver our technology in a man- ner that allows engineers to be as creative as they wish and we take the risk," says Weston. Thermenex experts inspect every installation to ensure it is done correctly and then monitor and operate for a minimum of two years. While Weston says that Passive House is a positive direction to be moving toward, he adds, "I don't believe large buildings are able to be totally passive when it comes to solutions as they need some active component to the mechanical sys- tem." He sees a future instead where thermal energy is shared among buildings. "All the buildings within an area will eventually share energy with each other and excess energy will be stored. It will be a closed energy circuit free from carbon emis- sions and we will have the passive/aggressive technology to manage the energy." For now Thermenex continues heavily investing in R&D and monitoring the operation of its systems to better understand how to further improve performance. "We are rare in that we get to operate our systems and learn from each and every project we work on. We are building our fourth TIAB [Thermenex-In-A-Box] system for UBC and each time we improve on our past results." Another technology that continues to gain momentum is the large commercial Condensing Fire Tube Hot Water Heating Boiler. The Lochinvar boiler product line – one of the top spec brands in Canada when it comes to hydronic heating – has been at the forefront of developing this technology in North America. The popularity of hydronic heating systems has exploded here in Canada due to its versatility, energy efficiency and comfort. "Over the past three years, with the advent of the larger Btu size products, demand for large Btu fire tube condensing technology has escalated as Lochinvar products now reach six million Btu," says Darryl Singleton at Aqua-Tech, the Canadian distributor of Lochinvar. With Lochinvar Knight and FTXL product lines, the condensing fire tube tech- nology now ranges from 55,000 Btu to six million. Hot water boiler systems and components ensure better heating and efficient solutions. With the advent of new control technologies, more efficient and effective maintenance programs can be created with CON X US Remote Connectivity (yes, there is an app for that) and Smart System Boiler operating control. On a retrofit project at an apartment complex in Cranbrook, B.C., a high-effi- ciency condensing Lochinvar Knight system proved to deliver 30 to 35 percent yearly energy savings, with some months exceeding a 50 percent reduction over previous years. Each of the 16 to 24 unit multi-family apartment buildings has two 285,000 Btu/hr Knight Boilers and a single 119-gallon Squire Indirect Water Heater. At the 55,000-square-foot Fairville Farms in Alberta the boiler room is com- prised of three primary space heating boilers: Lochinvar's Knight Wall Mount units with individual inputs of 400,000 Btu/hr and 95 percent AFUE efficiency, along with an additional Knight Wall Mount boiler for space heating and hot water for the truck wash. Singleton concludes that this is an exciting time for the industry as technologies continue to mature with high-efficiency combustion products. A Lochinvar Hydronic heating system at the YMCA, St. John, NB. VIBRATION ISOLATION SOLUTIONS Providing Products & Expertise in Noise & Vibration Control Since 1980 Western Canadian Representative for Mason Industries 604-294-9495 | info@vibra-sonic.com Seismically Rated Spring Mounts for Chiller and Cooling Tower Installations www.vibra-sonic.com Leading providers of high performance VIBRATION ISOLATION & SEISMIC RESTRAINT for HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical equipment. Innovative Technology.indd 1 2017-07-05 1:28

• Cover