alberta innovators 2014

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The annual magazine ofConsulting Engineersof AlbertaSpring 2014

Industry experience, plus thecorporate perspective, helpbuild our society

Find the right firm: Pullout guide inside

Flood FindingsHow the CEAs helpedrebuild after thewaters receded

TomorrowsBUILDERSMeet the engineers who willlead the next generation


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Presenting:

Fostering:

Supporting:

Contributing:

Patron:


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When the Water CameA recovery plan eight years in the

making kicked in, even as the flood-

waters of June rose

Tomorrows BuildersMeet five young engineers who will

lead the pack in the next generation

of Albertas CEs

A Winning AwardSpare a thought for the engineering

and the artist behind the actual

Lieutenant Governors award:

Don Chambers

2013 Showcase AwardsValued professionals are celebrated

Lieutenant Governor,Presidents, & YoungProfessional awards

FeaturesInfrastructure With CareCEs dont travel the easy road. Many have

industry experience that allows them to see the

corporate perspective as well as the public one

New HorizonsWhen his British company ceased Canadian

operations, Paul Breeze decided to stay on

Keeps on RollingArt Washuta has spent 40 years creating

complicated infrastructure, and hes

not slowing down

PUBLISHED FOR:

Consulting Engineers of AlbertaPhipps-McKinnon Building

Suite 870, 10020 - 101A AvenueEdmonton, AB T5J 3G2Phone (780) 421-1852Fax (780) 424-5225Email: [email protected]

www.cea.ca

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND REGISTRAR

Ken Pilip, P.Eng.

MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

CEO, Ken Pilip; President, Craig Clifton; and HonoraryDirector, Ed Stelmach

Consultant, Brian Stecyk

SPECIAL PROJECTS - PAST PRESIDENT

Art Washuta

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Lisa Krewda

FINANCE MANAGER

Sharon Moroskat

EVENT MANAGER

Kary Kremer

INFORMATION SPECIALIST

Inderjeet Singh

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST

Barb Senko

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AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS

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Cover illustration by Raymond Reid

Contents 2014 by Consulting Engineers of Alberta.

No part of this publication should be reproduced

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MESSAGE FROM THE PREMIER

Alison M. Redford, QC

2014

N BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA,

I am pleased to offer my best wishes to the Consulting Engineers

of Alberta for the 2014 issue ofAlberta Innovators.As Albertans, we take great pride in the role innovation plays in

our province. Along with our self-determination and resiliency, inno-vation is what help to define us. We are known for being leaders atthe forefront of research and development from nanotechnology tocomputer sciences, energy to infrastructure and engineers help drivethese innovations. o move forward, we must continue to attract thebest and brightest minds into this wonderful profession.

It is fitting that your theme for the upcoming year is Building OurPlace in the Community. During the floods of 2013, engineers and

their respective firms were heavily involved in the disaster relief andrebuilding efforts. I know in the upcoming months and years, Alber-tans will be relying on the excellence of our engineers so our provincecan continue to rebuild, grow and prosper.

Te Consulting Engineers of Alberta has been supporting profes-sional engineers, technologists and support staff in this province formore than 30 years. I wish you continued success and congratulationson the publications of the latest issue ofAlberta Innovators.

O


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KEN PILIP, P.Eng.

CEO & Registrar, CEA

MESSAGE FROM CEA

HE CONSULTING ENGINEERS OF

Alberta (CEA) have reached a milestone

of 100 membership firms employing

10,000 people. Were proud to celebrate our 36th

anniversary.

From humble beginnings we have evolved into

a legislated body the Consulting Engineers of

Alberta. CEA fosters excellence among consult-

ing engineers, while guiding the profession with a

strong Code of Ethics and Member charter.

Our goal is to attract and celebrate the best.

his yea r we are honour ing Mr. Cory BroksP. Eng. and Mr. Leo Broks P.Eng., founders of

Al-erra Engineering Ltd. Teir leadership and

commitment over 37 years of consulting engineer-

ing has established Al-erra as a premier firm.

In Alberta, we benefit from many of the Brokses

projects. hey have demonstrated excellence

through innovation and integrity.

Tey are being honoured with the CEA Lieu-

tenant Governors Awards for Distinguished

Achievement. Teir leadership in contributing to

Albertas economy, their engineering endeavours

and their personal involvement in the communitysets them apart. Just as previous winners have, they

personify the principles upon which the consult-

ing engineering profession is founded: excellence,

innovation and integrity.

We must continue to attract the brightest and

best minds from our engineering and technical

schools and grow a strong local consulting industry

in Alberta. Our professional associations, APEGA

and ASE are key to ensuring that professional

standards are high and that young graduates have a

high level of academic and applied skills to ensure

engineering excellence.

he CEA has faced some challenges largely

because the selection of consulting services is often

based on price rather than qualifications. Te low-

est price isnt as significant as the best qualifications

and experience. Contracting for the delivery of

knowledge-based consulting services is different

than buying a commodity.

CEA works to educate people to help them

understand that they can get more for less if they

use a more appropriate selection process. he

Qualif ications Based Selection system provides

Momentum Moves Forward

the answer. QBS starts with selection of a qualified

consultant, who then works with the client to define

the objectives and scope of work. Following that,

the parties negotiate a suitable price and undertake

the work. Organizations using this approach, such

as the City of Calgary, report fewer change orders;

very few cost-overruns, and greater innovation.

THE UNITED STATES MANDATED THE QBS

system under the Brooks Act of 1972. It has worked

so well for procurement of consulting engineering

services that most states have voluntarily adoptedthe federal legislation. Its time to legislate that

model here. QBS will sustain our industry and

ensure the viability the field, as well as providing the

Province of Alberta with the engineering expertise

to meet the future with confidence. We thank our

industry partners, the Alberta Construction Asso-

ciation, the Consulting Architects of Alberta, and

the Alberta Road Builders and Heavy Construction

Association for their support of the QBS model.

Consulting engineering companies answered the

call with the flooding disaster in southern Alberta

by volunteering, and providing money and services.President Craig Cliftons theme for the year build-

ing our place in the community was put to the test.

On behalf of our president, board and staff we offer

thanks to all. We also thank the province for mobi-

lizing and responding to the immediate needs of

families and businesses.

Unfortunately, recent events in the Province of

Quebec are very serious for the consulting engi-

neering profession in Canada. Te Charbonneau

Inquiry dealing with unethical behaviour will neg-

atively impact our reputation. Te unethical actions

of a few can undermine the foundation of trust that

underpins our client relationships. In Alberta, the

CEA wants the public to know that the unethical

activities exposed in Quebec will not be tolerated.

Tanks goes to our dedicated staff, helping our

association be as organized and successful as it is.

Te whole community benefits.

By working together and helping others achieve

a better understanding of what we do and the role

we play in enhancing our communities, the future

of the consulting industry in Alberta will be strong

and vibrant.

T

CRAIG CLIFTON, P.Eng.

President, CEA

BUILDING OUR PLACE

IN THE COMMUNITY


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JOHN GAMBLE, CET, P.Eng.

President, ACEC

MESSAGE FROMACEC

T

Industrys National VoiceHE ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING

Engineering Companies - Canada

(ACEC) is proud to be the national voice

of consulting engineering. Representing nearly 500

firms, ACECs vision for the future is a successful,

trusted and sustainable consulting engineering

industry. ACEC would like to thank Consulting

Engineers of Alberta and its members for their

ongoing support at the national level. By work-

ing together, we have a stronger voice and greater

capacity to strengthen our communities, promote

economic growth and protect our environment.

Together, consulting engineers will contribute to abright future for Canada. With the support of our

provincial and territorial member organizations,

ACEC undertakes activities in four key areas:

1. Advocacy on national issues

ACEC influences the federal government and

other national stakeholders to create a regulatory

and business climate that is favourable to consult-

ing engineering companies.

ACECs annual Parliament Hill Day pro-

vides an opportunity for representatives of member

firms to meet with Members of Parliament and

raise awareness of issues affecting our industry. InOctober, ACEC applauded the governments com-

mitment to a 10-year infrastructure program but

stressed the urgent need for planning and applica-

tion processes to begin. ACEC also highlighted

the need for investment in northern infrastructure

to access and transport Canadas natural resources.

ACEC is increasing outreach to organizations

that represent private sector clients. Were collabo-

rating with the Mining Association of Canada,

Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada

and NWT Chamber of Mines to study the chal-

lenges of doing business in the North and identify

strategies to encourage private investment.

ACEC recently adopted a position on oil and

gas transportation. Expanding and modernizing

oil and gas transportation infrastructure is vital to

prosperity. ACEC will also expand its advocacy

to include a new Parliamentary Partners program.

Under this new initiative, ACEC supports mem-

bers building relationships with local MPs.

2. Image and profile building

ACEC enhances the profile of consulting

engineers and showcases the contribution of

consulting engineering to Canadas social, eco-

nomic and environmental qual ity of life.

Each year, ACEC hosts the Canadian Con-

sulting Engineering Awards, a marquee industry

event that in 2013 saw 26 presentations, including

Awards of Excellence and Special Achievement

Awards. We encourage all members of Consulting

Engineers of Alberta to enter their projects in 2014

and participate in this national showcase of excel-

lence in our industry.

ACEC partners with organizations and sup-

ports programs that provide opportunities to raise

the profile of consulting engineers among clients,politicians and other industries. We promote

consulting engineering through student outreach

activities, a proactive media strategy and by being

an influential participant in the International Fed-

eration of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC).

3. Client liaison and business practices

We are recognized by public and private sector cli-

ents, and by the consulting engineering sector, as

the authority on business practice issues.

ACEC works with industry experts to offer

professional service agreements for use by consult-

ing engineering companies and their clients. Wecontinually monitor trends through benchmarking

and industry surveys. Our annual summit offers a

business program geared to industry leaders, and

we regularly provide training seminars that help

engineering companies succeed. ACEC encour-

ages the use of qualifications-based selection (QBS)

to provide the best value to clients.

4. Member engagement and communications

We encourage member participation and dem-

onstrate value through effective communications

and engagement.

ACEC creates regular opportunities for dis-

cussion, collaboration, and networking. Each

year, ACEC conducts a national tour of member

organizations to solicit industry feedback on issues

and trends. In serving our members, we continue

to improve and modernize our communication

tools enabling more targeted and strategic com-

munications. We value the input of our members

and invite them to discover the benefits of getting

involved in ACEC.

To find out more about ACEC and what we do

for our members, please visitwww.acec.ca.

JASON MEWIS, P.Eng.

Chair, ACEC



BYCOLLEEN BIONDI | ILLUSTRATION BY RAYMOND REID

T

CEs dont travel the easy road.Many have industry experience thatallows them to see the corporateperspective as well as the public one

O BE A CONSULTING ENGINEER (CE)IN ALBERTA IS NOT TO TAKEthe easy road. In fact, working with industry types and government

personnel to assess the best way to proceed with a resource develop-ment enterprise while mitigating negative impact on the environ-

ment results in the odd sleepless night and a few extra grey hairs. But ShawnMcKeown, principal at Golder Associates Ltd., would have it no other way.

Tere is a lot of contention about the oil sands, says the seasoned profes-sional who has been in the business since 1977. But we like to think of our-selves as the honest brokers of scientific information.

Tat means a good deal of work at the permitting and application level andhelping businesses with environmental impact assessments (EIAs). Tesevery detailed documents focus on how projects can get done without leavingbehind a large footprint that requires extensive ecological remediation. Con-sulting companies have the dedicated and disciplined manpower to completethese documents properly. Wildlife experts, vegetation specialists, biodiversitypeople and fish biologists all may contribute to the typically massive reports. We are the second most writing-intensive business in the world afterjournalists, he adds.



CEs do not decide which oil and gas ormining project goes ahead and which oneis nixed. Industry people might abandonthe project themselves in its early stage ifit is not deemed to be financially v iable orif issues with stakeholders landowners,investors or First Nations communities are too unwieldy, or if fluctuation in the

value of commodities is too uncertain. But ifa project proceeds, the final decision is madeby multiple levels of government after theproject meets every regulatory standard.

What they do provide is the answer tothis critica l question: what is the currentlevel of eco-functioning at the site and howmuch will it be affected when roads, pipe-lines, well pads and facilities are built?

CEs also assess social considerations.How will this development impact thepeople who live there, economically and

lifestyle-wise? Will it provide jobs? Whathappens to the communitys welfare afterthe project closes and the jobs are over?

CEs evaluate terrestrial disciplines (soil,vegetation and wildli fe). Does the projecttake into consideration the caribou zone,and does it protect natural flora? What arethe implications if the proposed project doesnot consider these?

Creative reclamation plans are critical.CEs look to the plan to find how the proj-ect stakeholders will later take down the

pipelines and pads. heyll examine howthe project proposes to replace topsoil andtrees. Golder has hired people in retirementhomes near Fort McMurray to collect nativeseeds, which they send to Smoky Lake For-est Nursery to be planted into seedlings andthen replanted in reclamation processes.

Archeological finds, of particular inter-est to First Nations and heritage experts,require special consideration (30 people atGolder are archeologists). Te Quarry of the

Ancestors, an outcropping of sandstone rockdiscovered near Fort MacKay in 2006, was

used to make tools for thousands of years.A recent paleontology find in Grande Prai-ries oil sands region expresses informationabout how the land was traditionally used

versus how it is used today. Archeologistshave deemed both sites as historically sig-nificant, and requiring sensitive care duringdevelopment.

As well as these preliminary phases, CEsare involved in the development processitself, measuring and monitoring wild-life and wetlands issues during operations,

and in the wrap-up or evaluation stage.Big companies dont want to take short-

cuts, says McKeown. hey know it willget them in the long run. Te worst-casescenario is for government to shut down aproject once operations are rolling. No com-pany needs that kind of negative publicity.But they want to execute efficient and cost-

saving measures that wont adversely affecttheir bottom line. o do that, companiesneed the expertise of trusted and experi-enced consulting engineers to balance envi-ronmental concerns with profit margins.

rust allows for honest conversations aboutchecks and balances; experience meanstheyre going to get the job done well. Plus,CEs who are working on many projects canshare best practices and recommend steps toclients based on previous successes.

Since McKeown began working, there

Some mines were abandoned andnot reclaimed well. The mining just

stopped and everybody left. Paul Ruffell, President, Tetra Tech EBA

have been advances in processes whichwi ll protect the environment but a re noteconomic killers. One example is thecommercialization of solvent extraction inunderground production chambers; thisprocess requires less steam and improvesenergy economics. And research is currentlyunderway all over Alberta (spearheaded by

groups like Canadas Oil Sands InnovationAlliance, the Alberta Biodiversity Monitor-ing Institute and the Ecological Monitor-ing Committee for the Lower Athabasca) todevelop improvements in biodiversity issues,reclamation techniques, technologicalupgrades and air emission quality. Most areincremental but some tailing managementdevelopments, for example are transfor-mative. Alberta is also making strides withdetailed land use plans, water allocation andmanagement and environmental monitor-


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ing of the oil sands. In fact, this provincewas the first jurisdiction in North Americato put a price on greenhouse gases.

But there is always some room forimprovement.

Paul Ruffell, president of Tetra TechEBA, has been committed to improving thepractice of responsible resource developmentfor 34 years. He worked in the Arctic for15 of those years, moved into managementthen did some work with a waste manage-ment company. Although a high-rankingexecutive, he still likes to be on the ground.

Youre relevant and credible when youare where the action is, not behind a desk,he says.

One of his areas of expertise is the miningindustry. His company has been involved innorthern development since the early 1970s,starting with the Ekati Diamond Mine and

moving into the Diavik Diamond Mine,both of which are located approximately 300kilometres northeast of Yellowknife. Dia-mond mines work because you dont needto fly thousands of tonnes of ore out of themines. You just need a box of diamonds,Ruffell says. EBA is also involved in goldmining near Wawa, Ontario and ironore mining on the coast of Baffin Island.

CEs provide a key role in resource devel-opment by pulling comprehensive planstogether for client groups, recommending

mine design, blast plans, transportationand slope stability options. They bring aperspective like no other and are uniquelypositioned to bring all aspects of environ-

mental sensitivity to one development.They also prov ide advice rega rd ing

orphan mines. Built in the 1950s and60s, these are mines whose operations havebeen discontinued and which have been left

with no ownership structure. At the timethe mines were abandoned, they were not

reclaimed well or at all with old equip-ment left on site or tailings left exposed.The mining just stopped and everybodyleft, Ruffell says. Today governments and

other stakeholders are cleaning some ofthem up. Others are becoming operativeagain as new extraction techniques extendthe life of them. For example, the federaland territorial governments and a miningcompany are committed to cleaning upand restarting the Bellekeno silver mine in

Yukon after it was abandoned in the 1980s.Adva nces in extra ction te chnolog y(including bio mining and the Albion oxi-dation process) are also able to draw more


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Consultants need to remember thatthey work as part of a chain. If they fail,the chain fails. Paul Ruffell, President, Tetra Tech EBA

his perspective. One example was the criti-cal importance of budget and time framesto the client. Often I had to work hardto justif y my (waste management) projectand get it approved and the basis for thatapproval was a schedule and budget derivedfrom the consultant. If the project wentlate or over-budget, Ruffell had to go to hissupervisors and beg for forgiveness, whichis not something you want to do with anyfrequency. Consultants need to rememberthat they work as part of a chain. If they fail,the chain fails.

Owners of consulting companies under-stand this. We are more useful to our clientsif we understand their business first, theirproblem second, Ruffel l says. Junior CEscan learn from people inside the consultingorganization who have worked in industry.But if you dont have industry knowledge,resist trying to fake it for the industry pro-fessionals, recommends Ruffell. Tey cansee an imposter from 50 yards.

Consulting engineers provide a criticalrole in safely and securely developing our

natural resources. Tey continue to executeleadership in the field and will be the key toensuring the sustainability of our provincesmost precious commodities.

ore from old tailings, to access product thatwasnt recoverable earlier.

Further, soil and vegetation consultingspecialists can respond to the issue of acidrock drainage (ARD), which is a key prob-lem with mining. When rock is e xposedover a long period of time, the water thatruns from it is acidic and hampers efforts torevegetate. If the process can be mitigated bycovering the rock, ARD stops in its tracks.

For the consultation process to succeed,there needs to be mutual respect and rapport and experience on the part of the consul-

tant. rust comes into play from havinggone to the wal l for a client, Ruffell says.

Te same industry people move frequentlyinto and out of myriad business ventures.

A consultants exper ience with them willform the foundation of his or her reputation.

Many of the best consulting engineershave come out of industry. Tey understandthe pressures about what to do and whatnot to do at certain stages. When Ruffellreturned from his sel f-imposed sabbaticalin the waste management field, he was inti-

mately familiar with considerations uniqueto that industry. Te prime thing you learnin working in industry is to think like theclient and understand his problems from

AGENTS OF CHANGE: The Canadian

International Institute For Extractive

Industries And Development (CIIEID)

What it is:A world-renowned centre of

expertise that will help developing coun-

tries reap the full benefit of their natural

resources. It will share best practices, con-

sult about capacity building, policy, leg-

islation and regulation development and

support education and research innova-

tion to create jobs and prosperity.

Where it is: At the University of British

Columbia, operating in conjunction with

Simon Fraser University and cole Poly-

technique de Montreal. International

partners will also provide consultation

and expertise.

When it began:Prime Minister StephenHarper made the announcement in Octo-

ber 2011. The UBC became the opera-

tional site in November 2012.

Who it will help:Initial analysis suggests

assistance to Latin America, Sub-Saharan

Africa and Asia.

Who funds it:The Canadian Interna-

tional Development Association (CIDA)

provided $25 million.

For more information:Contact Bern

Klein, acting executive director, at

[email protected].



STAMPEDE PARK: Less than 10 days before the 2013 Calgary Stampede,the floods threatened the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.

PHOTO:COURTESYCITYOFCALGARY


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A recovery plan eight years in the making kicked in,even as the floodwaters of June rose

In the recovery, everyone in the industryhas said, We can start right now or sooner.

Gordon Stewart, Recovery Director, Recovery Operations Centre Task Force

albertainnovators 21

BYCARISSA HALTON

WO PEOPLE STOOD UNDER A GREY

skyin the backyards of the evacuatedcommunity of Grayling Terrace.On any other day, they might have

been hikers or dog walkers enjoying the banksof Fort McMurrays Hangingstone River.Except on this day the dependably placidriver was rushing faster than most people had

ever seen it. As the Hangingstone scrambledhigher, its banks balked and surrendered to thecareening trees and clawing water. The twopeople, spotters actually, stood facing the erod-ing banks. Two feetright, said one intoa radio.Yeah, yeah,swing it to the left, theother answered.Rightthere. Now!As theyspoke into their radios,they watched the 40-metre arm of a 500-tonnecrane drop engineered concrete interlocking

blocks in place. The crane was parked on theother side of the houses. In the centre of a quietcul de sac, it lifted the blocks between housesand dropped them at the spotters directions.

Seated safely in his off ice, Jason Vanderz-waag remembers that day. We had no roadaccess to the actual river, says Vanderzwaag,

Associated Engineering project manager inFort McMurray. So we worked closely withthe contractor and collectively came up withthe solution to park a crane in the cul de sac.Slowly, a stable wall rose to protect the fragile

riverbank and reduce the impact of flooding inthe community.

Grayling Terrace wasnt the only commu-nity threatened by flooding in Fort McMurray.

A day after the peak flooding occurred on June10, 2013, Associated Engineering was calledby the municipalitys emergency response teamand asked to assess locations where flood dam-

age had been reported. Vanderzwaag went outto review a section of river that had cutawaybanks close to the evacuated Ptarmigan trailercourt. The river had partially eroded a road-

way and was encroaching on what we knew tobe a water main and sanitary line in the area,

he says. The question put to us was, Whathas to happen to lift the evacuation order?

What Vanderzwaag found was somethingeven more emergent: A retaining wall, sup-porting the only access road to the Waterwaysand Draper communities from Highway 63,

was at risk.He advised the municipality that the

evacuation order in Ptarmigan was second-ary and that other infrastructure needed tobe addressed immediately. The municipalityresponded with a green light to mobilize crews,

and over the next four days, large angular rockwas brought in to stabilize the banks at risk.

Of course, it wasnt the only flood story ofthe year. Less than two weeks later, CougarCreek and the Bow, Elbow and Highwoodrivers (among others) would become churningtorrents: ripping houses, animals and forestsfrom their banks and distributing the debris

across southern Alberta.Calvin McClary, Calgary manager of ISLEngineering and Land Services, has been inthe consulting engineering business for 35

year s. It didntcompletely surpriseme, he says. Yearsago in a f irst-

year engineeringcourse at the Uni-

versity of Calgary,I had a professor explain that there is always arisk that a large storm that centres on the Bow

River basin will cause significant flooding.That is where the flood in the early part of thelast century came from. When I heard that 150millimetres of rain was due in the province,I said to my wife, Theres going to be a floodtomorrow.

Of course, McClary didnt expect the kindof flooding unleashed on southern Albertaon June 20, 2013. Twenty-nine states of localemergency were declared, 100,000 people weredisplaced and four people lost their lives. Thefloods were the costliest in Albertas history


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and, while the recovery continues, estimateddamages could exceed $5 billion.

As the rain came down and it became clearthat Canmore would be severely impacted,McClary called the ISL Engineering officethere.

I have five guys, three trucks and threeportable generators. Do you need them?McClary asked.

Yes, said his lead in Canmore.

Ill get them to you as soon as we can,McClary confirmed.(One of the five volunteers who left that

day would return to hisdrowned car bobbing in

water in a parking lot thatno one had realized wasbelow flood level.)

When the f ive arrivedin Canmore, they werepositioned wherever the town emergencypersonnel needed them. Our folks watchedslopes that were sliding, bridges that were fail-

ing and we reported back. As Cougar Creekreceded, their structural engineers entered thehomes damaged by the flood. One engineerinspected 117 houses in two days.

He had to determine if the home wouldfall down or not, McClary pauses, seeminglyin respect for those homes he had no choicebut to condemn. Its a tough thing to do.

Back in Calgary and four days afterthe flood, McClary started work on theScollen Bridge that crosses the Elbow Riveron 25 Avenue SW and connects the commu-

When he heard 150 millimetres of rainwas due, Calvin McClary told his wife,

Theres going to be a flood.

22 albertainnovators

nity of Mission to Macleod Trail. The floodhad captured a construction trailer somewhereupstream and carried it until the trailer lodgedon the bridge. It effectively rerouted waterinto the neighbourhood of Mission. The eastapproach to the bridge was completely washedaway.

The Stampede was set to begin in lessthan 10 days and the City wanted McClaryto assess whether the bridge could be ready

by then. PCL was contracted for work on thebridge and Standard General for the road-work. Ive worked with them for many years,

says McClary. The second day we were there,I said that I thought it would take seven days.I told the City that if they could get us the

materials, we could do it.Despite the feat of co-ordination, materi-

als and work required, they pulled it off. Thecommitment of the folks that worked for thecontractors really allowed this to happen. Thecrews would commit to getting somethingdone in a day and theyd stay until it got done,says McClary. And hats off to the City. Thecompetence and ability of my contact with theCity to deliver what needed to happen, and toeffectively organize for the people at the site toget the work done, was phenomenal.

That phenomenal capacity was not hap-penstance. The City of Calgarys responseto the 2013 flood was eight years in themaking. The Citys framework for responseand recovery was developed after the 2005floods. Named the top weather story of that

year by Environment Canada, heavy rainshad caused flood damage to about 40,000Calgary homes (roughly one in 10 homesin the city) and evacuated more than 1,500people. Insured and uninsured losses topped$400 million.

According to Gordon Stewart, recov-ery director with the Recovery OperationsCentre Task Force, the City built an emer-gency response and recovery framework nowconsidered best practice by the ConferenceBoard of Canada. Were working with anumber of large international firms thathave done recovery work in areas damaged byHurricanes Katrina and Sandy, says Stew-

art. When they give us advice its alreadybeen implemented.

This recovery plan kicked in even as thefloodwaters rose. The recovery started beingplanned the first day.

But the floods of 2005 didnt just provide aclear guide for future recovery efforts. It alsoset in motion significant mitigation effortsthat led to city infrastructure weathering thefloods this time around.

For instance, the experts anticipated thepressure of a flood on the citys water treat-

ment facilities and, over the past eight years,the City has invested more than $400 mil-lion to upgrade treatment plants. Stewart

explains, If you doa review of mostflood events, oneof the first thingsthat happens whena flood occurs is aboil water order.

For the 2013 f loods, while the City releasedan advisory to reduce water use, Stewart saysthere was never any concern for the quality or

safety of the drinking water.City staff, with significant support from

consulting engineers, assessed and solvednumerous problems in advance. We put themoney into infrastructure, says Stewart.

And in the face of Albertas worst f loodingin recent memory, he confirms, It workedreally well.

Much of the work, both in the recoveryand mitigation efforts, carries the finger-prints of consulting engineers. A lot of my

work is done by the consulting engineers

REBUILDING: Much of the industrys post-flood continues to befocussed on recovery of the areas hardest hit, such as Kananaskis.



industry, says Stewart. Whi le there aremany engineers working within the citysorganization, for the largest things that wedo, we go to the consulting industry to pro-vide that expertise to us.

And in the recovery, almost everyone inthe industry weve called has said, We canstart r ight now or sooner what would youlike us to do? says Stewart.

Much of the industrys work continues tobe focused on the recovery. In High River,ISL Engineering is helping to rebuild bridgesand patch roads so theyll last the winter. Thecompany is in the Hamlet of Exshaw andin Big Horn. It is rebuilding forestry trunkroads, and infrastructure along Highway 66.

Moving forward, however, the cities andprovince will need the best minds in theconsulting engineering industry to focus onmatters of mitigation. Building further resil-ience into new infrastructure projects will

be critical. The provinces Flood RecoveryTask Force, as it moves into the long-termplanning phases of recovery, will require theindustrys expertise. The City of Calgary sFlood Recovery Operations has struck anexpert panel on which consulting engineerswill play a key role assessing what is neededto make things better in the future.

When it comes to rebuild ing, Stewartreflects, At the end of the day, we have totalk about what the [mitigation] measure is,what the cost of the measure is, and what is

the risk that these dollars will mitigate. It willbe about weighing this many dollars againstthis much risk. Council needs to make thesekinds of decisions.

Whatever these projects of the futurelook like, no doubt they will continue toshowcase not only the industrys exper-tise, but also its relationships. The workthat occurred because of the 2013 floodscould not have happened without theco-operative relationships consultingengineers, contractors and local govern-ments have built in offices and ditches,on drenched roadways and windy bridges.In the infrastructure business, McClarysays, no one gets it done by themselves.

Thi s co-oper at ion isnt l imited toindustry par tners, either. The work ofconsulting engineers during and after thefloods reinforced the industrys commu-nity connections.

It was amazing to work in that envi-ronment, recalls McClary. We were inone of the worst hit flood areas in Cal-gary. Folks around us were struggling to

empty out their basements, yet were sosupportive of what we were doing. Ordi-nary citizens came down to hand outfood to volunteers and included us in thebunch.

For the first time in McClarys 35-yearcareer, a team of nuns supported him onthe job. Their retirement building was notfar from the crippled Scollen Bridge and,despite experiencing their own losses, thewomen stopped by the const ruction sitewith baked goods.

Muffins, anyone? the nuns asked.They handed out the treats, and it was oneof the few times the crews would take abreak that week.

REBUILDING HOPE

Andre Corbould , chi ef assis tant deputy

minister of the Southern Alberta Flood

Recovery Task Force, recalls his role in early

recovery efforts, and predicts the future of

flood mitigation.

I got called on June 21 and was asked to

go to the provincial operation centre and

start thinking about taking over the flood

recovery effort. Essentially, my role has been

to put together a task force. But its not just

the Government of Alberta thats going to

recover; its all Albertans who need to recover

from the flood.

We got about 85 stakeholders together in

the first week, including the municipal asso-

ciations, road builders, and of course one

of our key stakeholders was the Consulting

Engineers of Alberta. We wanted to brief

consulting engineers on the plan for recov-

ery. Since then, weve put out severalrequests for proposals, where weve had

consulting engineers come in to work on

specific projects, be they long-term flood

mitigation or other things.

The first priority is peoples essentials of

life, such as heat, shelter, and food. The next

priority begins the recovery effort how

quickly we can get back to normal. It varies

between individual homes and individual

circumstances. After those priorities come

the greater pieces, such as provincial infra-

structure.On a large scale, weve repaired most of

the highways and bridges. Weve repaired,

to at least an operational state, most of the

hospitals. Weve either repaired the schools

or built temporary ones. And those three

items in particular from an infrastructure

perspective are tied to peoples needs.

By the time were done full recovery

once people are fine and theyve got new

homes, bridges are back up, and weve actu-

ally mitigated and reduced the risk of future

events that long-term recovery could take10 years.

Weve allocated funds to come up with

more resilient designs for bridges and roads

in flood-affected areas. Transportation has

done excellent analysis based on what hap-

pened in 2013, and theyre in the process

of working through with consultants to

enhance our designs. Were open to anything

that will help us reduce the risk to Albertans.

-As told to Shelley Williamson

GRAYLING TERRACE: Fort McMurray was one of many municipalities affectedby the June floods, which involved the help of consulting engineers early on.


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TOP FIVE: Consulting engineers have asmaller cohort in the 20- to 40-year-oldage group. Meet tomorrows leaders.


BYLEWIS KELLY & SHELLEY WILLIAMSON | PHOTOS BY CONSTANTINE TANASIUK

Meet the engineers who

will lead the pack in the

next generation of Albertas

consulting engineers

ROM THE STRUCTURE OF THE OFFICE TOWERS WHERE WE

work and the houses in which we live to the wastewater sys-tems that keep both safe and pleasant, engineers build the

world around us. Talking to the rising stars of consulting engineering,then, can reveal the personalities that will shape our lives and those ofour children and grandchildren.Innovatorscaught up with five of theindustrys Young Turks for some insight on where they come from andhow they plan to build our world.

F

TomorrowsBUILDERS



gible results, with her surveying work contrib-uting to the realignment of Highway 13 just

west of Wetaskiwin.She knows most people dont pause to give

thanks to the engineer who made sure theroad is straight and level. She likes it that way.Teres something nice about knowing that

youve done your job so well that no one has tothink about it, says Leithead.

She says engineering will need to changegears to keep pace with the modern world.Engineering serves society, so when societychanges, so must those who build and main-tain it. Leithead says were increasingly con-cerned with resource conservation and modesof transit other than the car. omorrows infra-structure will need to integrate residential andcommercial buildings more frequently, andcater to all kinds of transit.

Leithead would also like to see engineersfoster personal bonds with clients. Historically,

we havent been so good at celebrating the suc-cesses of the profession, she says. People talkabout my doctor or my lawyer. I think it wouldbe nice if my engineer was used like that.

JACKIE MYKYTIUK,

Process engineer, Associated Engineering

As chair of the CEA Young ProfessionalsGroups Edmonton wing, part of Jackie Myky-tiuks job is to promote the glamorous lifestyleand satisfying work of a consulting engineer to

undergraduates. Given the attention span andinterests of most students, this is no small task.Mykytiuks approach is as elegant as it is time-less: lure them there with free pizza.

Once trapped, the students are in for somepersuasive testimony on the benefits of consult-ing engineering as a career choice. Mykytiuk

went into her engineering degree expecting tospend her career designing bridges. By the timeshe graduated, she was more fascinated with

wastewater treatment plants than bridges.heres more opportunity for company

PATRICK FLEMING,

Principal, KFR Engineering

Patrick Fleming comes from a family of build-ers architects, engineers, lego enthusiasts,

you name it. A childhood dream of building jetplanes and a dalliance with fluid mechanics inuniversity funnelled him into mechanical engi-

neering as a young man. But the mid-1990s,when he finished his masters degree at theUniversity of Alberta, was not a great time toenter the workforce as an engineer.

He took a job investigating motor vehicleaccidents, using physics to figure out who did

what to whom in collisions. Fleming found thework interesting, notwithstanding the odd grislyaccident, and he appreciated the ability to putgroceries on the table. But his heart wasnt in it.

heres some fascinating science in thatworld, he says, but it really wasnt a passion for

me. I investigated a couple hundred accidents,and Id pretty much had my fill at that point.So, when demand for mechanical engineers

returned, Fleming moved to Stantec. He jokesthat Stantec gave him just enough rope to hanghimself. Instead, he grabbed that metaphoricalrope and made like a daring young man on theflying trapeze. His first leap was to capitalizeon the considerable opportunity for mentorshipthat was in front of him.

After four years at Stantec, HemisphereEngineering lured him away with the chanceto work with Robert Campbell, whom Flem-

ing regards as the finest mechanical engineer inWestern Canada. Fleming worked on a varietyof high-profile projects while at Hemisphere,including the design of the National Institute ofNanotechnology on the campus at the U of A,and an award-winning air quality control sys-tem at the Kinsmen Fieldhouse in Edmonton.

He also met Dwayne Rose and MigoKelada there. Te trio realized they shared acommon ambition: to build a new company.

hey formed KFR Engineering in 2009, anengineering consultancy that designs labs,

hospitals, energy efficiency upgrades for oldbuildings, and more. Te company has grownto around 20 employees since its founding.

Fleming has positioned himself and KFRto act on his vision of building a better futurethrough engineering. Alberta has invested a lotin infrastructure in the last decade and, he says,it will need more in years to come. Alberta

wont meet its growth requirements withoutstrong, empowered engineers, Fleming says.Its timely for engineers to step up and talkabout the importance of engineering.

He also wants to entrench KFR as a f latconsultancy, one in which even the most seniorstaff still do substantial amounts of engineer-ing themselves. Fleming says this makes anengineering business stronger, but it also keepsthe principals connected with the youngestengineers and able to provide what they need

most: mentorship.he market is such in Alberta, because

of oil boom-and-bust and recessions, theresa scarcity of engineering talent in their late20s to early 40s, he says. Its critical to carryknowledge to the younger generation.

DANA LEITHEAD,

Municipal infrastructure manager,

Al-Terra Engineering

None of Dana Leitheads friends like travellingwith her. Its not that shes rude or insists on lis-tening to Nickelback on the car stereo. She just

gets sentimental.Ill be driving along and Ill go, Oh, I did

this project! I remember this culvert!, or Tatpiece of subgrade was really problematic,Leithead laughs. No one wants to drive withcivil engineers.

But everyone wants well-engineered roadsto drive on. After 15 years at Al-erra, datingback to her days in the University of Albertasco-op program, Leithead finds projects on

which she has worked all over the place. Evenher first co-op term with Al-erra yielded tan-


26/72

he 20-year veteran learned his craft atthe University of Victoria, where he gradu-ated with a bachelors degree in mechanicalengineering through a co-op program. Hehighly recommends this hands-on learningroute to the next generation of engineers. Ihad that opportunity and it was a good wayto find out what those industries were reallylike, says McGaw, who relocated to Edmon-ton for professional opportunities two yearsago. You have this image of what its like to

work in a lab, but until you work in a lab, youdont know. If you can find out in a co-op envi-ronment, youll set yourself up for success once

you graduate.McGaw was the managing principal on

the newly-opened Edmonton Remand Cen-tre, which is about to complete its year-end

warranty review. He is also the managing

principal at work on the Edmonton FederalBuilding renovations.

Preserving the art deco landmark, thatproject challenges McGaw to make the build-ing sustainable with a LEED Gold rating. Onthe horizon, McGaw has a supervisory role inEdmontons planned downtown arena project.

Along with the impressive dollar value of thehigh-profile projects at $1.6 billion all told the buildings have brought and wil l bringtheir share of challenges, which include theopportunity to take on a supervisory role,

McGaw says.Painting a picture thats far from the dryreputation engineering normally gets, whatMcGaw likes best about mechanical and con-sulting engineering are the daily opportunitiesto learn. From the technical side, its alwayschanging. I never get the feeling that Im stag-nating, he says. heres always somethingnew to learn or to understand, or troubleshoot.

Teres always something new happening.

DAVID OFIELD,

Environmental engineer in training, Stantec

Its tempting to think of immigrants as eco-nomic refugees: the housing market in Irelandor the cod stock in Newfoundland collapsesand Albertas labour pool becomes bigger.

David Ofield doesnt fit this image. Whatwith the global financial crisis and all, Ham-ilton wasnt exactly a boomtown when hefinished his masters degree at McMaster Uni-

versity in 2008. Ofield could still find work inhis native Ontario.

Infrastructure needs dont go away. Youstill need your water, your roads, your build-ings, Ofield says. Well always be in demand,and thats why I think engineering is a greatcareer path, but I wanted something morethan the typical engineering life. Tat desirefor something more, plus a passion for hikingaround and over mountains, drew him west to

work for Stantec.

Consulting engineering was attractivefor me because I wanted diversity, the abilityto experiment with multiple disciplines. Tat

was one of my goals when I started at Stantec,Ofield says.

At Stantec, he ultimately chose to specializein wastewater treatment and drainage, keep-ing Edmontons basements dry and its citizenshydrated. Ofield takes pride in every project he

works on, but he especially relishes the chanceto contribute to something in his community.He loves to run past the Rossdale water treat-

ment plant south of downtown Edmonton,where an award-winning dechlorination sys-tem he had a hand in keeping the North Sas-katchewan a healthy waterway.

Te number of people aware of his work onit are a minuscule fraction of those who benefitfrom it. hat doesnt bother Ofield. heressome satisfaction in being behind the scenes,making a significant contribution to society

without being praised for it, he says. Te factthat those parts of our society run smoothly isall the credit we really need.

Tat willingness to stand in the background

presents a problem for the field.Ofield, along with the other up-and-com-

ers mentioned in here, would like to see youngconsulting engineers become more comfort-able in the spotlight, enticing more younggraduates to jump into the profession and reapits rewards.

Its so neat to see your ideas come to life,Ofield says. o be able to see a need forsomething within society and a need within

your community and meet it is tremendouslysatisfying.


ownership and making a difference in theengineering world, says Mykytiuk, on theconsulting side of things. As much as being incharge, she likes the variety of projects consult-ing lets her work on, and getting to travel todifferent areas of Alberta for work.

Mykytiuk does see some problems in theindustry, though. Engineers are not famedfor their eloquence and charisma, and some-times they fail to pipe up for the worthinessof their work.

And this has signif icance beyond under-stroked egos. When government decides totighten its belt, as tends to happen periodicallyin oil-powered Alberta, infrastructure is oftenthe target. If infrastructure spending falls intothat category, consulting engineers who deal

with the provinces highways, water treatmentplants, bridges, and landfills will be left high

and dry along with Albertas citizens.Engineers havent done a good job adver-

tising or marketing as a profession, she says.We dont provide just another commodity. Itsthe taxpayers money. When youre putting ina sewer or a road, you want it to last a long time,so you go through those extra hours of engi-neering time to make sure it does.

TODD MCGAW,

Vice-president of mechanical engineering,

Hemisphere Engineering

o hear odd McGaw speak about the proc-

ess of designing mechanical systems for build-ings, you would think he was waxing poeticabout a painting or a piece of sculpture.

Its a creative process to bring togethermechanical and electrical systems; I likenthem to the lungs and veins of the body. Yourbuilding takes life when you start it up andit does have a life of its own. Teres creativ-ity in bringing those systems to life, saysthe consulting engineer and vice-presidentof mechanical engineering at HemisphereEngineering.


27/72

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When you congratulate the Lieutenant Governors awards winners thisyear, spare a thought for the creator of the award: Don Chambers

AWINNING AWARD

THE CEA LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS

Award for Dist inguished Achieve-ment recognizes its recipients

accomplishments and contributions to theconsulting engineering industry and to theircommunities across Alberta. Its the highestindividual honour the CEA bestows upon itsmembers. Its only fitting, then, that since theinception of this prestigious award in 2007,a little extra ingenuity has gone into its designand creation.

BYJORDAN WILKINS|PHOTOS BYBB COLLECTIVE

Don Chambers, a past president of theCEA and founder of Walters Chambers &

Associates, spent the majority of his careeras a structural engineer, but since retiringseveral years ago, hes had more time todevote to hobbies. But, like most people,Chambers finds that even a pastime iseasier to engage in when theres a deadline.Luckily, theres one every year. Since2007, Chambers has handcrafted eachaward that winners receive at the annual

Lieutenant Governors Award ceremony.As anyone whos been lucky enough toreceive this honour knows, this isnt just asimple wood carving; Chambers constructsan intricate kaleidoscope from scratch.he idea came from discussions with theCEA executive committee, Chambersrecalls. Tey knew I had an artistic side

woodworking, pottery, stuff like that andthey wanted to do something special for thisaward. Te idea grew from there.



Chambers had made some simplekaleidoscopes previously but he wanted tomake sure these CEA awards pieces were

wor thy of the prest igious title. He alsothought it was important to incorporateaspects of engineering, which is why eachkaleidoscope can also double as an engineer

level, something that CEA CEO KenPilip says makes the award that much morespecial.

Te award always looks amazing, Pilipsays. It adds to the prestige of winning, andit epitomizes the engineer level something

weve all used. Our recipients are proud toaccept the Lieutenant Governors Award.

And theres no shortage of worthy CEAmembers. Narrowing it down to just onerecipient was a challenge for the first several

years, but this problem was al lev iated in

2012 when the award was first presented tomultiple deserving members who embodythe spirit of the Lieutenant Governors

Award. Te same thing happened in 2013,and again this year. While having multiple

winners is a testament to the communityinvolvement of CEA members, it has madeaward season a lit tle busier for Chambers,

not that he minds. Actually, the engineerin him relishes the opportunity to buildmultiple kaleidoscopes each year; its madehim more efficient.

Chambers has the art down to a scienceand can construct an entire award complete

wit h a matc hing wood st and fo r thekaleidoscope in two or three weeks. Quiteimpressive, considering the number of thetools he has to call on. A lot of it is doneon lathe, Chambers explains. I also use aband saw, table saw, sand belt, glass cutterand a few more. Fortunately, Chambers has

always had a workshop at home, and when hemoved into his current condo, he made surethere was space. Teres a lot of dust control,he laughs.

Because there are so many differentapproaches to kaleidoscope building,Chambers has allowed his design to evolveover the years. Tis years award is about 10inches long with a cylinder nearly two inchesin diameter. here are two main parts; aneight-inch portion that includes mirrors anda two-and-a-half inch rotating section with

crystals. Chambers says the design is basedon the classic kaleidoscope blueprint, but tomake sure the moving parts function, he putsspecial work into customizing its bearings,an area that a lot of kaleidoscope makersoverlook. I guess thats the engineer in me,Chambers says. He says that, deep down, allengineers are artists.

Te engineering community has shown itsappreciation for the Lieutenant GovernorsAwards over the years, but that admirationgoes beyond the community, too. Beforethe award could bear the title of LieutenantGovernor, the Lieutenant Governor himself,then the Hon. Norman Kwong, had to givehis approval. He really liked it, Chambersrecalls. It is pretty unique as far as awards goand Ive heard a lot of nice feedback. It reallygives me a warm feeling when I think aboutit; its a nice pat on the back.

Pilip, too, has heard positive reaction and

hopes this CEA tradition will continue foras long as possible. In addition to it being agreat way for Chambers to remain involved

with CEA during his retirement, he saysits also a special way to honour the awardrecipients.

Tese awards have a very lasting appealand I know people really cherish them, Pilipsays. Tis isnt something youre going to tuckaway in the corner; youre going to display itproudly. Its a one-of-a-kind representation ofa truly great achievement.

Chambers customizes the bearings, an area that

kaleidoscope makers overlook. I guess thats theengineer in me, he says.


30/72

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j

Myriad as an alternative to Scala? It could work, and might be nicer,actually

Myriad for Display

Myriad call out style something like this. I thinkits pretty good. What do you consider to be afine font?

Myriad for DisplaySIDEBAR HEAD

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molore




Force Structures from CBR Cement Corpo-

ration. At that time, Con-Force was one of theworlds largest producers of precast concrete.Tat year he was also appointed vice-chair-man of the Canadian echnical Committeeon Reinforced Concrete Design. And in casehe wasnt busy enough, Breeze co-authoredhandbooks on best practices for reinforcedconcrete design.

He punctuated his time in Calgary withthree years in Detroit as the managing direc-

tor of engineering at the American ConcreteInstitute, serving the membership base of20,000 professionals and supporting morethan 100 technical committees. While inDetroit, Breeze formed the Strategic Devel-opment Council, a concrete technology mar-

keting group. He returned to Calgary in 1997to join Reid Crowther & Partners as managerof the companys structural division.

Breeze says the secret to his success hasbeen his focus on team-building. Some peo-ple are project-oriented, he says. Im moreabout teams. Ive been fortunate in that Ivereported to and worked with people who havebeen some of the strongest in the business.

His no-regrets HR philosophy is simple:surround yourself with the right people and

youre halfway to success. For Breeze, the

When his British company ceasedCanadian operations, Paul Breezedecided to stay on

NE OF THE FIRST THINGS PAUL BREEZE

noticed about Alberta when hestepped off the plane in February

1976 was how much bigger everything seemedcompared to the United Kingdom. Widestreets, big cars, big skies, he says.

Breeze was in Edmonton on business,scouting Canadian opportunities on behalfof the engineering firm he worked for in theU.K. He liked what he saw, and returned toEdmonton to represent his company fourmonths later, this time

with his wi fe Pam and

their two children.Te lady at the airportsaid, Were going to rush

you through immigrationbecause I know youll wantto go to the RainmakerRodeo in St. Albert, herecalls, laughing. We didnt even know whatthat was.

When the U.K. company that sent himhere ceased its Canadian operations the fol-lowing year, Breeze joined MB Engineeringas a senior structural and project engineer. He

soon traded one prairie province for anotherand moved to Regina to become the man-ager of engineering for Con-Force ProductsLtd. (the name soon changed to Con-ForceStructures), a firm that specialized in precastconcrete.

Breezes balance of technical and manage-ment skills led him to a variety of work andincreasing responsibility. After Saskatchewan,he moved to Calgary in 1980 to become part ofCon-Forces senior management team, and in1988, he and a few colleagues acquired Con-

BYJEN JANZEN|PHOTO BYJOEY PODLUBNY

NEWHORIZONS

Breezes balance of technical

and management skills ledhim to a variety of work andincreasing responsibility.


32/72

We are pleased to partner with

our colleagues at CEA to fostera positive business environmentfor design in Alberta.

Advocating for enhancementsto the way projects are:

Procured;

Contracted;

Delivered; and how

Services are valued

www.consultingarchitects.ab.ca

The Alberta Roadbuilders &

Heavy Construction Association

would like to acknowledge our

2013-2014 Chairman, whois returning for a second term!

Dwayne Berlando

Lahrmann Construction Inc.

right people arent necessarily the ones withthe most experience; theyre the ones with the

can-do attitude. Qualifications are important,but skills can be upgraded, he says. Attitudeis there to stay.

In 2012, with a desire to focus on helpingengineering firms operate better, Breeze hungout a shingle for PBreeze Consulting. Hecreated promotional material, then spent thebetter part of a week crafting individual emailsto the 836 people on his contact list.

I personalized it depending on how well Iknew the person, he says. I still believe that

was the right thing to do.

Ken Pilip, CEO of CEA, worked withBreeze at MB Engineering in 1978 and 1979.After 30 years of lost contact, the two werereunited in 2011 when Breeze volunteered withCEA. Pilip now routinely seeks Breezes coun-sel. His personality is always positive, Pilip

says. He has always been a team player and acompetent professional engineer.

More than anything, Breeze enjoys imple-menting corporate sustainability, something hedefines as building an organization that, for-tified with good planning and best practices,practically runs itself. In engineering, if yourenot careful, youre constantly putting out fires,he said. You need to be reactive, but you shouldhave some contingencies in the background.

Business has been steady, allowing Breezeto vacation with his wife in their holidaytrailer, with work to come home to. Its a goodbalance for the engineer who says hell never

totally retire. As much as Pam and I lead a veryhappy existence, I think Pam would prefer thatIm busy and out of the house, he says with achuckle. As long as I find the work enjoyable,Il l continue to keep my hand in it for as longas I can.

Describing himself as not very bright in his high school years blaming poor grades on

his weekend job at a gas station and an addiction to playing chess with his friends Breeze

was inspired to become an engineer while he was stationed with the British Army in 1964. He

helped build bridges, demolish old buildings, and generally got his feet wet in the world of

military engineering. When he left the army in 1966, he went back to high school to get enough

credits to apply to Kingston University.

Breeze married Pam in April 1969, but before they could truly settle down, he found out that

he had been accepted to university.

Thats when the negotiating began.

Pam said shed support him through university if he would support her wish to raise children

once he finished his training. They didnt exactly shake on it, but four years later, Breeze gradu-

ated. Their first daughter, Katie, was born in 1974. Simon came in 1975, just before their move to

Canada, and Lucy the real Canadian, jokes Breeze was born in 1977. Pam has remained the

matriarch of the Breeze family, which now includes two teenage grandsons.

LETS MAKE A DEAL


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www.apega.caWE MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta

invites its members to help shape their Association and their

professions. Vote in the 2014 APEGA Council election.

They are your professions and your Association.

Online polls open at 9 a.m., Monday, March 3

and close 12 noon, Sunday, April 6.

Visitapega.ca to learn more.

The future of self-regulationis in your hands.



A Good StartYoung professionals can look forward to a brightfuture in Albertas consulting industry

OUR INDUSTRY IS CHANGING AND

expanding with new project chal-lenges, technology and innovation

its an exciting time to be a young professionalin consulting engineering in Alberta! Over thepast five years, Ive considered myself lucky tohave had the opportunity to work on a varietyof projects ranging from small railyard expan-

sions to large municipal projects to multi-dis-ciplinary projects for the private sector. One ofthe reasons I love consulting engineering is thevariety of clients and projects that provide mewith new challenges daily. I am very excited tosee what the future has in hold for the next five,10, and 20 years of my career. Im glad that theCEAs CEO and Registrar Ken Pilip, agrees.

Te young professionals are an importantcomponent of the Consulting Engineers ofAlberta, Pilip told me. Tey provide us withnew perspectives, innovative approaches to

engineering and the enthusiasm of youth. Tecompanies they work for and the clients theyserve are all better off because of the talents ofthe Young Professionals.

At the CEA young professionals events, weemphasize the importance of networking with

other young professionals to share experienceand hear about the variety of projects that arehappening within our industry. It is also a greatchance to meet with our peers and discuss thedifferent aspects of consulting and daily chal-lenges. We often discuss design approachesand project management challenges that weface daily. We hold technical tours, workshops,

mixers, and speaker series throughout the yearto promote the participation and developmentof young professionals in our industry.

We are currently planning our first youngprofessional CEA conference, which will hap-pen in Edmonton on May 2, 2014. Were hold-ing a mixer the night before the conference thatwill allow the attendees to network. Our guestpresenter that evening is discussing the theoryand techniques of networking. Te next day, itsa full-day conference with a variety of speakersfocusing on career planning and progression.

Te conference finishes with a reception, din-ner and keynote speaker. Te goal is to providea conference specifically designed to benefityoung professionals in the consulting engineer-ing industry, and to answer some of our com-mon questions.

COURTNEY BOURGEOIS, P.Eng.

Hatch Mott MacDonald

YP Director

We have established young professional(YP) groups in Calgary, Edmonton and RedDeer. Our mission is to enhance the growthof the CEA and the consulting engineeringindustry by promoting the participation anddevelopment of young professionals. In orderto achieve success, we have four fundamentalgoals:1) o improve communication2) o improve participation3) o provide professional and personal devel-

opment for young professionals4) o increase recognition and celebrate the

successes of young professionals

Te YP groups in Calgary, Edmonton, andRed Deer plan events throughout the year,focused on achieving these goals. We defineyoung professionals as those engineers whohave worked for less than 10 years in our indus-try. For more information, or to learn aboutYP events in Alberta, please visit YP webpageunder committees at www.cea.ca.



KeepsONRolling

BYJEN JANZEN|PHOTO BYBUFFY GOODMAN

Art Washuta has spent 40 years on complicatedinfrastructure such as dams and LRT projects.And hes not slowing down



OR ART WASHUTA, WORKI NG ON

Edmontons recent LR expansionproject is a trip down memory lane.

One of his first-ever postings was that of resi-dent engineer for the construction of the CNRail/Edmonton transit underpass near theColiseum (now Rexall Place). It was 1974,and Washuta was fresh out of the Univer-sity of Albertas civil engineering program.Edmonton was the first city with a populationof less than a million toimplement a light railtransit system, and

Washuta was thrilledto work on it. Tat wasleading-edge work for asmall city, he says.

I n 2 0 0 0 , wh en

the City of Edmon-ton started to expandthe LRT track southtowards the university, Washuta was backwhere it all began. He has continued to workon the different phases of the LRT, helping todesign and build tunnels, grade separations andstations to accompany the extended tracks.

His work with the City of Edmontoncounts as a career highlight, and its working

with long-term clients that gives him a strongsense of pride.

From the days of helping his dad aroundthe house with various projects they once

jacked up the house to retrofit it with a con-crete basement Washuta has always beenbuilding things; the larger and more com-plex, the better. When the province builtand maintained its own infrastructure, he

worked with Alberta ransportation as oneof several engineers responsible for designand construction of the provinces bridges.

After a year with the government, he wasready to move his career into high gear.

I wanted to diversify my experience andget involved with other major projects, heexplains.

Washuta took a position with UMA Engi-neering Ltd. in 1977 and has remained withthat legacy company (now AECOM) eversince. Hes hard-pressed to name a favourite

project but he likes complicated endeavours.One of his pet projects was the Old ManRiver Dam spillway, north of Pincher Creek.

Te largest spil lway in Alberta, it required150,000 cubic metres of concrete and wasdesigned to carry 7,200 cubic metres of

water per second as the probable maximumflood. Washuta was the projects designmanager, and he worked to incorporate thebest practices of the time. Our designs were

reviewed by independentexperts who had experi-ence in similar projectsaround the world. It wasa great opportunity to beexposed to these experts.

Liaising with expertshas been a consistent

theme in Washutas fourdecades of engineering.His approach is simple:

bring global best practices to local projects.I believe in diverse teams, he says. Insteadof trying to do everything within our com-pany, bring the best available experts to theproject.

One of his most challenging projects wasbuilding short-range radar stations for theDepartment of National Defence in the mid-1980s. Intended to detect aircraft intrusions

into Canadian airspace, these were difficultdue to their remoteness along the ArcticCoast from Yukon to N.W.. and due tothe permafrost in many of them. We had todevelop innovative designs for the founda-tions, Washuta says.

Washuta has worked with the Depa rt-ment of National Defence and DefenceConstruction Canada since 1992, clean-ing up Distant Early Warning l ine sites.

Tis is another of his long-term client rela-tionships. Along with the DND and theCity of Edmonton, Washuta entered into

a three-year agreement with the RegionalMunicipality of Wood Buffalo to deliverengineering for 80 per cent of its capital pro-gram from 2010 to 2012.

With large teams supporting complexprojects, communication needs to be a mainfocus, and Washuta has enjoyed figuring outhow to keep dozens of people on the samepage. You need a proven strategy to bringteams together to adopt effective communi-cation, to clarif y roles and responsibilities,he says. Basically, youre trying to trans-

I believe in diverse teams. Insteadof trying to do everything within

our company, bring the best

available experts to the project.

OLD MAN RIVER: Among Art Washutas projects is theOld Man River Dam spillway, the largest of its kind in Alberta.


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form a group of strangers into an effectiveteam. He hires a facilitator often several

times throughout a project to lead a team-building session so the group can go overessentials like scope of work and rolesand responsibilities.

Now the senior vice-president of trans-portation at AECOM, Washuta has beenin the field for 40 years, but doesnt envisionstepping out any time soon. Engineers dontretire. Tey just keep going, he says. Evenhis hobbies are related to building: Washutahas been a member of the Edmonton PottersGuild for 15 years, and relishes the chance to

spend time at the pottery wheel, wrestlingwith the mud. Its a total diversion from worklife. You get to use a different part of yourbrain on something thats more creative.

Calgary |Canmore |Edmonton

Engineering |Planning |Landscape Architecture |Surveying

Municipal Engineering

Transportation Engineering

Community Planning

Landscape Architecture

LiDAR / Aerial Imagery

Emergency Management

Integrated solutionsto support Albertas infrastructure needs

www.McElhanney.com

Washuta says right off the bat that he may be a rare species. Im one of the few engineers whoreally enjoys writing proposals, he says. Over the years, hes had a chance to hone his skills, and

has boiled it down to three main objectives:

1. Have a champion.Washuta says a champion is somebody who lives and breathes the

pursuit of the opportunity, somebody who is driven and enthusiastic and wants to win the

job. Ideally, this champion would also be the future project manager if work goes ahead.

2. Understand the clients needs.Whats their project history? If you know where your poten-

tial clients are coming from, youll be able to forecast the kind of work theyre looking

to have done.

3. Plan, plan, plan.How are you going to approach the project? What are you going to do

differently from your competition? Look for innovative solutions. Emphasize the strengthsof your team and think carefully about what youre going to do to neutralize your own weak-

nesses, Washuta says. And use graphics it has to look as good as it reads.

THREE TIPS TO CRAFT A WINNING PROPOSAL

EDMONTON LRT: Since its creation in 1974, Art Washutahas long been called to work on the c itys LRT.

DEW LINE: Among his DND projects were buildingshort-range radar stations along the Arctic coast.


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Patrick Fleming, P. Eng.

Director

KFR Engineering Services

Matt Brassard

Vice President

Urban Systems Ltd.

Todd McGaw, P. Eng.

Director

Hemisphere Engineering Inc.

Eva Schulz, P. Ag.

Director

AECOM Canada Ltd.

Craig Clifton, P. Eng.

President

Clifton Associates Ltd.

John Slater, P. Eng.

Director

AMEC Earth & Environmental

Courtney Bourgeois, P. Eng.

YP Director

Hatch Mott MacDonald

Kelly Yuzdepski, P. Eng.

Director

CIMA+

Heinrich Heinz, P. Eng.

Director

Thurber Engineering Ltd.

Gord Johnston, P. Eng.

ACEC Liaison

Stantec Consulting

Dick Walters, P. Eng.

APEGA Liaison

Walters Chambers

Ed Stelmach

Honorary Director

Consulting Engineers of Alberta

Paul Ruffell, P. Eng.

ACEC Liaison

Tetra Tech EBA

Art Washuta

Past President Board Member

AECOM

Manoj Mistry, P. Eng.

Director

Stantec Consulting

Deon Wilner, P. Eng.

Director

ISL Engineering & Land Services Ltd.

Brad Kennedy

CAA Liaison

Brinsmead Kennedy Architecture

Sheldon Hudson, P. Eng.

Past President

Al-Terra Engineering Ltd.

Doug Olson, P. Eng.

Treasurer

Associated Engineering Ltd.

Dwayne Johnston, P. Eng.

Director

Morrison Hershfield Limited



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FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

In Winfield, Alberta in the 1960s, there wasnt a huge emphasis on educa-

tion. Most of Leo Broks buddies quit school after Grade 10. My parentsinsisted that we graduate from high school, Leo says, so thats what

he and his younger brother Corry did. Both Broks boys had an academic

bent and t

alberta innovators 2014

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