alberta innovators 2014
Post on 04-Jun-2018
219 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
1/72
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
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
2/72
| B U I L D I N G S | H E A V Y I N D U S T R I A
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
3/72
Watch us build at PCL.com
| C I V I L I N F R A S T R U C T U R E |
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
4/72
Start growing today
780.378.1230 | nait.ca/cit
A LEADING POLYTECHNIC
COMMITTED TO STUDENT SUCCESS
TO TRAINING
CUSTOMIZE YOUR CORPORATE TRAINING PROGRAM
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
5/72albertainnovators 5
Presenting:
Fostering:
Supporting:
Contributing:
Patron:
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
6/726 albertainnovators
9
Messagefrom
theP
remier
11
Messagefrom
CEAP
resid
ent
andCEO
/Regist
rar
13
Messagefrom
ACEC
Chair
andP
resid
ent
34
Messagefromth
eCEs
YoungP
rofession
alsGroup
38
CEAB
oard
ofDirectors
61
CEAM
embe
rshipDi
rectory
69
Indexo
fAdvertis
ers
70
Code
ofConsulting
EngineeringEthics
43
28
14
20
41
35
24
31
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: info@cea.ca
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
PUBLISHED BY:
Venture Publishing Inc.10259 105 Street
Edmonton, AB T5J 1E3Toll-free 1-866-227-4276Phone (780) 990-0839
Fax (780) 425-4921www.venturepublishing.ca
PUBLISHER
AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Ruth Kelly
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Joyce Byrne
DIRECTOR OF CUSTOM CONTENT
Mifi Purvis
ART DIRECTOR
Charles Burke
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR
Andrea deBoer
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR
Colin Spence
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Betty Feniak Smith
PRODUCTION TECHNICIANS
Brent Felzien, Brandon Hoover
VICE-PRESIDENT, SALES
Anita McGillis
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Collen Biondi, Carissa Halton, Jen Janzen, Lewis KellyJordan Wilkins, Shelley Williamson
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS
Buffy Goodman, Raymond Reid, Constantine TanasiukJoey Podlubny, Randy Wiens
Cover illustration by Raymond Reid
Contents 2014 by Consulting Engineers of Alberta.
No part of this publication should be reproduced
without written permission.
Non-deliverable mail should be directed to CEA:
Suite 870, 10020 - 101A Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5J 3G2
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
7/72
WWW.HATCHMOTT.COM@HMMNews Hatch Mott MacDonald
AIL & TRANSIT |RAIL SYSTEMS |CIVIL & UTILITIES |HIGHWAYS & BRIDGES |TUNNELS |PIPELINES |AVIAT
Calgary West LRT
Edmonton Valley
AWARD
WINNING,
RECOGNIZED
LEADERS IN
RAIL &TRANSIT
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
8/72
www.spatialtechnologies.ca
Vancouver | Edmonton | Calgary
The FlexibleWorkflow Solution
1.877.252.0070
One instrument providing laserscanning, 3D digital imagery
and precision total station
capabilities...For the first time, the Leica Nova MS50combines every significant measuring
technology in one device and opens thedoors to a fascinating new dimension of the
geospatial world. All functions, includingprecision 3D laser scanning, extensive and
precise total station capabilities, digital imageryand GNSS connectivity are now broughttogether in the Leica Nova MultiStation.
All images are synchronized with scans andall scans are tied into total station
measurements, for the easiest way ofmanaging your complex 3D data.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
9/72
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
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
10/72
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
11/72albertainnovators 11
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
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
12/72
Tetra Techs scientists and engineers are developing sustainable solutions for the worlds most complex projects.
With more than 4,000 employees in 50 offices across Canada and over 14,000 employees in 350 offices
worldwide, we have grown to become one of North Americas largest engineering and sciences firms. From water
and transportation projects, to renewable energy and mining services, Tetra Tech provides innovative solutions
in consulting, engineering, program management, construction management, and technical services worldwide.
www.tetratech.com | www.eba.ca
Tetra Tech EBAhas aligned our reputation and
services with our other Tetra Tech companies
in Canada to provide broader and integrated
services across Canada and around the world.
CLEAR SOLUTIONS FOR WATER, INFRASTRUCTURE, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
13/72albertainnovators 13
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
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
14/7214 albertainnovators
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
15/72albertainnovators 15
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
16/7216 albertainnovators
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-
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
17/72
/ TMTrademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Subject to approval and certain conditions apply. VPS85130
Secure your equipment financingbeforeits time to buy.
Open your RBC Equipment PurchaseLine today
Simply call 1-855-561-6723or visit us at
www.rbc.com/equipment.
If your business makes ongoing equipment purchases, getting the
right equipment at the right time and the right price is critical.
So imagine:
Accessing financing whenever you need it.
Getting the interest rate you deserve.
Avoiding an application process with every purchase.
Now you can with the RBC Equipment PurchaseLine
Youll know how much credit you can access for the whole year with lease
and term borrowing options. Even better, you can set it up ahead of timeso it will always be there when you need it.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
18/72
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
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
19/72
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
devinstitute@mining.ubc.ca.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
20/7220 albertainnovators
STAMPEDE PARK: Less than 10 days before the 2013 Calgary Stampede,the floods threatened the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
PHOTO:COURTESYCITYOFCALGARY
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
21/72
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
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
22/72
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
23/72albertainnovators 23
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
24/72
TOP FIVE: Consulting engineers have asmaller cohort in the 20- to 40-year-oldage group. Meet tomorrows leaders.
24 albertainnovators
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
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
25/72albertainnovators 25
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-
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
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.
26 albertainnovators
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
27/72
INSPECTION INC.
Unit 601, 7620 Elbow Dr.SWCalgary,AB T2V 1K2
(403) 236-5982 Fax: (403)236-7189
NACE/SSPC certified inspections
Work in accordance with ISO 9001:2008
Inspect fire proofing / foam insulation
Inspect bridges, railcars, fish hatcheries, filters
Inspect water / wastewater treatment facilities
Jim Coroon (403) 813-1737E-mail: nwsins@shaw.ca
www.nws-inspection.com
Calgary - Edmonton - Saskatoon - London
Jakes Framing is an independentpicture framing retailer operating in thecity of Edmonton, Alberta.
Jakes was established in 1993 andcurrently employs a staff of two.
Services include custom pictureframing, corporate picture framing,art gal lery and art consignment.Additional advantages comprise ofdrymounting, plaquemounting, canvasand paper printing, canvas stretching
and plaque engraving.
Find out more atwww.jakesframing.com
Artsmith Communications is a multipleaward winning creative collective ofillustrators, designers and writers. For over25 years Artsmith has been developingBrands, Advertising Creative and Designinitiatives for organizations throughout
Alberta and Canada.
A fixture on the 104 Street hub ofEdmonton since 1989, you will often seemembers of the organization grabbingcoffee, meeting clients, or taking their officeFrenchie Jean Guy for a walk.
You can find out more aboutthe company at www.artsmith.ca
DESIGN DREAMS
PICTURE PERFECTThe CEA would like tothank Jakes Framing forthe expertise it brings tomaking our certificates andawards look special
Thanks goes to ArtsmithCommunications for theexacting design skills it putsinto the CEAs ShowcaseAwards suite of products
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
28/7228 albertainnovators
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
29/72albertainnovators 29
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
30/72
ISL IPISI. NEW BODY STYLE core core dolentduisl do doloreet num diamconum enit irilis-
sit eriustrud modipis doloreril ent volenit lanvelit veliquat wisisis modolesectem vullaor-per sed tie dolore feuguercip ero deliquis dolenisnulputpat. Ut am, conullam il is nulluptat el invelenibh er ad exerat niat wiscil ulluptat. Ecte exersusto et vulluptatue vullaore facidunt ute magnimipit lam quisi elit inci tiodolor adit luptatum quiblan ullandre con entvent veliquisi.
Ate dolore velessequiblandre facil illa autpat.Olendre tem el euissed dolessis nulla consent at,
vullan ute magna cor sustrud mod eu faccum iuretisis nonsequip ex eugait adionul laortismod esectemodolortie faccum
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
Rud dolobor sismodo loreet, velit wisl exero od dolo-
borperos am quis dolore eu facillandiat atum dolor
sequat illam, quis nostrud ming essequam dui blan-
diate dolortisi bla cor sequi tet alisl ea adigna com-
molore
30 albertainnovators
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
31/72albertainnovators 31
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
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
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
33/72
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
34/7234 albertainnovators
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
35/72albertainnovators 35
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
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
36/7236 albertainnovators
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
37/72
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.
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
38/72
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
38 albertainnovators
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
39/72
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
40/72
Youve paid your dues.Start paying less with TD Insurance.
The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex home and auto insurance program is underwritten by SECURITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. The program is distributed by Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in Quebec and by Meloche MonnFinancial Services Inc. in the r est of Canada. For Quebec residents: We are located at 50 Place Crmazie, Montreal (Quebec) H2P 1B6.Due to provincial legislation, our auto insurance program is not o ffered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan.
*No purchase is required. There is one (1) prize to be won. The winner may choose between an amount of $60,000 CAD to build a dream kitchen of his/her choosing or $60,000 CAD cash. The winner will be responsible for choosing a supplier and for coordinating all of required work. The contest is organized by Security National Insurance Company and is open to members and other eligible persons who reside in Canada and belong to a professional or alumni group which has entered into an agreement with the organizer and is entit
to receive group rates from the organizer. The contest ends on October 31, 2014. The draw will be held on November 21, 2014. A skill-testing question is required. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. The complete contest rules are availaat melochemonnex.com/contest. Actual prize may differ from image shown./The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank or a wholly-owned subsidiary, in Canada and/or other countries.
Professionals can save more.At TD Insurance, we recognize all the time and effort you put into getting
where you are. Thats why, as employees of a member firm of the
Consulting Engineers of Alberta, you have access to our TD Insurance
Meloche Monnex program which offers preferred group rates and various
additional discounts. Youll also benefit from our highly personalized
service and great protection that suits your needs. Get a quote today
and see how much you could save.
Request a quote today
1-866-269-1371melochemonnex.com/cea
HOME | AUTO | TRAVEL
Insurance program recommended by
You could WIN
$60,000 cashto build yourdream kitchen!*
-
8/13/2019 Alberta Innovators 2014
41/72
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
top related