Author: Ashani Piyaweera

Exterior of BC Place and Science World with modern cityscape and harbour, Vancouver, British, Columbia, Canada.

Canada’s federal Climate Plan aims to exceed Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target and achieve a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. There will be many pathways to get to this goal. One pathway is the decarbonization of our energy systems. Creative Energy is collaborating with BC Hydro in an effort to decarbonize their energy plant at 720 Beatty Street in downtown Vancouver by adding new electrode steam boilers to the existing natural gas-powered steam plant. HH Angus has been engaged to provide mechanical and electrical engineering services to support this important conversion.

According to Creative Energy, the new system would have enough capacity to serve approximately 12 million square feet of new development, enough to serve over 10 years of growth in low-carbon buildings in the downtown region and avoid 38,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year.

With a dedicated Energy Division that brings extensive experience with energy systems for the built environment, including low carbon energy and renewable/sustainable systems, we’re excited to be part of this important project that contributes to building a low carbon energy future.

You can read the full press release from Creative Energy and BC Hydro here – https://bit.ly/3l49o4U

If you would like to talk to us about assisting with your next energy project, get in touch with us.

Doctor smiling at child and parent

Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Grandview Kids have announced a shortlist of three bid teams to design, build and finance the Grandview Children’s Treatment Centre Redevelopment P3 project in Ajax ON. We’re delighted to be part of the Children’s First Consortium which was named as one of the three teams moving on to the RFP stage for this 100,000+ ft2 greenfield project. The Grandview Children’s Treatment Centre will offer family-centred care for children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs, and their families, in the Durham Region.

According to IO and Grandview, teams were shortlisted based on design and construction capability, experience, qualified personnel and financial capacity to undertake a project of this size and scope. The Children’s First Consortium prime team members are: Amico Design Build Inc. and Sacyr Construction S.A (Applicant Lead); Parkin Architects and HH Angus (Design Team); Amico and Sacyr ( Construction team); and Stonebridge Financial Corporation (Financial Advisor). 

Source Link: https://www.infrastructureontario.ca/Short-Listed-Proponents-Named-Children%E2%80%99s-Centre-Redevelopment/

Interior of the St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Mental Health Emergency Services Unit

The Mental Health Emergency Services Unit at St. Joseph’s Health Centre is the recipient of a 2020 Toronto IES Illumination Section Award. Congratulations to St. Joseph’s and the entire design team! HH Angus’ Lighting Design group was proud to have been involved with this project.

Energy-efficient LED lighting, complete with remotely located dimming controls, replaced the old, inefficient fluorescent fixtures. Remote control of lights in patient rooms provides increased staff security and convenience, and minimizes disturbance to patients. The design team consulted with hospital clinical staff, the architect and best practices in Mental Health design in order to provide tamper-proof and anti-ligature versions of lighting fixtures, M&E devices, and services. 

Click here to read more about the full scope of this project and some of its interesting design challenges.

COVID-19 Exterior view of the outbreak Response Facility

Earlier this month, HH Angus teamed up with Parkin Architects as part of a global group of volunteer healthcare designers organized through a partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Federation of Healthcare Engineering (IFHE). 

These volunteers respond to requests from the WHO to quickly create design documents for emergency facilities to help hospitals and nations respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We were honoured to have the opportunity to contribute in the global efforts to battle the spread of COVID-19 with our most recent endeavour in Doba, Chad – nearly 10,000 km away from Toronto. Our mandate was to provide design guidance for the repurposing of three existing medical buildings into a facility with one building to handle suspected COVID-19 patients (those awaiting test results), and two buildings for inpatient treatment of COVID-19 positive patients. Our team followed WHO guidelines and provided the optimal design solution for patient care and the safety of staff and visitors, while balancing speed of constructability and simplicity of operation. We proposed several alterations to the existing buildings to address improved patient, staff and visitor circulation in order to mitigate spread of COVID-19, as well as changes to washroom facilities, expansion of the exterior open air arcade (covered walkways), additional doors, partitions and ante rooms.

A hybrid ventilation system was proposed where supply air for all rooms is provided using natural ventilation through building windows, and exhaust fans draw air from the patient rooms using an overhead duct system. The design of critical and severe patient rooms included an anteroom to provide a physical barrier to mitigate the risk of air transferring from the patient room into the corridor.

Despite the uncertainty that COVID has created for many industries, we’re appreciative that we can contribute our knowledge and expertise in healthcare design to help construct facilities to combat this pandemic in regions that may not have access to the same level of resources as we have in Canada.

Our HH Angus team, comprised of Michael Botros, Jessica Generoso, Laura Sisson, Kim Spencer and Tim Zhu, collaborating with Parkin Architects, put together a thoughtful design solution and report for the client, working to their key considerations on a short timeline (7 business days from beginning to end). It was a rewarding experience for our team and we’re looking forward to the next assignment!

Exterior view of the COVID-19 outbreak Response Facility
Exterior view of the COVID-19 outbreak Response Facility

Images credits: Daga/ Google

We’re excited to be part of the team, led by EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare (EDIH), that will build the new Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre in Nova Scotia. HH Angus’ Health Division will be providing mechanical consulting engineering services, working with Dillon Consulting in Halifax. This is the first P3 healthcare project in Nova Scotia, and will be an important facility for both the community and the entire province. According to Kim Spencer, HH Angus Health Division Director, “we’re very pleased to be able to support this new facility with HH Angus’ deep experience in the P3 delivery model, and proven track record in thoughtful healthcare design.”

The 134,000 ft2 Outpatient Centre will built on a 15-acre site in Halifax’s Bayers Lake Business Park. Planned services include primary care; clinics such as physio and occupational therapy; high blood pressure, diabetes and orthopedic assessment; 17 examination rooms; 24 dialysis stations; diagnostic imaging (x-rays and ultrasounds); blood collection; and post-surgery or post-treatment follow-up appointments.

Image courtesy of EDIH