HH Angus wishes you all the best of health and happiness for the holiday season and the year to come, and may 2025 be your best year yet!
With all the activities surrounding the seasonal celebrations, why not let our ‘magic snow globe’ take some of the worry out of making your New Year’s resolutions? Click ‘Play Now’ for our idea of helpful suggestions!
Several of HH Angus’ senior healthcare experts will be presenting at this year’s Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society’s national conference. The conference starts on September 8 at the Halifax Conference Centre, and our staff will be speaking on Tuesday September 10 at the following sessions:
Julie Lawson and Preethi Sethi take attendees through a ‘day-in-the-life’ inpatient journey characterized by a prolonged medical stay, and highlight challenges and opportunities for improvements with the application of technology systems and management of the environment. Their topics include:
Julie Lawson, P.Eng., LEED AP
Manager, Senior Mechanical Engineer
Associate | Health Division
Preethi Sethi, MSc. eHealth, DMS, CRGS ICAT Consultant, Angus Connect Division
The Canadian Standards Association’s new edition of CSA Z317.2 Special Requirements for HVAC Systems in Health Care Facilities was published in June 2024. Nick Stark identifies some of the considerable number of new and revised clauses impacting requirements for design, construction and operation of healthcare facilities across Canada. Nick will identify potential impacts of the changes and the different approaches to HVAC that will be required in future.
Nick Stark, P.Eng, CED, LEED®
AP, ICD.D,
Principal, Executive Vice President
Meagan Webb and Ryan Kennedy, together with Kyle Basilius of Parkin Architects and Calvin Winquist from Island Health are presenting the plenary session – a spotlight on the Cowichan District Hospital project in Duncan BC, which is being delivered through the Alliance Procurement Model. The presentation will focus on the project goals of relationship building, net-zero carbon future, and healing environment, and how these are being delivered with the hopes of giving back to the people and lands the project will serve, as well as how the Alliance Procurement Model has been leveraged to achieve these objectives.
Meagan Webb, P.Eng
Regional Leader, Principal
HH Angus and Associates
Ryan Kennedy, P.Eng., LEED AP BD+C
Technical Leader, Principal
HH Angus and Associates
Kyle Basilius, AIA, ACHA, EDAC, NCARB Principal,
Parkin Architects
Calvin Winquist
Director Design and Construction
Island Health
We’re excited to announce the appointment of several new Principals, Senior Associates and Associates, and to highlight their contributions to HH Angus’ growth and leadership. This group joins our new generation of leaders in recognition of their commitment to advancing our technical expertise, innovation, great project delivery, building strong client and industry relationships, and motivating their colleagues to excel.
“The Senior Management Group is very pleased to recognize the newest members of our leadership team” comments Paul Keenan, President, HH Angus. “Collectively they bring an excellent track record of client service and continuous professional development for themselves and their team members – both important attributes that strongly support our corporate goals.”
OUR NEW PRINCIPALS
Adrienne brings a unique blend of client-side and consulting engineering experience with modern building design, energy management, commissioning, and facility management. Adrienne spent her first fifteen years with HH Angus working on key projects which included the redevelopment of Toronto Western Hospital, Art Gallery of Ontario, and SickKids Peter Gilgan Research Tower. She then moved into energy management and property operations with Cadillac Fairview. Returning to HH Angus in 2022, and to the role of Director, Project Management Office. Adrienne works with our Operations team to continuously enhance the firm’s project management approach, developing and implementing best practices to suit the individual project needs of our clients. A current key focus for Adrienne, apart from managing the work of the PMO, is orchestrating the complex transition of the Toronto office to its new location later this year.
“Having spent the first 15 years of my career here at HH Angus, my return two years ago felt like coming home. I am grateful for the opportunity to grow with HH Angus and to find exciting ways to ‘Expand What is Possible’”.
Ben DeBruyne | Ottawa Office Lead, Manager – Technology Division
Ben has taken a lead role to help grow the firm’s presence in the National Capital Region following the launch of the Ottawa office. His entrepreneurial approach is supported by a strong work ethic, together with excellent client relationship and technical skills. As an electrical engineer, Ben continues to expand his technical expertise through a variety of projects and clients in the commercial and science/technology sectors, including mission critical, post-secondary, laboratory, and commissioning. Some of his notable projects include TELUS Ottawa’s critical environment expansion and new on-site generator deployment, along with providing local support for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and The Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus. Ben also continues supporting our national clients with their critical environment expansions.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to grow within such an exceptional firm and to support our clients by providing a level of service that continues to exceed expectations.”
Edward Hood | Engineering Director – Health Division
With over 20 years of industry experience as a senior mechanical engineer, Ed is a recognized leader in medical gas systems. He sits on several CSA technical and technical sub-committees and is a former chair of the Technical Sub-committee on Plume Scavenging. Ed also contributes white papers and makes presentations to the broader healthcare engineering community to share his knowledge and experience. He is the acknowledged “go-to” expert for both colleagues and clients seeking technical advice on plumbing and medical gases. Ed exemplifies HH Angus’ culture and values by sharing his vast knowledge with new employees and makes frequent contributions to our master specifications and technical guidelines. Some of Ed’s current key projects include the Cowichan District Hospital, Royal Columbian Hospital, the South Niagara Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital New Patient Tower and Trillium’s M Site Redevelopment.
“Thank you to HH Angus for the recognition of my contributions. I look forward to continuing to contribute to the company’s success and to supporting and collaborating with my colleagues on the important work we do.”
Nick Mons | Manager, Technology Division
Nick has taken a leadership role for our Calgary operations and works on projects across the country, with a primary focus on hyperscale data centres. Throughout his career, Nick has actively pursued a variety of experiences to expand his career development. He has strong client management skills, resulting in a growing profile on several important data centre accounts. Nick is an electrical engineer and is actively involved in mentoring employees.
“As HH Angus continues to excel as one of the leading consulting firms in the industry, I’m excited for our continued growth and looking forward to expanding our firm’s clientele of hyperscale data centres”
Teresa Valentino Wills | Director – Human Resources
Teresa has been an integral part of HH Angus for nearly 15 years, leading our HR team with dedication and proficiency. Throughout her tenure, she has effectively implemented HR strategies, programs, and practices. Her leadership is evident in her ability not only to implement initiatives and foster engagement, but also to strategically align HR practices with our broader business objectives, ensuring that HR efforts contribute directly to HH Angus’ growth and success. Teresa’s commitment to keeping HH Angus at the forefront of People and Culture developments and to promoting a welcoming and harmonious culture underscores her dedication to supporting the firm’s growth and enabling employees to thrive in fulfilling careers.
“It‘s deeply fulfilling to play a role in shaping the People and Culture initiatives at HH Angus. Our focus on empowering individuals, fostering growth, and helping people discover their potential is more than just advancing our organization; it's about crafting and sustaining a place where everyone can truly thrive, both personally and professionally.”
OUR NEW SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Borys Parypa | Project Lead, Angus Connect
Borys is recognized as the “go-to” person for immediate resolution to technical issues, thanks to his organized, take-charge professional approach, which includes exceptional follow-through abilities and attention to detail. Borys plans and oversees concurrent projects from concept to successful conclusion, relying on a strong technical background as well as a solid track record of delivering outstanding customer service paired with a genuine commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. Borys provides his extensive design expertise to a variety of sectors in Canada and internationally, including hospitality, airports, healthcare, and data centres.
“One of the most critical aspects of what we do is the ability to talk to our clients and hear/understand what they are saying. With technology advancing at a significant rate, understanding how different industries use it is very exciting; offering innovative solutions to our clients is key to our success and, personally, it’s the fun part of what I do as a member of the Connect team.”
OUR NEW ASSOCIATES
Wael Atallah | Senior Manager – Technology Division
Wael is a Senior Manager at HH Angus. He is PMP certified, with Master’s degrees in both Electrical Engineering and Economics. Wael has two decades of engineering and management experience, and18 years in the construction industry. He has been leading the firm’s electrical work in Quebec and manages several client accounts. He also supports projects in Ontario and British Columbia. Wael is well known for his dedication, the quality of his work and professionalism, and his contributions to Knowledge Management. He brings to every project a depth of knowledge in design and project management that enables him to work in a highly collaborative way to solve complex problems. Some of Wael’s notable projects include several large data centres for confidential clients, ongoing projects for the massive Centre hospitalier de l’Universite de Montreal (CHUM), and commercial clients such as JLL, Canada Post, St. Hubert Airport (YHU) Porter terminal, and BGIS.
“I am honored and privileged to have been working, for more than a decade, with some of the most competent, dedicated, professional, and collaborative colleagues, one could hope for.”
Francisco Contreras | Manager – Knowledge Management
Francisco is a manager and energy analyst in HH Angus’ Knowledge Management team. He is experienced in high performance building design, building simulations, and energy assessment. He is responsible for developing whole-building energy models for code compliance and performance standards, and is an Energy Star Portfolio Manager. Some of Francisco’s current projects include the new South Niagara Hospital and renovations for OPG’s (Ontario Power Generation) new office.
“I am privileged to work alongside a highly talented and fully committed team as we propel our work to new heights. We continue to enhance our workflows to achieve greater efficiency as we deliver increasingly complex projects. Brace yourselves for an electrifying journey ahead at HH Angus.”
Caitlin Feir | Manager – Proposals
With a decade of proposal experience in the AEC industry, Caitlin leads HH Angus’ Proposal team, managing and mentoring her team members and providing strategic direction in the coordination and development of compelling proposals that focus on clients’ needs and illustrate our value proposition. Caitlin is also instrumental in developing internal tools that enhance productivity and efficiency in the proposal process; for example, leading development of a new proposal database.
“Working closely with the Proposals and Operations teams to effectively communicate the value we offer to our clients is something I’m really proud of. I am grateful for the opportunity to work in such a positive and supportive environment that fosters creativity and encourages personal and professional growth.”
Paul Marjin | Manager – Commercial Division
Paul is a Manager in the Tenant Group within HH Angus’ Commercial Division. He is experienced in tenant retrofits and buildouts, the elements of power distribution design, including the sizing and layout of feeders, breakers, and transformers. Paul collaborates with interior designers and architects in the design of lighting layouts and associated lighting control schemes. Additional responsibilities include issuing changes to the contract documents in the form of addenda and change notices, reviewing contractor quotes and progress draws, and performing on-site deficiency reviews. Current projects for Paul include the renovation/retrofit of Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) massive new office, and an ongoing project to update and decarbonize sites for The Cooperators.
"HH Angus has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally over the last several years through the guidance of senior staff and team members. I am excited to continue to grow with the firm and to extend the same opportunities to my team and colleagues."
We congratulate all our new Principals, Senior Associates and Associates for achieving these exceptional career milestones, and for their contributions to the growth of the firm’s leadership, as well as to the ongoing expansion of our services and portfolio across Canada and internationally.
CAN/ULC-S1001 is a document that provides a methodology for conducting a documented testing program of interconnections between two or more fire protection and life safety systems. For clarity, this standard does not include testing of those individual systems themselves.
• the documentation of the test methodology (the test plan) and the results of the implementation of the test plan (the test record)
• the qualifications of the individual/company conducting the testing of these
• interconnections (the integrated testing coordinator or “ITC”)
• the responsibilities of the contractor, installation contractor and design professionals in this testing process
One thing the standard does not state is ‘who hires the ITC?’ Under this
standard, nearly anyone can be the ITC, including the owner, provided
they meet the requirements for specialized knowledge and experience.
Although not yet required by the various provincial building codes[1],
ULC offers a voluntary certification program for individuals and companies
for provision of ITC services which conform to the requirements of
CAN/ULC-S1001, an option that might be considered for any project.
On your next project, whether it is a new building, or modifications to an
existing building, the following two questions must be asked:
1. Are there new or modified interconnections between two or more fire protection and/or life safety systems? If yes (even if there is
only one interconnection), then integrated testing in accordance
with CAN/ULC-S1001 is required.
2. Who will retain the ITC? The ITC could be the Owner’s staff, or a
3rd party testing agency hired by the owner or by the general contractor/construction manager
3. Multi-Party Process - Under the standard, there are multiple parties involved in this testing process, including the “integrated testing coordinator”, designers (engineers and architects), the installation contractors, general contractors/construction managers, and owners - each with designated responsibilities for compliance with this standard. While this testing involves a number of mechanical and electrical systems, it also affects vertical transportation, security doors, automatic fire shutters, fire door release devices, construction safety, and methods of contracting, etc. The Ontario Association of Architects, OAA News 2023/Jan/23 recognizes this is a multi-disciplinary effort to achieve the goals of this test standard.
Do not delay getting the ITC onto your project – completion of the
integrated testing will be a pre-condition for obtaining occupancy of the
building, and will be required by the design professionals and building
departments.
The project was recognized for innovation and design excellence. The Outpatient Centre is part of a $2-billion P3 redevelopment of the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. HH Angus, in affiliation with Dillon Consulting, provided mechanical engineering, fire protection and plumbing design to the 134,000 ft2 project, which was led by the EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare Consortium. The design team was led by Parkin Architects and FBM Architects.
A vital community resource, the Outpatient Centre provides essential ambulatory care closer to patients residing outside the Greater Halifax Region. Anticipating 28,000 clinic visits and 30,000 x-ray and blood collection visits per year, the Centre provides a range of patient services that do not require a hospital setting. These include initial visits with specialists, post-surgery and post-treatment follow-up, blood collection, eye care clinic, physio and occupational therapy, diabetes and orthopedic assessments, rehabilitation services, 17 examination rooms, 24 dialysis stations, and diagnostic imaging (x-rays and ultrasounds).
To read more about the project, click the link: Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre