Service: Vertical Transportation
Art Gallery of Ontario
AGO Transformation
HH Angus has been providing consulting engineering services to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) since 1925. Today, the AGO is the 10th largest art gallery in North America.
World-renowned architect Frank O. Gehry designed AGO’s transformation. The project was both an addition (97,763 ft2) and renovation (187,000 ft2), and represented the final phase of a three-phase expansion. Innovative design features were implemented during the phased construction, installation, and commissioning, as well as in the integration of new and existing spaces.
Three main challenges were proposed by the client and the architectural team:
- construction would have to be phased in order to provide ongoing service to galleries
- sophisticated mechanical systems were needed to meet the specific requirements of each gallery, and these would have to be physically remote from the galleries for aesthetics
- integration challenges would have to be overcome in connecting new systems to existing base systems.
The AGO is divided into 70 zones, with each gallery space fitted with dedicated sensors controlling the individual equipment in remote rooms. The mechanical systems were designed to be virtually invisible. The normal paraphernalia of the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems within the gallery viewing areas are not visible to visitors. Reducing fresh air intake during off-peak hours simplified the HVAC system control, and reduced the influence of fluctuations in outside temperature and humidity, providing more stable environmental conditions for the artwork.
The integration of new mechanical systems with existing systems made the already complicated assignment even more complex. The form and arrangement of the new and renovated spaces resulted in an irregularly-connected multi-level project. Interconnected atrium spaces required careful attention to ensure that mechanical services were concealed and that service access routes were maintained. The prediction of temperature- and pressure-induced airflow patterns, and arrangements to segregate returns for balancing return air to individual air handling units, required complex analysis.
In order to avoid the risk of water leakage, which would be a serious issue for the AGO’s collection, all mechanical rooms were located in no-impact areas away from gallery spaces. There is no equipment housed above gallery ceilings for the same reason.
The vertical transportation system includes three passenger elevators, one high capacity freight elevator, two material lifts, and two platform lifts to accommodate persons with physical disabilities. All elevators are of the “traction” type, with special design features to accommodate both large groups and the travel distances required.
We’re very proud to have been involved in the transformation of the AGO – one of Toronto's most important cultural venues.
SERVICES
Mechanical Engineering | Vertical Transportation
PROJECT FEATURES
Size: 486,000 ft2 | Status: Completed 2007
LOCATION
Toronto, Ontario
KEY SCOPE ELEMENTS
Phasing to permit ongoing operations | Sophisticated mechanical systems physically remote from galleries | Integration of new and old building systems | 3 passenger elevators, 1 high capacity freight elevator, 2 material lifts and 2 platform lifts | Complex analysis required to study temperature and pressure-induced airflow patterns and arrangements
University of Toronto
Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research
University of Toronto institutions are world leaders in the quest to find the link between genes and disease. The Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research (CCBR) is an innovative, multidisciplinary facility and the first of its kind in Canada: an advanced research centre capable of competing with the world’s top research and development institutions.
The CCBR was designed as a highly functional, flexible and technically advanced research facility that reflects the University’s status as a world leader in the field of genome research while, at the same time, recognizing the historical importance of its neighbouring buildings.
As a sustainable and green building, the CCBR showcased the use of new and emerging materials as key elements. The double façade curtain wall was one of these unique features. It supports natural ventilation on the south side, circulating air and promoting cooling in hot weather, and acting as a thermal sink in subzero conditions. This stack effect, controlled by variable dampers, considerably reduces the heating and cooling load on the mechanical systems. The curtain wall reduces noise infiltration and decreases heat loss, with the outer leaf of the double façade functioning as a shield to buffer the interior from the urban wind tunnel of the adjacent College Street, a major city thoroughfare.
Energy conserving measures were applied to the laboratory systems to minimize energy use while meeting stringent laboratory standards. Separate plumbing systems were developed to avoid contamination of the environment by laboratory waste and to collect rainwater for distribution to the Winter Garden.
HH Angus met the challenges of this unique facility by designing and engineering systems that will allow this building to stand the test of time as an example of innovative sustainable design.
SERVICES
Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering | CCTV | Security and Communications | Preliminary Vertical Transportation Review
PROJECT FEATURES
Size: 221,000 ft2 | Status: Completed 2006
LOCATION
Toronto, Ontario
KEY SCOPE ELEMENTS
Double façade curtain wall was introduced to reduce noise infiltration & decrease heat loss | Energy conservation measures | Full Building Automation System designed
Integrating new and old
The CCBR is a 13-storey glass tower surrounded by historical buildings. With a gross floor area of 221,010 ft2, it is an outstanding example of sustainable design, comprising a range of variable space requirements: highly controlled laboratory floors are located beside naturally ventilated public spaces like the Winter Garden.
Improving efficiency with BAS
A full building automation system was designed for this building.
SickKids
Peter Gilgan Centre for Research & Learning, ICAT
Creative solutions were required to accommodate the extremely intense and sophisticated computer systems within the architectural constraints of this building.
Angus Connect provided a Canadian first — the design and implementation of an HPC-High Performance data centre in a healthcare research facility.
Our recommended technical solution involved an overhead communications wiring system design, using multiple cable trays with an integral cable access management system. This innovative system design solution resulted in considerable space savings over a conventional system. A conventional raised floor communications cabling system was not an option due to space restrictions.
This Data Centre, which supports data cabinets with high performance servers that use 60 KW load, required very large and fully redundant Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) and emergency generator systems to support the critical loads.
The facility has been certified LEED® Gold. The shell and core design were already well along when the Hospital’s High Performance computing group announced their intention to locate all of their high performance computing equipment into the new Data Centre.
SERVICES
Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering | IT Communications Design | Lightining Design
PROJECT FEATURES
Size: 740,000 ft2 | Status: Completed 2013
LOCATION
Toronto, Ontario
KEY SCOPE ELEMENTS
Introduced innovative system solutions for urban-space saving, along with sophisticated computer systems | LEED Gold Certified
Ministry of the Attorney General/Infrastructure Ontario
Thunder Bay Consolidated Courthouse
This multi-storey building features 15 courtrooms, 4 conference/settlement suites, and Ontario’s first aboriginal conference settlement suite. It is LEED® Silver-certified, with barrier-free design, infrared hearing assistance and barrier-free witness stands and jury boxes.
HH Angus provided electrical engineering design, vertical transportation engineering and lighting design for the 8-storey building (seven above grade and one below grade for parking and holding cells). The electrical design features 100% emergency generator backup, UPS (uninterrupted power supply) and inverter lighting systems.
Lighting design included interior lighting, exterior building perimeter and parking. Exterior lighting was designed to be ‘dark sky compliant’, and all lighting design and luminaires targeted LEED® Silver. Custom lighting was designed for the aboriginal conference settlement suite, and featured low energy metal halide T5 fluorescent uplighting for the domed ceiling surfaces and LED downlights for general lighting.
Vertical transportation systems were designed to provide dedicated service for each of the primary forms of facility traffic: public, private (judicial), prisoner and building services. There are twelve elevators in total, the majority of which are Machine-Room-Less (MRL) gearless traction type. This elevator type represented the latest technological advance for energy efficiency and operational performance for low-to-medium rise buildings. Custom cab finishes for the public and private elevators complement the building’s interior design, while the prisoner elevators include an interior partition for the safe movement of accused by security staff.
SERVICES
Electrical Engineering | Lighting Design | Vertical Transportation Design
PROJECT FEATURES
Status: Completed 2014
LOCATION
Thunder Bay, Ontario
KEY SCOPE ELEMENTS
Designed transportation system to provide dedicated service for each form of facility traffic | Custom lighting design for specific conference suite featured low metal halide T5 fluorescent uplighting| MRL gearless traction type was used for - the majority of the elvators| LEED Silver
Built to last
The Courthouse was a design-build-finance-maintain project, with life-cycle repair and renewal responsibilities that ensure the courthouse (including heating and cooling systems, windows, floors, roofing structures and hard landscaping) is kept in excellent working condition over the 30-year period.
Northern Health Authority
Fort St. John Hospital & Peace Villa
HH Angus participated in the integrated and sustainable design process, assessing several different mechanical concepts focusing on heat recovery, improved space air distribution and high-efficiency equipment. Considering the climate, extensive consideration was given to balancing the use of 100% outdoor air systems with total enthalpy heat recovery wheels, with the need to reduce energy consumption.
Mechanical and electrical engineering for this new build acute care community hospital included related services such as laundry and food services, and a replacement residential care facility. The hospital provides 58 inpatient beds with full diagnostic and treatment facilities, three operating rooms, endoscopy suite, and 124 residential care beds. Part of our scope, via our affiliate ACML, was to provide the hard Facilities Management for this project.
The project has been certified LEED® Gold and includes specific energy saving elements as a key component of the design. We worked extensively with all other design team members to meet aggressive energy consumption targets without increasing capital costs.
Also notable was the design and construction of the complex and high-efficiency heating plant featuring a series of condensing hot water boilers piped in a cascading temperature arrangement. The focus was on delivering a well-sealed and insulated building to reduce building envelope energy losses and allow the heating boilers to run at peak energy efficiency. This will provide the client with long-term energy savings, as heating costs have traditionally been very high.
The specification of the pad-mounted generator enclosures saved both time and money. Unconventionally, the generators were pre-fabricated and installed in sound-attenuated enclosures before being shipped to site. This allowed for quick ‘plug and play’ installation when these units arrived on site.
Lighting strategies were crucial, with a target of 30% energy reduction below ASHRAE standards while still meeting CSA light level requirements. Implementation of an extensive low voltage lighting control system further reduced energy consumption.
Vertical transportation elements included three passenger elevators and six service elevators.
For the IMIT scope, the Angus Connect team designed a new wired/wireless system, network and infrastructure to help improve workflow with the introduction of RFID tagging to help with inventory and distribution, as well as laying a robust foundation for a future Real Time Location System. Additional major systems included telephone, nurse call, public address, patient entertainment, intercoms, video conferencing and patient monitoring. Our team also planned for and added the infrastructure for the new digital modalities and connection to a centralized PACs system, which improved diagnosing and reporting, and facilitated consultations between staff members.
SERVICES
Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering | IMIT and Security Consulting | Vertical Transportation | Lighting Design
PROJECT FEATURES
Size: 330,000 ft2 | Status: Completed 2012
LOCATION
Fort St. John, British Columbia
PROJECT FEATURES
REVIT MEP provided design and documentation | Centralized UPS | Integrated communications systems platform for all building operations and healthcare applications | LEED® Gold Certified
Respecting Indigenous ceremonies
The two spiritual rooms were designed to accommodate Sweet Grass and Smudging ceremonies, with dedicated exhaust to extract smoke and odours generated from the ceremonies.
— Image courtesy of Fort St. John Hospital Foundation