Tag: HH Angus

 

Henry Yao and Tenzin Blair from our Science & Technology team took part in the recent Finning Data Centre Conference in Calgary, where industry leaders discussed the accelerating demand for AI infrastructure, power generation, grid readiness, and the opportunity ahead for Alberta and Canada.

Here are their top 10 takeaways for clients planning, developing, or operating data centres:

𝟭. 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲
AI data centres are creating one of the steepest CAPEX curves in modern history. Organizations that have focused on maximizing access to computing power are gaining a performance advantage, while others face growing bottlenecks.

𝟮. 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲
Canada has significant natural resources and ranks highly for energy sovereignty but unlocking that advantage will require faster alignment across utilities, regulators, municipalities, and developers.

𝟯. 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹
Conference discussions referenced more than 20GW of requested data centre connections in Alberta, with demand far exceeding current available capacity. This represents a major opportunity for economic diversification, tax base expansion, and generational growth.

𝟰. 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀
The pace of data centre demand is outstripping the pace of infrastructure development. Current permitting, land rights, approvals, and public consultation pathways remain lengthy and complex.

𝟱. 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Panelists noted that behind-the-meter configurations can offer significantly higher efficiency than traditional grid delivery models, making them an important, and in many cases mandatory, consideration for future data centre developments.

𝟲. 𝗔𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀
Compared with traditional cloud data centres, AI facilities can experience much greater transient load swings. This changes the engineering conversation around gas generation, diesel standby, BESS, and overall system resilience.

𝟳. 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗮 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲
Battery energy storage systems are becoming increasingly important for managing rapid load changes and supporting reliability, especially where AI workloads create more volatile demand profiles.

𝟴. 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
Gas, diesel, BESS, and hybrid solutions each have advantages and limitations. For AI data centres, fluctuating loads can create challenges for gas generation, while diesel can offer operational advantages in certain standby or transitional scenarios.

𝟵. 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆
Liquid cooling, direct-to-chip solutions, and closed-loop water strategies are expected to become increasingly central as AI compute densities continue to rise.

𝟭𝟬. 𝗔 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹
Successful data centre development will require more than power availability. It will demand integrated planning across generation, distribution, emissions reduction, approvals, cooling, resiliency, operations, and long-term scalability.


The overarching message was clear: data centre growth is accelerating, but infrastructure, regulation, and energy strategy must move just as quickly.

At HH Angus, we help clients navigate this complexity through integrated engineering solutions for data centres, including power, cooling, resilience, decarbonization, and operational performance.

To learn more about our energy solutions and advisory services for mission critical environments, contact Nick Mons.

 
 

June 16, London UK:
What if a cancer diagnosis didn't mean travelling to multiple locations for appointments, tests, treatment, and recovery?

For many patients, that's what the future of healthcare can look like.

Megan Angus (Angus Connect) and Kyle Basilius (Parkin Architects) share how 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗖 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆. Its integrated model brings specialized cancer care and community hospital services together on a single campus.

The impact extends far beyond co-location.

When cancer care, emergency services, surgery, diagnostics, and inpatient care are connected through shared digital platforms, coordinated workflows, and intelligent systems, patients experience a healthcare journey that is simpler, faster, and more connected. Fewer handoffs. Less travel. Earlier access to care. Greater confidence that the system is working together on their behalf.

The session will examine how integrated care models can:
✅ Create clearer pathways for patients and families navigating complex health journeys
✅ Improve access to specialized care closer to home
✅ Reduce delays and barriers between diagnosis, treatment, and recovery
✅ Support clinicians with coordinated workflows that allow more time for patient care
✅ Enhance system resilience and capacity through smart hospital technologies and data-driven decision-making

The presentation will also explore how sustainability and healthcare outcomes intersect. As one of Canada's first fully electric hospitals, the project demonstrates how low-carbon design and circular economy principles can support healthier, more resilient healthcare environments for generations to come.

 
 

How can hospitals designed today harness the full potential of AI tomorrow?

June 15, 2026:  Megan Angus and Daniel Tannous of Angus Connect are presenting at the European Healthcare Design Conference in London, England. Their session, “Beyond bricks and bytes: How AI will transform hospital planning, design, and operations and why AI-ready infrastructure is essential for resilient care”, explores how artificial intelligence is poised to transform healthcare delivery over the next decade—and what that means for hospitals being planned and designed today.

Drawing on experience from major healthcare redevelopment projects and global exemplars, Megan and Daniel will examine five emerging AI-driven capabilities expected to reshape care models, from early-warning clinical analytics and intelligent patient flow to ambient clinical documentation and precision diagnostics.

Their presentation highlights how digital infrastructure, resilient networks, sensor-enabled environments, interoperability, digital twins, and flexible technology pathways are becoming essential foundations for healthcare facilities, so they can adapt, evolve, and support both patients and care teams in an increasingly complex healthcare landscape.

As healthcare facilities navigate workforce challenges, growing demand, and rapid technological change, designing AI-ready hospitals is becoming critical to creating more resilient, patient-centred environments.

We look forward to furthering this important global conversation on the future of healthcare design.

 
Image Courtesy of Kenneth Chan
 

The opening of Oakridge Park marks a significant milestone, not only for Vancouver, but also for the future of large-scale urban redevelopment in Canada.

Located at one of Vancouver's most prominent transit-connected sites, the development brings together residential, retail, office, cultural, and public spaces within a highly integrated master plan. The project's scale, complexity, and phased delivery required close coordination among a wide range of stakeholders, disciplines, and project partners.

The opening of the first phase represents the culmination of extensive planning, design, and construction efforts. While visitors will experience the public-facing elements of the development—including retail, dining, and community spaces—the successful operation of a project of this magnitude depends on the building systems and infrastructure that support it behind the scenes.

HH Angus is proud to have provided fire protection Engineer of Record design services for approximately 2.5 million ft2 of the retail, parkade and service areas, as well as peer review of the central plant engineering. An interesting aspect of our project scope was the multiple water parcels and phasing, which meant designing each section with expansion in mind.

The project also required a strong focus on effective communication. Our team's seamless collaboration with multiple partners and consultants through open and inclusive communication channels encouraged the flow of information and ideas, fostering creative problem-solving and innovative solutions.

These services helped support the development's safety, resilience, and long-term operational objectives while addressing the unique challenges associated with a large mixed-use environment.

As municipalities across Canada continue to pursue higher-density, transit-oriented growth, developments like Oakridge Park offer valuable insights into how to create connected, future-ready communities. The project's opening is an important milestone in that journey and demonstrates the potential of redevelopment to transform established urban sites into dynamic destinations that serve generations to come.

HH Angus is pleased to support this landmark project, and we congratulate the project team on this important achievement.

Watch a short video highlighting the features of the development (Courtesy of Oakridge Park)

 
 

Congratulations to Steve Smith - the 2026 recipient of OACETT's George Burwash Langford Memorial Award.

The award, presented May 30 at the President's Gala by the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists, celebrates excellence in professional practice. It honours members who have distinguished themselves in their career and, by doing so, have brought recognition and credit to the profession of engineering/applied science technology. Steve’s '50+ years and still counting' at HH Angus stand as a testament to his dedication, technical excellence, and unwavering commitment to client service.

Setting out in 1967 as an Electrical Department Junior, Steve built his career from the ground up, eventually becoming the firm’s first shareholder without a P.Eng. designation — a milestone that reflected the firm's recognition of the extraordinary value of his contributions.

 
 

For more than half a century, Steve has helped shape and renew healthcare infrastructure across Ontario and beyond. From early work on emergency power systems at Sunnybrook to decades of upgrades at major acute care facilities, his expertise as a Design Leader has strengthened the essential electrical, mechanical, and medical gas systems that support patient care every day.

Clients rely not only on his deep technical knowledge, but also on his remarkable institutional memory and ability to anticipate challenges before they arise.

Steve’s leadership has been especially evident in times of crisis. During a major public health emergency, he mobilized teams and suppliers to deliver a fully operational 20-bed isolation ward in less than two weeks — an achievement that helped save lives and protect frontline workers.

A trusted advisor, mentor, and collaborator, Steve exemplifies HH Angus’ role as a strategic partner for clients. His impact is evident not only in critical infrastructure across the healthcare sector, but also in the many professionals he continues to guide and inspire.

Warmest congratulations, Steve, from all your friends and colleagues at HH Angus!

See below a short YouTube video profile of Steve, shown at the Gala ceremony.