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Green Energy, HVAC

Up to the challenge

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Quantum Geothermal goes the extra mile to provide quality geothermal solutions for homes

By Greg McMillan

Brian Bates of Quantum Geothermal has never been one to walk away from challenges – in fact, he embraces them.

As owner and founder of a southern Ontario company that provides quality geothermal solutions for homes, he takes pride in making sure each system is designed to the specific needs of customers to insure the best value and performance.

“I particularly enjoy working on custom-designed new build residential projects, where unique architecture may require a more sophisticated heating and cooling solution,” says Bates, P. Eng., who graduated from the University of Waterloo with a B.A.Sc. in mechanical engineering. “These more challenging projects are very satisfying. You have a chance to establish a relationship with the architect, builder and clients. It takes months to complete a project but we can really bring value to the outcome.”
Quantum Geothermal, founded in 2009, has a mandate to be a full-service operation, working in all areas of geothermal. By focusing exclusively on residential geothermal projects – both retrofit and new build projects – the company has developed a competitive skill set and highly efficient business model.

“I reach out to architects and builders,” Bates explains. “I host information seminars and visit architectural firms to meet and discuss ways to optimize the integration of geothermal heating and cooling systems into the project at an early stage in the design process.

”This initiative has allowed Quantum to develop some degree of repeat business with participating firms. Residual income or generating repeat business is a problem with our geothermal business model since the life cycle is very long. With residential installations, particularly, there is virtually no maintenance (or spare parts) required.

”By developing relationships with other stakeholders, however, it helps to address this business issue.”

From day one, Quantum has gone that extra mile.

“A friend of mine who is a custom home builder was looking to expand his use of geothermal heating and cooling systems for some of his projects in the west GTA but had become discouraged by the lack of professionalism and quality of service from some of the geothermal contractors he had approached,” recalls Bates. “From there, a process of investigation and due diligence followed, leading to the conclusion that there was a need and an opportunity. He helped me assemble a team of experienced and well-respected partners.

”Next I spoke to all the reputable equipment suppliers in Ontario to determine which brand of heat pumps Quantum would represent. “
He says this led to Quantum’s designation as an authorized dealer for NextEnergy from Elmira, Ontario. Bates noted that NextEnergy represents the ClimateMaster product line manufactured in the United States and is also expanding its commercial presence by offering both ClimateMaster and Viessmann heat pumps.

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With hundreds of successful projects completed and an impressive list of satisfied customers, Quantum’s reputation for cost competitive, quality installations continues to grow. In fact, Quantum has recently received a National Award and has been recognized for its growth and professional commitment. Bates says the company takes an intelligent, honest and personalized approach as it continues to grow the business and expand the use of geothermal heating and cooling systems in southern Ontario.

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“The retrofit market has always contributed to our bottom line but the pace is different,” Bates explains. “We get the crew onsite to excavate for a day or two (or drill vertically for a few days) and then spend a day down in the basement replacing the old furnace with a new heat pump. Done … then move on.”

The public, Bates says, has been extremely receptive to Quantum’s product, which has a cost- competitive model and offers a quality solution to a variety of client requirements.

“But there is still an urgent need to continue to advocate for this technology,” Bates says.
“Often the first question I get when we receive a new inquiry is ‘how much will it cost?’

“I understand that, but it misses the mark in terms of thought process. That is like phoning up a car dealership and asking ‘what does a car cost?’
“That is why we developed our own Energy Evaluation survey on our website. People need to understand that there is a process involved that is essential to constructing an energy-efficient and cost-effective geothermal heating and cooling system. There is science and guidelines and regulations and knowledge and client-specific information required.
To that end, Quantum can provide builders with a comprehensive report describing its scope of work, so they know exactly what skills and services are in the mix.
Looking ahead, Bates sees more challenges for Quantum and, again, he relishes the opportunity to confront them head on.

“Generating sales is an ongoing challenge for most small businesses and Quantum is no different,” he says. “Marketing, advocating for geothermal and continuing to reach out to architects and builders will be critical to our continued success.
“But particularly in the construction of new homes, I see geothermal being specified right from the concept and design phase with ever-increasing regularity. This is very encouraging and sustains our belief that our efforts are being recognized.”

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Web:  HYPERLINK “http://www.quantumgeothermal.com/” \o “This external link will open in a new window” \t “_blank” http://www.quantumgeothermal.com/

A key part of Quantum Geothermal marketing is done through the  HYPERLINK “http://www.quantumgeothermal.com/” company website where there are links to associated government and industry sources. Visitors can also complete Quantum Thermal’s Energy Evaluation survey, or watch a three-minute video for a quick company overview. Geothermal is well-established and will continue to grow as a viable, renewable energy alternative to fossil fuels. Advocacy and education are keys to accelerating the curve.  

 

HVAC

When timing is everything

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For 20 years, the Airon Group of Companies has formed partnerships to defy conventional ways of thinking 

By Greg McMillan

By daring to be different, The Airon Group of Companies has forged important partnerships and made a name for itself as a building industry innovation leader.
The Burlington, Ontario-based firm, which provides services to engage facility managers, builders and consultants in the Building Automation Systems (BAS) process, embraces technological advances and the challenges they bring with them – ensuring that Airon maintains an advantage over its competitors.

“Timing is very important,” says Airon President Richard Gorka. “We don’t want to be too far ahead of our industry’s adoption of future technological advancements, but worse, we don’t want to fall behind.”

To that end, Airon consists of unconventional thinkers who assist its partners with difficult problems and invigorate their organizations by going beyond conventional roles and defying traditional ways of thinking.

“The majority of construction and related services work in Canada is procured through the ‘bid and spec’ pricing model,” Gorka says. “This type of procurement model ensures that the lowest bid most often wins the project. In this business environment the emphasis on achieving lowest costs is often placed ahead of highest quality.
“However, as an industry innovation leader, Airon can only deliver on the highest quality, and to compete we must work towards executing in the most efficient manner. Since construction requires the collaborate efforts of many different expert trades, we must seek out partnerships with other trades who look to execute on a high quality, high efficiency model.

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“As this business model is one of our founding principals, we have many examples of projects executed through high quality trade partnerships.”
In that vein, Gorka cited several recent Airon projects:

  • Toronto Regent Park Revitalization Project;
  • Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Energy Management Upgrades;
  • City of Windsor, Energy Management Upgrades;
  • Township of Essex, Energy Management Upgrades;
  • Niagara Region, Energy Management Upgrades;
  • Niagara Parks, Tablerock Tourist Centre;
  • And Niagara College Applied Health Building.

Airon believes that in an environment of continuous change , it’s never business as usual; that an organization needs to be nimble because technological advances continue to define its business. So Airon’s services engage builders and consultants in the BAS process. By partnering with facility managers, builders, consultants and product suppliers, Airon discovers how to develop innovative solutions for building challenges and generate innovative strategies for long-term positive results.

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“Since founding our company 20 years ago, our industry evolved enormously, based mostly on technological advancements,” says Gorka. “Not one element of our business is the way it was. We have gone from typewriters to tablets, from relays to integrated functional devices, from CB radios to iPhones.”
Along the way, he says, the company continued to grow, and needed stronger leadership with distinct skill sets.
“As as a result, I developed two minority partnerships – one with Reid Hutchinson in our HVAC service company and one with Gezim Berisha in our HVAC control company,” he explains. “We developed an extremely talented team of HVAC technicians, all well experienced and trained on both the existing and emerging technologies that exist in our industry.”
Additionally, he said, Airon assembled an expert team of licensed electrical technicians with advanced electronics’ skills to efficiently and accurately install increasingly sophisticated building automation systems.
“And we developed an expert team of designers and programmers that are made up of mechanical and computer science technologists and engineers.” he says. “This team is continually testing, adopting and implementing the latest advanced technological applications in our industry.
“And perhaps least recognized, we developed an expert team of sales professionals, managers and administrators that, without a doubt, are the glue that holds the operation together.”

Cinema Tower

There are many wide-ranging testimonials to Airon’s professional expertise.
“Our current clients are thrilled with our advanced services,” says Gorka. “They have observed an almost instant reduction in both energy and facility management costs. “Through ongoing mini-seminars, trade shows and face-to-face interactions with the general industry public, the interest has been very positive. We are negotiating more work based on energy management and associated sustainability than ever before.”

Ange Bruni, former Manager, Facilities Management Services at the Welland Campus of Niagara College, echoed those words.
“Airon’s flexibility and creativity is a highly desirable feature in today’s challenging world of technology and, from my experience, this has been a missing element in relation to the larger corporations,” Bruni says. “It is those very characteristics that allowed Airon to successfully create a systematic approach to achieve the requested innovated results.”

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Looking ahead, Gorka foresees a bright future for Airon.
“Our technological management is better than ever, our teams are working well together and we are well ahead of our competitors,” he says, “in delivering the next major change to affect the mechanical services industry: A shift from Reactive service to Proactive service.”

He explained that, in the Reactive service model, a problem or equipment failure remains unnoticed until it is discovered via human intervention, such as an uncomfortable tenant or an observant service technician on a routine preventative maintenance check.
“In this model serious energy-wasting problems can go unnoticed for many weeks, and in some cases the problem may never be discovered at all,” Gorka says. “In the Proactive model, technology continually monitors all the major building systems and reports a problem immediately as it occurs in real time via email to concerned parties.”

“We have been working on an effective Proactive service model for several years, and through Airon’s exclusive ANT Technologies™ we have a highly advanced real time Proactive reporting suite of software tools.
“Many of our clients are currently using ANT Technologies™ and, as we roll out the next phase of software tools we expect that ANT Technologies™ will provide us a major differentiator in the market.”
Another striking example of how Airon dares to be different – again and again and again.

Web: www.airongroup.ca

 

As an Authorized Tridium™ Developer, Airon has partnered with Tridium™ to develop specific applications that will advance existing technology. New solutions that will better serve your needs. Proven solutions are then licensed by Tridium™ and shared with other Integrators forming the technological building blocks of the future, today.
Airon has established a research and development partnership with Brock University, and is working with a team of computer science engineers to advance energy analytics and fault detection solutions that will continually monitor energy use in facilities and immediately diagnose environmental and energy-wasting problems in facilities and forward reports as they occur.
Airon has also partnered with Humber College in creating a specialized lab and teaching courses to arm the students with the BAS basics needed to enter the industry.

 

HVAC

Win-win situation

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The Ferrari brothers at Elite Climate Services double up to provide HVAC quality for ‘your home comfort solution’

By Greg McMillan

When Attilio and Santino Ferrari joined forces back in 2006 and founded Elite Climate Services, they instantly began charting a course of excellence that has turned heads ever since.
And they have maintained their original mandate since day one – to build a company that would focus on innovation, honesty, integrity and quality workmanship in the heating, cooling and radiant floor heating industry.
“We combined our principles, knowledge and hands-on experience to form the company,” said Attilio Ferrari. “We had a combined 35 years of experience and we pride ourselves in offering clients the highest level of customer service and quality workmanship.”

One of the main factors for the esteemed standing Elite Climate Services holds in the industry, says Ferrari, is the in-house quality control exhibited.

“We are able to design, install and service with all our own people,” Ferrari says, “so there is not need to source any labour. And between Santino and I, we have the hands-on experience and are able to relate and train our techs.
“Because we understand the function of both forced air and hydronic radiant heating, we are able to integrate the system to work together as opposed to the two systems fighting each other.
“We have the facility to prefab all our boilers and hydronic manifolds, making the installation process more efficient and accurate with a cleaner install.  We also have a sheet metal shop where we make all our own custom sheet metal.  By doing this we are able to make quality our first priority.”
It’s been a seamless transition since the brothers decided to put all their eggs into one basket.

Before they teamed up, the Ferraris were making names for themselves individually in the industry; and earning credibility along the way.
Santino started out in 1996 as a gas and sheet metal apprentice, then went on to complete several trade licences in the following six years while gaining experience in the custom home and commercial HVAC industry. He has since taken several more manufacturing training courses, gaining knowledge about the installation and service of products.
On the other hand, Attilio got his start in the industry back in 1988, working as a gas and hydronic apprentice.  He spent the next eight years successfully completing his trade licences, as well as also stockpiling industry experience. He attended HRAI training courses and attained various design certificates at the same time.

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Fast forward to 2006, and the fruits of their early labours began to mesh.
“For the first six months of Elite Climate Services it was just Santino and I,” recalls Attilio. “But our quality workmanship was soon recognized by our small client base, and we started receiving a lot of referrals from them.
“We hired a few employees to work hand in hand with us, then trained them to our high standards of quality and knowledge.”
The brothers found that their client base kept growing, so by 2007 they had acquired a 3,000-square-foot facility in Toronto where they began running their daily operation.

“Due to our rapid growth we outgrew that place quickly, so in 2010 we acquired a much larger location in Corcord,” Attilio says. “There, we were able to have a fully operational showroom, sheet metal shop and a prefab area for our boilers and manifolds.”
And their original employees continued along for the ride.
“Yes, they are still with us,” says Attilio. “They have been groomed with our high standards of customer service and quality workmanship. They are managing projects alongside us, so that, as we grow, our standards go along with it.”

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Testimonials from satisfied clients certainly back that up.

“Elite Climate Services installed our entire mechanical system in our new home, including zoned air conditioning, air handlers, HEPA filters, HRV units, boilers, steam humidifiers, heated floors and glycol heated driveways/walkways,” says Richard LAST NAME?

“The systems were installed in a timely manner and functioned well from day one. For the inevitable tweaks to the equipment, Elite was responsive and we were impressed that they would patiently come back as many times as it took to adjust things to our fussy standards.
“The other important aspect was cleanliness. The final product was left clean and the in-floor heating pipes almost looked as if they had been polished. I would recommend Elite to friends as they provide a full service experience and back their work with excellent follow-up care.”
Another glowing report came from Mary LAST NAME?

“Elite Climate Services is truly exceptional,” she says. “Every individual I dealt with was knowledgeable, responsive and incredibly professional.  Their solutions-oriented and practical approach far surpassed prior companies I had hired.
“After six years of being told I had to live with a 10-degree difference between my basement and the second floor, Elite brought comfort to my home.”

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Far from being satisfied with the status quo, Attilio believes the future for Elite Climate Services is in an onward-and-upward mode.

“We have formed a service division for both residential and commercial clients,” he says. “This will not only service and maintain projects we have completed but also maintain clients with systems not installed by us.
“And we are dealing with infloor heating and snow melt technologies which, up until now, have really been limited, or affordable, to the high-end custom home market.

“We are striving to make it more affordable for the production homebuilder and commercial market.

Web: www.eliteclimateservices.ca

Elite Climate Services Inc. strives for excellence for its clients. The company attains professional and courteous interaction that ensures clients have the best services possible by being innovative, professional, experienced and reliable.  For residential clients, Elite Climate Services Inc. provides installation and service to all properties. Services include: Furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, air conditioning, indoor air quality, radiant floor heating, snow melt systems, hot water tanks, tankless water heaters and infrared heaters. Elite specializes in custom homes, ranging from 3,000-square-foot to larger areas. A typical residential installation includes design, air handler, air conditioning, steam humidifier, air cleaner, HRV, radiant floor heating and snow melt system, interconnected with a high efficiency boiler. In the commercial area, services include: rooftops, unit heaters, infrared heaters, exhaust fans and maintenance plans.

HVAC

Onwards and upwards

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From modest beginnings in 1956, Air Heat Supplies continues to grow as the wholesaler of choice for today’s contractor

By Greg McMillan

The mandate for Air Heat Supplies has always been about providing contractors with one-stop shopping.

That hasn’t changed since the original family-owned parent company, G&M Heating Supplies Ltd., opened its first location in Toronto back in 1956.
And when G&M Heating Supplies acquired Air Heat Supplies 40 years later, that mandate continued – and continues today.
“We take the time to get to know our customers, who are treated like friends, not numbers,” says Air Heat general manager Howard Mathers. “We make sure they have easy access to owners and managers if they need information or need a problem resolved.”
Always a leading single-source HVAC wholesale distributor in Ontario, Air Heat combines one of the largest HVAC/IAQ parts and supplies inventories with exclusive distribution of American Standard residential and light commercial heating and air conditioning systems.
“We moved from being a grille and register supply company to a company that supplies venting, equipment, rooftop units, gas lines and a wide variety of accessories.
“Today, we have a full-time person dedicated to customer training and technical support for dealers. And we have a large number of dedicated territory managers throughout the province maintaining that all-important face-to-face customer contact.”

In 1996, keeping its original Toronto location as a branch, Air Heat opened a new 40,000-square foot head office in Mississauga, followed by a third location in Scarborough in 2004.

A year later, Air Heat became the exclusive Ontario distributor of award-winning American Standard Heating and Air Conditioning systems and equipment. Since then, they have established a network of 170 independent American Standard dealers across Ontario.
They continued that growth and, by the summer of 2008, had opened a distribution centre in Ottawa.
Two years later, that was followed by the opening of a 2,000 sq. ft. Home Comfort Training Centre near the head office in Mississauga.  Offering a regular calendar of free technical, sales, and third party vendor training courses, this cutting edge facility also provides hands-on training using fully-operational HVAC, IAQ and Hydronic systems.
The Mississauga office handles all administration, distribution and manages all outside sales activities in Ontario. It is complete with a large showroom, service counter and technical training room.

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By December 2011, yet another distribution centre had opened in London to better serve southwestern Ontario contractors.
Onwards and upwards – despite the recent tough economic times.
“We’re on the right path,” says Ian Rasmussen, director of sales and marketing for Air Heat. “This year we’re looking at even more positive growth.”
Now a second-generation family-owned and operated business – Howard, his sister, Debbie, and her husband, Tobits Ruddock, continue on with the family legacy started by their father, Percy, in 1956 – Air Heat has a growing customer base of over 1,500 contractors and employs over 40 people in their head office, branches, distribution centres, and Home Comfort Training Centre.
Air Heat has always provided an easy-access contractor experience.

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Following its mandate, the company provides contractors with one-stop shopping, stocking furnaces, boilers, gas and oil service parts, sheet metal supplies, ventilation products, electrical and plumbing accessories.
Air Heat is truly a complete HVAC wholesaler with long ties to many well-recognized names in the industry. Besides American Standard, Air Heat now sources products from over 70 leading suppliers, including Honeywell, Alltemp, Aprilaire, White-Rodgers, Trac-Pipe, Vanee, Continental Fireplaces, Noritz, Weil McLain, and Canadian General Filters , which has designed and manufactured a full line of efficient and reliable residential indoor air quality products for more than 65 years.

And Howard says, as the Ontario economy continues to bounce back, Air Heat will strive to expand its position in the residential, retail, new construction and commercial markets with a dedication to product support and customer service.

“We have a loyal, knowledgeable staff, with many having over 10 years service with us,” says Ruddock, operations manager.

With a newly-launched website, Air Heat highlights a number of special services, as well.

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“We have bi-weekly contractor ‘Hot Buy’ specials, and monthly contractor buy programs,” Howard added. “We have ‘Meet the Supplier’ summer barbecue events, a winter mini-trade show and feature job-site deliveries by Air Heat trucks and drivers.”

Looking ahead, Howard foresees more of the same for Air Heat – and then some.

“We will stay price-competitive in this highly-competitive market,” he says. “We will maintain the correct product offering in this rapidly-changing industry. We will keep up on the changing efficiency regulations and changing government rebates programs, etcetera.
“We’ll continue to expand the American Standard brand throughout Ontario, explore further expansion into the Hydronic market and open additional locations in Ontario.

Onwards and upwards, indeed.

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Web:  www.airheat.ca

Air Heat Supplies has been working with the leading suppliers in the industry for over five decades. As the exclusive Ontario distributor for the complete residential and commercial American Standard heating and conditioning line, the company also carries one of the largest HVAC/IAQ parts and supplies catalogues in the industry.  Extensive inventory, fast order processing, and reasonable pricing keeps contractors coming back for dependable HVAC solutions and satisfied customer referrals. Air Heat’s customer service staff brings decades of HVAC product knowledge with the latest training to help contractors source just the right products for each job.

Uncategorized

Women in Green – CaGBC

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Turning green vision into reality

Executive directors at Canada Green Building Council up to the challenge

By Wendy Campbell

From left to right:

Gayle Maltais, Sarah Burns, Teresa Hanna, Lara Ryan, Carla Giles, Lisa Bate,
Joanne Weir, Mona Lemoine, Tanya Doran, Marie Vallée, Hazel Farley, Lisa
 MacDonell

The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) is a respected leader of our nation’s dynamic and growing sustainable building industry.

Every day, staff in the CaGBC national office and the executive directors (EDs) of the Council’s eight chapters interact at various levels with architects, engineers, building owners and managers, construction professionals, product developers and government representatives – the professionals who turn the visions of a greener world into reality.

Many of those industry professionals belong to traditionally male-dominated professions – putting the onus on CaGBC staff to talk the language of the industry.

No problem. Many EDs have come from green backgrounds.

Lara Ryan, Atlantic Chapter ED, managed a consulting business based on sustainability and corporate responsibility before joining the Chapter. “My current job is a neat marriage of my former worlds. I know how to run an NFP – and green building is a huge piece of the puzzle of sustainability.”

Tanya Doran, Alberta Chapter ED, was introduced to the sustainable building industry during a part-time job in college. Fast forward to 2001 through 2007 when she helped coordinate the annual Alberta Sustainable Building Symposiums and worked part-time with the Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition.

Hazel Farley, Greater Toronto Chapter ED, assumed the Chapter reins after a seven-year stint at Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. “My current position allows me to direct and shape the future of the Chapter – with the added bonus of staying connected with the green building industry.”

Mona Lemoine, Cascadia ED and Vice-President, Education and Events for the International Living Future Institute, joined Cascadia directly from practising architecture in Manitoba. The position with Cascadia allows her to maintain her involvement in the green building industry – a personal passion of hers.

Teresa Hanna, Ottawa Region Chapter ED, graduated from and also works in architecture. “I still get to dabble a bit in design. I simply want to create better, more beautiful buildings, healthy for the inhabitants as well as for the natural environment. My background and ED position give me the scope to do that.”

Lisa MacDonell, Manitoba Chapter ED, also offers a background rich in green. With a business and marketing background, she and her partner started a residential contracting company some years ago. She then worked with a local architectural firm, which designed Manitoba’s first LEED-certified building.

Lisa became committed to building everything to at least minimum LEED standard – including one of her own homes.

Annette Horvath, Assistant ED of the Saskatchewan Chapter, joined the CaGBC immediately after a stint of conducting tours of Canada’s first net-zero home exhibit, located in Saskatoon. “My husband and I built a house in 2010. We made it as energy efficient as we could. The more we talked to people in the know, the more my interest in green building grew.”

Research proves what these EDs illustrate – that women are assuming increasingly greater decision-making roles in the Canadian labour market. According to Statistics Canada, women now account for the majority of university graduates. Women are also entering more non-traditional occupations.[1] Between 1996 and 2006, the proportion of women increased significantly in physical sciences, architecture, drafting, surveying and mapping – and as managers in engineering, architecture, science and information systems.[2]

The CaGBC female professionals offer an astounding mix of managerial and professional skills.

Gayle Maltais, CaGBC’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), joined the CaGBC from her management position at NAV CANADA, Canada’s civil air navigation services provider. “I had a broad range of management skills but I wasn’t contributing to society in any meaningful way. I knew I had more to offer.”

Now she manages the CaGBC operations ranging from facilities and security to governance, human resources and finance. She is also part of the senior executive team, helping develop the organization’s strategic direction and supporting the implementation of a range of business issues.

In addition to supervising several staff, Mona Lemoine of Cascadia invests significant time in stewarding the development and implementation of Cascadia’s strategic plan.

She says part of her role is facilitating connections within the industry to drive the agenda forward. “It’s about connecting the dots. Opportunities happen when the right people connect. Finding those synergies and leveraging them helps the movement as a whole.”

Lara Ryan, Atlantic Chapter, offers strong organizational skills, people skills and a good dose of common sense to the position. She’s also knows about multi-tasking. “I am a part-time executive director representing four provinces. I interact with four provincial governments, a host of municipalities, stakeholders that differ province to province and members in all of the above jurisdictions. I’m all about managing expectations.”

Tanya Doran, Alberta Chapter, believes her skills complement those of the traditional professions. “I bring a different skillset to the table than the architects and engineers. I hold things together. I open doors and ensure the green building agenda moves forward.”

Lisa MacDonell, Manitoba Chapter, credits her success to a well-rounded skillset and the right personality for the job. “I don’t make a point of being a strong woman because I need to be a ‘strong woman’ in a male- dominated industry; I’m simply a strong person. I have energy and a passion for this organization and the cause of green building.”

Another common thread connecting the CaGBC team is a passion for LEED.

Tanya Doran, Alberta Chapter, recently spoke to a meeting of Canadian education facilities professionals about LEED. “I can be the teacher and discuss the advantages of green schools with them. Every speaking engagement gives me an opportunity to do some myth busting about green building and LEED.”

Annette Horvath, Saskatchewan Chapter, agrees LEED is an effective vehicle for developing more sustainable communities across Canada. “We need to work on educating our audiences about the value of LEED certification. It’s not well understood.  The more we demonstrate its benefits and show how to achieve LEED certification with no additional costs, the more we can change the negative perceptions.”

Teresa Hanna, Ottawa Region Chapter ED, sees LEED as a means of “helping the design and construction team take an integrated and holistic approach to each project. The LEED guidelines are helping to challenge green building leaders to push the bar even higher.”

With the range of skills and talents at work within the CaGBC, what motivates these women to invest far more than their paid hours to their jobs? For most, the answer is a deep commitment to sustainable building and its advantages for our society.

Hazel Farley, Greater Toronto Chapter, says she is honoured to work with individuals who share her commitment to green building. “Our board and volunteers have invested an incredible amount of time and professional talent in the chapter – and their efforts show. These chapters are built by volunteers.”

Gayle Maltais, CaGBC COO, says Thomas Mueller, CaGBC President & CEO, opened the door for her. “Thomas painted a vision of the green building industry that showed me how the organization could help change the lives of Canadians and how I could help lead a team that was motivated by passion and a level of engagement I simply hadn’t encountered in my past professional life,” recalls Gayle.

Gayle describes the green building industry as very inclusive. “Everyone involved, from architects and engineers to realtors and product developers, is interested in working toward a better built environment. Ask questions. Volunteer. You will find your special niche because the industry needs such a diverse range of skills sets to move forward regardless of your gender.”

[1] “Women in Non-traditional Occupations and Fields of Study,” Kathryn McMullen, Jason Gilmore and Christel Le Petit, Statistics Canada

[1] Statistics Canada. Census of Canada, 1996 and 2006

Sustainability

Reid’s Heritage Homes

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Inspiring Track record

Reid’s Heritage Homes Sets the Bar for Sustainable New Home Building

By Greg McMillan

There’s something to be said about being The First.
With that in mind, Reid’s Heritage Homes can justifiably take pride in the fact that it built the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) home in Canada – specifically, in Guelph, in 2007, in the Platinum category.
But the Guelph-based company was just getting started. In 2010, it built the second LEED Platinum home, and the first in the Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo area.
The accomplishments don’t stop there, however. Just this year, Reid’s Heritage was acknowledged by the federal Ministry of Natural Resources with the Energy Star Participant Award, the first builder in Canada to receive this.


This achievement recognizes leadership in a wide range of energy efficient products, technologies and services and outstanding efforts in promoting Energy Star qualified products to benefit Canadian consumers and businesses.
“We are incredibly honoured to receive this prestigious award,” says Tim Blevins, president of Reid’s Heritage Homes, which has also built six LEED-certified residences in Cobble Beach, an award-winning Georgian Bay golf resort community. “As a third-generation home builder, we are constantly pushing the envelope with innovative designs while achieving efficiencies and savings for our homebuyers.”
There’s more from 2012, however. In addition to two awards from the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA) for best brochure and best sales office, Reid’s Heritage was recognized as a finalist for OHBA home builder of the year.
Some history: Reid’s Heritage Homes was one of the first home builders in Ontario to recognize, prioritize and embrace the principles and practices of sustainability and energy efficiency for homes. One of the earliest adopters of Energy Star construction as a standard practice in their diverse new home communities, Reid’s Heritage was one of the first to take a leadership role in green building practices.
And that has often meant doing things the right way, as opposed to following an easier path.

Scott Reid, vice-president of residential construction with Reid’s Heritage Homes, says you can look all the way back to the Nineties to find examples of how the company strove to be more sustainable about its building practices.
“That’s when it really became part of the ‘bricks and mortar’ of Reid’s Heritage, so to speak,” he says. “However, the team has been considering sustainability for a very long time.”
He says the company’s corporate values drive decision making.
“From choosing to build on difficult brownfield sites to proposing trails and woodlands as part of our site plans in order to facilitate wildlife and ecosystem growth, we make choices that lead to a build that is better for the environment.”
Derek Satnik, managing director of Kitchener-based Mindscape Innovations and a Reid’s Heritage homeowner, credits Reid’s Heritage for being the best kind of leader.
“They’re constantly trying new things,” he says. “But better still, they’re innovating in very careful ways: watching their budgets, catering their innovation to consumer needs, and making a real difference.”
One example would be the company’s attention to water efficiency. A case in point is the Reid’s Heritage offering of a City of Guelph initiative called the Blue Built Home program, which is committed to reducing water consumption for new homes through innovative building and conservation technologies.
The certification program, adopted by Reid’s Heritage, uses a set of high quality home fixtures and appliances designed and third-party tested to save water and reduce utility bills by as much as 54 per cent.
Reid’s Heritage subsequently offered the Blue Built Home program to its signature Enclave at Waterford bungalow townhomes in the Westminster Woods community in Guelph.
In the area of brownfield development, Reid’s Heritage has also taken a leadership role. Its Preston Meadows project in Cambridge is recognized as one of Canada’s first in the registered LEED for Neighbourhood Developments (LEED-ND) program. Just recently, the project won the Waterloo Region Home Builders Association award for Best Reurbanization Project (Residential).
Reid says the public has embraced the idea of sustainable home building practices.
“Our homeowners are knowledgeable,”  says Debbie O’Krafka, New Home Sales Consultant at Westminster Woods in Guelph.  “They do their research and they ask all the right questions.  In essense, they set the expectations that we live up to and often exceed.”
“They compare ‘apples to apples’ so to speak,” she added. “Or in this case, windows to windows, duct work to duct work, etcetera.”
“It is not only my role on the team to educate our homeowners, it is also an element of my role that I truly enjoy.  Informing homeowners that our duct board retains heat better than standard tin duct work ,provides tighter air distribution throughout the home, and eliminates household noise, is exciting information for me to share.”
“Our building practices give me a real sense of pride, and of course, knowing that each guest to our model homes seems to leave just a little greener is truly rewarding.”

Sustainability

Percon Construction

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A perfect fit
Sustainable building practices go hand in hand with Percon Construction philosophy

When he launched Percon Construction Inc. nearly 15 years ago, Frank Perricone had lofty aspirations.

Not only did he want to be one of the leading contractors in Ontario, but he also aimed to be the type of contractor that constructs interesting, unique and leading-edge projects.
And that definitely includes sustainable building and practices.

“When sustainable building practices started to appear in the Ontario construction landscape, I knew it was the direction that I wanted Percon to go in,” Perricone tells Green Building and Sustainable Strategies magazine.

“I knew that it would make a difference in the communities that we work and live in. I find that the sustainable building applications and designs are very innovated and challenging … which is something that is right down our alley.”

Three recent projects Percon has been involved with stand out. They are: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s (TRCA) new Restoration Services Centre, Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School (aka Essa Secondary School) and the County of Simcoe Administration Building, in Midhurst, north of Barrie.

TRCA Restoration Services Centre:  Awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification – the highest level of environmental certification available – by the Canada Green Building Council, the two-storey, 1095-square-metre building is recognized as a showcase of sustainable design.  It was also the first LEED Platinum building in Ontario, and third in Canada. The building also won a 2007 Ontario Wood WORKS award in the green design category.  It should be noted that the building – which focuses on using simple, low-cost solutions to drive high-performance sustainability outcomes – harvests light and ventilation, geothermal energy and directs all rainwater to replenish wetlands that provide habitat for birds, turtles and insects.

Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School: This three-storey 13,000-metre project for the Simcoe County District School Board included a number of sustainability features, including geothermal energy, xeriscaping, high-performance glass, heat recovery systems, carbon dioxide control, photocell-lighting control of ventilation systems, solar domestic hot water, and photovoltaic solar energy generation. “When you look at the building, you might think it was over-designed, but there had to bea lot of seismic calculations done,” Perricone says, noting that additional reinforcing of mechanical and electrical systems and piping was required as well anchoring of items on the roof.

The geothermal system had to be carefully installed, as well, in light of seismic concerns.”

County of Simcoe Administration Building: Improved public access was one of the changes incorporated into the new and expanded building. The lobby has towering two-storey glass walls and is the focal point of the 8,587-square-metre expansion, which includes argon glass, daylight and occupancy sensors in the offices, a ground-source heat exchange system and solar panels on the roof and towners. Energy consumption is expected to decrease by up to 50 per cent.  Says Perricone: “It just recently received its LEED Gold certificate. It was a complicated building. It was built onto the existing facility that had to remain occupied and fully functionable during the entire construction period. We’re very proud of this particular project.”

While not all Percon projects are LEED-certified, Perricone says the majority adapt a sustainable policy and include applications such as greywater systems and building automation.

“It really depends on the client,” he says. “The popular components seem to be building automation, solar panels, ground source heating and cooling, and greywater systems.

“There are a few that are looking into design orientation of the buildings to utilize the power of the sun to heat, and the positioning of the building as it relates to shade, for cooling. “

Noting that Percon takes a ‘hands-on’ approach to all its projects, Perricone says they really care about the impact the company has on the community and the environment. He also stresses Percon has a great team of employees that shares the common goal of excellence.
The public, he says, is beginning to embrace sustainable energy-efficient factors when selecting a builder – such as Percon – for mega-projects.

“It’s slowly getting there,” he says. “There are clients/customers that will put a lot of weight on the experience that a builder/contractor has with sustainable buildings but, for the most part, it’s all about the bottom line or low bid.

“It’s unfortunate, but some clients miss out on the value that a contractor like Percon can bring to a unique, sustainable and complicated building.”

Perricone feels that, in general, there needs to be a better job done in promoting sustainable building.

“There is a misconception about additional costs associated with sustainable building and the industry is really not doing a great job promoting the long-term cost savings if you choose the sustainable building concept.”

Percon Construction Inc., a privately-owned family business, is a full service contractor/builder with the capability, knowledge and expertise to take on mid- to large-size industrial, commercial, and institutional projects. Percon Construction Inc. aims to build facilities that serve the general public and the communities in which they stand by maintaining the highest possible industry standards. Frank Perricone is the company president, and brother Massimo Perricone is his partner and the vice-president.

 

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Women in Green – Marja Hillis

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Molok North America Ltd,

From Finland with Love

Bv Marylene Vestergom

Imagine coming to Canada from Finland with the idea to sell new waste containers without any contacts or understanding of the Canadian waste industry.  “I was this 30-year old, single mother of a one-year old child, selling my dad’s product in another country. I didn’t know anyone. I was working in an industry that was 99% male. But I knew that my father’s invention, the Molok® Deep Collection™ waste management system, was a proven product –and I was going to make it happen,” says Marja Hillis, CEO of Molok North America.   After all, who could dispute the success of Molok, which has been around for 21 years and is used all over the world? Charting new opportunities was something Hillis had her sights on – and no one was going to say it wasn’t possible. Perhaps it was that Finnish stubbornness sisu, or perseverance, that kept her going. “One of my biggest mottos is never give up. If you want to succeed, you have to keep at it.”

Considering the focus on truck collection methods, Molok’s new way of managing waste was the first time the industry observed a revolutionary development in waste containers.  “The focus has always been on how we get the garbage out quickly and efficiently. It was never about the containers.  Molok changes that,” says Hillis.”

So what is the Molok® Deep Collection™ waste management system? As Hillis points out, Deep Collection™ is a term that aptly describes its double meaning.  “The key is its vertical underground design. The Molok container is 60 percent underground, with only 40 percent of the container visible above ground. The design allows for gravity to help in compacting the waste so you can put more in. Plus, the coolness underground reduces offensive odours, and it allows you to wait longer before you need to empty it – saving money.  As an added bonus, the system prevents vandalism and visits from pesky animals.”

“I remember when I first met Marja,” says Paul Ronan, Executive Director, at Ontario Parks Association. “What struck me was her passion for educating people on products that will help us get a better environment. She hired people who shared that vision and were willing to go out and advocate for a cleaner, more livable environment.  And the Molok lends itself to cutting down on the carbon footprint and reducing unsightly bins all over the place.”

With the help of her first client, the Ontario Parks Association, Hillis was able to introduce Molok to the Kitchener community. “Our motto is protecting tomorrow today,” says Ronan. “We’ve been around for 75 years, serving mostly the municipal sector.  When Marja first approached us, it was her vision that sold us. The rest, as they say, is history.”

On April 1, 2012, Molok North America Ltd. opened its doors to a 39,000-square foot manufacturing plant in Mount Forest, Ont., capable of producing 10,000 waste containers per year. But success didn’t come easily. In the beginning, Hillis couldn’t find a waste management company that wanted to empty the containers. Undaunted by this setback, Hillis and her husband, Mark, set up their own waste removal company.  Later, Waste Management Inc. saw and heard from customers about the benefits of Molok and soon bought out the Hillis’ waste management company and hired Mark Hillis to work for it.

Today, Waste Management Inc. offers the expertise to empty the containers.

But for Hillis and her team at Molok North America, listening to their customers is a huge part of their success.  In fact, it’s the people who drive the use and success of Molok by telling the municipalities and other potential customers about them, who are then telling the waste haulers they want the Molok system.

Molok also takes pride in how it works with its customers, whether it’s a small corner store or an organization like Big Sisters and Big Brothers in Montreal.  “They’re involved in clothes collection.  It was important that the clothes wouldn’t get stolen or wet, so we developed a lid that would work for their needs,” says Hillis.  Molok North America also developed a bear proof lid. Today Algonquin Park uses 150 Molok container systems in their rest areas and camp grounds – for waste, recycling and even organics.

The attractive containers seamlessly blend into the environment and their uses are endless.

“I’ve been in this country for 15 years now, and last year my daughter and I became Canadian citizens,” says Hillis. “I knew when I came to this country, although I was selling a Finnish product, it had to be Canadian.  That’s why I established Molok North America Ltd. and made sure we kept the manufacturing as local as possible. There’s a lot of green washing out there, but at Molok, we walk the talk.”

Website: www.molokna.com

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Women in Green – Vivian Kanargelidis

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Vivian Kanargelidis dares to be different

The ever-increasing demand for sustainable architecture design is affecting virtually every production industry related to modern building development.

Shading and daylighting solutions are no exception to this.  And developing and innovating improvements in solar control is a priority for Vivian Kanagelidis, the President and CEO of Sun Glow Window Covering Products of Canada Ltd.

Since taking the reins of the family-owned business in 2006 after the passing of her father, Kanargelidis has built on his legacy as an innovator and brought her own entrepreneurial skill-set into the mix.

With a background as a Chartered Accountant she also has diverse business interests – from ownership and management of rental properties, bed and breakfast homes in Niagara-on-the Lake, as well as founding Canada’s first and only Thomas Kinkade Signature Gallery in Yorkville.  Kanargelidis also finds time to assist the Canadian Decorators’ Association as its Director of Finance.

The shift in attention to Sun Glow, while challenging, did not prove overly daunting for Kanargelidis.  She quickly started an agenda of modernizing every aspect of the company from internal processes to providing new cutting-edge products for the sustainability revolution.  Fast forward six years and the results of her efforts are clear to see.  Sun Glow has participated in multiple award winning projects and several product innovations in the solar control industry.

One such innovation that Sun Glow has recently developed in-house is a roller shade operating system designed specifically for the contract market.  Dubbed V-Series™, this feature rich system is fully-assembled, modular, and boasts an abundance of ergonomic design elements, from installation to everyday usage.

Sun Glow is also home to MAX™, the world’s largest roller shade.  Typically, roller shade systems are limited in size due to tube deflection and limited roll-up space.  MAX™ handles both of these issues elegantly with one piece of engineering genius.  It features floating suspension system and provides uniform support across the breadth of the shade allowing for massive 12m (40′) widths and lengths up to 9m (30′).  When installed externally, MAX™ slashes energy costs by reducing HVAC loads by up to 60 per cent.

Another Sun Glow innovation that has been designed specifically for the health care market is the NEO™ Chainless Safety Shade.  This system was used extensively with the recently completed CAMH redevelopment project.  It is ideal for applications where ligature issues are a concern because no part of the shade can be removed and its touch based controls eliminate the need for a chain or cord for operation.

These versatile systems provide intuitive controls and eliminate the application limitations inherent in the prior generations of shading systems.

But to yield the full benefit of today’s systems, smart fabric selection is a must.  Sun Glow has assembled a wide variety of textile options, both technical and decorative, each meeting a solar shading need.  The newest additions are the Eco Series™ fabrics.  The ultimate in sustainability these fabrics provide incredible heat, glare, ad UV protection and have other desirable qualities such as being PVC and VOC free, available in wide roll widths for large window spans and are 100% Trevira CS fibres, inherently flame retardant.

To cater to the more creative, personalized, one-of-a-kind applications, Sun Glow offers the Artisan collection, featuring trims and pulls as well as Swarovski Elements; Graphic Shades and Expressions involve the custom printing of images, patterns, logos as directed by the clients, on window treatment fabrics and wallpaper.

“Everything is done in-house enabling designers to create unique custom designs for clients that reflect their personality or lifestyle in a residential application or desired themes in a commercial application,” says Kanargelidis.

In addition to the product innovations, Kanargelidis is continuing to improve upon accounting, inventory control and production management software throughout the company with the goal of becoming completely paperless.

She has acquired sophisticated production machinery, one of the first in North America which has significantly bolstered production capabilities, especially when dealing with large contract orders.  In order to manage these large projects, Sun Glow has developed a team of contract specialists that assist clients in specifying even the most complex projects from manual systems to completely automated and building management systems.

Kanargelidis’ remarkable accomplishments with Sun Glow are the result of her unexpected foray into the solar control industry.  Her leadership and determination ensure Sun Glow’s continued prominence as an innovator in an ever-evolving marketplace.

Sun Glow Window Covering Products of Canada Ltd. was founded by Kostas Kanargelidis, Vivian’s father, in 1983 as a distributor of quality components and fabrics to the window treatment industry and a manufacturer of custom, solar shading products to its network of dealers and retailers.  Sun Glow has become a leader in innovation for the contract market while continuing to serve its distribution and dealer business.