INNOVATION November-December 2016

The 2.5-tonne chiller was hoisted onto the Vancity tower roof, then squeezed through an 81-centimetre doorway. Installation occurred from 1:00 am to 5:00 am to safeguard streetside pedestrians and SkyTrain users and to reduce impact on building occupants.

Working with a small group of Vancity staff, SES dropped the water temperature gradually from the 70°C to 80°C range, eventually establishing that a water temperature of 40°C to 60°C would provide the same level of comfort to occupants throughout the year. “We worked closely with a team from Davidson Brothers, Trane, and Johnson Controls to ensure that the transformation from high-grade to medium-grade heating was successful,” Sinclair says. “It’s a complex design with many different control features and loops, but it works well on many levels. In addition to the 97 percent reduction in natural gas and 75 percent reduction in emissions, we also eliminated 20 percent of domestic cold-water consumption. That’s water To learn more or apply, email our recruitment team at recruit@mcelhanney.com or visit www.mcelhanney.com/careeers We are seeking a professional in either engineering, survey, or biology, with a minimum of 5-8 years’ consulting experience to lead our talented Prince Rupert team. WE ARE HIRING A BRANCH MANAGER IN PRINCE RUPERT

that had previously been used to reject waste heat through the evaporative cooling tower.” In addition, the reduced use of the cooler tower fan and pump electricity have helped offset the additional energy required to operate the chiller. But even with all the benefits, it takes a particular kind of client to want to pursue a project that will inevitably cost more than a simple replacement. “Vancity is carbon neutral,” says Wendy Worrall, “and we’ve set our own corporate greenhouse gas reduction targets, so we are always looking for ways to reduce our footprint. If it’s the right thing to do, we’ll do it. This project was a perfect fit for us. We also hope it will be an example for other companies.”

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