Innovation Summer 2026

GIBSON ART MUSEUM

plant (PWTP) for Canada’s most northern community. Grise Fiord, Nunavut, at 76°N, is 1,160 km north of the Arctic Circle and one of the coldest inhabited places in the world, with an average yearly temperature of −16.5 °C. Facing challenges from climate change, and increased activity in the high Arctic, the community required a robust and reliable solution to collect and treat snow melt, which is the only source of drinking water. The PWTP features multi-stage filtration leveraging UV and chlorination. Housed within an RSI 8.6 insulated steel-framed building, the plant offers reliability through multiple boilers, heat exchangers and water storage tanks, as well as an emergency back-up generator. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) provide adjustability for varying flows and temperatures. A programmable logic controller (PLC) monitors the process, with remote access for operator control. Part of the Category A SFU Galleries system, the Gibson Art Museum in Burnaby serves as a dynamic hub for interdisciplinary teaching, public programming, and diverse exhibitions. Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. (RJC Engineers) provided integrated structural, building envelope, and energy consulting services, supporting the delivery of an all-electric, low-carbon building with a design approach focused on durability, environmental control, and long-term performance. Constructed primarily from BC-sourced mass timber beams, the facility boasts 15-ft-high timber ceilings, creating a sense of openness and warmth. Expansive floor-to-ceiling windows establish a seamless connection between interior spaces and the surrounding natural landscape, reinforcing the museum’s role as a bridge between the university and the community. Given the sensitivity of the collections, the project emphasized stable indoor conditions, including controlled temperature, humidity, and daylight exposure, while ensuring robust envelope assemblies and structural systems that support longevity and adaptability.

Company: Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. Participants: HPA Architects: Siamak Hariri OAA, AAA, AIBC, FRAIC, NSAA, NLAA, Intl. Assoc. AIA; Doron Meinhard, MRAIC; Jaimie Howard; Patrick Cox. Iredale Architecture: James Emery, P. Eng., AIBC, LEED AP, MRAIC; Denis Gautier, AIBC, CAHP; Zohreh Mahdiar, PhD, AIBC, AMA-CPM®, CP, CPHD; Tong Zheng. RJC: Meredith Anderson, P.Eng., Struct. Eng.; Joyce Fang, P.Eng.; Dennis Hodkinson P.L.Eng., LEED® AP O+M, CCCA, CPHD; Adam Bodlack, P.Eng.; Mohammad Fakoor, PhD, P.Eng., CEA, CPHD, CEM, LEED® AP BD+C. Introba: Kevin Welsh, CPHD, LEED AP BD+C EB:OM; Scott Ghomeshi, P.Eng., LEED AP; Sam M. Yurkowski, P.Eng.; Padraic Greed; Neville Maybury. P hoto credit : E ma P eter P hotography

GRISE FIORD POTABLE WATER TREATMENT PLANT Komline Pure Water is designing and manufacturing a modular potable water treatment

Company: Komline Pure Water Participants: Catherine Anderson, P.Eng.; Guan Wong, P.Eng.; Jim Tam, P.Eng.; Jill Ji, P.Eng.; Ganesh Sridhar; Ehsan Mani; John Kneeshaw, P.Eng.; Paul Mathew; Ron Tunbridge; Bryan Marte; Maxwell Gibson, EIT; Kagan Kilicaslan, EIT; Peter Ogilvie, EIT; Reza Shams. P hoto credit : K omline P ure W ater

Innovation Summer 2026

33