Calgary’s largest infrastructure project wins Consulting Engineers of Alberta award

Consulting Engineers of Alberta celebrated its annual Showcase Awards on January 26 at the Edmonton Expo Centre. “Arabian Nights” was the theme for the evening.

Awards of excellence went to the following firms for a total of 10 projects.

– Dialog and Yolles/CH2M HILL for the Edmonton Clinic (building engineering category). The two firms partnered to “super-fast-track” the structural designs for this 1,250,000 sq. ft., $900-million project. The complex has two components, one in cast-in-place concrete, and the other in structural steel.

– Hatch Mott MacDonald won two awards of excellence for the fast-track delivery of Calgary’s West LRT (transportation infrastructure and project management categories). The 8-kilometre extension to Calgary’s LRT includes 1.5 km of elevated guideway, 2.5 km of tunnel and trench, and 4 km of at-grade rail alignment, as well as six stations. The project, the largest infrastructure project in Calgary’s history, was completed in 5 years from concept to revenue service, representing an unprecedented project delivery schedule.

– ISL Engineering and Land Services for the Exshaw Municipal Water System (water resources and energy production category). ISL engineered a water system that is low tech, low maintenance and has a low lifecycle cost, and which effectively treats the complex raw water. The community’s water distribution system was also retrofitted.

– Stantec Consulting for the Calgary Public Building Restoration (sustainable design category). The team restored original mechanical design features to the heritage building, including natural ventilation and passive cooling, added solar hot water heating and chilled beam technologies, and implemented digital commissioning. Stantec did mechanical engineering and commissioning for the project.

– CH2M HILL Canada for the Jackpine Mine Integrated Closure, Conservation and Reclamation Plan (natural resources, mining and industry category). Completed under a compressed schedule for Shell Canada, the plan outlines the return of reclaimed mine uplands, wetlands and lakes to the equivalent of pre-development conditions. The plan aligns with related plans for the Athabasca Oil Sands and regulations from Alberta Environment.

– SMA Consulting for a Risk-Based Infrastructure Management System (RIMS) for the City of Edmonton (small firm – big impact category). The system, developed by SMA and the city, uses genetic algorithms to generate efficient asset management strategies, giving options for different cost and performance levels.

– SMA Consulting for the West Edmonton Sanitary Sewer, Stage W12 (studies, software and special services category). The tunnel is a $44 million, 1135-m syphon under the North Saskatchewan River. It connects northwest Edmonton to the Goldbar Wastewater Treatment plant. SMA Consulting provided decision support techniques, including simulation and 4D visualization that helped with the design, style and sequence of construction.

– MMM Group for the Calgary Zoo Antarctic Landing (community development category). The $24.5 million project is a three level exhibit for which MMM Group engineered the complex servicing, grading and drainage for the Penguin Plunge exhibit.

– Golder Associates for the Caring for Communities project, including its support for 25 charitable causes and the Golder Trust for Orphans, Row for Kids and Toys for the North programs (community outreach and in-house initiatives category).

– EBA/Tetra Tech for Community Aid Work in Ethopia for the organization Partners in the Horn of Africa (community outreach and in-house initiatives). The program delivers small aid projects and has grown from a donation of $50,000 to a $500,000 program.