Keyword
Environment
WSP acquiring U.S.-based Louis Berger
The 5,000-employee company is recognized for its expertise in sectors and services that WSP had targeted for growth, including water, environment (including emergency management) and transportation (including ports and marine), as well as master planning.
MAILBOX: A Question of Leadership
The following is a letter to the Editor.
Stantec to lead Beaufort Sea Arctic Study
Stantec has been selected to lead a long-term U.S.-led scientific study of the Arctic marine ecosystem along the Beaufort Sea shelf. The study covers an area from Barrow, Alaska to the Mackenzie River delta in Canadian waters.
Report backs claims that Duffin Creek plant causing Ajax algae problem
The town of Ajax east of Toronto on Lake Ontario now has a report by an independent team of U.S. researchers to back its arguments that a wastewater treatment plant is causing unsightly algae pollution on its beaches.
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B.C. extends its environmental reach over mining companies
The British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines has tabled amendments to the province’s Mines Act, extending the time it can take to pursue charges against companies that offend.
Fish like to hang out at offshore oil platforms
Researchers in California have found that offshore oil and natural gas platforms make productive fish habitats.
Environmental Commissioner criticizes Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
Julie Gelfand, Canada’s Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, issued her first report card on the federal government’s activities in these areas on October 7.
Canada commits to phasing out HFCs
At the United Nations Climate Summit in New York City on September 23, Canada committed to a regulation that will have profound effects on the HVAC&R and building industry.
U.S. tightens energy standards for rooftop air conditioners by 30%
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed new efficiency standards that would cut the energy used by rooftop air conditions by approximately 30%.
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Judge finds gross negligence caused Deep Horizon disaster
The finding of a U.S. federal judge last week put a renewed focus on what went wrong on the Deep Horizon oil rig and resulted in the explosion and massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
SWOT project will map world’s surface waters at high resolution
Through the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Canada is investing in Canadian technology that will play a key role in the first-ever global survey of surface water. The government says the SWOT data will help Canada more efficiently manage our water…
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Big engineering companies work to reduce impacts of industry and oilsands
WorleyParsonsKomex was one of several engineering firms involved in Lafarge Canada’s project to upgrade a cement kiln in Exshaw, Alberta that has significantly reduced the plant’s emissions. As part of an expansion to increase the plant’s…
NASA finds ozone-depleting chemical still being emitted
NASA is reportedly puzzled over why atmospheric concentrations of carbon tetrachloride (CC14) are still high despite the Montreal Protocol and a reduction in reported emissions.
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Mount Polley tailings disaster prompts inquiry and dam inspections
The B.C. government is taking strong action following the breach of a mine tailings pond at Mount Polley, near Likely in the Cariboo region of the province.
Climate Change and Buildings
Note: See the digital edition, page 54, to see the table included in this article: Current Climate Design Parameters and Consolidated Opinion and Collective Prediction of Change. Table compiled by GRG Building Consultants.
Rooftop Farms
Environmental degradation, urban sprawl, waning water resources, increase in population, and dependence on imports are all factors putting significant pressure on the food supply. Urban rooftop farming, pioneered by local food and sustainable…
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TIGHT ON ENERGY
TIGHT ON ENERGY
Webinar on alternative compliance paths for LEED v4
The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) is offering a webinar on the new Canadian Alternative Compliance Paths (ACPs) for LEED v4, beginning July 30.
Webinar series launched for environmental engineers
The American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists is launching a webinar series consisting of award winning projects presented at the 2014 Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science Conference in Washington, DC.
Engineers support Northern Gateway Pipeline
Consulting Engineers of Alberta has issued a statement supporting the federal government’s decision to approve the Northern Gateway Pipeline. The association says it is confident that Enbridge will meet the 209 conditions of the approval.
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Speaker at GaGBC conference delivers green building inspiration
Keynote speaker on June 4 at the Canada Green Building Conference in Toronto was Matt Noblett of Behnisch Architekten. The German design firm is based in Stuttgart and had its beginnings in the Post World War II era. Its founder helped design…
Federal government acts on industrial emissions
The Canadian government has announced the first mandatory regulations to govern pollutant emissions from industry.
Federal Court finds Darlington nuclear plant Environmental Assessment was inadequate
Environmental groups in Ontario are rejoicing that the Federal Court of Canada has ruled to halt a previous environmental approval for four new reactors at the Darlington nuclear power plant.
U.S. unveils first CO2 emission rules for power plants
Power generating plants in the U.S. could be looking for engineers to help with new technologies and plant retrofits after the EPA unveiled its new rules on emissions.
Cooling Trends
Elevated temperatures have long been cast in the role of villain in the world of stormwater management. In fact, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) considers warm water a deleterious substance, a potential killer, keeping…
Comment: Green design is no easy street
At the Canada Green Building Council conference in Toronto on June 4, I caught a few minutes with Ray Cole. He is one of the sages in the green building movement in Canada and now director of the Centre for Sustainable Research at UBC. Twenty…
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Sewage plant blamed for algae problem on Lake Ontario shoreline in Ajax and Pickering
Citizens and politicians in Ajax and PIckering on Lake Ontario east of Toronto are ramping up a campaign to solve the problem of algae along their waterfront.
Living Walls: Art and Science
It is generally understood that greening a building’s indoor space can have a favourable impact on the wellbeing of its occupants. The possible benefits read like a business manager’s wish list: greater…
The New LEED
LEED has emerged as North America’s de facto green building rating system since it debuted a decade ago. The newest iteration of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) — “v4” as it is called — is already in…
Liability and Green Buildings
Recent years have seen a large growth in the number of so-called green buildings, but concerns exist about these practices opening up new areas of liability for engineers. While the number of actual lawsuits directly related to engineers’…
