Applied Research & Commercialization (AR&C) recently completed the installation of a data-monitoring system at the Cornerstone Life Lease Estates building in northeast Winnipeg. The milestone marks the beginning of a yearlong project that will assess the building’s energy performance, in hopes of reducing the building’s operating costs and limiting its environmental footprint.
Opened in 2010, “the Cornerstone” is a four-storey residential development that features a number of sustainable design solutions, including above-average insulation levels and 100 per cent geothermal space heating. AR&C, in partnership with Southern Comfort Mechanical Inc. and The Cornerstone Housing Corporation, will test the effectiveness of these systems, compare the results to projections, and make suggest improvements for the future.
AR&C’s Sustainable Infrastructure Technology Research Group (SITRG), an initiative with funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), is supporting the project. For more information on how you can work with AR&C and SITRG to perform research in sustainable infrastructure, please visit the following link:
http://blogs.rrc.ca/ar/2011/11/new-funding-supports-student-research-in-sustainable-buildings/
Photos from the installation are below:
 

After months of applying knowledge, it was time to deliver the results.
Students in the Architectural Engineering/Technology program recently presented their applied research projects to fellow classmates, instructors, and industry professionals during a daylong seminar at the Red River College Notre Dame Campus.
The projects, which started in November, explored some of the architectural issues surrounding Manitoba buildings and the technologies available to help make them more sustainable in the future. Examples of projects include studies of how to build “net-zero” homes that use as little energy as possible and sustainable buildings solutions for First Nations communities.
Some students were even able to look to the College for their case studies, with one project exploring the transformation of the Union Bank Tower in Downtown Winnipeg to the College’s new Paterson GlobalFoods Institute, and another looking at the “green roof” on The Roblin Centre at the Exchange District Campus.
Applied Research & Commercialization research professionals worked with several students to develop their projects, which will now serve as starting points to future research and networking opportunities with industry and the College. RRC’s Sustainable Infrastructure Technology Research Group (SITRG) supported these select projects through funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
For more information on how RRC students can conduct applied research through SITRG, please visit the following link:
http://blogs.rrc.ca/ar/index.php/2011/11/09/
You can also learn more about the Architectural/Engineering Technology program here:
http://me.rrc.mb.ca/Catalogue/ProgramInfo.aspx?ProgCode=ARCEF-DP&RegionCode=WPG
Photos from the event are below.

A packed room of over 60 people – including stakeholders from all corners of the Manitoba transportation sector – was on hand this past Thursday, March 29 for the Heavy Vehicle Technology Workshop at the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Applied Research & Commercialization (AR&C), in collaboration with the National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), WESTEST, and the Vehicle Technology Centre, created the daylong workshop, which shared the latest in heavy vehicle design and manufacturing available to industry.
From breakthrough GPS-guiding technology in snowplows to light-weighting vehicles with hybrid composite technology, our speakers treated attendees to a diverse set of informative and entertaining presentations. And the audience gave back too, with each presentation sparking discussions that showed a clear interest in the future of the heavy vehicle industry in Manitoba and beyond. These questions spilled over to some valuable networking time, where guests connected and shared ideas.
We’d like to thank all speakers, delegates, and official supporters for helping make the workshop a success. We’ll be making presentations from the workshop available online soon. In the meantime, please check out our event website for speaker bios and session descriptions.
Photos from the event are below:

You are invited to learn from, and network with our line-up of local, national, and international experts in the fields of Heavy Vehicle Manufacturing and Design.  This is also your opportunity to interact and network with current and prospective suppliers and partners in attendance, while learning about the latest techniques, projects, capabilities, and opportunities in your field.

Applied Research & Commercialization at Red River College (AR&C at RRC), the National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), the Vehicle Technology Centre, and WESTEST have teamed up to create this comprehensive Manitoba Workshop.  The most critical and timely aspects of Heavy Vehicle Manufacturing and Design will be covered along with discussion of how Manitoba’s industry members can advance environmental sustainability, while raising the their competitiveness and productivity.
The Workshop is being designed to meet the needs of engineers, business developers, technicians, technologists, instructors and researchers working in the field of Heavy Vehicle Technology, with a focus on original equipment and component design and manufacturing.
When: March 29, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Where: The Victoria Inn, Winnipeg, MB
Registration: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/222437
Cost: $125 + GST – Includes breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages
Specific topics that the Workshop aims to cover include:

• 3D Modeling
• Automation and Robotics
• Advanced design
• Agri-machinery
• CAD software
• Environmental sustainability
• Large vehicle electrification

For more information, please contact:
Brent Wennekes, Technology Transfer and Communications Manager
Applied Research & Commercialization
Red River College
bwennekes@rrc.mb.ca   |  204.631.3323
Thanks to our Official Supporters!




 
 
 

 
 

It’s one of the largest industrial training facilities in Manitoba, and it’s also now officially one of the province’s most environmentally-friendly buildings.
Red River College is happy to announce its Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre (HETC) has become one of the first education centres in Manitoba to receive LEED® certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).
Located on the College’s Notre Dame Campus, this 60,000 square foot complex combines academic and industrial functions, with nine classrooms available for theoretical instruction, and a large shop area that replicates a typical work environment in the transportation and trucking industry.
“HETC is a model for development of new learning facilities, “,” said Stephanie Forsyth, President of RRC. “It provides us with modern, flexible space for training programs and applied research, while simultaneously minimizing our impact on the environment.”
HETC includes several sustainable features that are uncommon for a large industrial building:

• Geothermal heating and cooling – A groundwater loop system provides partial heating and cooling of the facility.
• Natural heating – SolarWall systems collect the sun’s energy to preheat outdoor air before it ventilates classrooms.
• Daylight views – More than 90% of regularly occupied spaces have direct views of the outdoors.
• Native vegetation – Plants surrounding the building require little maintenance, are drought resistant, and help control stormwater runoff.
• Recycled and regional content – More than 25% of building materials have recycled content, and 35% of materials are from Manitoba, Saskatchewan or North Dakota.

Compared to a standard structure of the same size, HETC’S efficient heating and cooling systems produce a 50% reduction in energy use, a 72% reduction in space heating, and a 54% reduction in operating costs. It has been certified as LEED® Silver.
“The CaGBC is proud to award Red River College with a LEED Silver certification,” said Thomas Mueller, President and CEO of the Canada Green Building Council. “It is very exciting to see colleges demonstrating such a high level of environmental and social responsibility. Post-secondary institutions have a leadership role in their communities and for their students to educate and showcase “sustainability in action.”
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System® encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.
For more information, or to book a tour of HETC, see www.rrc.ca/hetc.

On your mark, get set, assemble.
Red River College (RRC), alongside The Manitoba Building Envelope Council (MBEC), and the Manitoba Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council (MBCaGBC), is excited to be holding the 2nd Air Barrier Rodeo workshop.
The Centre for Applied Research in Sustainable Infrastructure (CARSI) at RRC’s Notre Dame Campus will once again play host to a day of competition and exploration of the latest in design, installation and performance of multiple air barrier assemblies.
The Rodeo will consist of amaximum of ten teams of four, tasked with the design and installation of their air barrier assembly onto a pre-assembled 8’x6’ wall panel that will include an expansion point, masonry ties, window, duct, HVAC (heating, venting, and air conditioning), and junction box penetrations. The assemblies will then be tested for air and water leakage. The winning teams will be issued a prize based on each type of air barrier material category.
Teams may consist of any number of combinations of professionals or students such as architects, engineers, technologists, contractors, sub-trades, or other industry members involved in the design, management, or installation of air barrier assemblies. Participants can register in teams of up to four people. Individuals or groups of two and three will be paired with other participants.
Technical representatives from leading North American manufacturers will be on-hand, working with each team to ensure the assembly is designed and installed correctly, and to ensure an air and watertight assembly. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with these professionals and gain valuable hands-on experience as they compete for the right to be crowned air barrier champions.
DATE
Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 – all day
LOCATION
Red River College Notre Dame Campus, 2055 Notre Dame Campus (CARSI Building)
COST
Individual Registration: $150.00
Team Registration (4 participants): $600.00
STUDENTS
Individual Student Registration: $100.00
Team Registration (4 participants): $450.00
The full-day workshop includes continental breakfast, lunch, and one event pass for each participant to the MBCaGBC follow-up lunch event at Manitoba Hydro on March 6, 2012.
To register, please email admin@mbcagbc.org.
The deadline for registration is February 1, 2012.
Video of last year’s competition is below:

Winnipeg’s first all-electric transit bus is almost ready to hit the streets.
Last April, Red River College (RRC), in partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, New Flyer Industries, and Manitoba Hydro, announced its plans to develop an all-electric transit bus and charging system. The system would be developed in the first year of the three-year project and tested in Manitoba for two years after.
With spring just a few months away, the system is almost ready for the testing phase.  CJOB recently interviewed Thomas Small, a mechanical engineer at New Flyer about the scope of the project, the progress so far, and some of the challenges involved.
“We’re developing something that will be the future,” said Small in the interview.
“I hope to see every city have this ability to be able to run electric busses.”
Full video of the interview can be seen below:

In addition to the $1 million it is contributing to the electric bus project, the Province of Manitoba is investing $100,000 into the creation of the Electric Vehicle Technology & Education Centre (EVTEC) at RRC. When complete, EVTEC will be a demonstration site for future all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle projects, such as the all-electric bus development.
For more information on the all-electric bus project and EVTEC, please visit the link below:
http://www.rrc.mb.ca/index.php?pid=5859&mid=10757&rid=1192

Ray Hoemsen, RRC’s Director of Applied Research and Commercialization, will speak before the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources at its hearings in Winnipeg today.
Hoemsen will outline how the applied research capabilities of the College have been supporting innovation in advanced transportation and energy, including:

• The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle cold weather testing project.
• Our work with MCI to design a more energy-efficient bus prototype.
• Our partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and New Flyer to develop an all-electric transit bus.
• The creation of the Electric Vehicle Technology and Education Centre at the Notre Dame Campus.

“Supporting applied research to adapt, adopt and improve existing technologies and put these technologies into commercial use is one key element to support a Canadian energy strategy,” he said.
Hoemsen is the first representative from a Canadian college or polytechnic to speak before the Committee during its current round of hearings across Western Canada.
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources is examining the current and future state of Canada’s energy system. For more information, see www.canadianenergyfuture.ca.

A full house was on hand to watch Dr. Bahman Noruziaan give his talk on non-destructive testing at Wednesday’s Lunch & Learn.
Dr. Noruziaan, an instructor with Civil Engineering Technology, discussed some of the issues involving the aging of ever-increasing complex buildings and infrastructure in developed countries. The talk included discussion on applicable non-destructive testing (NDT) methods and structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies.
Red River College (RRC) staff, students, and members of the local sustainable infrastructure community engaged in discussion and offered suggestions on how to advance the study and implementation of NDT at the College and across Canada. The passionate exchange showed that Dr. Noruziaan has identified an area in need of development in the world of sustainable building infrastructure.
Our thanks go out to Dr. Noruziaan and to all those in attendance.
Photos of the event are below.

 
Join Red River College staff, faculty, and students, along with other members of the region’s sustainable infrastructure community to be introduced to the issues related to the aging of ever-increasing complex buildings and infrastructure in developed countries (i.e. Canada and the U.S.,) and the needs of industry in mitigating the adverse effects of infrastructure deterioration.
 
 
 
 
Also to be discussed, will be:

• the most applicable non-destructive test (NDT) methods, as well as structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies;
• the role of academic institutions in responding to industry needs; and
• the steps that Red River College continues to take to meet the needs of the civil engineering profession in this critical area.