CARSI

The Centre for Applied Research in Sustainable Infrastructure (CARSI) is located at the Notre Dame Campus, and is home to the Building Envelope Technology Access Centre, which supports our province’s building industry by helping clients address the challenges of designing and constructing durable, energy-efficient building envelopes in Manitoba’s unique climate.

The CARSI building is constructed of energy efficient pre-cast, pre-insulated wall panels.

CARSI aims to develop advanced sustainable infrastructure technologies in four strategic areas:

• asphalt concrete pavement
• advanced composite materials
• large light frame wood structures
• building envelopes

Equipment

• Environmental control chambers – side-by-side configuration, common wall with removable section; -40°C to +40°C (-40°F to 104°F) capabilities with additive humidity control; each side with interior dimensions of 10’10” W x 15’2” D x 8’7” H
• Removable exterior wall section incorporated into CARSI building – utilizes actual climatic conditions for thermal and lighting properties testing
• Structural dynamic test system – 300 kN tension, 500 kN compression (66,000 lbs tension, 112,000 lbs compression) (static or low-cycle fatigue)
• Flexible, multi-channel data acquisition system
• Asphalt Mixer, ignition oven, laboratory compactor
• Strong floor for testing of large structural members
• Neubrescope NBX-6040: non-destructive structural temperature/strain sensing system
• Weather stations
• Blower door fans for large building air leakage testing
• Infrared camera for thermal analysis of buildings
• Videoscope for wall inspections

About CARSI

Winnipeg’s geographical location is ideal for CARSI’s applied research activities due to local extremes in temperature, its position has a large variation in building sizes and types, a large wood and window manufacturing sector.

CARSI is the cornerstone for the development of a sustainable infrastructure cluster in the region which is being developed with the support of the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program.

CARSI Mission

To develop advanced sustainable infrastructure technologies and products in Manitoba through innovation and excellence in applied research, which benefit the environment and economy of Canada. CARSI’s state-of-the-art, 930 sq. m. (10,000 sq. ft.) research facility incorporates all sustainable infrastructure applied research into a single building. CARSI’s main objective is to conduct innovative and improved applied research that leads to the development of innovative and emerging sustainable infrastructure technologies in construction material systems.

CARSI is mandated to develop and apply better technologies for design, construction, operation and assessment of durable, energy-efficient and cost-effective building envelopes.

Building Smarts – i2eye with RRC Polytech and Manitoba Hydro

Ray Hoemsen and Tom Akerstream discuss their collaboration to construct the most energy efficient and sustainable office building in North America.