Oct 24, 2019Like many higher education institutions, Humber College is committed to sustainability. But at Humber, they take that commitment to the highest level. The Toronto college instills sustainability across every facet of the school and has had numerous accomplishments from their projects and partnerships that link community engagement and academics. One impressive result is that Humber has been named one of Canada's greenest employers for four consecutive years (2016-2019).
First retrofit to achieve zero carbon certification in Canada
Humber’s latest sustainability achievement is its North Campus Building NX being the first retrofit project to achieve a Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Design certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). A zero-carbon building is highly energy-efficient and offsets the annual carbon emissions using clean, renewable energy.
The NX building retrofit supports Humber’s 20-year Integrated Energy Master Plan (IEMP), which is a roadmap that sets aggressive targets to reduce the college’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. This strategic plan has ambitious goals that aim to reduce energy and water consumption by 50%, while reducing carbon emissions by at least 30%, all by 2034. The carbon emissions goal is especially lofty as it is tracked against absolute emissions for a college that is planning significant growth.
Work on the five-storey NX building included a complete envelope retrofit that is highly insulated and airtight, including new triple-pane windows. Energy-efficient upgrades to the lighting, heating and cooling systems and a new 25 kW Solar PV system were also completed. The lighting system was upgraded to the Encelium Extend Networked Light Management System (LMS) — a flexible and powerful intelligent lighting system that centrally monitors, analyzes and manages lighting in over 20 Humber College buildings. Additional energy efficiency was achieved using a number of smart lighting control strategies including occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting and task tuning.
One of the most energy-efficient buildings in North America
Originally built in 1989, the building was notorious for being cold in the winter and hot in the summer. After the retrofit, Humber’s NX building will use 70% less energy than before, making it the college’s most energy efficient building, and one of the most energy efficient in North America. Where once staff grumbled about the cold or the heat, Building NX now serves as a comfortable space boasting ideal temperatures and ample daylight.
Humber College’s Building NX has been wholly transformed and serves as a national example of how to retrofit to zero carbon.
Humber College is one of Canada’s leading postsecondary institutions, offering a polytechnic education that emphasizes a solid academic foundation and practical, hands-on learning. The college has over 31,000 full-time students and offers bachelor's degrees, diplomas, graduate certificates and apprenticeships in more than 180 programs. Its mission is to develop global citizens with the knowledge and skills to lead and innovate. Humber has created a culture of sustainability. The institution has a dedicated energy efficiency team and sustainability is integrated into operations and student learning.
In addition to the NX building, the Encelium Extend LMS is also being used for centralized lighting control of 20 other buildings. Humber is leveraging the Encelium Extend System across the campus in support of sustainability initiatives that reduce energy consumption, including the use of occupancy sensors to trigger both lighting and HVAC, daylight harvesting throughout all buildings, and task tuning to create the appropriate light levels for particular activities or uses of space. To instill sustainability in learning, the faculty at Humber College plans to incorporate the Encelium Extend System into their innovative learning sandbox. This initiative enables students to learn how to control, commission and audit lighting systems as part of their studies.
Source: https://info.osram.us/blog/connected-lighting-controls-help-university-achieve-zero-carbon-building-certification
Salex Announces Promotion of Paul Manson to GTA Sales Manager
January 26, 2021 – Salex, a facilitator of commercial lighting installations and control systems for Canada’s architectural lighting community, is excited to announce the promotion of Paul Manson to GTA Sales Manager. Paul joined Salex back in 2015, and has over 25 years of invaluable industry experience.
Dedicated to the education and promotion of quality, high-efficiency lighting and controls, Manson’s extensive background in on-site electrical installation, national accounts, relationship building, manufacturers, and sales team management at Philips Lighting, will provide valuable experience to fulfill his new role.
Changing Scene
Canadian Electrical Contractor Discussion Group: Can You Count the Deficiencies?
Have you ever been called to fix the work of a 'handyman'?
"Was supposedly done by a"certified ' electrician....told the homeowner that he got a $266 permit....no record at TSBC. Can you count the deficiencies?"
"There is a second panel change in the triplex also.......even more deficiencies. Think the guy was a glorified handyman. Ones not obvious: 240 BB heat hooked up 120....drier on 2p20....range on 2p50....water heater fed with 2c14 Bx on 2p15."
Go HERE to join the discussion
Government of Canada Invests in Training for Skilled Trades Certification
The Canadian government is making targeted investments, so that key groups facing barriers—like women, newcomers, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and Black and racialized Canadians—can better find work in the skilled trades through projects led by unions and their partner organizations.
The investment will be $63.5 million, over five years, for 68 projects as part of the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) 2020 call for proposals. The aim is to help certify skilled tradespeople and prepare them to fill available jobs as the economy restarts. Minister Qualtrough made the announcement during a virtual event hosted by one of the funding recipients, the UA Piping Industry College of British Columbia, in Delta, B.C.
Benefits for Electrical Contractors of Learning Networked Controls
By Steve Mesh
Are you an electrical contractor? Are you new to the world of Networked Lighting Controls (NLCs)? Are you looking for new opportunities to strengthen your business in these uncertain times?
If you answered yes to all three of these questions, read on. NLCs are a (relatively) new introduction to the lighting industry. I say “relatively” because, in point of fact, some networked control systems have been available for decades. If you haven’t had any prior experience with installing NLCs, then you might think these are fancy and highfalutin.
EWEL Announces Relocation of Sherwood Park Branch
EWEL has announced the plan to move its Sherwood Park branch into a brand-new facility at #130 3001 Buckingham Drive, Sherwood Park, Alberta. Relocation has proceeded in staged phases since late summer 2020 and will conclude by late February 2021.
The new unit space is approximately 9,500 square feet with a 4,500 square foot yard, which makes it nearly three times larger than the previous location. The expansion stems from EWEL’s steady growth over the last four decades, necessitating space for increased inventory, more comfortable spaces for employees, and for more streamlined warehousing processes.
Product News
Milwaukee 2" Hole Dozer Bi-Metal Hole Saw
Milwaukee HOLE DOZER Bi-Metal Hole Saws new 3.5 TPI tooth design offers you longer life in metal applications. The Bi-Metal Hole Saws also feature Lifetime Tooth Break Warranty and can take on all general-purpose applications.
The ALL-ACCESS SLOTS solve the frustration of plug removal, making you more productive with less downtime between holes.
New Sizes for Satco CCT Selectable Wall Packs
SATCO continues to expand its wall pack selection with options that make installation flexible and stock versatile. The latest additions in the line include the CCT Selectable Small Wall Pack and the CCT Selectable Compact Round Wall Pack.
The Small Wall Pack is perfect for light commercial uses such a smaller storage units and municipal lighting, as well as commercial Main Street buildings. As with all of the fixtures in this exterior family, these wall packs offer advanced features, are built durable and are able to withstand harsh, all-weather conditions.
Leviton Mini-Meter Power Meters in Indoor Enclosure
VerifEye™ 0.5% Mini Meter Kits offer a fully integrated, line-powered wireless Automated Meter Readings (AMR) solution with 0.5% accuracy for multi-tenant applications.
Designed to provide a simple and effective energy monitoring solution, the 0.5% Mini Meter Kits accurately capture measurements of power consumption and meet the rigorous requirements of ANSI C12.20 (0.5) Code for Electricity Metering. The 0.5% Mini Meters offer an all-in-one, low cost bundled solution for tenant billing applications, new construction and retrofits.
Peers & Profiles
Taking a Closer Look at the Trilliant Libra Smart Meter with Steven Lupo
By Blake Marchand
Trilliant, an international provider of utility solutions for advanced metering and smart grid systems, recently announced a custom-made product for the North American market with the release of its Trilliant Libra Series Edge-Ready Smart Electric Meter.
The meter’s technology will allow utilities to enter the connectivity sphere by providing peer-to-peer data acquisition and analytics, while enabling new energy management features that benefit both customer and utility.