Grant MacEwan University achieves savings and enhanced lighting quality

Grant MacEwan University (Edmonton) is an innovative educational institution focused on student learning. The school also strives to exemplify the value of environmental stewardship throughout the 139,354-m2 (1.5-million sf) campus. In January 2010, MacEwan initiated a project to replace all 6500 T12 fluorescent luminaries with volumetric lighting fixtures well suited for school, hospital, and office applications.

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DC: The power to change buildings

Alternating current (AC) power won the ‘Battle of the Currents’ more than a century ago, but is it still the most practical means of power distribution? Certainly, AC power has been a reasonable choice for power distribution in the past, but due to changes in power generation, storage, and use, combined with advanced electronic technology and motivated by groups looking to move away from overdependence on traditional fossil fuel sources to cleaner alternative sources, it is quickly becoming apparent direct current (DC) could be making a comeback.

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EMerge Alliance Mmving DC power forward

The EMerge Alliance, an open industry association, is leading the rapid adoption of safe direct-current (DC) power distribution in buildings through the development of standards.* Its vision is to create open standards for room- and building-level DC microgrids for campuses and facilities.

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Blistering Over Concrete: Getting ahead by going beneath the surface

Anyone involved with concrete finishing and protection—either through design, supply, or installation—is likely to have been affected by blistering and other moisture-related failures on floor finishes. A multi-million-dollar problem in North America, there are numerous reasons for such failures. However, a conversation being had more frequently today surrounds the relationship between alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and near-surface alkali reaction (NSAR) and finishing failures.

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Award-winning Canadian tilt-up

Canadian firms have been using tilt-up concrete for creative applications for many years, helping to push the construction method into new territory. Familiar as a building method for commercial and industrial facilities, tilt-up is increasingly being used in high-end buildings—and this turn of events is taking the material back to its starting point.

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Building taller with carbon fibre hoisting technology

Urbanization is the leading growth catalyst for cities, economies, and technologies around the world. More than half the global population already lives in urban areas, and the United Nations estimates by 2030, five billion people will be living in cities—up from 3.6 billion in 2010. According to Statistics Canada, 81 per cent of the population already lives in urban areas—a figure rising steadily year after year.

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The ultimate source of wasted energy

When it comes to green building, two particular questions are always at the forefront of any financial decision: Is there an additional cost? What is the expected return on investment (ROI)? With respect to energy efficiency, the single most cost-effective and profitable thing to do is recycle energy already being wasted.

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Hockey arena scores with VOC-scavenging gypsum board

Gypsum board has contributed to a more sustainable and durable interior for the Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet, a 47-year-old multi-purpose sports arena in Sherbrooke, Québec. The remodel, completed this past summer, included use of durable gypsum board that actively removes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) circulating indoors, trapping them inside the material.

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