< PreviousWESTERN BUILT Fall 2022 11 OPENING REMARKS WORTHY OF PRAISE This message marks my last contribution to West- ern Built magazine as CEO of the Saskatchewan Construction Association. After nine years of lead- ing Saskatchewan’s construction industry, I am leav- ing to pursue a new entrepreneurial venture. To be honest, I never would have had the courage to step out into becoming an entrepreneur if it were not for the past decade of serving some of Saskatchewan’s most successful entrepreneurs. So, with that in mind, I’d like to dedicate this final article to them – the men and women who, every day, literally, help build Saskatchewan. If I had to pick one attribute to describe Saskatch- ewan’s construction community, it would be unas- suming. Webster’s dictionary defines unassuming as simply modest. It further describes modest as, “plac- ing a moderate estimate on one’s abilities or worth. I do believe that this trait accurately represents how many of our industry’s leaders view themselves… and I sincerely hope that this changes in the years that come. For far too long, construction has been viewed by many in society as secondary choice of indus- tries. We’ve operated under the false narrative that the smartest kids should go on to become doctors or engineers, not carpenters or millwrights. Our soci- etal systems, especially our education and post-sec- ondary education systems, reinforce this ridiculous cliché. An unfortunate consequence of this societal perspective is that so many of the men and women who embrace construction as a career have a less than healthy perspective on the value of themselves and the work they do. We kindly refer to is a humble- ness, and that’s true, but I think underlying that hum- bleness is a bit of undeserved self-judgment. If it is true that the people who literally build every aspect of our lives in any way feel ‘less than,’ then we, as a society, have an obligation to fix it. Listen, I know that my job for the last decade has been to pump the tires of the construction indus- try, so I’m definitely biased for sure... but other than the possible exception of our educators, I don’t think there is a more important and impactful career than that of construction. The very fabric of our modern lives is assembled and knitted together by the men and women of the construction industry. The roads we drive on, the pipes that bring our water and take our sewage, the cables that bring us power and internet, our hospi- tals, our schools, our grocery stores, our hockey rinks, and our homes; all of this is built by construction workers. Amazing new builds like the Children’s Hos- pital, remarkable retrofits like Darke Hall, historic infra- structure like the Regina Bypass, basic sidewalk and alley way repairs, all of these are just a few examples of how construction improves and changes our lives. We don’t tend to notice construction unless it is causing an inconvenience to our busy lives – detour- ing our commute to work or adding noise to our quiet neighbourhoods. During the construction phase we all get frustrated by it, but we quickly for- get about it – and fail to value it – when it is built. We don’t have to think about whether our elevator will fail, our roof will collapse, or our school will be unsafe for our children. We don’t have to think about these things precisely because they were constructed safely and with due consideration by extraordinary professionals who, like the buildings and infrastruc- ture they build, are largely unassuming. The thing is, our built environment, and the peo- ple who build it, are truly remarkable. The mere fact that we can live our lives and not think about any of it is amazing. The fact that we don’t have to think about it is not, however, an excuse for undervaluing both the product and the producer. It is time that we start to value the work and the worth of a construction worker as we do of more tra- ditionally esteemed careers. Just as importantly, we need to encourage those who work in construc- tion to value their work, and themselves, in the same way. The men and women who build Saskatchewan should take tremendous pride in the work they do, as should we all. That pride should translate into a sense of self-worth and of one’s contribution to soci- ety that matches the exceptional work that is being done. Our world would be a better place if we valued a career in construction in the same way that we val- ued other professionals. Not only is a construction career worthy of that, but so are its workers. Together, let’s keep working to make sure that construction and its workers always get the recogni- tion that they deserve. SASKATCHEWAN Our world would be a better place if we valued a career in construction in the same way that we valued other professionals. Not only is a construction career worthy of that, but so are its workers. Mark Cooper President & CEO Saskatchewan Construction Association Mark Cooper is the Past President and Chief Executive Officer of the Saskatchewan Construction Association. He is also President and Chief Executive Officer of Prairie Clean Energy, a company that aggregates agricultural waste, processes it, and converts it into solid biomass fuel for the global industrial market.WESTERN BUILT Fall 2022 13 OPENING REMARKS I FOUGHT THE CODE, BUT THE CODE WON As we transition to more energy efficient buildings and net zero goals, our construc- tion practices will need to change and, in some cases, quite dramatically. This will include chang- es such as: • New materials being used; • A different construction sequence; • New strategies for the building envelope configuration; • HVAC systems that use non-traditional energy sources; • Renewable energy integration; • Design concept changes, including specifi- cation and construction drawings; and • Code enforcement to verify minimum energy standards are met. Prior to jurisdictional requirements and a “you have to do this” versus “it would be nice to do this,” we tend to be more in a reactive position than pro-actively looking forward and transition- ing to the new normal of building construction. Buildings have a significant part to play in the overall Canadian strategy to get to net zero energy and net zero emissions. Transportation will play a part, as will agriculture, the oil and gas industry, and other industries that contribute negatively to climate impact. Buildings are a very significant piece to the overall goal. Recently in Manitoba, work was undertaken to update our energy codes. As it has been a long time since that has happened, the proposal was to adopt older versions of the energy code rather than adopt recent energy codes available on a national basis. So, what does that mean? We are adopt- ing energy codes that are already old and out- dated. By the time there is another provincial update, we will probably be farther behind, as national codes move at a much quicker pace than the provinces. It’s actually quite astonishing how much the provinces are behind in adopting model national codes; in some cases, over the years, a province could be 10 to 15 years behind! Ryan Dalgleish Principal Building Professionals I was somewhat shocked by this as well as how there is an uneven adoption of codes across the board. The national building codes only become enforced once the province adopts them, typically with amendments. Work has been done by various local stakeholders and organizations to become advocates of the lat- est and greatest energy code. We will see what happens. So, here is the dilemma we face: • We have policies and goals being set on a national basis; • We have provinces adopting green energy practices in an uncoordinated fashion with no mandatory adoption timeline; • We have energy codes being adopted that are already five, six, seven, or more years old; • We have an industry resistant to change; and • We have a mindset of only doing the bare minimum that we need to. How do we fix this? I have the feeling that his- tory is going to repeat itself; that we will approach this challenge in a reactive position when we are absolutely forced to. What would be nice? To at least start to adapt and change how we build when not forced to do so by regulations, policies, and code require- ments. If we took small steps each year to begin to integrate approaches to get to the end goal of net zero energy and emissions, the transition would be much smoother, especially when com- pared with waiting for the “you have to do this” directive. In the short term, we could start to reap some of the benefits. Be prepared for the typical commentary though: “it’s too expensive,” “we do not build like that,” and “it’s a pain to do.” My hope is in our province of Manitoba, we can become strong advocates for change for the better and mitigate the traditional approach of putting things off until we are forced. If that is not the case, I would hope that at least we adopt the most updated and relevant codes, which seems like a fairly easy thing to accomplish. MANITOBA Ryan Dalgleish is a principal with Building Professionals and has worked in the building science and building envelope industry for over 20 years providing education, certification and quality assurance programs. If we took small steps each year to begin to integrate approaches to get to the end goal of net zero energy and emissions, the transition would be much smoother, especially when compared with waiting for the “you have to do this” directive.14 http://westernbuiltmagazine.ca PROJECT SPOTLIGHT BRITISH COLUMBIA Project Manager at Fast + Epp. “This is truly a stadium for the students, by the students.” Home field advantage Designed by the Vancouver office of architectural firm Perkins&Will, con- struction on the stadium commenced in March 2019 and was completed in September 2021. Today, the new SFU Stadium at Terry Fox Field gives SFU’s sports teams a true home field advan- tage. The new stadium is used by the men’s and women’s football and soc- cer teams, SFU athletics, and will be open to hosting special events and entertainment. The stadium has also been designed to function as a meet- ing place and is fully accessible to stu- dents, alumni, and the community to gather and socialize when it is not in use for sports. “At SFU, the student experience is paramount. By creating a positive, Located between the Lorne Davies Complex (LDC) to the north and Terry Fox Field to the south, Simon Fraser University (SFU), in Burnaby, British Columbia, now has a new home stadium for the first time in its almost 60-year history. Designed by Perkins&Will, engi- neered by Fast + Epp, and built by Chandos Construction, the newly com- pleted stadium officially opened its gates in September 2021, fulfilling the vision of SFU’s first chancellor, Gordon Shrum. When SFU was established in 1965, Shrum’s hope was that the uni- versity’s athletic department could set a standard for excellence that could rival its research. Interestingly, the orig- inal development plan for the university included installing concrete bleachers in front of the LDC gymnasium com- plex that would provide seating for sporting and cultural events. However, it was determined at the time that these bleachers would be too costly, so the idea was eventually scrapped. This lack of built seating signifi- cantly restricted the ability of the cam- pus to gather and participate in events, and spectators’ only options were an exposed grass bank and portable alu- minum bleachers that offered no weather protection. In 2014, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) picked up Shrum’s cause and passed a referendum that demon- strated a willingness to finance the con- struction of a new stadium. In 2017, a Stadium Project Contribution Agreement between SFSS and the university out- lined that SFU students would contrib- ute $10 of the $21 million in stadium construction costs through an annual student levy, with SFU matching the outstanding amount. “From the beginning, SFSS has been an important stakeholder on this project,” says Chris Mills, Senior MAIN To optimize the spectators’ viewing experience, the roof structure is not visible from the seating areas and all of the services are integrated into the canopy. This makes the canopy as thin as possible and appears as though the expansive cantilever is floating above the seats. Photos in this layout courtesy of Perkins+Will. INSET The most prominent design element of the new stadium is its cantilevered roof canopy, which hangs high above the centre section of seats and protects spectators from the elements. Student athletes at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, will sprint to success at new SFU Stadium at Terry Fox Field. NEW HOME TURF FOR RED LEAFSWESTERN BUILT Fall 2022 15 healthy, and exciting environment, students have opportunities to learn and thrive,” says SFU Campus Planner, Gerald Gongos. “Now, for the first time in the university’s history, we have a stadium that allow people to sit in chairs, cheer, and support their teams who play on Terry Fox Field.” The natural slope from the LDC gymnasium complex down to the field provided the perfect location for the stadium, which has 1,800 seats and space to accommodate addi- tional spectators along viewing plat- forms. The expansive cantilevered roof, which covers over half the seat- ing, integrates a press box at the ter- race level, with washrooms, service spaces, two coaches spotting booths, and the football locker rooms are located below. “To attract and retain athletic tal- ent, the university wanted to enhance the offering to their student athletes,” says architect Max Richter, Associ- ate Principal at Perkins&Will. “Nested beneath the fans in the stands, a new locker room facility gives the football team a premium space to gather and prepare for competition and provides the university with a new recruitment tool when approaching prospects.” Raising the roof One of the challenges of the proj- ect was to create an entirely new struc- ture that would feel integrated into the existing architectural fabric on campus – including the Lorne Davis Complex adjacent to the stadium. The project team worked to design a stadium that could enhance – but not overshadow – the LDC’s striking concrete facade that stands as a prime example of the brutalist architecture common for the time in which it was built. Because of their efforts, the canopy structure is perfectly aligned with the rhythm of the LDC and respects the visual domi- nance of the adjoining building. The most prominent design ele- ment of the new stadium is its cantile- vered roof canopy, which hangs high above the centre section of seats and protects spectators from the elements. To support the floating roof structure, massive 22-metre (72-foot), 13-tonne (29,000-pound) box girder beams can- tilever 16-metres (54-feet) over the stands. The beams are anchored behind the seating area with 228-millimetre (nine-inch) steel pins and 76-millimetre (three-inch) rods. The tapered design of the beams allows them to virtually dis- appear, thereby creating an impossi- bly thin roof edge when seen from the field. To optimize the spectators’ viewing experience, the roof structure is not vis- ible from the seating areas and all of the services are integrated into the canopy. This makes the canopy as thin as possi- ble and appears as though the expan- sive cantilever is floating above the seats and creating unobstructed views out to the field and into the stands. “Our design creates a unique expe- rience for both spectators and athletes,” says Richter. “By concealing its struc- ture, the canopy design symbolizes the extensive amount of behind-the-scenes practice and training that precedes the moments of brilliance the spectators will witness on the field. At the same time, the canopy appears almost mag- ical – after all, how can something so large seem to float effortlessly above the stands?” Connecting a stadium with an active sports complex and an active track field required constant dialogue with the client and, because both the field and the LDC building were in use by SFU sports teams during construc- tion, the new stadium incorporated lean construction principles (such as Just-In- Time deliveries), restricted noise during some parts of the day, and made use of prefabricated elements that were built off-site in order to mitigate the impact the project would have on the day-to- day operations of SFU. The large, prefab- ricated panels with integrated systems and the tight clearances to the adjacent sports complex made the engineering, fabrication, and installation of the roof structure particularly challenging. “So long as our measurements and calculations were correct, we could neatly drop everything into place rather than needing extensive on-site con- struction works,” says Mills. Mass timber construction The project made heavy use of mass timber construction and cross- laminated timber (CLT) for the sta- dium roof. The CLT panels (2.4-metre x 12-metre) were attached to the steel girder beams with a bolted connection from the underside. Custom-milled CLT pucks were then installed in the canopy to cover the attachment points, which created a smooth underside to the canopy and allowed for unobstructed views of the field. The project also intro- duced spring washers to allow for the movement between the wood and the steel to complete the connection. The use of mass timber and CLT panels was driven by the desire for continued on page 3816 http://westernbuiltmagazine.ca PROJECT SPOTLIGHT ALBERTA In the early 2000s, Central Alberta was facing what can only be described as an epidemic of youth suicides, and it was the 2015 suicide of 22-year-old Lindsey More that helped to spark a larger conversation about what could be done to prevent them – a conver- sation that continues to this day. In the wake of Lindsey’s death, a coalition was formed with the goal of providing much-needed men- tal health resources to adolescents. This coalition eventually evolved into a board to oversee operations and a service team was created, which formed the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC), a not-for- profit organization rooted in the pro- tection and recovery of Central Alber- ta’s most vulnerable children. In 2017, the CACAC sought to transform an old office building in Red Deer into a child-friendly space for healing and, starting out with a skel- eton staff of three, the organization began working on real cases by mid- December of that same year. Within months, the CACAC had served more than 500 children, youths, and fami- lies. It was at this time that the need for a larger space became painfully apparent. After the CACAC’s charity status was approved in 2018, Red Deer Polytech- nic graciously came on board with a land agreement that secured a 3.35-acre lot for the organization, located directly across from the recently completed Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. This parcel of land is soon to become the future home of the CACAC Centre of Excellence. In March 2022, the Government of Alberta committed $3.4 million to the Centre of Excellence, allowing the CACAC to break ground on the project in June, with an anticipated grand open- ing by August 2023. The total project cost for the new Centre is $22.9 million, which includes $19.5 million in donor funding and mortgage financing, and $3.4 million from the Alberta govern- ment that will be used to connect util- ity lines to service the land. “Together with Alberta’s govern- ment, we’re bringing to life a one-of-a- kind model in Canada,” said the CACAC CEO, Mark Jones in March. “This fund- ing announcement affirms that our gov- ernment leaders are declaring that chil- dren who risk coming forward need all the help we can muster. They are acting so that victims of child abuse and those facing mental health issues find the very best supports at what could be their most vulnerable time.” Building excellence Eagle Builders was brought onto the project in 2021 to coordinate the Centre’s design elements. Eagle Build- ers is an Alberta-based manufacturing and construction company specializ- ing in the design, engineering, fabrica- tion, and building of precast concrete structures. In the beginning, the project team did its due diligence and looked at sim- ilar projects in larger communities to draw inspiration, focusing on buildings like the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, which features bright colours and a Lego-themed design. “We started with two renders; one was a modern sleek office building and the other was the circuit board look,” says Brett Reynolds, Project Manager at Eagle Builders. “It really wasn’t a tough choice for the CACAC, who decided that the building ultimately needs to represent the needs of its occupants. Ultimately, this is a safe space for chil- dren, and the design of our exterior envelope really captures that.” Because the Centre of Excel- lence will be located on the Red Deer The Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC) Centre of Excellence, being built in Red Deer, Alberta, will be a safe space for the province’s most vulnerable. BREAKING GROUND, BREAKING CYCLESWESTERN BUILT Fall 2022 17 Polytechnic campus, Eagle Builders was determined that the new building would align with the Polytechnic’s Green Cam- pus Management plan and follow its six pillars of sustainability. Despite this, the project is not currently seeking any sus- tainability certifications, such as LEED. It was decided that it would be better just to incorporate different aspects of green building standards and instead invest more dollars directly into client care. “While we aren’t targeting LEED, our precast is locally manufactured using local components and local aggregates, which really reduces the impact of tran- sit and helps to mitigate the carbon foot- print of our projects,” says Reynolds. “In addition, the types of precast we do are reusable. In 10 years, if the CACAC wants to relocate for whatever reason, our product can be disassembled and reas- sembled from a wall panel perspective somewhere else.” Eagle Builders also has a safe and environmentally conscious way to treat its concrete and remove carbon from the atmosphere. The company uses Car- bonCure technology, which takes atmo- spheric carbon dioxide, converts it into a liquid form, and injects it into precast concrete structures where it remains inert. WELL Building Standards are being incorporated into the design of the Centre, ensuring that window space is maximized to allow as much natural light into the building as possible. The CACAC strongly believes that its new building must be open and welcom- ing, and children – given their experi- ences – must not feel trapped within its walls. Given its location in Red Deer, the design team is also adopting the princi- ples of Crime Prevention Through Envi- ronmental Design (CPTED), a multi-dis- ciplinary approach of crime prevention that uses urban and architectural design and the management of built and natu- ral environments. “We want to make sure that the building design provides the safest pos- sible place for children, and CPTED has really helped us do that,” says Reyn- olds. “It allows us to make sure all of our design elements really work together and ensures that there’s really no oppor- tunity for something bad to happen.” Bringing hope to Central Alberta Child abuse and online child exploi- tation are major issues across the coun- try, yet too often it happens in silence. It can be very frightening for children to report their abusers, and it can be espe- cially difficult if children are reporting an adult they rely on, such as a parent or caregiver. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges by keeping many children at risk at home with their abusers. “From the hockey coach to the schoolteacher to their friend’s mom, the pandemic took kids away from trusted adults and, for many kids, kept them at home with their abusers,” says the CACAC Campaign Director, Jenni- fer O’Shea. “As a society, we’ve always been very reactive to child abuse and doing the work after it’s already hap- pened. The Centre of Excellence will act as a beacon in the dark. The new build- ing will allow us to be more proactive by putting all the partners that kids need at one location. We want this to be the new model for recovery and support.” With the Centre of Excellence, the CACAC is creating a building that can deliver a multi-facetted approach to the myriad of challenges children face. By bringing essential partners together into one building, children and fami- lies can be triaged and supported in one place and, without this integrated model, children and families would have to connect with multiple agencies “In addition, the types of precast we do are reusable. In 10 years, if the CACAC wants to relocate for whatever reason, our product can be disassembled and reassembled from a wall panel perspective somewhere else.” – Brett Reynolds, Project Manager, Eagle Builders The project began with two renderings; one was a modern sleek office building and the other was the circuit board look. Ultimately, it was decided that this is a safe space for children, and the design of the exterior envelope really captures that. This rendering was produced by Aggregate Design Studio Ltd., in coherence with PLACE architect ltd.18 http://westernbuiltmagazine.ca and travel to multiple locations, telling and re-telling their stories over and over again. “In a non-integrated and siloed sys- tem, vulnerable children and youths are susceptible to re-traumatization, which could further complicate their recovery,” says Dylan Rambow, Communications Coordinator at the CACAC. “By remov- ing the silos, our goal is for a child to tell their story one time – and one time only – during a single forensic interview. The Centre will bring an innovative indus- try-leading, evidence-based model that is proven to reduce the long-term impacts of abuse on children, youth, and families, while cutting back on the systemic costs of child abuse. Ultimately, the Centre of Excellence will save more lives.” As part of this collaborative envi- ronment, the Centre will feature a large patio lunchroom where everyone is encouraged to sit down with people they don’t normally work with and learn a little about what role everybody plays in the process. “A huge design consideration was how to create spaces where the chil- dren feel safe and get the care they need, but also a place where the staff can learn from all the different disci- plines and receive a more holistic view about how to best help children,” says Reynolds. “This approach is what will bring a new level of care and treatment that just hasn’t been seen in this area before.” When complete, the Centre of Excellence will allow for the develop- ment of research programs, including internships and training partnerships facilitated through Red Deer Polytechnic and other Alberta post-secondary insti- tutions. With its partners being commit- ted and responsible for their annual rent and operating costs, the objective is for the CACAC’s Centre of Excellence to be financially self-sufficient. In just under five short years the CACAC has gone from working on their first case to looking at the opening of a first-of-its-kind, fully integrated Centre to support the recovery of abused and neglected children and youth in Cen- tral Alberta. “Central Alberta will soon have a fully-integrated centre where collabo- ration has the space it needs to happen quickly, which will ultimately save lives,” says Rambow. “It’s exciting to know that this can be a treatment model that can be easily shared and used across Can- ada, so that these important issues can be addressed nationwide.” As of May 2022, the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre has supported nearly 2,200 children and youths in over 90 communities. Staff and dignitaries at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Centre of Excellence. From right to left: Alberta UCP MLA Red Deer South Jason Stephan; Alberta UCP MLA Red Deer North & Education Minister Adriana LaGrange; CACAC Board Chair Terry Loewen; Respect Group Co-Founder Sheldon Kennedy; Hon. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney; CACAC CEO Mark Jones; and CACAC Director of Operations Cassandra Galenzoski. Photo courtesy of the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre.Next >