JANUARY GAZETTE | Our 95th year!
January, 2017 - Vol 64, Issue 4
Inside the Gazette
Notice of Meeting
Upcoming Events
Gazette Sponsors
Decemberfest
Viewpoint
Research Promotion
PAOE
Social Media
Quick Links

Toronto Chapter Website

Meeting Registration

Past Gazette Issues

ASHRAE Society Website

Join Our Mailing List!
Board of Governors

President
Honeywell Building Solutions

President-Elect
Peter Turk P.Eng. 
Victaulic

Vice President  

Treasurer  

Secretary 
Brendan McDermott
Klimatrol

Past President
Al Porter, P.Eng.
Vibro-Acoustics


Anne Marie Bundgard
Nailor Industries

Toronto Hydro

Smith + Andersen

The HIDI Group

Humber College

Trane

President's Message

My New Year's Resolution

Welcome to 2017!

Hope everyone feels rested and recharged for another exciting ASHRAE year.

The holidays provide a great opportunity to reflect on the successes and challenges of the past year while setting a new direction for the year to come.

While celebrating New Year's Eve with friends and family this year, I was asked about my 2017 resolutions. After a little hesitation, the first resolution that came to mind was quite simple - consume less. This year I want to consume less, waste less and be more environmentally conscious than ever before.

 

When reflecting on the previous year, I felt that I could have been more mindful of my personal waste. From my daily water consumption to unnecessary electrical and fuel usage, I found myself selfishly over consuming resources for the sake of convenience rather than necessity. When times were busy and stressful, I often overlooked my consumption, taking for granted the privilege we have as Canadians to have access to clean water, reliable power and lower gas prices. The irony here is that I have spent the last six years helping large commercial and institutional building owners save energy and become more efficient in their operations.

In 2017, its time to practice what I preach!

I have decided to be more conscientious of simple waste in my daily routine. Does this light really need to be turned on? Do I need to drive downtown, or could I convert this meeting to a conference call? Is my thermostat set to away mode when I leave the house? Constantly asking myself these simple questions has forced me to criticize my actions and consider their impacts (including financial). I even began recording my daily natural gas consumption directly from the meter. After all, you cannot manage what you do not measure!

I wanted to share this resolution with you, not only to make it official, but to inspire others to take on a similar goal as well. We can always be more efficient. As advocates of change and ambassadors of the environment, we as ASHRAE members should remember to practice what we preach in our daily lives as well.

An Exciting Year Ahead!

I couldn't be more thrilled about our ASHRAE Toronto event schedule in 2017. This year we will bring on new events, including our 2030 District panel discussion and our first official Women in ASHRAE event. In addition, we will be strengthening our reoccurring events such as the yearly Career Fair and BCA Commissioning Seminar, while expanding our collaboration with affiliated associations (CaGBC, IFMA, BOMA, BCA, to name a few). Please find our complete 2017 program schedule here: Chapter Technical Transfer Committee (CTTC) Program Schedule.

Thank you for your continued participation in ASHRAE Toronto. Looking forward to an exciting new year together!



Marco Ottavino, P.Eng., MBA
ASHRAE Toronto President
416-771-3824
 
Notice of Meeting



January Dinner Meeting

RBC WaterPark Place  &
Cisco Innovation Centre

Monday, January 9th, 2015

Facility Tour: 4 pm - 5 pm  ( register )
RBC WaterPark Place ( map)
88 Queens Quay West, Toronto,  ON M5J 0B8

Networking and Dinner: 5 pm - 9 pm ( register)
Delta Toronto Hotel ( map)
75 Lower Simcoe Street, Toronto ON M5J 3A6



Theme
Past Presidents' Night

As the theme of this dinner meeting is Past Presidents' Night, ASHRAE Toronto would like to recognize their valuable efforts and devotion towards strengthening and development of the chapter.



Featured Presentation
RBC WaterPark Place / Cisco Innovation Centre
"Laying a Smart Building Foundation for 
Tenant Success"


ASHRAE Toronto Chapter invites you to Dinner Meeting, preceded by a Networking Session and Presentations regarding RBC WaterPark Place by The HIDI Group and WZMH Architects, as well as the CISCO Toronto Innovation Centre presented by CISCO.

RBC WaterPark Place is Toronto's first commercial tower to achieve LEED® Platinum Core and Shell certification, paving the way for exemplary design. The Cisco Innovation Centre is one of the smartest and greenest office spaces in the world. Our guest speakers will share their views on  "Laying a Smart Building Foundation for Tenant Success".



  
Featured Presenters


Mike Anderson, P.Eng., LEED AP, BD+C
Senior Associate, The HIDI Group

Mike is a Senior Associate who joined The HIDI Group in 2007 after graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering from Ryerson University. Thanks to his technical expertise, superior project management skills and excellent client care, Mike has since been promoted to Senior Associate. With a passion for energy efficient buildings and sustainable design, he is actively involved with the Toronto ASHRAE Chapter, and was instrumental in HIDI's recognition as a PowerStream Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) Champion for advancement of sustainable design. At The HIDI Group, Mike has led the mechanical design of innovative retail, commercial and mission critical facilities, including RBC WaterPark Place, Toronto's first LEED Platinum Core and Shell certified commercial tower. Additional experience includes the 2 Queen Street West Revitalization, Toronto Eaton Centre Sears Conversion, and Maple Leaf Square Mixed-Use Complex.



Harrison Chan, OAA
Principal, WZMH Architects

T he most recent appointee to the Partnership at WZMH, Harrison has been responsible for numerous high-profile, large-scale and complex projects at the firm, including adaptive re-use and full building retrofits as well as new construction. His client portfolio includes government agencies, utility companies and established development companies across Canada. Harrison's most recent projects include the LEED Platinum Nova Scotia Power Corporate Headquarters and the LEED Platinum RBC WaterPark Place Phase III office complex. He brings a methodology to all of his projects, which balances design sensitivity and technical proficiency. Harrison's strong teamwork philosophy, energy and commitment to meeting each project's needs lends to creating a positive environment for meeting client requirements, aggressive schedules and challenges presented during the contract phases of a project. He holds an Architectural Technology Degree from Montréal's Vanier College and a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the University of Toronto. Harrison joined WZMH in 1996 and became an Associate Principal in 2008 and a Principal in 2013.



Bill MacGowan, P.Eng., CEM
Director, Smart Building Digitization, Cisco

Bill  MacGowan is the  Director, Smart Building Digitization for  Cisco's Industry Transformation Business Division in Canada. William has extensive experience within the AEC (Architects Engineers Constructors) Space and is intimate in the design, implementation and operation of dynamic building systems. William has been intimately involved with the progress of open data communication standards and converged base building networks. William has deep knowledge in the areas of  Converged Building Systems,  Enterprise Integration and the  Delivery of High Performance Business Value. William is an honors graduate of the Queens University Electrical Engineering Program and is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) with the American Energy Engineers (AEE) Association. William resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.





  
All attendees must pre-register on-line to attend. 

No walk-in registrations will be permitted.


  
Need Assistance?
 
Feel free to contact the following members for further details:

Badri Patel
ASHRAE Toronto Programs Committee Member
[[email protected]]

Beatriz Salazar
ASHRAE Toronto Programs Committee Member
[[email protected]]

Brendan McDermott
ASHRAE Toronto Programs Committee Member
[[email protected]]

Abhishek Khurana
ASHRAE Toronto Chapter Technology Transfer Committee Chair

CTTC Sneak Peak

Upcoming Chapter Events


Event
Topic & Guest Speaker
Location
February Dinner Meeting
February 6th 2017
Peel Memorial Hospital
Smith + Andersen
William Osler Hospital, Brampton
Career Fair
February 23rd 2017
Career Fair
TBD
BCA Seminar
March 6th 2017
Commissioning Seminar
H.H. Angus
TBD (same as meeting)
March Dinner Meeting
March 6th 2017
Total Building Commissioning
Integral Group
TBD (same as seminar)


Please  click here  to see ASHRAE Toronto's full 2016/2017 Program Schedule. Please note that the schedule can change.

Members will be prompted via email to register for upcoming events at  TorontoASHRAE.com



Gazette Sponsors

ASHRAE Toronto Chapter thanks the following
companies for their support of the Gazette




Contact  Emma Wildeman to post
your business card here!


Decemberfest 2016

Every year in December the Toronto Chapter members gather for the annual social Decemberfest. This event marks the mid-way point in the "ASHRAE year" which runs June to May. Decemberfest is a chance for members to relax and celebrate over dinner.

For the 2016 Decemberfest members got to enjoy the amazing view of the Toronto skyline from the 360 Restaurant at the top of the CN Tower. A silent auction was held during the pre-dinner mixer, and many members brought their significant others or a guest to enjoy the occasion with. Definitely a night to remember!


 










Photos by Niss Feiner of Delta-T Designs

Viewpoint

Turkey and Refrigerants

It's been difficult, but I've finally removed myself from the deep coma caused by turkey and holiday ham. I struggled to get back into the routine of a full work day, so I decide to ease into the week by procrastinating and putting off the more difficult and complex work. Instead, I started with some light reading on refrigerants.

Jan 1, 2017 marks the first day where we can no longer use new R404A (among others) in supermarket applications. The EPA has announced that HFC refrigerants will be gradually banned. In 7 short years from now, our industry's favorite R134a will no longer be used for new HVAC equipment such as water chillers. Other common refrigerants will be banned as well. What are manufacturers and operators of HVAC equipment to expect?

Natural refrigerants, such as Ammonia and CO2, have been successfully used in many applications. Their properties make them ideal for lower temperature applications. The higher operating pressures of CO2 makes the design of the equipment tricky for HVAC applications. Hydrocarbons, such as Propane, have always existed, but their maximum charge allowed has been limited due to their "higher flammability" classification.

More recently, HFO refrigerants have been developed and already used to replace R134a in automotive applications. Their global warming effects are significantly lower than the HFC refrigerants they replace. However, these refrigerants have faced opposition due to their flammability classification, despite being described as "difficult to ignite".

Thankfully, ASHRAE has been proactive on the subject and revised the Safety Classification of refrigerants. They introduced a "Mildly flammable" class, which covers refrigerants that are technically flammable but difficult to ignite. Most HFO refrigerants now are in the same flammability group as the more widely used Ammonia, and unlike Ammonia, they also have a "low toxicity".

In the past, we have used refrigerants that were highly toxic to humans and contributed significantly to ozone depletion / global warming. Newer refrigerants are a significant improvement, despite slight differences in their classification. I hope that 2017 is the year were manufacturers and operators widely accept these new refrigerants.

Toronto Chapter Treasurer 2016 - 2017

Research Promotion Update

Research Promotion Year-To-Date

Thanks to the great support shown by ASHRAE Toronto Chapter members and other Toronto area industry participants and stakeholders, we were able to exceed last year's goal of $35,000 by a great margin of $ 2,580 for a total of $37,580 donated. This was also the highest dollar amount raised by any Chapter in Region 2 last year.
 
This year, our goal has been increased to $36,500 and again we are counting on your support to meet and hopefully exceed it. Toronto's 2016-2017 goal is the largest of any in Region 2. We collected $11,000 in donations for this year's campaign to date and need the remainder as early in the new year as possible.

Chapter
Goal 2015-2016
Goal 2016-2017
Quebec
 $20,000.00
 $20,500.00
Montreal
 $30,000.00
 $31,000.00
Ottawa
 $27,000.00
 $29,000.00
Toronto
 $35,000.00
 $36,500.00
Hamilton
 $9,000.00
 $9,500.00
Halifax
 $9,500.00
 $10,000.00
London
 $12,500.00
 $13,000.00
NB/PEI
 $12,500.00
 $13,500.00
Windsor
 $6,500.00
 $7,000.00
REGIONAL TOTALS:
 $162,000.00
 $170,000.00
 
ASHRAE Research is used to update and improve the Handbook Series.
  • Fundamentals
  • HVAC Applications
  • Refrigeration
  • Systems and Equipment
ASHRAE Research is used to support ASHRAE Standards.
ASHRAE Research is used to support our Advanced Energy Design Guides - real life applications of ASHRAE Research.
ASHRAE Research will be needed to support ASHRAE Vision 2020 and the development of Net Zero Energy Buildings.
 
100% of your investment goes toward Research, nothing else - overhead and all the expenses associated with it come from ASHRAE's general fund, the proceeds from ad sales in the Journal, the AHR show, etc. How many other non-profits can say that?  100% of your investment stays in Canada!
 
Contact me if you have any questions regarding research/resource promotion or on how to make a donation. All donors are shown appropriate recognition at the Chapter as well as at Society level.
 
Alan J. Porter, P. Eng.
RP Chair-2016-2017
ASHRAE Toronto Chapter



PAOE

PAOE or Presidents Award Of Excellence, provides the chapters in Region II with a means of measuring success across a wide range of chapter operations. It is meant as a tool to guide the Board of Directors and Committee Chairs towards their goals. Below is a summary of PAOE Points for all of the Chapters in Region II so far this year.

 

Toronto Chapter President 2016-2017

Social Media



We have grown our base of followers since we started our incursion in social media. We have been in Twitter and Facebook since 2011 and just last year launched our official LinkedIn page (check it out!).

Thank you to our 285 followers on Twitter, our 441 likers on Facebook and our new 187 followers on LinkedIn.

Do you want to know about what is happening with our chapter? Join the conversation! 

[email protected]

Statements made in this publication are not expressions of the Society or of the chapter and may not be reproduced without special permission of the chapter.