The Project Management Office
By: Jessica Heine Traditionally in our industry, project managers tend to be the project engineers themselves; rather than being trained project managers who focus on coordination and communication, they’re trained engineers running projects. There are certainly benefits to this traditional approach. For example, with the engineer, also acting as a project manager, acting as a […]
University of Calgary High Density Library Receives LEED® Gold Certification
Williams Engineering Canada is thrilled to announce that The University of Calgary’s High-Density Library (HDL) in Calgary, Alberta, has been awarded LEED® Gold Certification! The HDL features an environmentally controlled storage facility for older and less commonly used books, print journal subscriptions, and museum artifacts. The benefit of an HDL is that a large quantity […]
The Future Is Bright
Award Magazine, October 2019, by Stacey Mclachlan Any designer worth their salt knows the power of thoughtfully placed, smartly designed lighting. It’s a critical element of making a house a home, affecting our well-being, safety and security, and mood. The impact of lighting is exactly why the industry is constantly evolving and shifting to adapt […]
Protect Your Investment
With most property investments, whether you’re flipping a building, renting units, or housing your business, the goal is to mitigate risk and maximize value. However, buildings are much more than what they look like. Even so, some building owners only make aesthetic improvements to boost curb appeal, covering up major issues that affect building performance […]
Balancing Act
Award Magazine, August 2019, by Natalie Bruckner Mechanical and HVAC systems and energy efficiency go hand-in-hand. You can’t talk about one without the other. Technology in these sectors has advanced at such a rapid rate that it is no longer a conversation about innovations, but which technologies available today will give your building the highest […]
Automatic For The People
Award Magazine, June 2019, by Stacey McLachlan As we reach the peak of the information age, convenience, accessibility, and user-friendly tech are now expected in all avenues of our life – even when it comes to the mechanical operations of a building. But engineers and programmers have stepped up to the plate to create one-stop-shop […]
Streamlining Construction Projects
By: Neil Paddock, CD, C.E.T. Ask any construction management team what the biggest challenge of their job is, and it’s more than likely communication and accountability. As a team, the project manager and superintendent are not just overseeing the construction itself, but they’re managing and coordinating the activities of both internal and external team members, […]
Speed Of Light
AWARD Magazine, April 2019 by Natalie Bruckner Electrical and communication systems are advancing at a rapid rate. While the sector faces its challenges as code requirements try to keep up, leaders in the industry are forging ahead and working on some very exciting projects. The adoption of energy efficient technologies such as LED lighting, lighting […]
Managing Your Building’s Energy With Benchmarking
By: Lindsay Austrom, P.Eng., CEM, LEED® AP BD+C In North America, a building’s energy consumption accounts for nearly a third of operating costs – it’s widely known that inefficient buildings waste millions of dollars a year. Energy benchmarking, then, is a valuable tool not only for reducing carbon footprints but also for decreasing utility expenses. […]
From Zero To Hero
Award Magazine, December 2018, by Natalie Bruckner The green building design sector is advancing at such a rapid rate that it can be a little difficult to stay abreast of all the changes. Passive design, net zero, carbon positive – these are just a few terms and standards that now fall under the green building […]
Thawing Permafrost in Canada’s Arctic
Beneath the Arctic’s active ground layer (which freezes in winter and thaws in summer) lies permafrost: a combination of soil, rock, sediments, ice, and preserved frozen organisms. By definition, permafrost stays frozen for a least two years straight (though most of the north’s permafrost has been frozen for tens of thousands of years). Ranging from […]
Shine On – Lighting
Award Magazine, October 2018, by Stacey McLachlan It’s one of the most powerfully affecting elements of a space, so it’s no surprise that designers and engineers put so much time and thought into lighting. We respond to it both consciously and unconsciously – lighting can set a mood, improve our health, or keep us safe. […]