Climate change is affecting people, infrastructure, and ecosystems across Canada. Although the impacts are currently most pronounced in coastal regions, people and infrastructure everywhere are at risk. Many communities and infrastructure built in floodplains are at increased risk of flooding due to the projected effects of climate change and other non-stationary factors such as wildfires, dams, and other anthropogenic changes. In response to these risks, both the Canadian federal and provincial governments are mobilizing to identify and respond to flood hazards.

The goal of flood hazard mapping is to provide the first step towards tangible improvements to public safety. Real improvement comes from planning, analyzing, and developing adaptation and mitigation projects that are successfully implemented in communities.

Once a hazard has been identified, we often conduct flood risk assessments that evaluate the path of a potential flood and quantify the damages expected to people, infrastructure, and assets (such as houses, parks, or culturally significant places). This information helps secure funding for adaptation and mitigation projects by providing a quantifiable return on investment, and helps decision-makers prioritize adaptation or mitigation projects or areas.

Custom-built GIS tools are a key part of identifying flood hazards and determining adaptation and mitigation strategies

To facilitate flood hazard and flood risk assessments, Associated Engineering uses custom-built GIS tools to identify flood hazards. With the development of new, custom-built processes, work that was previously labour and time intensive can now be completed more efficiently. This allows our team to focus on collaborating with our clients to discuss risks and mitigation strategies, and design solutions that provide tangible improvements to public safety and flood risk reduction.

These tools have been used successfully on projects, and more are in active development to expand our suite of modelling and mapping tools. Additionally, our team is working on a research assignment to further optimize flood hazard mapping and make analysis more efficient and effective.

Automation in GIS data processing, including the tools discussed below, allows our team to more efficiently identify flood hazards so that we can focus on implementing solutions.

The Tools

Our team developed these automated, GIS data-processing tools to support flood mapping for 165 kilometres of rivers in BC, as part of the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program. The visuals shown are not final; final mapping will be available online within one year of project completion. The tools address the challenges of providing large-scale, high-detail flood mapping. Some of these tools include:

Survey Processing and DEM Development: Linearizing, interpolating, and overlaying bathymetric survey with LiDAR to create a representative surface for use in hydraulic modelling. These automated methods help preserve data and expedite the processing time.

Model Results Extraction and Processing: Automated comparison and combination of result surfaces allows for robust analysis of multi-hazard scenarios.

Automated Generation and Review of Legal Flood Maps: Application of required freeboard and preparation of flood construction levels using a data-driven methodology.

About the Authors:

Andromeda MacIsaac, P.Eng. is Water Resources Engineer in our Vancouver office. She has 11 years of experience in hydrology, hydraulics, hydrologic/hydraulic modelling, and integrated water resources management. Her expertise includes modelling, analysis, and design of minor and major surface water systems and related hydraulic structures, including flood-plain mapping, existing system capacity analysis, fish passage structures, bridge sizing, stormwater best management practices, inflow/infiltration, and scour protection.

Chloe Sirges, E.I.T. is a Water Resources Engineer in our Vancouver office. Her water resources experience includes hydraulic modelling, flood-risk assessment and mitigation, site inspection, bridge scour condition assessments, and coastal work. Chloe is proficient in GIS data processing and flood-plain mapping

The post Automation in GIS Data Processing helps identify flood hazards and determine possible responses first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Bridge inspection and rehabilitation have been the backbone of Associated Engineering’s transportation structures services for over 40 years. Our team conducts visual inspections, structures modelling, and rehabilitation design to assist clients in preserving and extending the life of their bridges and structures inventory. We are constantly advancing the tools that we use for bridge inspections for specialized and non-destructive material testing.

On recent projects, we have employed a wide array of innovative approaches and technologies for gathering data, conducting risk analysis, prioritizing work, visualizing recommendations, as well as identifying funding options. We have completed projects from BC to Ontario and the North, including detailed condition assessments of the historic St. Andrews Lock and Dam in Manitoba and Baxter Bridge in BC, and employed drones for improved data capture and specialized timber inspection tools.

With aging infrastructure and competing needs for limited government funds, risk management, strategy, prioritization, and funding are critical considerations when establishing a bridge management approach. Owners need to undertake visual inspections, and consider bridge condition, required maintenance, repairs, rehabilitation or replacement, as well as public needs, risks, and the municipality’s overall funding.

For example, Associated Engineering has worked closely with Smoky Lake County in Alberta for almost 20 years, assisting them to manage their bridge inventory, comprising 88 bridges and culverts. A constant challenge has been securing adequate funding for bridge repairs and replacements. With approximately 4,000 residents, the County’s low tax base, large structures inventory, and recent escalating construction costs their challenges have compounded. Moreover, the County is facing aging infrastructure – many structures built between 1950 and 1970 now require immediate and significant rehabilitation.

Given these challenges, risk identification and rehabilitation prioritization are crucial. Decisions on keeping roads open or closed are based on traffic volumes, safety risks, and resident and business access needs. The County heavily relies on grant funding and provincial support, but faces competition from municipalities across the province for grants, which are often over-subscribed. Funding tends to be directed only to the most critical replacements.

To assist Smoky Lake County, Associated has supported lobbying efforts for funding key structures where closures would significantly impact the County’s economy. Identifying and targeting key assets and focusing efforts on securing funding for their maintenance and rehabilitation have been important components of the County’s bridge management strategy, and maintaining the network’s level of service through funding constraints. Our collective efforts have resulted in funding for crucial bridge replacements, that would not have been possible without our strategic approach.

Associated’s experience with the City of Kelowna showcases the benefits of a proactive bridge management strategy. We have assisted the City of Kelowna in managing their bridge inventory since the early 1990s, focusing initially on thorough inspections and detailed maintenance lists. These efforts identified repairs, rehabilitation, or replacement projects, following the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure‘s system.

In 2018, we introduced a new inspection rating process for Kelowna. This innovative system assessed the condition of bridge elements and evaluated the relevancy of observed defects, measuring their impact on the structure’s performance. By developing a comprehensive risk profile for each bridge and its defects, we prioritized repairs based on the risk they posed to the City and its residents.

Incorporating factors such as Average Daily Traffic (ADT) allowed us to refine our prioritization further, ensuring funds are directed to the most critical projects. Over the past six years, this risk-based approach has enabled Kelowna to implement an aggressive bridge rehabilitation program. The condition of the city’s bridges has improved significantly, shifting from reactive to proactive maintenance strategies. This transformation not only enhances public safety, but also ensures the longevity and reliability of Kelowna’s bridge infrastructure.

The experiences of Smoky Lake County and the City of Kelowna underscore the importance of tailored strategies in bridge management. Whether facing funding challenges or managing a well-funded inventory, Associated’s ability to assess risks, prioritize, innovate, and strategically plan are critical to a bridge management approach that provides safe and reliable infrastructure for communities and delivers value to our clients.

About the Author:

Michael Paulsen, M.Sc., P.Eng. is Vice President, Transportation Structures and a structural engineer with over 20 years of experience. He has been involved in a wide variety of projects, including roadway, pedestrian, heavy rail, and LRT bridges. Michael’s experience includes concept, preliminary and detailed design, project management, asset management, planning, load-ratings and bridge assessment studies.

The post Bridge Management: Strategic approach delivers value first appeared on Associated Engineering.

I often get asked what a consulting career is like in Northern Canada. Well, it’s unique and wonderful! There are opportunities and life experiences here that cannot be found anywhere else.

Working and living in the North means being in an environment with extreme natural conditions. We face bitter cold, winters with complete darkness, and summers with all-day sun. We also experience extraordinary landscapes and northern lights, adventure, wilderness, a welcoming culture, and a true sense of belonging – all of this is what draws people to the North!

Working in the North gives us the opportunity to work on diverse and challenging projects that have a real impact on the environment and the people living in these remote areas. We have a lot to learn from people in the North, and their ways of life and priorities.

Every project is different and this is particularly true in the North.

Conditions change depending on the size of the community, the local environment, and the community’s needs. We don’t just serve our clients; we also build strong relationships with the communities.

Our projects range from a residential fuel tank spill, where you need to work with the homeowners and the community to educate them and remediate the spill response and impacts, to navigating regulatory processes and engaging with the community. We also participate in design and construction of vital infrastructure projects, such as roads, bridges, water, and wastewater treatment plants, and airports.

Climate change is a current crisis, especially in the North. Permafrost is melting. Winter ice road conditions are problematic, and wildfires and floods affect the ability to ship freight by air or sea. There is a lot of pressure in a fast-changing and unpredictable environment.

Working in consulting takes a mix of applied science, problem solving skills, and the love of working with people.

This career enables you to expand your skills and always work through logistics and solutions with the end goal of serving our clients better. Being client focused, we need to be able to bring all of the services the company has to offer, which means thinking on your feet and knowing when and where to pull in additional resources and expertise into these communities.

Environmental consulting has changed in the past 20 years. We used to play a more reactive role; we were often called in for support after an environmental incident.

Now, we are proactively consulted to advise, to work with the regulators, to participate on design teams, and to coordinate with communities.

Some of our exciting and diverse environmental projects include the Inuvik Airport runway extension, the Hay River Channel dredging program, Yukon airports and aerodromes environmental risk inventories and remediation planning, the City of Yellowknife Water Licence and wetland delineation studies, and Northwest Territories caribou habitat compensation plans.

To learn more about our environmental science work in the Canadian North and career opportunities, contact Rebekka at lindskoogr@ae.ca. Also, hear more from Rebekka in our AE Live podcast.

About the Author: Rebekka Lindskoog, R.P. Bio. is a Senior Environmental Scientist with more than 25 years of experience as an environmental professional. She has worked extensively in the North for nearly 15 years. Rebekka has managed more than 350 projects, many of them being Northern multi-year projects requiring coordinated multi-disciplinary project teams.

The post Serving communities and clients in Northern Canada brings opportunities and personal satisfaction first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Alternative delivery projects are complex undertakings, demanding thorough planning, design, and implementation. Alternative delivery methods, such as design-build or public-private partnerships (P3) offer owners numerous advantages, including accelerated delivery, cost savings, and enhanced quality. However, they also introduce significant challenges, such as risk ownership, reduced control, and complicated contracts.

To successfully deliver major transportation and infrastructure programs via alternative delivery approaches, project owners require a reliable partner with sufficient professional resources to advocate for their interests and guide them throughout the project. This is where Owner’s Engineers can assist.

Associated Engineering has acted as Owner’s Engineer for several high-profile transportation projects, including the Regina Bypass, West Calgary Ring Road, Edmonton’s Capital Line South LRT Extension, and the Deerfoot Trail Improvements in Calgary. We served a pivotal role in steering these projects to successful planning, design, construction, and commissioning. Our expertise and guidance have contributed to developing safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation systems benefitting society.

The Crucial Role of Owner’s Engineers

As Owner’s Engineers, our role is to work directly for the project owner, acting as their representative and advocate. We are deeply integrated into the project team and actively participate in the decision-making process. We bring our extensive knowledge, experience, and industry best practices to offer professional advice and guidance to the project owners, stakeholders, and contractors. Our primary responsibility is to assist owners to successfully deliver projects with the highest levels of efficiency, safety, and quality, while adhering to established technical standards and regulations.

Our key responsibilities include the following:

Strategic Planning: We assist in defining project objectives, scope, and key performance indicators, creating a comprehensive project plan that specifies technical requirements and budget constraints. We also aid in selecting the most suitable delivery method and contractor for the project, considering project goals and risks.

Quality Assurance: We oversee project design and implementation for compliance with technical requirements, industry standards, local regulations, and best practices. We conduct site inspections, audits, and tests to verify the quality of work and materials, providing an early warning of potential issues. Our vigilance helps identify and address potential issues early, reducing the risk of costly revisions or delays.

Risk Mitigation: We identify and manage risks, conducting comprehensive risk assessments and proposing mitigation strategies. We monitor the project schedule, scope, and budget, ensuring that any changes are properly documented and approved. This minimizes the likelihood of unexpected challenges derailing the project and helps protect the project owner from any claims, disputes, or liabilities that may arise.

Contract Management: We play a vital role in administration, reviewing the Alternative Delivery Team’s work for adherence with the project’s terms and conditions, and overseeing the contractor’s performance. This includes reviewing and approving the detailed design, invoices, change orders, and claims resolution; certifying construction completion; and evaluating items for traffic availability. We also help resolve any issues or conflicts that may occur between the owner, contractor, and other stakeholders by championing partnering principles.

Project Monitoring: Throughout the project’s lifecycle, we provide continuous monitoring and reporting services to keep the project owner informed of progress and promptly address any deviations from the plan. We use various tools and methods, such as dashboards, reports, and feedback loops, to track and measure the project’s performance against the established objectives and indicators. We also provide recommendations and suggestions for improvement and optimization.

Communication: We facilitate effective communication between the owner, contractor, and other stakeholders to keep everyone informed and aligned throughout the project, applying partnering principles and holding alignment sessions. We use various platforms, such as meetings, websites, and online project management systems to share information and updates. Our approach employs clear, concise, and consistent communication.

Problem Solving: In the face of unforeseen issues, we leverage our expertise to propose effective solutions using techniques such as root cause analysis, collaboration, and brainstorming to analyze and resolve problems. We also implement corrective and preventive actions to avoid recurrence and improve performance.

Selecting the right Owner’s Engineer team is critical to the success of alternative delivery projects. Associated Engineering’s leadership, expertise, and guidance has made the difference on the successful delivery of many major projects.

As we work closely with project owners, we make significant contributions to create safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation systems. These systems not only facilitate smoother commutes, but also stimulate economic growth by improving access to jobs and services, and the movement of goods.

About the Author:

Jim Zagas, RET, PL (Eng.) is Vice President, Transportation and has over 30 years of experience delivering highway infrastructure. He has effectively managed large teams of engineering and technical professionals on complex, multi-year transportation assignments. Jim has been a project leader on many large-scale transportation projects.

The post The Crucial Role of Owner’s Engineers in Alternative Delivery Projects first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Previously, Judy Yu, P.Eng., PMP, Discipline Lead, Data Management & ITS, discussed Associated Engineering’s expertise and role in advising and assisting clients with adopting new technologies. She presented our systematic approach which includes analysis, planning, and design. In part II, Judy discusses the next steps.

Implementation and Execution: Once the client awards the contract to the successful technology supplier/vendor, we collaborate with the vendor and our client to complete detailed design, including configuration, system interfaces, integrations, and data management. When the client approves the detailed design, we move into the implementation phase and technology testing conducted in the supplier/vendor’s facilities and including the client’s staff at different levels. Testing involves a stress test of the technology including hardware, software, and IT infrastructure. Our role includes ensuring technology meets design criteria as well as documenting testing. Then, we develop a plan for “go live” and roll back to current operations, if needed. We run a “burn-in” period that provides a 30-60 day period of continuous operations in a “live” environment. This step is often underestimated for the level of coordination required between different teams or departments and the allocation of appropriate resources to ensure smooth execution. We participate in resourcing discussions and assist with understanding what risks may materialize and why specific resources are needed for risk mitigation.

Evaluation and Feedback: Throughout the testing process, it is crucial to monitor feedback from client staff, and inform the client about concerns, such as technical, functional, or vendor service issues. In addition, testing outcomes for each function should be tracked for deficiencies. Deficiencies critical to the application’s function (from our client’s perspective) must be resolved and retested until specifications are fully met; minor deficiencies can be resolved prior to final acceptance. This continuous evaluation phase helps to ensure that the systematic approach remains on track and delivers the desired outcomes. 

Continuous Improvement: A critical element of a systematic approach is a commitment to continuous improvement. This may be through a framework that incorporates ongoing lessons learned to refine business processes, optimize efficiency, reduce downtime, and improve future outcomes. This iterative approach allows for ongoing learning and adaptation, ensuring that, over time, even as the technology functionality becomes more sophisticated and embedded into the client’s organization, it still enables sound decisions based on where the technology is and where it needs to improve to align with the client’s future expectations. Consequently, this approach may involve the creation of multi-year improvement roadmaps to gradually introduce new functionality or automation at a reasonable pace. In some of our projects, we have fostered this forward-looking perspective, earning the trust of our clients by understanding the direction of the industry and effectively addressing the pressures and expectations associated with public service delivery through technology.

Supportive Approach: Alongside a systematic approach, we provide support to help our clients with change management. Our supportive approach includes three key components: communication, training, and stakeholder engagement. Communication involves support to manage expectations and open the channels of feedback from those who will own and manage the technology. The communication strategy should identify regular updates on progress, share key success factors, and document how concerns or issues will be addressed. Effective communication helps to build trust and confidence among stakeholders and ensures that everyone is aligned and working toward the same goals.

Training is essential to ensure that client staff have the skills and knowledge to use new technology effectively. Technical training must cover the features and functionality of the technology, and how it changes business processes, staff roles, and responsibilities.

Effective stakeholder engagement is vital to ensure a comprehensive and holistic perspective on technology selection and adoption. It is crucial to engage stakeholders at the right levels, frequencies, and using suitable methods to gather relevant input and ensure their ongoing support. Regular communication and collaboration with stakeholders helps foster a sense of ownership and buy-in, promoting a smoother transition. By using appropriate methods, such as surveys, interviews, workshops, or focus groups, Associated Engineering encourages stakeholders to provide valuable input that aligns with their needs and expectations. 

Integral to our supportive approach is understanding the organization’s culture and how it can impact the success or failure of organizational change efforts, in particular any resistance to change. We collaborate with our clients to identify shifts in shared beliefs, values, norms, behaviours, and attitudes that shape the way people within an organization think and act.  

Through a systematic and supportive approach, Associated Engineering is positioned to be a trusted partner for public service clients seeking to embrace technology to improve operations. By delivering exceptional advice, expertise, and support, we enable clients to navigate the complexities of technology adoption and achieve successful outcomes.

The post Supporting technology adoption and change management [Part II] first appeared on Associated Engineering.

As engineering consultants, we rarely discuss our role in advising and assisting clients with adopting new technologies and managing change. Clients trust us to deliver infrastructure projects, and now often seek our assistance in planning, selecting, implementing, and testing technology solutions. 

Our role in technology, information management, and change management can range from technical to operations improvements, depending on the client’s organizational readiness and capacity. 

The extent of our responsibilities varies based on the sector and clients. We support change management efforts by identifying future roles and responsibilities for managing the new technology and data, or by developing user training programs. 

On infrastructure engineering projects, we mitigate the risk of failure through design measures such as redundancy and safety factors. We carefully choose materials and equipment that are tested and proven, and we follow a systematic approach from concept to design, leveraging industry standards and our experience to meet short- and long-term client needs. 

We enhance the value we provide by incorporating adaptability into our designs. This ensures that the assets we create can accommodate changes in the operating environment. There is the same expected level of care and consideration for technology selection, adoption and advancement.

By effectively mitigating risks and designing with the future in mind, we deliver solutions that address our clients’ needs in a complex and rapidly evolving landscape.

What does it mean to take a systematic and supportive approach to these projects? 

A systematic approach refers to a structured and methodical way of approaching a task, problem, or process. It involves following a predefined set of steps or a logical sequence to ensure consistency, efficiency, and effectiveness in achieving the desired outcome.

Clearly defining this approach helps to “demystify” and guide the client through the entire decision-making process. In a systematic approach, each step builds upon the previous one and contributes to the overall objective. The process typically involves the following key activities: Analysis and Planning; Design and Development; Implementation and Execution; Evaluation and Feedback; and Continuous Improvement.

Analysis and Planning: This stage involves gathering information, analyzing the situation or problem, and defining the goals and objectives. We collaborate with the client and stakeholders to understand the context, identify constraints, and develop a comprehensive plan to guide the subsequent steps. On technology projects, this can take the form of a Needs Assessment, Concept of Operations, analysis of business process and workflows, technology landscape and systems architecture, and determination of the key drivers of success, and potentially, new roles and responsibilities.

Design and Development: In this phase, documents such as the Needs Assessment are translated into a design or solution with clearly defined specifications, technical and/or performance based. This phase may involve creating pilot projects, a test bed to conduct experiments or developing models to help visualize impacts (e.g. responsive or adaptive signal control along a transportation corridor with failing levels of service). This phase aims to ensure that the solution is well-designed, feasible, affordable, and aligned with the desired outcome. Through several iterations, the procurement strategy becomes clearer based on all the information available. Associated Engineering may support or be directly responsible for the Request for Proposal (RFP) package, including system specifications, contract terms and conditions, and definition of key milestones and deliverables for the technology supplier. Often, we develop scoring criteria on behalf of our clients to balance price, technology functionality, and performance history that aligns with project objectives and offers the best value.

While it is important to establish a baseline and acknowledge that it does not change quickly, clients can and do grow and evolve during the project as they become more aware of challenges and opportunities. This information may shift the outcomes of the Design and Development activities which we must align with a client’s short-, medium-, and long-term needs before proceeding into procurement. 

In our upcoming Fall 2023 issue of AE Today, Judy will discuss Implementation and Execution; Evaluation and Feedback; and Continuous Improvement of technology.

About the Author

Judy Yu, P.Eng., PMP is Discipline Lead, Data Management & ITS in Associated Engineering’s Calgary office. She has 23 years of experience managing major Intelligent Transportation Systems programs and projects, focusing on innovation, operational improvement, ongoing sustainability, and information management. Judy is a senior member of Associated’s Strategic Advisory Services team and a member of the ITS Canada Board of Directors.

The post Supporting technology adoption and change management first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Federal and provincial governments have established increasingly aggressive climate change mitigation targets, and Canadian municipalities are taking a greater role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate risks. Municipalities are faced with several questions:

• How do they prioritize scarce tax dollars?
• Do they focus on mitigating emissions?
• Should they allocate more funds to climate-related disaster recovery?
• Should they invest in resilience measures to be better prepared for future climate events? 

Adding to the complexity of making climate-related decisions are the constraints that municipalities face in instituting measures. Building Code changes that would reduce GHG emissions and improve community resilience are a provincial jurisdiction in Canada. Financing adaptation actions requires more capital than most towns and cities have available.

The experience of many Canadian municipalities which are proactively planning to address climate change, highlights five strategies that civic administrations can employ in their decision making.

Collaborate regionally: Regional collaboration between neighbouring cities and counties makes sense, because climate change issues cross municipal, provincial, and federal boundaries. For example, watersheds typically cross municipal boundaries. Taking a regional perspective on instituting policy protects watersheds from environmental degradation that diminishes water quality. 

Examples of regional partnerships include municipalities in southern Ontario that are cooperating to expand their capacities in climate change mitigation and adaptation through the Ontario Regional Adaptation Collaborative, with assistance from the Climate Risk Institute. In Alberta, the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre encourages regional climate adaptation initiatives through grant incentives. In particular, a regional approach benefits smaller communities which typically have smaller funding bases. 

Work with knowledgeable climate change professionals: Having recent, relevant climate information informs decision-making. Climate analysts can advise on local climate conditions and climate projections. Climate change professionals can suggest options for mitigation and adaptation, considering the changing climate, capital and life-cycle costs, local government, community and stakeholder concerns, and budget.

Avoid an “either/or” dynamic: Mitigation and adaptation measures are often synergistic, supporting the ultimate goal of risk reduction. Improving building envelopes through insulation and better arrangement of windows and doors brings both mitigation and adaptation benefits. A well-insulated building that reduces energy use is likely a cooler place to retreat during a heat wave. “One Water” (holistic water management) approaches reduce the carbon footprint associated with some water treatment processes and identify resilient infrastructure in consideration of climate change impacts. 

Shift the perspective from emergency management to safeguarding people and assets: Proactive planning and implementation of adaptation measures in anticipation of extreme weather events like atmospheric rivers and associated flooding can effectively diminish impacts, and facilitate and expedite recovery. Such measures can actually reduce long term costs. Shifting the focus from emergency management to a focus on risk reduction and community well-being reframes the conversation to people’s long-term welfare and fortifying natural and built assets. 

Natural infrastructure plays an important role in addressing climate change hazards. Fostering healthy ecosystems supports better water quality and the availability of water. The City of Calgary has identified and quantified the value of natural assets as a foundation for promoting the use of natural asset management in its climate resilience strategy. 

Build social infrastructure to support preparedness and resilience: In a post for UN Volunteers, Daniel P. Aldrich wrote about social networks that support communities during climate catastrophes. “Real resilience – the ability to recover from shocks, including natural disasters – is tied to our connections to others, and not to physical infrastructure or disaster kits.” 

This is especially true for vulnerable populations who are at greater risk when disaster strikes. Enhancing social networks is a good first step in managing risk. Building social infrastructure brings another important benefit: giving residents a meaningful role in collective decision-making which ultimately facilitates difficult conversations. 

The roadmap for addressing climate change is not linear or one-size-fits-all. Iteration, learning from missteps, and collaboration are key values for municipalities to embrace in their quest to safeguard residents and assets from climate change impacts.

About the Author: Andrée Iffrig, LEEP AP is a Climate Resilience & Sustainability Specialist and has 15 years of experience in sustainable building design, community resilience, climate adaptation, and sustainable manufacturing. Her climate change risk management framework for the design sector guides engineering and architectural professionals in how to integrate climate data during integrated design.

The post Informed decision-making for addressing climate change first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Water reclamation – The Global Case

Water reclamation is gaining traction globally as its benefits are many: providing an additional water source (deferring the need for alternate freshwater supplies), lessening the impacts of droughts, acting as an environmentally friendly option for treatment and disposal of wastewater, and reducing the discharge of excess nutrients in treated effluent to surface waters.

Reclaimed water is used in both non-potable and potable applications. Non-potable usage has been well accepted globally by communities, practitioners, and regulators. For example, the semiconductor industry has water reclamation and direct non-potable reuse at the centre of their progressive water management strategy.

On the other hand, direct potable reuse is still a tricky issue, with considerable psychological barriers. The most famous example of direct potable use is from Windhoek, Namibia. Using multi-treatment steps, the Goreangab Reclamation Plant produces 21 million litres per day of drinking water. The plant has been operating since 1968.

Indirect potable reuse has emerged as a successful alternative. In Orange County, California, 492 million litres per day of reclaimed water is used for a Groundwater Replenishment System. This is sufficient to meet the water requirements for over 850,000 residents. In Singapore, high-grade reclaimed water (NEWater) is used for both indirect potable and direct non-potable purposes. The City State plans to meet 55% of its 2060 water demand (approximately 1600 million litres per day) from NEWater.

Situation in Canada

Although Canada has approximately 20% of the world’s fresh water, parts of the country are experiencing continued drought. Local governments have stopped issuing new water licenses in certain watersheds due to over allocation. Notwithstanding, industries such as the newly minted Hydrogen Hub in the Alberta Heartland and planned canola plants and potash mines in/near Regina will require huge amounts of water. Such demands will continue to exacerbate the water supply issue. More regions of the country will look for resilient water supplies. Water reclamation can potentially fit the bill in certain scenarios. Associated Engineering has been helping clients with water reclamation projects for decades, such as EPCOR’s Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant Water Reuse Project in Edmonton.

Local Context is Everything

We have learned a few things along the way. Some are in the details: nuances in turf grasses and underlying soils can markedly influence the technical approach, and even feasibility, in displacing traditional water sources with reclaimed water in turf irrigation situations, as can equipment metallurgy in industrial reuse applications such as cooling towers.

Others are more broad-based; the subject is complex and requires a holistic, multiple bottom line + risk evaluation approach to ensure a robust comparison of reclaimed water to a traditional water source. Knowledge of project-specific opportunities and constraints, and knowing which questions to ask, goes a long way to ensuring a successful project outcome.

About the authors

Soubhagya Pattanayak, Ph.D., PMP is Discipline Lead, Wastewater/Resource Recovery in Calgary. He spent 10 years living in Singapore and working on industrial water reclamation and reuse and other membrane-based wastewater treatment and desalination projects in the Asia Pacific Region.

Dean Shiskowski, Ph.D., P.Eng. is Associated’s Vice President, Water Resource Recovery. His broad water reclamation and reuse experience spans large planning studies conducted under Alberta’s Water Management Framework to technology demonstration projects for municipal and industrial clients.

The post Water reclamation for resilient, sustainable water management strategy first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Project teams are accustomed to developing solutions and support systems for all phases of project delivery. From identifying a need for new facilities, teams work together to plan and create documents and procedures for design, construction, and commissioning. However, in the lifecycle of a facility, the project delivery phase is only a small piece of a facility’s life. Its operation is much longer, potentially 25 to 30 years, or longer. As such, at the outset, project teams need to consider the facility’s operation for ultimate project success. This involves identifying what support is needed past the commissioning process, when the engineers, contractors, and suppliers, have typically long left the project.

Project teams should be considering the end user from start to finish. This may include:
– Considering ongoing system operation during the design process
– Getting regular feedback from those who will be responsible for the system
– Spending time with the operations staff to understand atypical things they are doing to keep the system running
– Using tools, such as 3D modelling (where appropriate), to improve information sharing and encourage feedback
– Including the operations team in meetings and on-site throughout the construction process
– Including operations in as much of the commissioning process as possible
– Considering additional training and documentation to support the operational transition from one system to a new one

For many systems, the transitional period can be the most difficult, highlighting the need for support during the warranty period. During this time, post-construction support needs to:
– Involve Operators to learn and develop new skills, through training and tools
– Provide tools for safe operations and ongoing maintenance, such as standard operating procedures and maintenance plans
– Identify which activities may require specialized services to support maintenance planning and budgeting
– Consider succession and training of new staff and operators

When considering who can provide support during post-construction activities, projects must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Regardless of who develops and provides the support, it is important for the project team to ensure they are included. Many communities already have transition programs and procedures in place to assist in achieving project success.

However, many smaller communities may not have the capacity to develop these programs as their operations and administration teams are already stretched. Coupled with staffing shortages affecting system providers of all sizes, external support may become even more important. As such, existing external support, such as circuit riders and other local resources, should also be considered at project initiation and included in all phases of the project, where reasonable.

Success is more than just engineering excellence, it is the combination of a well-designed facility and a well-supported operations team. Considering the operations staff throughout the design of the facility and soliciting appropriate feedback will help the team to create a facility that is sustainable and successful, even after the ribbon cutting. While there is a cost for this additional support, the value brought through the process will more than pay for the money spent up-front.

About the author

Robyn Casement, P.Eng. is a Water Engineer with 13 years of experience in analysis, planning, design and construction of municipal and Indigenous projects. She has worked as a Project Engineer and Process Designer for water and wastewater projects, from conceptual modelling to detailed design and construction.

The post Engineering-Operations collaboration is key to project success first appeared on Associated Engineering.

People often say that we are products of our environment, upbringing and experiences; they shape who we are and how we view life. I have had the misfortune of being affected personally and professionally by tragic events that have influenced my perspective on health and safety. These include the death of my father in an industrial accident when I was 18, the death of a concrete worker at a pumping station project in the UK on which I was the Project Manager, and the death of a pipe layer at a large transmission watermain project in Canada. These experiences have made me sensitive to how quickly accidents can happen and how tragic the consequences can be. They have also reinforced the importance of safety planning and documentation on every project.

The Poem, I Chose to Look the Other Way by Don Merrell, is a poignant reminder on the importance of speaking up for safety. 

I could have saved a life that day

But I chose to look the other way.

It wasn’t that I didn’t care

I had the time, and I was there.

But I didn’t want to seem a fool

or argue over a safety rule.

I knew he’d done the job before

If I spoke up, he might get sore.

The chances didn’t seem that bad

I’d done the same, He knew I had.

So, I shook my head and walked on by

He knew the risks as well as I.

He took the chance, I closed an eye

and with that act, I let him die.

I could have saved a life that day

But I chose to look the other way.

Now every time I see his wife

I’ll know, I should have saved his life.

That guilt is something I must bear

but it isn’t something you need share.

If you see a risk that others take

that puts their health or life at stake.

The question asked, or thing you say

could help them live another day.

If you see a risk and walk away

then hope you never have to say

I could have saved a life that day

But I chose, to look the other way.

In the UK, health and safety in construction have been a major topic of discussion since the late 1990s. In 1994, the Construction Design and Management regulations came into force, and introduced new positions such as the Planning Supervisor. The Planning Supervisor is responsible for coordinating health and safety during the design, construction, commissioning, and demolition of projects. I was trained to undertake this role, and, later in my career, I managed a group of Planning Supervisors advising and fulfilling this role for clients.

In my roles overseeing health and safety I have learned that, in the aftermath of any accident, the burden of proof is opposite to what we believe to be a principle in the legal context. In an accident, you are perceived to be guilty until you prove your innocence. The response from Safety Inspectors is, if it is not documented it is hard to believe it is true. This is an important factor to consider.

Our perspective should also be influenced by our obligations. As professionals we have an obligation to the public, and as supervisors and workers we have obligations under the Health and Safety Acts in our province.

The question that should be asked is, “Have we done everything reasonable to prevent an accident from occurring?” This means applying the same time, effort, money, and resources to health and safety as we do to planning, designing, and managing our services.

Health and safety is about risk management which, as engineers, we assess as part of our work on a daily basis. We should look at it through the same lens, and it should be part of our normal way of work and life.

Implementing COR (Certificate of Recognition) as a company and formalising our processes (Internal Responsibility System), so that they are auditable by a third party, are forms of quality assurance. We should all look to raise awareness, put in appropriate controls where applicable, be disciplined, and review our plans and learn lessons. It is too easy to become complacent, but accidents can happen and they do happen; and it has, for me, had devastating consequences. We all need to:

CARE – Be 

Considerate, 

Accountable, 

Responsible, and 

Expect. 

AND NOT LOOK THE OTHER WAY. 

About the Author:

Matthew Eades has 25 years of consulting, engineering, and project management experience encompassing municipal infrastructure, water and wastewater plants, institutional facilities, buildings and transit. He has participated on projects in Canada and the UK.  As Vice President & General Manager of our Ontario operation, Matt is currently leading our COR certification in Ontario.

The post Health and Safety are COR to our business first appeared on Associated Engineering.

The world continues to evolve at a rapid pace. As uncertainty and extreme climate events increase, risks to our communities have never been more significant. Strategic thinking, agility, and resourcefulness are essential to manage these risks, improve resiliency, and better prepare for the future.

re·sil·ience |  rə-zil-yən(t)s
n. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; the process of adapting in the face of adversity

for·ti·fied |  f˙or-tə-fīd
adj. provided with additional protection

Resilience Fortified 
Resilience considers not only short-term needs, but also long-term sustainment of those needs.

To be resilient, we must consider all risks and uncertainties to help improve decision-making, build foresight, and plan for the unexpected. 

Organizations are subject to increasing pressures to fortify resilience. Leaders and managers are now challenged to look for new, strategic approaches to their vision and strategy – essential in providing alignment and line-of-sight to goals and objectives. Key considerations include governance; integrated asset planning considering the entire asset life cycle; value and level of service for all stakeholders; and community resilience and sustainability, including preparedness, adaptation, response, and recovery. Risk-based decision-making, balancing investment with “all-hazards” risks, is a critical tool to manage uncertainty. We consider social, economic, environmental, and infrastructure risks, including aging assets and their vulnerabilities.

Developing and successfully implementing new, strategic approaches to improve resilience also requires coordinating the activities of an organization across departments and disciplines. Our approach evaluates both bottom-up and top-down considerations, macro and micro approaches, as well as effective change management, to fortify organizations, their assets and services, and our communities for the present and the future. 

Value Reimagined
“Value lies in the eyes of the beholder.” With this in mind, it is critical to establish, understand, and acknowledge how value is defined by an organization and its leadership, as well as by stakeholders, such as investors and employees, and customers and the community. 

Reimagining value provides an opportunity to fortify resilience. Our approach considers an organization’s governance, including transparency, accountability, and efficiency. We help leaders improve decision-making, balancing risk and return on investment. We work with clients to establish agreed levels of service considering equity and affordability. We can assist to optimize assets, extending service life and prioritizing rehabilitation and replacement. We work in consultation with our clients’ operations, maintenance, and management team to plan and determine the right approach, considering sustainability, resilience, and energy to reduce environmental footprint, fortify community resilience, and reimagine value.

We apply tailored approaches that consider the unique needs of each client to help fortify resilience and reimagine value for their organizations, assets, and communities. Our Strategic Advisory Services experts take a collaborative, holistic approach with clients and stakeholders to provide strategic advice, support, and guidance through transparent, multi-criteria decision analysis, and identify resilient and sustainable solutions that maximize value. Our experienced team brings expertise in strategy and governance, asset management, climate adaptation and mitigation, community resilience; including disaster preparedness and recovery, energy, sustainability, data intelligence, and integrated management systems, complemented by local and global experience in infrastructure, water, transportation, buildings, energy, and the environment.

We collaborate with you to solve today’s problems, consider tomorrow’s challenges, and fortify resilience to shape a better future.

About the author

Shane Thompson, MBA, P.Eng., CEM is our Manager, Strategic Advisory Services in Alberta. He has over 20 years experience providing strategic advice and leading infrastructure projects to improve resilience and value for both private and government clients in North America and Australia.

The post Focus for Associated’s Strategic Advisory Services: Resilience Fortified. Value Reimagined. first appeared on Associated Engineering.

This is the first of a two-part post.

We cannot avoid the need to manage risks. With continuing growth, aging assets, the pressures of climate change, and limited resources, managing physical assets has become ever more challenging in both the public and private sectors. We intuitively know that these circumstances create risks – economic risks related to asset failure and inability to fund essential maintenance or service and environmental-related risks such as interruptions to water supply, loss of use of facilities, or pollution events and contamination of the environment.  

Our brains have been wired to evaluate risks, understand trade-offs, and make decisions about course of action. We process this type of information every day, for example, when and how to cross a busy street or whether to send our kids to school during this COVID-19 pandemic. Clearly everyone takes a different view of risk, as you see a variety of behaviours with regard to these activities. We each have our own risk appetite or internal risk threshold. We make different decisions because we individually have a different backdrop of experience and knowledge. These can significantly influence the decisions and judgement calls we make.

As risk machines, we are not all equipped to deal with the complexities of today’s society. In our own lives, we often make decisions on the fly. However, when we are responsible for more extensive asset portfolios, like a process facility or an entire town or city, the level of complexity has increased way beyond what most of us can process in our heads.  

We can say to ourselves, “it worked last time so I am sure it will work again” and allocate budgets based on what we did last year. Or we can process what is front of mind – “The homeowners just told me about the ponding water on their street, we should go fix that storm drain”.  

The reality is, this intuitive risk management approach to decision-making not only creates public health and safety concerns, but may also cost society more money. We may not notice the risks slowly building up. For instance, in a pump station, there may be a number of human behaviours that mask the risks. Consider an operator who has lovingly cared for a facility, keeping it running smoothly, managing all the little nuances of operation, putting in overtime or being the hero when things go wrong. The operator may also be masking a risk that could cause significant impact when they go on vacation or retire. Or the operator could be masking avoidable costs, that have just become the norm. 

Back to the storm drain, what if we spend money fixing it, not realizing there is another drain in far worse condition, that will have far greater impacts, and cost ten times more to fix if we don’t do something immediately.

To see through these complexities, we require more evidenced-based systematic approaches to manage risks to our assets. If we want to provide transparency to customers or the public, we need to provide evidence and information applied in a consistent and clear manner in our decision-making.

In our next edition, we will explore how organizations can manage the complexity, use information, and make informed risk-based decisions.

About the authors:

Owen James, M.Sc., ENV.SP, CWEM, MIAM is our National Practice Leader for Asset Management. He has over 25 years of experience developing and implementing Asset Management capability for organizations in Canada and the United Kingdom.

The post Risk-based decision-making in asset management – how to prioritize investment programs first appeared on Associated Engineering.

This is the continuation of a two-part article. View part one here.

ISO 31000, the International Standard for Risk Management, provides a clear framework for managing risks, prompting us to think about the scope and context of the organization, what is important, and what we are trying to achieve. From that starting point, we can assess risks by identifying them, analyzing causes, extents, vulnerabilities, likelihoods, and consequences. With that information in hand, we can begin to evaluate whether risks need to be mitigated, how to mitigate them, and whether the mitigation strategies are a good use of public money. Of course, nothing changes without action and the implementation of risk treatments. 

ISO 31000 also prompts us to consult with others throughout the process, communicate relevant information, monitor and review the effectiveness of our risk treatments, and record and report how well we are doing. This is, of course, all common sense, but how often do we systematically carry out all of these actions?

Some risk principles are hinted at in the international standard, but more explicitly documented in other frameworks: in ISI’s Envision framework, some key principles associated with risk management make a significant difference in the robustness of the approach. These include:

Risk = Likelihood x Consequence: Likelihood, probability, chance, uncertainty – whatever you call it, this is a key dimension representing the level of uncertainty in risk. Consequence, extent, and impacts all represent the size of potential impacts. These two concepts are fundamental to risk assessment.

A Common Currency of Risk: While still not widely applied, humans are so used to dealing in money that it makes sense to express risk in economic terms. We continually hear about the cost of the latest disaster or the cost of congestion to the economy. We are able to more readily evaluate risk expressed in economic terms to the very tangible costs of dealing with risks. It makes sense to express risk in dollar terms.

Integrated and Holistic: Risk is a complex thing. We recognize that the causes may be many and varied and the consequences could be far-reaching. More robust approaches to risk management take a broad and integrated view of risk, and consider the economic, social, and environmental (or triple bottom line) implications. 

Application: The opportunity to use this systematic process exists in almost everything that we do, whether it is community planning and management, asset planning, project delivery, or operational and maintenance activities. Project managers know it makes sense to apply a systematic approach to understanding potential project risks. Investment program managers need to be able to effectively prioritize capital programs that best manage the trade off between costs, performance, and risk. 

Operationally, we may choose to apply the principles of risk in HAZOP (Hazard and Operability) or FMEA (Failure Mode & Effects Analysis) studies to improve operational and maintenance activities and better manage risk. More importantly, if we can take our inherent ability to understand risk and apply it to our day-to-day jobs, we can create a culture of more effective risk management. This has the ability to transform the health and safety culture of organizations, radically improve supply chains, and generate significant investment efficiencies or performance improvements.

At Associated, we bring our expertise to help organizations begin to understand the jargon and navigate the common-sense application of risk management that may initially seem complex. With a better understanding of risk and the ability to articulate risk, we can have a more convincing conversation with stakeholders, more robustly defend our decisions to the public, and more readily access funding from agencies that ultimately want to know we are doing the right thing.

About the authors:

Owen James, M.Sc., ENV.SP, CWEM, MIAM is our National Practice Leader for Asset Management. He has over 25 years of experience developing and implementing asset management capabilities for organizations in Canada and the United Kingdom.

The post Understanding international standards and risk principles helps make informed decisions first appeared on Associated Engineering.

re·li·a·bil·i·ty, /rəˌlīəˈbilədē/, noun, The quality of of performing consistently well.

re·sil·ience, /rəˈzilyəns/, noun, The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

When engineering for the built environment, Associated Engineering considers reliability and resilience for the systems we design. We include safety factors, stand-by and back-up process systems, alternative feeds, and back-up power to mitigate risks, such as climate change impacts. Adding redundancy to our systems is one way to achieve resilience, but redundancy has impacts, such as increased cost, maintenance, and embodied carbon. Designing for climate resiliency goes beyond ‘n+1’ and requires discussions with owners and operators. We need to think “outside of the box” and the facility we are designing.

Power Supply: Floods, snow, and fires can destroy critical infrastructure, leaving facilities without power for days, weeks, or longer. Fires may require the shutdown of natural-gas-powered systems. Adding a back-up power generator is a solution; however, we must consider the source of fuel for generators, the facility’s location, and the risks associated with fuel supply and transportation. Transportation routes can become blocked or damaged in flood events, blocking critical supplies. 

In the past, for cold climates, we have specified arctic-packages for outdoor generators. With the changing climate, we are experiencing +39°C temperatures in locations like Edmonton, Alberta, so we also need to consider high-temperature radiator and coolant systems so that we can operate up to +40°C. We also consider air conditioning in generator rooms. Care must be taken to consider the additional building electrical load which the generator has to power. And, the generator has to be sized to power the cooling for itself! 

Too hot to handle: In the past, when designing facilities in Canada, electrical designers didn’t worry too much about the ambient temperature; that was a consideration for the building mechanical designers. However, the Canadian Electrical Code for cable sizing is based on +30°C. Equipment that is rated for +30°C will need to be in a conditioned space.  Equipment that is rated for +40°C may also need to be in a conditioned space if there is a lot of heat accumulation in the area. 

We may need to consider multiple distribution systems and shedding power, because the equipment may get too hot or overload the generator. Maybe we need to design for full normal operation up to +30°C, only essential equipment from +30°C to +40°C, and for critical systems to operate when temperatures are over +40°C. 

Recovery: After fires and floods, we have faced questions such as, ‘How hot did the conduit get with the fire being so close?” or “Did the smoke enter the building and cover copper with soot?”  Considering potential fires, stickers can be applied to conduits; the stickers change colour if the outside temperature rises to +90°C. Then, operators and designers know the wires were compromised and need to be replaced. We can add smoke detectors in electrical rooms; if the alarms activate, we know there may be soot inside the room. However, smoke detectors are not precise, and don’t identify conduits drawing smoke directly into panels or motor control centres. After flooding, all affected electrical systems need to be replaced, which can be a significant cost to owners.

Engineers must consider future flood levels when designing new or renovating facilities. The changing climate creates impacts we must consider to reduce risks to facilities. Designers, owners, and operators need to have candid discussions so we can make informed decisions and develop reliable and resilient systems. 

About the Author:

Scott Friel, PE, P.Eng. is an Electrical Specialist in our Edmonton office. He has 24 years of experience in electrical systems design, electrical inspections, certification of hazardous location equipment, and commercial and industrial engineering studies. 

The post Design for reliability – Consider climate change first appeared on Associated Engineering.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us, and dramatically impacted every aspect of society. One of the pandemic’s casualties has been public transit, which has experienced an extreme ridership decline – as high as 90% in municipalities across North America. Will public transit, as we know it, survive?

Public transit, specifically Light Rail Transit (LRT), delivers an essential and unique role, providing an efficient and equitable mode of transportation. Light Rail Transit reduces travel times, facilitates effective land-use development (Transit-Oriented Development or TOD), and promotes regional prosperity. In addition, LRT fosters environmental sustainability, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and contributes to climate resilience.

Today, municipal, provincial and federal governments view LRT as an infrastructure investment that provides the catalyst that aligns with their plans for a COVID-19 recovery by creating one million jobs, fighting climate change, and rebuilding a more sustainable and resilient economy. All levels of government have prioritized measures that will contribute to expanding public transit systems.

In February 2021, the Federal government announced a $14.9 billion investment in public transit over the next eight years, including permanent funding of $3 billion per year starting in 2026. This commitment is over and above other federal incentives.

The Government of Canada’s Investing in Canada Plan and recent acceleration to the Gas Tax Fund distribution are specifically targeted at job creation, economic recovery, and growth. These Federal initiatives support building robust, dynamic, and inclusive communities through capital infrastructure investment.

In May, the Federal government announced $10.4 billion in funding for transit projects in Toronto: the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Rapid Transit replacement, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, and the Yonge-North subway extension. The Government of British Columbia has promised to provide funding for the $4.8 billion Surrey-Langley Skytrain project.

In 2021, the City of Edmonton began constructing their $2.6 billion Valley Line LRT West Project and finalizing the advancement of the Capital Line LRT South Extension Project for 2022. The City of Calgary will proceed with their $4.9 billion Greenline LRT project in 2022.

All levels of government commit that LRT will continue to be a significant component of future transportation networks

What could derail LRT? The escalating cost of building transit infrastructure.

The first subway in Toronto was the Yonge subway, which would cost $87.6 million/kilometre to build in today’s dollars. The Ontario Line is estimated to cost $10.9 billion, translating to $703.2 million/kilometre. This dramatic increase in cost can be attributed to local planning challenges, project design, and higher cost of materials.

Innovative planning and design of transit infrastructure can help reduce construction costs. The pilot project for Ottawa’s O-Train in 2001 used existing infrastructure to provide transit service. The eight kilometres long, five station O-Train was constructed for $21 million (2001 dollars).

Ongoing innovation to reduce costs is the challenge for all consulting firms, including Associated Engineering. Collaboration with project owners and partners is necessary to explore all avenues, such as creative financing, to reduce costs and for cost recovery.

About the author

Kent Eklund, P.Eng., MBA is our Vice President, Transportation. He provides company-wide leadership support and guidance to staff and clients on transit systems, transportation planning, traffic engineering, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and roadways and highways design projects.
Kent has 30 years of experience specializing in project management, planning, public consultation, stakeholder engagement, design, and construction of new, rehabilitation, and maintenance projects ranging over $1 billion in construction value.

The post Public transit vital in a post-COVID-19 world first appeared on Associated Engineering.