Many architecture and design firms in Calgary have a strong desire to incorporate parametric software (BIM) and digital manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technologies into their design processes in order to meet evolving client demands, regulatory requirements, and sustainability performance targets. These are necessary criteria that constitute high-quality built environments capable of meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders […]

The presence of manganese in drinking water supplies has been problematic for drinking water providers as it can be difficult to remove during treatment and it creates aesthetic challenges, such as colored (e.g. black, brown) and bad tasting/smelling water. Recently, Health Canada has proposed a health-based maximum acceptable concentration for Mn of 0.10 mg/L. Biofiltration […]

In 2012, changes to provincial legislation in Ontario provided municipalities with a new market-based tool to improve the energy and water efficiency of the existing building stock; the ‘local improvement charge’ (LIC) mechanism. The City of Toronto was the first and remains the only Ontario municipality to use LICs to finance residential energy retrofits, starting […]

Rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries (RAZBs) have been used extensively because of their safety and low-cost. As an available cathode material for ZIBs, layered vanadium oxide (V2O5) has been considered due to its high specific discharge capacity. Because V2O5 is slightly soluble in water, it is suitable for modifying V2O5 with conductive polymers to stabilize […]

The remote First Nations communities of Canada suffer from a dire lack of access to emergency response systems and services during times of crises. They lack access to life-saving services such as paramedics, 911 services, and search and rescue services due to their geographic isolation. This often puts them in grave danger and results in […]

Osmotic power or salinity gradient energy is one type of the renewable energies which is produced by fresh and salt water. This new environmental friendly energy based on the advantages such as carbon dioxide free and generating power continuously in all weather conditions seems to be a good option in which to invest. Therefore, investigation […]

Despite a rapid decline of electricity costs, there is still demand for energy-dense liquid fuels, such as in heavy freight and air transportation. Liquid fuels can be synthesized from a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen called synthesis gas (syngas). However, this process requires high temperatures and pressures, and is itself responsible for significant greenhouse […]

The deployment of electric and alternatively-fuelled vehicles in urban transportation constitutes a core component of current federal and provincial policies vis-a-vis Climate Action Strategies across Canada. In the heavy-duty vehicle context specifically, the lack of standardized charging infrastructure combined with a lack of understanding as to the value of integrated energy storage devices to reduce […]

Recently, global society has been trying to develop biorefinery processes to produce renewable, biomass based, fuels and chemicals to enable the transition to a more environmentally friendly economy that is less dependent on fossil fuels. However, it is still very challenging to achieve the cost-effective biorefinery process due to some issues associated with the recalcitrant […]

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) defines IPD as: “…a collaborative alliance of people, systems, business structures and practices into a process that harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to optimize project results, increase value to the owner, reduce waste, and maximize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and construction.” Integrated Project […]

There has been a noticeable interest across Canada to deploy new approaches to help address our growing energy needs. Second generation bioethanol production from agricultural and forest residues (named as lignocellulosic biomass), can pave the way for achieving this sustainable bio-economy. Regardless the efforts by ethanol producer companies to develop the technologies of generation of […]

This project aims to convert feedstocks to H2-rich syngas for FT biojet fuel synthesis by using a two-stage system. The first is a hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process, one of the most promising thermochemical pathways to liquefy solid biomass into liquid products including bio-crude with higher heating values and an aqueous product. The second is a […]