Alberta Innovators Spring 2015

The magazine ofConsulting Engineersof AlbertaSpring 2015

Qualifications Based Selection

is on its way

PLUS! The 2015 Showcase Award Winners

The Built FuturePost-secondaries and firms take on the skills shortage

Real World InnovationExperts weigh in

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We are more than builders. We are construction partners who deliver Albertas most exciting projects by understanding your goals, bringing innovative solutions, and sharing your vision of success.

ROGERS PLACE

GLACIERSKYWALK

SALINE CREEK PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

AIRPORT TRAIL TUNNEL

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We are more than builders. We are construction partners who deliver Albertas most exciting projects by understanding your goals, bringing innovative solutions, and sharing your vision of success.

ROGERS PLACE

GLACIERSKYWALK

SALINE CREEK PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

AIRPORT TRAIL TUNNEL

000AI-PCL-DPS.indd 1 2014-12-12 2:29 PMinnovators15_pg02-07.indd 3 2015-01-12 9:16 AM

Congratulations to 2015 CEA Awards Winners!

Associated Engineering is a Canadian, employee-owned consulting rm specializing in planning, engineering, environmental science, and landscape architecture. We provide consulting services in the transportation, infrastructure, water, environmental, energy, building, and asset management sectors.

Sustainability is part of our business and part of every project we undertake. This is our commitment to giving back to our community, improving the environment, and reducing our carbon footprint.

For more information, please visit www.ae.ca

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alberta innovators 5

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DS 2015

Congratulations to 2015 CEA Awards Winners!

Associated Engineering is a Canadian, employee-owned consulting rm specializing in planning, engineering, environmental science, and landscape architecture. We provide consulting services in the transportation, infrastructure, water, environmental, energy, building, and asset management sectors.

Sustainability is part of our business and part of every project we undertake. This is our commitment to giving back to our community, improving the environment, and reducing our carbon footprint.

For more information, please visit www.ae.ca

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Presenting:

Fostering:

Supporting:

Contributing:

Patron:

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Engineering the Future Tomorrows engineers are created

today, by industry and academia

Features

Innovators of the Year Find out what it means to

be on the leading edge

Hand Engineered Woodworker Don Chambers creates another masterpiece

Showcase Awards 2015 Excellence at work for Alberta

High Quality, Low Cost Factor in the life-cycle costs and find out

what the lowest price really buys

Profile: Bob Gomes

Profile: Brian Pearse

20

PUBLISHED FOR:Consulting Engineers of Alberta

Phipps-McKinnon Building Suite 870, 10020 - 101A Avenue

Edmonton, AB T5J 3G2 Phone (780) 421-1852Fax (780) 424-5225Email: [email protected]

www.cea.ca

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND REGISTRARKen Pilip, P.Eng.

MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONSCEO, Ken Pilip; President, Matt Brassard;

and Honorary Director, Ed Stelmach Consultant, Brian Stecyk

SPECIAL PROJECTS - PAST PRESIDENT Art Washuta

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONSLisa Krewda

EVENT MANAGERChantal Sargent

INFORMATION SPECIALISTCandace Diala

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALISTDesiree Concepcion

ACCOUNTING SPECIALISTAdama Barry

PUBLISHED BY:Venture Publishing Inc.

10259 105 StreetEdmonton, AB T5J 1E3

Toll-free 1-866-227-4276Phone (780) 990-0839

Fax (780) 425-4921www.venturepublishing.ca

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ruth Kelly

DIRECTOR OF CUSTOM CONTENTMifi Purvis

MANAGING EDITORRobbie Jeffrey

ART DIRECTORCharles Burke

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTORAndrea deBoer

PRODUCTION MANAGERBetty Feniak Smith

PRODUCTION TECHNICIANSBrent Felzien, Brandon Hoover

VICE-PRESIDENT, SALESAnita McGillis

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSCaitlin Crawshaw, Jen Janzen, Robbie Jeffrey

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORSPedersen, Amy Senecal, Randy Wiens

Cover illustration by Heff OReilly

Contents 2015 by Consulting Engineers of Alberta. No part of this publication should be reproduced

without written permission.

Non-deliverable mail should be directed to CEA: Suite 870, 10020 - 101A Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5J 3G2. P

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MESSAGE FROM THE PREMIER

Jim Prentice, 2015

N BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA, I AM PLEASED TO extend greetings to the Consulting Engineers of Alberta for the publication of the

Spring 2015 issue of Alberta Innovators magazine.Since its founding in 1978, the Consulting Engineers of Alberta has ensured engi-

neers and technologists meet the highest standards of their profession while remaining at the forefront of innovation and providing high-quality engineering solutions to clients across Alberta and Canada, and around the world.

Albertas consulting engineering industry plays an integral role in building our edu-cated and skilled workforce, enhancing our communities and growing our economy.

My thanks to the Consulting Engineers of Alberta for sharing our Governments commitment to building a stronger economic foundation for our province and a better quality of life for all Albertans.

Congratulations on the latest issue of Alberta Innovators, and best wishes for your continued success.

O

Serving AlbertansCEA, CAA, ACA, ARHCA

innovators15_pg02-07.indd 7 2015-01-12 1:03 PM


KEN PILIP, P.Eng.CEO & Registrar, CEA

MESSAGE FROM CEA

ERVING ALBERTANS OUR THEME is short, and the concept appears simple on the surface. It is a reminder as profes-

sional engineers that, first and foremost, we serve the public. This is neither simple nor easy.

In the context of our industry in 2015, 37 years after the inception of CEA, projects are technically more complicated, social license rules the day, funding is scarce and unpredictable, technology moves faster than policies and reg-ulations can react, infrastructure and assets are not only aging but failing and firms are increas-ingly operated by risk managers, accountants and investors, further distancing engineers from those we serve.

Additionally, Alberta is facing tremendous growth pressure in response to our strong econ-omy and its associated employment opportuni-ties. Government of Alberta projects will add 2.2 million people to the province by 2041 just over 80,000 per year, the equivalent of building enough infrastructure to support the population of Lethbridge or Red Deer every year. Add to that an existing infrastructure deficit and a fairly tight labour market and it quickly becomes clear that we, as Albertans, need to find better ways to deliver infrastructure the backbone of our economy.

Despite these challenges, we continue to deliver on our obligation to the public. The Gala Awards are a testament to the capacity and capa-bilities of the engineering professionals in the consulting industry and our tenacity to contin-uously improve the quality of life for Albertans. We must, however, remain vigilant to forces that negatively inf luence our ability to serve the public.

Three years ago, we recognized the unin-tended consequences of the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA), and now we see the dangers of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA). We came together to resolve an issue that has plagued our industry for decades the pro-curement of professional engineering services through the use of price-based selection or some modification of that same principle. We have made significant progress by working with

Principled Serviceour sister organizations and preferred clients to help shift procurement policies and guidelines towards Qualifications Based Selection (QBS).

We believe that QBS will unlock trapped capacity in our industry, unleash innovation and provide shared value to Albertans the intersec-tion between society and corporate performance. We applaud our clients shift towards this procure-ment best practice and look forward to the results.

As such, it is with great pleasure that we pres-ent the inaugural Presidents Award to Jennifer Enns, P.Eng. As a client, Jennifer has had a sig-nificant influence on our industry by reinforcing the City of Calgarys QBS procurement policy and supporting our efforts to legislate QBS in Alberta. Her generosity of time, insights, and experience have helped us demonstrate the addi-tional value that Calgarians have received over the last 30 years by engaging professional engi-neers through QBS. We hope that her continued efforts and support will lead to similar outcomes for all Albertans and Canadians.

We would also like to recognize our Lieuten-ant Governor Award winners Roman Wozniak, P.Eng., and Gary Mack, P.Eng., for their distin-guished achievements in our industry. They rep-resent ISL Engineering and Land Services Ltd. Roman founded ISL, but due to an unfortunate medical condition had to step down as president. Gary then stepped in as president and grew the company to what it is today. Both Roman and Garys leadership and contributions to our indus-try are appreciated. They have set the foundation for their firm which is a perfect example of a local consulting company with humble beginnings dedicated to serving Albertans.

On behalf of the Consulting Engineers of Alberta Board of Directors, I would like to thank our member firms and their staff for the contribu-tions we make on a daily basis to improving the lives of all Albertans. It is a higher calling worthy of our talent and effort. I would also like to thank the CEA staff for their significant contribution to our industry. Their efforts allow our organization to operate smoothly and facilitate our member firms to focus their skills and talents where it mat-ters most serving Albertans.

S

MATT BRASSARD, P.Eng.President, CEA

SERVING ALBERTANS



Principled Service

John D. Gamble, P.Eng.President & CEO

MESSAGE FROM ACEC

CInvesting in Success

O NSULTING E NG INE E R S OF Alberta is playing a key role on the national stage with its efforts to create

a business and regulatory climate that will allow its members to provide value and quality service to its clients. This is especially true of its campaign to reform procurement and promote Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) for pro-fessional engineering services.

The contribution of the consulting engineer is an important investment in the success of any project. Even though the planning and design of a project represents less than two per cent of the total life-cycle cost, decisions made during plan-ning and design have ramifications over the entire service life of a project. The owner will have to live with those decisions for decades, even generations. For much of the last century this was generally understood by most clients. Engineering was viewed to be an investment to be leveraged rather than an expense to be minimized.

However, when the economic boom of the 1980s abruptly gave way to the harsh realities of the 1990s recession, everything changed. We stopped investing in our future. We stopped investing in the very things that create prosperity. Public investments in infrastructure dramatically decreased from about six per cent of GDP to less than two to three per cent of GDP. Similar short-term thinking even began influencing the private sector. Private sector clients shelved or outright cancelled projects (or went out of business). Work dried up.

For those projects that did proceed, value became confused with price. Consequently, emphasis on the lowest short-term cost replaced long-term savings value. In this economic envi-ronment, consulting engineering companies downsized or folded. Some dating back to the turn of the century disappeared as the result of mergers and acquisitions. Post-secondary enrollment in engineering and other scientific and technological disciplines plummeted. Many skilled professionals and experts were lost to the sector forever.

The economic slowdown also created a short-sighted fixation on low-price over long-term value and quality. This fixation remains entrenched in the procurement practices in much of the public

and private sectors. Downsizing in the 1990s and fiscal austerity have conspired to erode the amount of experience and expertise available to deliver infrastructure and other major projects in both the public and private sectors.

But as of late, it is not all bad news. Public investment in infrastructure is on the upswing. There are potential opportunities for the resource sector.

For the first time in decades, political leaders have begun to acknowledge infrastructure as an investment in prosperity. But with the ongoing fiscal challenges facing governments, how do we ensure that taxpayers and the public receive value? The answer is QBS.

When selecting a consulting engineering firm for a project, regardless of the delivery model, it is more important and more cost effective to focus on the qualifications of the project team and the mer-its of the proposal rather than on fees. An appro-priate investment in professional services at the onset of a project can potentially reduce capital, maintenance and operating costs while improving reliability and extending service life. This is the essence of QBS. Conversely, price-based compe-tition reduces the investment at the design stage resulting in significantly higher capital, operating and maintenance costs throughout the service life of the project.

CEAs efforts to promote the adoption of QBS will result in better infrastructure, significant life-cycle savings and better value for taxpayers. Furthermore, it is also sending a strong message across the country. We applaud CEAs leadership.

ABOUT ACEC - CANADAThe Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - Canada (ACEC) is a national business association representing nearly 450 companies that offer professional engineering and related services to a wide range of public and private sector clients. Organizationally, ACEC is a federation of 12 provincial and territorial consulting engineering associations, including Consulting Engineers of Alberta. Collectively, ACEC member companies directly employ nearly 75,000 Canadians.

The mission of ACEC is to promote a busi-

Anne Poschmann, P.Eng.Chair, Board of Directors

ness and regulatory climate that recognizes and rewards the expertise of its members and their contribution to the quality of life in Canada. ACEC supports this mission with a strong advocacy program that engages with federal government and other national stake-holders to shape public policy and to raise the profile of the consulting engineering sector.



BY ROBBIE JEFFREY

Alberta Innovators conducts a panel discussion on what it means to innovate in the real world

N N OVAT I O N WA S T H E B UZ Z WO R D

for Alberta in 2014. Our province under-went major economic, political and social changes with each situation requir-ing bold solutions and creative leaders.

Calgary emerged from the f loods of 2013 with custom-made recovery plans and guides for the future. Edmonton unveiled radical new plans for its downtown arena district, intent not only on joining the ranks of world-class cities but also on impressing them. The C.D. Howe Institute released a report titled Measuring Innovation, claiming that Alberta outperformed Canadas other provinces in pat-ent applications per capita, bolstered by revo-lutions in the oil and gas sectors. And our new premier took charge by, above all else, promis-ing an out-with-the-old style of management. Innovation doesnt create a solution out of the blue; its the process whereby we come to solutions through critical thinking, collabora-tion, ingenuity and enthusiasm. Its not always about providing answers but rather providing the right kinds of questions to ask. Then we can build solutions to our problems instead

of hoping to stumble upon them. Consulting engineers know this better than anyone else, as the title of this magazine suggests. But innova-tion is also just a concept, and while everyone attributes our success in the future to innova-tive solutions, it can be difficult to understand what that means in practical terms. Alberta Innovators conducted a panel discussion hear-ing from both inside and outside the engineer-ing industry on what innovation means in the real world of engineers and the ways in which it will shape our everyday lives in the future.

The City of Edmonton has more than $40 billion worth of public infrastructure, and the maintenance, renewal, replacement and expansion of that infrastructure cannot hap-pen without engineers. Consulting engineers from industry and engineers on staff at the

City of Edmonton have worked together to win national awards for the dry pond in the Lendrum Place neighbourhood, and the Kennedale wetland is an example of engi-neers working with biological scientists to harness nature and treat storm water before its released into the river. Thats also won a bunch of awards. And were working with consulting engineers to erect the new Walterdale Bridge, which is going to be a breathtaking feat of construction.

With all these phenomenal growth pres-sures that Edmonton and Northern Alberta are facing, we need the help of creative engi-neers to figure out how to stretch our dollars farther. We have 66 interchanges that we need to build within the next 50 years, so were going to require a number of different engineering disciplines and designers and planners. Were going to require an interdisciplinary response involving engineers, who are going to have to be incredibly creative to even prioritize them. And for the projects we cant build yet, theyll have to ask, What are the innovative solutions that allow us to maintain the flow of goods and

IDON IVESON, Edmonton

Mayor, on the future of the

Capital City and the role of

consulting engineers:



labour in the fastest-growing city in the coun-try, which is the jumping point to the North and the engine of Canadas economy? So were going to need all hands on deck.

Innovation has to be a community value. Add a healthy dose of creativity and technical acumen and youve got yourself the right ingre-dients to be able to do more than just think about things but actually deliver on them. And a lot of that innovation comes from engineers, many of whom have the benefit of coming out of the University of Albertas School of Engineering, which is one of the top schools in engineering in the whole country maybe on the continent. So when you have that asset of that amazing engineering school, when you have that entrepreneurial climate in business, when you have growth imperatives hitting the public sector and when you have a great cluster of engineering and design companies, from Stantec to Williams, based right here in Edmonton, youve got all the right ingredi-ents not just for the public sector innovation but for innovation in business, social enterprise and philanthropy.

In 2014, were in the process of rekindling the understanding that the physical environment maybe doesnt determine the social environ-ment, but it is in constant dialogue with it. And thats right at the level which urban designers and planning consultants and consulting engi-neers work how does the physical creation of the world that we inhabit impact the society that we are and are constantly becoming?

Our cities are in a period of epochal shift. Its taking shape primarily as a conversation about the physical world we inhabit but it also has tremendous implications in terms of our social, political, cultural and environmental relationship with the world. Across North America, cities are recognizing that weve got to build more cost-effectively, and weve got to build cities that attract the kind of cultural and economic activity that sustains cities over time.

Were in an interesting time. Were talking about doing things in a much more traditional way but also using the incredible suite of tech-nologies available to us. Its everything from low-impact development to using solar power to desalinate storm water.

But it takes more than political leadership. It takes consultants who are willing to push their client in the right direction and it takes vision-ary leaders from the private sector to say, Im going to do something differently. And its working towards a tipping point where were no longer fighting uphill and its getting easier to do the right thing.

In the mid-1980s, the provincial flood maps that are now ubiquitous first came out and there was a possibility for f lood inundation along a very thin stretch of area in Inglewood. A f lood-protection berm was written into policy; the community had come together, discussed the issues and was able to work with the City. And in 2013, Inglewood was the only river community that did not receive overland inundation. It was because of physical engi-neering solutions that took advantage of local

GIAN-CARLO CARRA, Ward 9,

Calgary city councillor, on the

social impact of engineering

and the floods of 2013:



With all these phenomenal growth pressures that Edmonton and northern Alberta are facing, we need the help of creative engineers to figure out how to stretch our dollars farther. Were going to need all hands on deck.

Design with community in mind stantec.com

Our inventive and collaborative approach to problem solving helps bring big ideas to life.

000AI-Stantec-FP.indd 1 2014-12-17 3:36 PM

context and actually protected communities. Its an example of why engagement and citizen involvement is so important in any project.

When I started engineering, my first project, which was in 1962, was a school energy plant that used heat and electricity generated by Caterpillar engines to heat and power and light the school. It wasnt done anywhere else. I learned that a good consulting firm funds research and development and sends their people to upgrade their technical knowledge, because knowledge is changing rapidly. And a good firm contributes to the initial stages of design to provide input for the systems that will do the best for the owners needs.

I insist that our people contribute in meet-ings rather than take a passive approach and listen, because our success comes when were contributing in the projects initial stages, rather than coming back later when something doesnt fit or the owner thought he was getting one thing and ended up with another. A great engineering company also gets involved in proj-ects that really require brainpower to pull them off. To be great, youve got to take that step for-ward and take risks and spend some money on

development you may not know the answers, but you can use the support of an owner who will invest and find the best solutions.

A good architectural f irm engages the engineers from day one; the engineer becomes a member of the design team as soon as the owner says, Mr. Architect, youve got this project! And the cross-pollination of archi-tects and engineers has improved probably 200 per cent over the last 50 years.

In my mind, what distinguishes a good project from a great project is collaboration. Its a bit of a buzzword, but its about working on a project where there are good collaborations between

clients and the engineering consultants. The idea that innovation can come from a single person is interesting, but usually its that indi-vidual bringing the whole team together, mak-ing them collaborate. Theres usually one point of contact for a project, so if that one person is collaborating with the whole team, that makes it ultimately successful.

One example of collaboration leading to innovation is a project were working on with a municipality and industry for water reuse basically, taking waste water eff luent and using it for oilfield applications. Thats inno-vative from a technology standpoint, but also from a collaborative standpoint. We had two clients and a complex design team as well. It was important to bring everybody to the same table regularly and give everybody an update on where theyre making sure were satisfied on all the things that are needed to make the process successful.

JOHN CHOMIAK, president and

CEO of Hemisphere Engineering,

on going above and beyond

for clients:

JACKIE MYKYTIUK, project man-

ager at Associated Engineering,

on collaboration as a wellspring

of innovative solutions:

Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson is excited to work with consulting engineers on the new Walterdale Bridge.


Design with community in mind stantec.com

Our inventive and collaborative approach to problem solving helps bring big ideas to life.

000AI-Stantec-FP.indd 1 2014-12-17 3:36 PMinnovators15_pg10-15.indd 13 2015-01-12 8:44 AM

How does the physical creation of the world that we inhabit impact the society that we are and are constantly becoming?

Qualifications Based Selection (QBS), for example, opens up a more collaborative environment which feeds into creativity and innovation. When youre doing a typ-ical Request for Proposal (RFP) process, the scope of the work is already defined and theres really no opportunity for us as consultants to provide input. QBS is a more conducive environment to allowing every-one to be innovative and creative at the same table before defining the cost of a project.

The definition of innovation can vary from one project to another. What one f irm might consider standard fare might be inno-

vative in another shops organization. The hardest part sometimes is understanding what the technology can do and how you can incor-porate it into your engineering and planning design. Its one of those things were gradually learning how to make work for our business. I think were continuing to learn what these technologies can bring forward.

For one project in Calgary, we had two high-speed roadways that were on high-skew angles to each other. If you were to build a tra-ditional bridge structure out there, youd have to look at the sorts of things you dont want on a high-speed facility. So by constructing trellis structures, weve got girders going per-pendicular to the roadway and you can put the deck anywhere on that structure. From that perspective, it was a very innovative solution. When those structures are widened in the future, they are easy to accommodate because the infrastructure is already built there.

Sometimes you complete a project so well that the client is delighted with the outcome. Those are the times when someone will write you a letter or someone will go out of his or her way to tell you what a good job you did.

Usually, those kinds of projects come from an individual within an organization; from time to time, you get an individual who does it because somehow this project aligns with one of their values. We forget that to have an exceptional project, the people working on it have to get delight out of the project. Quite frankly, innovation is hard, and it takes effort and discretionary effort on the part of the peo-ple doing it so theyre delighted to be part of that project. Sometimes its serendipity, when you get an overlap of a client who wants this stuff and an employee that wants to give it, and the project that allows them to do it.

Years ago we did a dam in the Northwest Territories where we brought in innovative technology from Russia, where they looked at the ability of freezing the core of the dam. We brought this technology to Canada. To me, it was one of those things where several people in our organization took a risk and the client took a risk, and it allowed us to build dams rather than flood a lake. It was a win for the client because it was a lot cheaper, it was a win for science because now we can use these dams elsewhere and it was a win for the environment because we didnt flood the lake.

But the company has got to set an envi-ronment where people feel comfortable doing these kinds of projects and arent punished when they fail. Quite often, innovation doesnt work, and punishment of those involved is not setting the right environment for that.

KELLY YUZDEPSKI, vice-pres-

ident of transportation for

Western Canada at CIMA+,

on technological innovation:

PAUL RUFFELL, president

of Tetra Tech, on exceptional

individuals:

Several contributors cited the MacEwan Centre for the Arts as a particularly captivating project.

tetratech.com

Smart Solutions for a Complex WorldTetra Tech is a leading provider of consulting, engineering, project management, construction, and technical services addressing the resource management, development, and infrastructure markets.



Innovation is often best when you cant quite put your finger on it. The Winspear Centre in Edmonton is one such case; though you might not see it at play, engineers and architects have accounted for a multitude of factors that influence your experience at the world-renowned concert hall.

WITHOUT A SOUNDThere are no grills for air ventilation in the concert hall. Grills create turbulence and turbulence creates noise; the last thing you want to hear during a flute diminuendo is wind moving through the air ducts. The oversized air ducts maintain low velocities, and theres a slot that runs along the top hat of the concert hall to deliver the air. Hemisphere Engineering, the company responsible for the mechanical engineering of the building, designed it so air adheres to the ceiling before slowly falling down onto the seating area. The air is then returned behind the seats at the upper levels and behind the stage.

UP AND AWAYThe concert hall was built on what used to be a service station or automotive shop, so the ground was highly contaminated with gases. Hemisphere engineered an exhaust fan, or pump, to push air under the foundation and then up through the top of the building. Underneath the ground floor is a piping grid that draws air from a cavity and sends it to the fan a cost-effective solution to a noxious problem.

PLAY IT BY EARThe acoustic requirements of the concert hall drive the mechanical design. All the duct work and air handling systems are located in a different building, separate from the actual hall, so no vibrations are transferred. The concert hall is a self-supporting structure with rubber thresholds spanning between the buildings.

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Innovation Live at the Winspear!



BY CAITLIN CRAWSHAW | ILLUSTRATION BY HEFF OREILLY

I

Qualifications Based Selection places a firms capabilities above its price, raising the bar on project quality and driving down lifecycle costs

N ITS ANNUAL SURVEY RELEASED IN NOVEMBER 2014, THE ASSOCIATION of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC) asked its members what they considered the biggest issue facing the industry today. The answer was nearly unanimous: 92 per cent of respondents identified procurement. You

can see that this is an issue not just in Alberta, but across the country, says Ken Pilip, CEO and registrar of the Consulting Engineers of Alberta (CEA).

Consulting engineers have long been frustrated with the traditional Request for Proposal (RFP) procurement method. In addition to requiring companies to invest resources in a proposal that may not bear fruit, the RFP approach uses selection criteria that emphasize price. In the last 20 years, weve been on a slow incline of price becoming more dominant in the criteria for selecting consulting engineers for a project, he says.


Pilip says that in Alberta, this issue spi-raled out of control in 2010 when the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA) came into effect. The deal was meant to facilitate trade and professional mobility - between the three western prov-inces. Unfortunately, it treated engineering more like a commodity than a professional service, which resulted in public sector orga-nizations procuring engineering services in much the same way they would trucks or paperclips. Instead of being a secondary consideration in the evaluation of a consult-ing engineer, cost became the most important consideration, he says. This is a very danger-ous path.

WHY RFP DOESNT WORKWhen it comes to the RFP-based procure-ment, there are plenty of variations on the theme, says CEA president Matt Brassard.Sometimes, public sector organizations use a two-envelope system, in which applicants are screened for qualifications with the first envelope and for price in the second. Theres also the design-bid-build model, in which an engineer and contractor team up to create a proposal. RFPs can be solicited or unsolic-ited, and either open to the marketplace or by invitation only. For large projects, public sector agencies open RFPs to the market in order to ensure there is sufficient competi-tion, as per the legislation concerning gov-ernment procurement.

Regardless of the specific RFP process being used, cost is always at the top of the procurement officers selection criteria and it really shouldnt be, says Brassard. They dont realize that infrastructure lasts 30, 40,

50 years you cant make a decision based on price alone, he argues.

Its important to consider the costs asso-ciated with the entire life cycle of a project, not just the engineering costs, which consti-tute only one or two per cent of total costs. The right consulting engineer can work with a client to define the scope of the project in such a way that the long-term operational and decommissioning costs are lower, saving tax-payers money, says Brassard. But if an engi-neering firm must offer a barebones proposal in order to earn the contract, theres no room for long-term thinking.

Nor is there room for innovation in this model, argues Sheldon Hudson, vice-presi-dent of Al-Terra Engineering Ltd. and former CEA president: When youre in a cost-

In Alberta, QBS has been gaining traction its been standard procedure at the City of Calgary for three decades.

prohibitive model, you hold back on innova-tion because youre not selected on that basis. It doesnt make sense for a firm to give away its secrets if it wont necessarily be chosen for the work. This is why companies are hesitant to ask questions of procurement officers while writ-ing their proposals; the questions and answers are public and potentially give a competitor a leg up.

Pilip points out that this method of bidding can create an adversarial working relationship between the consulting engineering firm and the public sector client especially when the project encounters bumps in the road. It isnt uncommon to hear about high-profile public projects going over-budget or falling behind schedule. Its easy to say its the engineers problem, but I always say it takes more than

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one person to dance together, he says. The bottom line is that it means the project didnt get started properly and there are unintended consequences.

On top of these concerns, the RFP pro-curement model is expensive for everyone. Procurement agencies must spend time putting together their RFPs, soliciting responses, and scoring proposals according to specific criteria. From an engineering standpoint, it takes time and, therefore, money to put together a carefully consid-ered proposal. CEA vice-president Deon Wilner says his company, ISL Engineering and Land Services Ltd., invests seven to 10 hours of direct labour costs into proposal work. If we say $1 million is spent work-ing for a client in terms of salary, we spend $70,000 and $100,000 just procuring that $1 million of work, he says. Thats very normal for our industry.

A BETTER WAY: QBSThankfully, theres a much better way to han-dle the procurement of engineering services. Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) awards contracts on the basis of whether or not and to what degree a firm is qualified to execute a job. Clients put out a Request For Qualifications (RFQ ) and consulting engineering compa-nies submit proof of their expertise. This could include personnel, the companys experience with similar projects, or knowledge of the community where the project is being built.

Once the most qualified candidates have been identified and ranked, the client sits down with the top firm to hash out the fine details: the scope, schedule, and costs. If these negotiations fail, they go on to candi-

date number two, says Wilner. Theres no playing one firm against another. However, by the time the process reaches this phase, its unlikely to fail, he says: Firms are going to provide an honest price for an honest job at that point.

When projects move forward, they do so on a more positive footing than the traditional model. Theres no push to save pennies now at the cost of long-term project costs, says Wilner. As a result, innovation can be explored early on, potentially saving money down the line: Not just for clients but for taxpayers of Alberta, as a whole.

Research confirms this, Pilip says: Its been shown in the U.S. that, over the lifes-pan of a project, you actually save five to 10 per cent of the expenditure youd get if you used any other method. Because the design work for a capital project is only about one or two per cent of its long-term cost, using QBS to find the right engineering firm pays off. If thats the savings, you get the engineering for nothing.

CHAMPIONING QBS IN ALBERTAWhile its not yet the industry standard in Canada, QBS is well-established in the United States. In 1972 just a few years before CEA came into being the Brooks Act was passed, requiring the federal gov-ernment to use the QBS process to procure engineering services. Since then, most of the individual states have adopted the method, as well. Beyond North America, QBS is used by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

In Alberta, QBS has been gaining trac-tion its been standard procedure at the City

of Calgary for three decades. However, it still isnt commonplace across the province. CEA has been advocating for QBS for many years, but ramped up its efforts after NWPTA came into effect, says Brassard: Were work-ing at both the bureaucratic and political level to have it legislated. By enshrining the concept into law, the organization hopes that the idea will survive the inevitable changes to provincial leadership.

Education is an important piece, as well. CEA has been working with public sector agencies to inform them about the procure-ment method and encourage them to con-sider it. At the moment, CEA is working with the Department of Transportation on a pilot project that would implement QBS for specific projects. The idea is to see if the department gets good value in it, Brassard says. And I think they will.

For Hudson, this is an inevitable change. I think its key for our industry to under-stand that this will happen, he says. Its not a matter of if, its when. And it is going to be a major change in how our industry does business in Alberta.

For one thing, consulting engineers will need to compete a bit differently. Instead of undercutting each others rates, theyll need to hone their specialties and collaborate with other firms with needed qualifications in order to earn contracts. All of this is only a good thing for raising the quality of engi-neering services in Alberta something thats at the heart of what CEA does. We want to raise the bar: increase value for citizens and the province, and increase the performance level of our industry, says Hudson. I think QBS accomplishes that.



BY JEN JANZEN | PHOTOS BY PEDERSEN

Engineering THE FUTUREA succession plan is critical for firms struggling with an experienced P.Eng shortage

HANKS TO A BRISK OIL SANDS ECONOMY, ALBERTA HAS LONG BEEN BATTLING a skilled tradesperson shortage. The government has been plotting for a number of years to recruit more young people into the trades, injecting more funding into apprenticeship programs and brainstorming ways to draw skilled workers

from other countries. But the skilled trades arent the only area struggling to find workers: according to a report recently released by Randstad Engineering and Engineers Canada, thanks to impending retirements and rising market demands, Alberta needs about 900 more engineers each year than were currently able to produce.

Its a problem complicated by the fact that many companies are looking for engineers with years of experience behind them, who can quickly get to work on complicated projects. Contrast that with what it takes a young engineer to simply gain P.Eng status: four years of university and then another three or four years working as an engineer-in-training (EIT).



Engineering THE FUTURE

EXPERT OPINIONS: Jeff DiBattista, P.Eng, PhD, MBA, LEED AP, Principal and Marc Taala, engineer-in-training, structural engineering.


W hereas an apprent ice becomes a journeyperson after four years, gaining work experience along the way, an engineer faces double that amount of time. For folks who are going to do advanced engineering work, it requires a masters degree, so thats up to 10 years, says Jeff DiBattista, principal of DIALOG, who holds a PhD in structural engineering.

Derek Ciezki is an electrical engineer and a partner at SMP Engineering, which has offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Vancouver. He says part of equipping students with the skills they need is encour-aging universities to explore the technical side of engineering within the industry. I didnt have much exposure to what the con-sulting industry was all about, let alone how to navigate through an electrical code book, before I got into the industry, he says. That would have been a good skill to have. SMP is also working with the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary to assist with teaching an electrical design course to better prepare the students for the building infrastructure industry.


Though experienced engineers are often the most sought after, Ciezki says SMP hires between three to five new grads per year. You need to have the right balance of junior and senior staff members so you can provide the proper mentoring to the younger staff and help them develop their skills, he says, but you need to keep adding junior and intermedi-ate skill levels as part of your succession plan. The company works with the University of Albertas and Calgarys engineering program, which sets eligible engineering students up with four-month internships or summer work terms.

DIALOG, which was recently named one of the 100 Best Employers, also participates in four- and eight-month internships and con-siders it an instrumental part of its recruitment strategy. It allows us to get to know the stu-dents early on, and perhaps more importantly, for the students, it allows them to figure out what they enjoy.

At the University of Calgary, internships are 12 to 16 consecutive months long. A stu-dent can participate in an internship after their third year of engineering studies is completed.

The programs director, Jack Gray, has been at the helm for five years and has seen a steady increase in participants. We really promoted the program to the students and employers alike, he says, adding that theres been about a 60-per cent increase in intern placements in the last five years.

In 2008, 220 students were placed on internships, with an average of 350 students completing internships in the last three years. This year, says Gray, theres been another increase of 15 per cent over last years application numbers. The students recognize the value of gaining internship experience and theres been a pretty strong pickup from employers as well. Its a great recruitment tool for them.

The U of C doesnt match interns with jobs: the jobs are posted and the students themselves once qualified and accepted into the program are responsible for competing for opportuni-ties that interest them. The level of competition varies by engineering discipline, but Gray says this past year, there were more than 800 employment opportunities for the just under 500 students approved into the program.

TEAM PLAYERS: Derek Ciezki, P.Eng., Partner with William Lo, P.Eng., Electrical Engineer. William just recently received his P.Eng. and works closely with Derek on projects.


Ones quality of life is directly proportional to the number

of professional engineers per population.

Ken Pilip, CEO and Registrar, Consulting Engineers of Alberta

DiBattista says if the Alberta government wants to permanently address the engineer shortage, it needs to be prepared to invest in the provinces post-secondary institutions. The investments we make in young engi-neers will determine whether well have enough engineers working here in 10 years, he says, pointing out that many skilled engineers retire every year, adding to the labour shortage. We ignore the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary at our peril.

And its possible the tide is beginning to turn. Enrolments in APEGA have been climbing over the last five years, and the provincial government has been responding to the demand: this years budget included $32.5 million earmarked for post-sec-ondary institutions across Alberta to increase space for high-de-mand programs, including engi-neering. Particularly, $11.3 million of that went towards engineering programs at the Universities of Alberta, Calgary, Lethbridge, as well as Red Deer College, Medicine Hat College, NAIT and SAIT. In contrast, only $900,000 went into apprenticeship training for tradesperson posi-tions. According to a press release from the government, the extra dollars allowed an extra 1,200 students to take engineering training in 2014-2015. That number is expected to rise to 2,700 engineering students by 2017.

DiBattista says, in his opinion, the engineer shortage isnt as dire today as it has been in recent years. More engineers are graduating and more engineers are mov-ing to Alberta. Its been easier to find good

people, but theres always a shortage of the best people.

He says f inding skilled workers with years of experience is much more difficult and to fill those positions, well have to start looking overseas. Two of DIALOGs senior engineers journeyed across the ocean to work with DIALOG: one from Switzerland and one from Ireland. Having immigration reg-ulations that allow talented engineers to come here is vital, he says.

The engineer shortage is something that Paul Breeze, owner of PBreeze Consulting and former president of the CEA, has known

about for more than a decade. In 2006, he led a recruiting mission to the United Kingdom. CH2M Hill, the company he worked for at the time, ended up hiring eight engineers from the UK. He says the federal govern-ments fixation on temporary workers wont encourage trained professionals to come here. My sense is that the Feds will change the system to allow more foreign engineers to become permanent residents, he says.

Of course, points out Ciezki, Canadian experience and an understanding of local codes are definite assets to have. Local experience is an asset and sometimes preferred for us, he says. In some cases we want the

engineers to be able to get on the ground and start running projects with very little transition.

Another challenge many Alberta engineer-ing practices face is competing with the high pay of the oil sands. Every new grad wants to make a good salary coming out of school, so theyll typically move to a different city to get the best salary possible but they dont realize the overall compensation package and long-term employment opportunities within the commercial building industry, Ciezki says. That means engineering firms which cant compete with the strong demand of oil

and gas and related compen-sation need to provide new potential candidates with a competitive compensation which includes good ben-efits, f lexible hours and a work-life balance.

DiBattista says DIALOG works to be an exciting place for young engineers. Many

of our co-op students come back year after year. They look at our firm and say, I really want to work there because Im going to learn a ton of stuff and work with great mentors.

DIALOG also emphasizes the type of work the company is involved in. We try to improve the communities we practise in, DiBattista says, mentioning that the firm is currently involved in some of Edmontons most high-profile projects, such as Edmon-tons Walterdale Bridge, the downtown arena, and the Valley Line LRT. When prospective employees look at our portfolio, its quite exciting to realize they could help build the Alberta of tomorrow.

Offering leading edge engineering, environmental and surveying consulting services across Canada and around the world.

www.opussw.com



Don Chambers had an exceptional career in engineering. Now, hes giving back to the industry in a style all his own

Excellenceby Hand

D ON CHAMBERS IS A PAST PRESIDENT of the CEA and founded Walters Chambers & Associates, but since his retirement hes been involved in more hands-on specialty projects, including hand-crafting a Lieutenant Governors Award for the CEA. It turns out that the physical prize is nearly as notable as the honour it signifies. As an award recognizing engineers com-munity and business accomplishments, no simple trophy or plaque would suff ice.

BY ROBBIE JEFFREY | PHOTOS BY ROMY YOUNG

Instead, Chambers builds dazzling kaleido-scopes.

When the Lieutenant Governors Award was first introduced, the executive director of the CEA knew Chambers liked to work with crafty things. Indeed, Chambers taught pottery at the Parkland Potters Guild in Stony Plain for 25 years, and dabbled in woodworking. When he says, Ive always had something thats a little artistic on the side, hes downplaying the tremendous

effort he puts into these endeavours. Each prize is handmade, making it one of a kind. And while Chambers tries to keep the pieces similar, the design has changed over the years he has been building them. Its still a kaleidoscope, he says, but now I make them bigger and more elaborate.

I used to source some materials out of England, but then that place shut down, says Chambers, describing his procurement practice. I started scouting around and found



AWARD

a store called Nellie Bly that specializes in kaleidoscopes. Its in a small community on the side of a mountain in Arizona, in a little town called Jerome. They sold me bits and pieces, but they also put me in contact with someone from Boston. Ive also found some parts for special mirrors in B.C. Its a long and involved process, he says.

The wood comes from Canadian birch, with f lourishes of walnut on the bottom of the kaleidoscope where the barrel turns on steel bearings. The barrel is about 10 inches long and 2.5 inches in diameter, and sits perfectly atop a 12-inch-wide accompanying stand made of matching wood. The entire construction takes place in Chambers shop in his condominium. Chambers also has the awards laser engraved by a retired woodworker. If its sitting on a shelf or in the

back of a room, it stands out, he says. Who wants another cup or plaque? People seem to just glance at it, whereas the kaleidoscope stands out.

Chambers originally got the idea for the Lieutenant Governors Award after building a kaleidoscope for his grandchildren. As a kid, everyone thought of kaleidoscopes as something quite cool, Chambers says. And although he recently came back from an artisan show in B.C. where people encouraged

Who wants another cup or plaque? A kaleidoscope

stands out.

him to commercialize his work, he doesnt plan on making it a full-time endeavour. He says he completes each award project bit by bit. Its a relaxed hobby thing, he says. I dont think my dollars per hour would buy too much gas. The slow-burning approach has certainly paid off, if not in dollars then in artistic acumen the CEA recently asked him to build its Presidents Award, and was blown away by the prototype.

Chambers has done justice to this years two award winners, Gary Mack and Roman Wozniak. The awards are both tactile and visual. Not only do they stand out, they invite people to pick them up, examine their construction and look through them, just as the Lieutenant Governors Awards encourage people to take a close look at the careers of the winners and to be dazzled.



save the worst possible jobs for me, he says. Id have the worst locations and the worst position every year. Ten years later I talked to my brother-in-law, and he said, You didnt figure that out? We didnt want you at all! But you kept coming back. It was a pivotal experience for Gomes, one that instilled a tough-as-nails work ethic and taught him that to get anywhere in life, you have to work

hard for it. And he realized that surveying in the Northwest Territories was the last thing he wanted to do.

Gomes graduated from the University of Alberta faculty of engineering in 1978 and had dreams of travelling to California. He said that if he couldnt find a job in Edmon-ton within one month, hed move there; luckily, he was quickly hired by a local firm with more than 120 employees. Then in 1981, when the National Energy Program was instituted, the company downsized to

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Bob Gomes career has been one great leap after another, but hes kept both feet on the ground

HERES NO FAST TRACK TO BECOMING

the CEO of a $3-billion company, and perhaps no one knows this as well as

Bob Gomes, president and CEO of Stantec. Born and raised in Edmonton, in a small

house in Bonnie Doon, Gomes went through the Catholic school system knowing that hed go to post-secondary neither of his parents went to university, and they made it clear that they wanted the best for their chil-dren. Gomes initially studied to become a doctor, before realiz-ing that for everyone else in pre-med, it was going to be a career, he says. For me it was just an idea. I had a lot of friends in engineering, so I remember sitting around campus and talking to them about what they were doing, and thinking it sounded interesting. Thats literally how the decision was made.

But Gomes needed a reason to go to uni-versity in the first place, and several summers working at his brother-in-laws surveying firm in the Northwest Territories did the trick. Gomes says it was clear that the last thing his brother-in-law wanted to do was give him a job, but he didnt take the hint. I remember thinking, These guys must

BY ROBBIE JEFFREY | PHOTOS BY AMY SENECAL

Over the course of his career, Gomes has worked primarily in land development, building the suburbs of Edmonton.

T


a mere 25 employees in about 18 months. Needless to say, says Gomes, the early 80s was not a nice time to be in Alberta. He was one of the last engineers when the owner told Gomes he was ready to sell the company, and that Gomes should be a part of it because the price was as low as itd ever be. But with three kids and a big mortgage, Gomes had to decline the invita-tion. He looked for another job and in 1988 was hired on at Stanley Associates, later to become Stantec.

Over the course of his career, Gomes has worked primarily in land development, building the suburbs of Edmonton. I did the engineering, planning and design for most of the neighbourhoods you know in Edmonton, he says. I worked on every subdivision developed 20 years ago mainly because at the time, Stantec was the biggest f irm doing that. And it still is. Gomes would go on to become chair of the Urban Design Institute, wherein he negotiated a deal with the City of Edmonton on how to service new land. It was very costly to put in big pipes and big roadways, and a lot of developers didnt want to put that money up front without sharing that benefit with other developers, he says. We were trying to get the development industry and the City together to figure out how we could do this in an economic fash-ion. And we came up with an idea thats still in place today.

As CEO of Stantec a role he took over from his predecessor Tony Franceschini in 2008 Gomes has seen the company through a 4,000-person increase in staff as well as an incredible rise in gross reve-nue. All this, despite a recession. Inspired by Franceschini, whom Gomes describes as iconic for transforming a small, regional company into one of the largest f irms in North America in 10 years, Gomes over-saw a rebranding of Stantec. Weve bought over 100 companies in the last 20 years, and we are continuing to do that, he says. But in hearing from our staff, we asked, What does it mean? Is it just to get bigger?

It cant be growth just for growths sake. Visiting between 30 and 50 offices per year, he asked employees what they most enjoy about Stantec. Invariably, theyd point to a job in their community a project they can

show their friends and families and say, Im working on that job, he adds.

In keeping with this sense of community, its worth noting that Stantec later bought the company Gomes left in 1988. So in one way or another, hes worked with the same people throughout his whole career.

Gomes recalls driving around Edmon-tons suburbs with his family, looking at the design of the communities and thinking about how they could be improved. I grew up in a company really focused on improv-ing the communities in which we serve, he says, so to put that brand on the company and see it as a $3-billion company, its been an amazing journey.

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Weve bought over 100 companies, says Gomes. We asked, What does it mean? Is it just to get bigger? It cant be growth just for growths sake.



Networking for the FutureThe CEAs young professionals face limitless opportunities. They face them with limitless ambition

CO NSULTI N G E N G I N E E R I N G IS AN exciting and dynamic career. One of the aspects that makes consult-ing engineering exciting is its fluidity to the changes in our economy and environment; each day of consulting is different from the next. The dynamics of the industry are height-ened in Alberta, where we work to service the communities and industries that make our province thrive.

Young professionals (YP) play an import-ant role in the consulting engineering indus-try today theyre the future of the industry, consulting companies and our communities. Young professionals offer a fresh perspective on industry norms and bring a new sense of energy to projects they work on. I am fortu-nate to be a young professional in Albertas consulting engineering industry, where it seems opportunities are endless. The fast-pace, ever-growing province has offered outstanding experience and exposure to com-pelling projects to me and my colleagues.

CEA supports the development of young professionals in the consulting engineering industry through their YP Committee. The main objective of the CEA YP Committee is to enhance the growth of the industry by promoting the participation and develop-ment of young professionals. The CEA YP Committee encourages YPs to: Contribute to the growth of the engineering consulting industry within Alberta Better understand the function, role and business of consulting engineers

Promote, grow and understand the relationships between clients and consultants Create a network of cross-discipline young professionals within the engineering consulting industry Actively participate in the committees and events sponsored by the CEA Promote the benefits of and increase the

membership of the Young Professionals Group.

One of the purposes of the formation of the CEA YP group was development on a per-sonal and professional level, through knowl-edge transfer from senior engineers, fellow young professionals, other professionals as well as providing an avenue for networking. It has been evident over the last few years that the YPs have a lot of initiative and drive to continue the success of the consulting engi-neering industry. Over the last few years they have worked to establish new YP initiatives and connections to highlight these attributes. The young professionals are the future of the consulting engineering industry and it is important to recognize and celebrate their contributions to the industry.

The Young Professional Committee continues to grow in size and energy. Cur-rently there are over 40 active executive YP members throughout the province planning technical tours, technical talks and mixers. In May of 2014, the CEA YP Commit-tee hosted the first YP Conference. The YP Conference initiative offers YPs a networking and professional development opportunity in

JACKIE MYKYTIUK, P.Eng.Associated Engineering

YP Director

MESSAGE FROM THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

an environment where they are confident to express their concerns, questions and general thoughts with their peers in the consulting engineering industry. The 2014 event was a huge success with more than 100 attendees. This year the CEA YP is hosting the second annual YP Conference with an emphasis on leadership.

For more information, or to learn about YP events in Alberta, visit the Young Professionals Group website under the committees menu at www.cea.ca.


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Myriad as an alternative to Scala? It could work, and might be nicer, actually

Myriad for Display

Myriad call out style something like this. I think its pretty good. What do you consider to be a fine font?

Myriad for DisplaySIDEBAR HEADRud dolobor sismodo loreet, velit wisl exero od dolo-borperos am quis dolore eu facillandiat atum dolor sequat illam, quis nostrud ming essequam dui blan-diate dolortisi bla cor sequi tet alisl ea adigna com-molore


LIFE IS



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you gain comfort and confidence in that environment.

It was here that Pearse met someone who became a mentor, Nester Chorney, a former assistant deputy minister with Alberta Transportation. He has excellent people skills but also excellent technical skills, says Pearse. That helped me create a foundation and springboard. Pearse says

he appreciated the opportunity to see a proj-ect from the cradle to the grave, and that Stewart Weirs small size forced him to see the projects from every angle. Itd be nor-mal to be involved right from gathering the information to doing the design, prepar-ing the tender document and even being involved in the project management or the construction management, he says. It was unique within the industry and good for me from a foundational point of view.

In 2001, Pearse became vice-president of Stewart Weir, getting in tune with all the different departments of the company and becoming more involved with staff and the

Brian Pearse left his small town for the big city and kept his eyes on the road

RIAN PEARSE, PRESIDENT OF OPUS Stewart Weir, is clearly the man for the job. Pearse, who was already

three years into his post as CEO of Stewart Weir, took over the blended compa-nys top job after Stewart Weir was acquired in 2013. In fact, Pearse joined the company in 1986 and never left. But his career could have taken another route; while attending Sturgeon Composite High School and l iv-ing in Namao, a hamlet north of Edmonton, he aspired to be a physicist. That dream came falling back to earth, however, when he realized there was l it t le demand for physicists. He became interested in engineering and planted his feet firmly in the ground the same ground on which hed spend his career building highways.

Pearse began working with a survey crew with Stewart Weir in 1986 and ended up on a highway project later that year, mov-ing from survey assistant to party chief. He soon graduated from the field into the office, working in water and wastewater until 1992, before transferring into the highways engi-neering group. The move over to highways was a great coming out in many ways, says Pearse. Theres a lot of methodology to what they do. Today, I wouldnt say Im all about regimen, but as a learning ground,

BY ROBBIE JEFFREY | PHOTO BY AMY SENECAL

LIFE IS A HIGHWAY

Before getting to know the CEA, I felt like we were competitors. I discovered that we were more of a fraternity and a community.

B


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clients, and he developed an appreciation for mentoring. This aligned with his feelings about the CEA. Before getting to know the CEA in a deeper manner, I felt like we were individual competitors, he says. I later dis-covered that we were more of a fraternity and a community, and that we can take fate in our own hands by developing strategies in terms of what we want to do as an organization. Pearse went on to serve as president of the CEA in 2008. The move to CEO at Opus Stewart Weir in 2010 was another step in what he calls the natural progression of his career.

There was another time when Pearses career could have changed lanes: In 1989, Pearse thought the grass might be greener

somewhere else. He was interviewed for a position as a design engineer, and when he asked about the salary, they asked, What are you earning now? Well give you another dollar an hour. That mentality didnt sit well with him, and he didnt take the job, opting instead for a sense of community. He has also been a board member of the Alberta Road Builders and recently joined Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Albertas council, where he is vice-president. I wouldnt have known this early in my career, but Opus Stewart Weir has always been a family-oriented organization, he says. It always felt like the right thing to do, and it still does.


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Gord Johnston, P.Eng.ACEC Liaison

Stantec Consulting

Mike Koziol, P.Eng.Director

MMM Group

Rob Lonson, P.Eng. Director

Opus Stewart Weir

Matt Brassard, P.Eng.President

Urban Systems

Patrick Fleming, P.Eng.Director

KFR Engineering

Todd McGaw, P.Eng.Director

Hemisphere Engineering

Heinrich Heinz, P.Eng.Director

Thurber Engineering

Manoj Mistry, P.Eng.Vice Treasurer

Stantec Consulting

Jackie Mykytiuk, P.Eng.YPG Director

Associated Engineering

Ed StelmachHonorary Director

Paul Ruffell, P.Eng.ACEC Liaison

Tetra Tech

Grant Hallam, P.Eng.Director

McElhanney Consulting

Kelly Yuzdepski, P.Eng.DirectorCIMA+

Deon Wilner, P.Eng.Vice President

ISL Engineering & Land Services

Art Washuta, P.Eng.Past Presidents Director

Opus Stewart Weir

2014-2015

BO

AR

D O

F DIR

ECTO

RS

Linus MurphyCAA Liaison

S2 Architecture

Dick Walters, P.Eng.APEGA Liaison

Walters Chambers

Helder Afonso, P.Eng.Treasurer

Associated Engineering

Sheldon Hudson, P.Eng.Advisor

Al-Terra Engineering

Craig Clifton, P.Eng.Past President

Clifton Associates

Adrian Todeila, P.Eng.Director

NORR Architects



Because youve earned it.

At TD Insurance we believe your efforts should be

recognized. Thats why, as employees of a member

firm of the Consulting Engineers of Alberta,

you have access to the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex

program, which offers you preferred insurance rates

and highly personalized service, along with additional

discounts. Request a quote and find out how

much you could save!

Our extended business hours make it easy. Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

HOME | AUTO | TRAVEL

The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program is underwritten by SECURITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. It is distributed by Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in Quebec, by Meloche Monnex Financial Services Inc. in Ontario, and by TD Insurance Direct Agency Inc. in the rest of Canada. Our address: 50 Place Crmazie, Montreal (Quebec) H2P 1B6.

Due to provincial legislation, our auto and recreational vehicle insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. *Average based on the home and auto premiums for active policies on July 31, 2014 of all of our clients who belong to a professional or alumni group that has an agreement with us when compared to the premiums they would have paid with the same insurer without the preferred insurance rate for groups and the multi-product discount. Savings are not guaranteed and may vary based on the clients profile.

The TD logo and other TD trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

Ask for your quote today at 1-866-269-1371 or visit melochemonnex.com/cea

Home and auto insurance program recommended by

On average, professionals who have home and auto insurance with us

save $400.*

Projet : Annonce MMI 2015

Client : TD Assurance

Dossier # : 16-MM9486-14_MMI.PR5.ENB&Wcea(8.25x10.75)

Province : Alberta

Publication : Newsletter

Format : 8.25x10.75

Couleur : B&W

preuve # : 2

Date de tombe : 12/11/2014

Graphiste : Marie-Jose Proulx

Hamelin-Martineau Inc. 505, boul. de Maisonneuve O, Bureau 300 Montral (Qubec) H3A 3C2 T : 514 842-4416 C : [email protected]

ATTENTION : MERCI DE VRIFIER ATTENTIVEMENT CETTE PREUVE AFIN DVITER TOUTE ERREUR/PLEASE CHECK THIS PROOF FOR ERRORS

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000AI-TD_Insurance-FP.indd 1 2014-12-17 1:41 PMinnovators15_pg36-55.indd 36 2015-01-12 8:23 AM

FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

Roman Wozniak grew up on a farm near Wanham, Alberta, in the Peace Country. One summer during his high school years, he was working for the town of Rycroft, hauling boulders in wheelbarrows to reinforce an ailing wooden dam the town used for its water supply. One day, early in his summer of strenuous manual labour, Wozniak saw someone wearing a short-sleeve shirt and sunglasses drive up to the site in a gleaming yellow truck. The man came once a week for about 10 minutes to inspect the project for the town. It turns out he was an engineer for the highways department, says Wozniak. I thought, Gee, thats the kind of job Id like to have. So thats what started me off in engineer-ing. Today, Wozniak and his successor at ISL Engineering and Land Services, Gary Mack, are both receiving the Lieutenant Governors Award for Distinguished Service from the CEA. And it turns out they both owe a lot to that engineer in the yellow truck.

After attending Mount Royal College in Calgary for two years, Wozniak went to Oklahoma, where he had aspirations of playing base-ball. But the sport posed deep cuts to Wozniaks studying time, and he soon focused on getting through his degree as quickly as possible. Upon graduation, he had some job offers, but declined them to move back to Canada. It was 1962 and the Vietnam War was starting up, he says. I knew Id get drafted about two days after I started work!

So Wozniak took off to Toronto, where he stayed for three years work-ing in the engineering division of several large insurance companies. But he soon felt he wasnt being challenged enough, and when he saw an ad in the Globe and Mail for a job in highway engineering, he jumped at the chance. In 1963, he started with the company that would eventually become ISL Engineering. Wozniak was the project manager for transportation and utility corridors around Edmonton and Calgary a gigantic project spanning decades, for which he deserves a large degree of credit. It took 30 years before construction started, but the corridor was there, and in Edmonton its now nearing completion, he says.

Tragically, Wozniak contracted multiple sclerosis and had to retire prematurely, in 1998. But there was a clear successor that could carry on his legacy. He had hired Gary Mack in 1986, and by the time Wozniak retired, he says Mack had gained some good experience and knew pretty much everything there was to know about consulting.

Mack, who grew up in Bonnyville, Alberta, started his career

in engineering with the City of Edmonton after graduating from the University of Alberta with distinction in 1973. For more than three years, he worked in the engineering department in roadway design. It was a very good learning environment, he says. But the focus was very specific, and I had to decide, Am I going to spend the rest of my life focused on this one part of engineering or is there more out there?

Eventually, Mack moved back to Edmonton. In 1979, he began his life in consulting engineering with a job at Delcan, which later became a part of ISL Engineering.

Mack remembers the early days of the CEA fondly. It started with a group of 10 consultants and engineering firms that banded together to talk about common business problems, he says. Over time, it evolved into what it is today a very strong organization with a board and specific mandates, and a strong business organization that tries to make the collective business of consultants a stronger business.

Mack mentions two achievements of which hes particularly proud. One of the things I got involved with over my career was developing design standards for transportation engineering, and one of my highlights was one of two principal offers for a national set of guidelines for designing urban roads, done for the Transportation Association of Canada. Mack says the manual of design guidelines was used across the country as an example of how to design transportation infrastructure, province-to-province, in a manner that promotes safety.

The other highlight for Mack was his 12 years as president and CEO of ISL Engineering, taking the company where he started then with less than 50 employees into a company in excess of 300 employees in Western Canada. Today, as senior project manager, he carries on in the tradition of his long-time partner, Roman Wozniak. And it is an honour for the CEA to present these two exceptional engineers with this years Lieutenant Governors Awards.

Gary Mack, P.Eng, with Roman Wozniak, P.Eng

Partners in Success

AW

AR

DS 2015

SHO

WC

ASE


Because youve earned it.

At TD Insurance we believe your efforts should be

recognized. Thats why, as employees of a member

firm of the Consulting Engineers of Alberta,

you have access to the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex

program, which offers you preferred insurance rates

and highly personalized service, along with additional

discounts. Request a quote and find out how

much you could save!

Our extended business hours make it easy. Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

HOME | AUTO | TRAVEL

The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program is underwritten by SECURITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. It is distributed by Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in Quebec, by Meloche Monnex Financial Services Inc. in Ontario, and by TD Insurance Direct Agency Inc. in the rest of Canada. Our address: 50 Place Crmazie, Montreal (Quebec) H2P 1B6.

Due to provincial legislation, our auto and recreational vehicle insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. *Average based on the home and auto premiums for active policies on July 31, 2014 of all of our clients who belong to a professional or alumni group that has an agreement with us when compared to the premiums they would have paid with the same insurer without the preferred insurance rate for groups and the multi-product discount. Savings are not guaranteed and may vary based on the clients profile.

The TD logo and other TD trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

Ask for your quote today at 1-866-269-1371 or visit melochemonnex.com/cea

Home and auto insurance program recommended by

On average, professionals who have home and auto insurance with us

save $400.*

Projet : Annonce MMI 2015

Client : TD Assurance

Dossier # : 16-MM9486-14_MMI.PR5.ENB&Wcea(8.25x10.75)

Province : Alberta

Publication : Newsletter

Format : 8.25x10.75

Couleur : B&W

preuve # : 2

Date de tombe : 12/11/2014

Graphiste : Marie-Jose Proulx

Hamelin-Martineau Inc. 505, boul. de Maisonneuve O, Bureau 300 Montral (Qubec) H3A 3C2 T : 514 842-4416 C : [email protected]

ATTENTION : MERCI DE VRIFIER ATTENTIVEMENT CETTE PREUVE AFIN DVITER TOUTE ERREUR/PLEASE CHECK THIS PROOF FOR ERRORS

Get more out of your CEA membership.

Get preferred insurance rates today!

000AI-TD_Insurance-FP.indd 1 2014-12-17 1:41 PM innovators15_pg36-55.indd 37 2015-01-12 8:23 AM


In 1972, Jennifer Enns emigrated from England to Canada, fell in love with her new country and never looked back. This year she is the second recipient of the CEA Presidents Award, given annually to recognize and honour an individual outside of the consulting engineering profession who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession.

With a passionate interest in mathematics and science, Enns was a natural fit to enrol in engineering at Carleton University in Ottawa. She started her engineering career with Bell Canada before working in consulting and other endeavours. In 2002 she arrived in Calgary via Virginia, and when the opportunity arose to return to Ottawa, the family decided to stay in the West to enjoy the mountains and Calgarys dynamic business environment. Calgary was now home.

Joining the City of Calgary in 2006, she was thrust into the excite-ment of dealing with growth first in Transportation Planning and then as Leader of Professional Practice, where she grew the Citys EIT Rotation Program into one of the largest and best-in-class programs in the country. Jennifer also became heavily involved with the con-sulting industry on issues of common interest and in supporting the Citys prequalification of engineering and architectural consultants. This, along with many years working both in consulting and for own-ers, exposed Jennifer to the need for ensuring the right people do the right work, and the evidence that this is better facilitated using Qualifications Based Selection (QBS).

For the last few years, Jennifer has been the Manager of the Corporate Engineering and Energy Services team. Her team provides engineering support to the City and civic partners, develops and implements innovative energy and sustainability solutions, pur-chases all the natural gas and the 100-per-cent-green electricity for the City, and maintains Calgarys energy contracts and its Sustainable Building Policy. The team currently provides support for over $750 million in buildings, and recently developed Calgarys Corporate Energy Strategy. They also maintain strong relationships with industry, both contracting and consulting, and present the Annual Partnering with Industry Symposium.

Jennifer is a strong proponent of working collaboratively with industry and using QBS; the City of Calgary has used QBS since the 1970s. QBS works because it sets up a collaborative team approach

from the outset. Working as a team and providing the design consultant with the resources to be innovative has positive impacts on the construction and life-cycle costs of infrastructure, she adds. Jennifer has, over the last few years, shared her time and expertise on procurement of engineering services and QBS in speaking engagements and in support of a major Ontario QBS pilot.

Jennifer is an enthusiastic judge for the annual CEA Awards of Excellence. Every year I am impressed with the quality of the projects, the innovation that goes into them and how they contribute to the quality of life of Albertans, she says.

Another of Jennifers passions is encouraging young people to pursue careers in the sciences and engineering. She is a strong proponent of science fairs and has been both science fair chair and judge over the years. It is amazing to see what these young people can do. When you see what the next generation can accomplish and the passion they bring to their projects, you know the world is in good hands.

When not at her desk, Jennifer serves on APEGAs Practice Review Board, and she is APEGAs representative on the University of Calgarys Schulich School of Engineering Faculty Council. She is also the public member on the Alberta Association of Architects Practice Review Board.

Jennifer Enns has made an extra-ordinary contribution to consulting engineering in Alberta and Canada, says Matt Brassard, P.Eng. President, Consulting Engineers of Alberta. I am

Alberta Innovators Spring 2015

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