To demonstrate the impact that applied research projects make on all Manitobans, we present RPI’s 20 Stories for 20 Years. A compilation showcasing successful partnerships from the past and the present, with a constant focus on the future.

RRC Polytech’s Building Efficiency Technology Access Centre (BETAC) is helping to provide a breath of fresh air to aging and heritage status infrastructure in Manitoba. Using high-powered fans and specialized equipment, researchers are pressurizing and depressurizing buildings of all ages and sizes to find out where they leak to help builders, engineers and property owners meet rising standards of energy efficiency.

BETAC supports the building industry by helping clients address the challenges of designing and constructing durable, energy-efficient building envelopes, components and assembly in an environment with extreme conditions. Its core purpose is to support the needs of those involved in the design, construction, renovation, commissioning and maintenance of a building’s envelope.

BETAC’s ability to perform energy auditing and building diagnostics is about to improve with the acquisition of some advanced equipment to assess durability and thermal performance that will be unique in Canada. The new tools are a result of a recently awarded $200,000 NSERC grant.

“Our team offers a wide variety of services, and we are continually building capacity by adding to our knowledge base and technology to support any project from conventional and traditional builds to ultra-futuristic designs to retrofits that transform heritage structures into modern, energy-efficient and sustainable works of art,” said Dr. Alireza Kaboorani, Director of RRC Polytech’s Building Efficiency Technology Access Centre. “Collaboration and coordination are critical to the success of all projects in the construction sector regardless of size and scope, so BETAC is proud to play any role required to support our partners in reaching their goals of delivering the highest quality results on time and on budget.”

Stephanie Zubriski leads the building science and restoration service group at Crosier Kilgour & Partners Ltd. which focuses on building envelope assessment, investigation, design, remediation, and commissioning. Crosier Kilgour’s award-winning transformative work is showcased across RRC Polytech campuses at the Skilled Trades and Technology Centre on Notre Dame, the Exchange District’s Roblin Centre, and its most recent and state-of-the art addition, Manitou a bi Bii daziigae.

“BETAC is at the forefront of implementing whole building air-tightness testing and we have collaborated successfully with them on a variety of projects to provide baseline air-leakage rates to inform energy modelling and energy retrofit feasibility studies,” said Stephanie Zubriski, Principal at Crosier Kilgour & Partners Ltd. “BETAC is a valuable industry partner.” 

Through energy audits and building diagnostics to assess the initial condition of historic buildings, much of BETAC’s work with Crosier Kilgour has been in support of designing effective retrofit strategies. They’ve worked together on numerous Manitoba landmarks such as the former Bank of Montreal downtown, the former Manitoba Hydro headquarters on Taylor Avenue and the former Brandon Mental Health Centre’s transition into Assiniboine College’s Prairie Innovation Centre. 

BETAC also supported some preliminary work to assess the iconic Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) heritage building on Portage Avenue as the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) and its partners work toward its evolution into a space for economic and social reconciliation that celebrates all Indigenous Peoples. This work aligns with RRC Polytech’s commitments to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action and to pursue equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in everything the College community does. “Manitoba’s leading structural engineering and building performance firms can count on BETAC,” said Kaboorani. “We are excited to continue our close relationship with Crosier Kilgour and explore new opportunities to work with them and develop strategies and processes to reduce the cost of retrofits making them more affordable for all Manitobans.”