In 2014/15 the École Heritage Immersion School in St Pierre-Jolys, Manitoba, underwent a major building envelope upgrade including complete removal and replacement of the west and north exterior walls plus the courtyard area.

Services Provided

• As part of this work, BETAC conducted a pre-retrofit test on the building in 2013 to quantify its air leakage characteristics and to identify significant air leakage sources on the building envelope.
• Following the retrofit, a second test was performed in 2016, allowing the impact of the test to be assessed.

Results

• The retrofit was able to reduce the measured air leakage of the building by over one-third, depending on the metric.
• The Equivalent Leakage Area (ELA₁₀) was reduced by 34%, or 0.39 m²(4.2 ft²).

The Public Schools Finance Board has expressed interest in collaborating with BETAC to further these research activities as they apply to schools around the province.

The Townview Manor in Minnedosa, Manitoba is a mid-rise, multi-unit residential building (MURB) that is undergoing a major building envelope upgrade, focused primarily on the exterior wall system and installation of a new wall system, new windows and a new high performance ventilation system.

Services Provided

• BETAC conducted a pre-retrofit airtightness test on June 30, 2016 and construction on the retrofit began in late 2016.
• The post-retrofit airtightness testing will be carried out once the retrofit is completed.  This is anticipated to occur in 2017 or 2018.

Results

• BETAC will be using the results of this testing to further expand their growing data base on airtightness characteristics of large commercial-style buildings which began in 2013 with the testing of 26 buildings in Manitoba.
• Manitoba Housing has expressed interest in collaborating with BETAC to further these research activities as they apply to their portfolio of buildings, located around the province.

The objective of this applied research project is to conduct air tightness testing on the Bluebird Lodge, a mid-rise, multi-unit residential building (MURB) located in northwest Winnipeg.

Background

• The Bluebird Lodge is currently undergoing a major building envelope upgrade, which got underway in late 2016. The upgrade is focused primarily on the exterior wall system.

Services Provided

• Air tightness testing measuring the pre-and-post retrofit airtightness of the building.

Results

• Test results will be used to further expand BETAC’s growing database on airtightness characteristics of large commercial-style buildings which began in 2013 with the testing of 26 buildings in Manitoba.
• Post-retrofit airtightness testing will be carried out once the retrofit is completed. This is anticipated to occur in 2017 or 2018.
• Manitoba Housing has expressed interest in collaborating with RRC to further these research activities as they apply to their portfolio of buildings, located around the province.

Competitors lined up to pitch their ideas to judges at the Innovation Alley Block Party, including Patrick Lorr from 500 Startups Canada.

A huge crowd came out to the Innovation Alley Block Party yesterday to celebrate the success that the collective group of startups is having by leveraging the resources available in the Alley, especially those from North Forge and Bell MTS.
The crowd – which consisted of many Red River College students, instructors and innovation leaders – also came to hear the next big announcement for Winnipeg’s thriving startup ecosystem.

RRC president, Paul Vogt and other RRC innovation leaders with Jeff Ryzner, president of North Forge and Patrick Lorr of 500 Startups Canada.

Scott MacAulay and RRC president Paul Vogt talking Innovation Alley.

The Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI) is pleased to present the 3^rd annual Western Innovation Forum (WIF) taking place on November 8-9, 2016 at the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel, Vancouver, British Columbia.
WIF 2016 is an industry-oriented conference aimed at connecting Western Canada’s aerospace, marine, defence and security industries to innovation-driven investment, partnership and business opportunities.
Day one will comprise of a full day conference program, networking opportunities, an innovation marketplace sponsored by OSI Maritime systems and an optional speakers lunch ($).
Day two will include an interactive innovation stage demonstrations, dedicated business to business/business to government (B2B/G) meeting sessions and an optional networking buffet lunch ($) for you to make key connections for your company necessary to allow your organization to grow and meet your business development objectives.

You are invited to an Open House at Red River College’s Building Envelope Technology Access Centre (BETAC), to be held on:

• Date: Wed., Sept. 28, 2016
• Time: 2:30-4-30pm
• Location: Centre for Applied Research in Sustainable Infrastructure (CARSI), 2055 Notre Dame Ave.

BETAC was developed to help the province’s building industry address the challenges in designing and constructing a durable, energy-efficient building envelope in Manitoba’s unique climate. Its purpose is to support the needs of those involved in the design, construction, renovation, commissioning and maintenance of a building envelope.

We’ll be providing demonstrations of our testing capabilities within both the CARSI facility and our mobile equipment for on-site field tests, including:

• Recently commissioned air/water/structural test chamber
• Dual environmental chambers
• Large building blower door equipment
• Other building envelope diagnostic tools

BETAC staff will be available to answer any question and to discuss how they may be able to help you and your organization.

Refreshments will be served; please RSVP to Katrina Florendo at kflorendo78@rrc.ca or 204-632-2195.

* Please note if you are a BEMM (Building Energy Management Manitoba) member, BEMM will be holding a separate luncheon event in conjunction with BETAC one day earlier on Sept. 27, 2016. For more information, please visit bemm.ca/luncheons.

Canadian Press Images/John Woods

Today, Red River College received the largest influx of research funding since founding its research enterprise in 2004. This new investment will allow Red River College to boost innovation capacity in Manitoba’s vehicle technology and food development sectors.
“This is a red-letter day for the College, our partners, and for Manitoba’s innovation outlook in general,” said Paul Vogt, president and CEO of Red River College. “These national awards acknowledge not only industry needs, but the ability of the College to deliver innovation services, and Manitoba as a place where leading edge products are developed.”
The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour (on behalf of The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science) announced that Red River College will receive $3.6 million for advanced and sustainable vehicle technology research and $2.3 million for culinary innovation.
“These investments help post-secondary institutions such as Red River College build on their research strengths and forge closer ties to business partners in our community and province. Our support ensures that the work being done here will generate larger economic opportunities throughout Manitoba and will help grow the province’s middle class.”

Paul Vogt, President of Red River College Canadian Press Images/John Woods

“These new funds will be transformational for our research programs in the areas of vehicle technology and culinary innovation,” said Vogt. “Manitoba is already a major player in the world’s heavy vehicle sector, while we are undergoing a bit of a renaissance in terms of commercializing new food products. In both cases, these funds will help us work with producers to develop and test innovations.”
The awards have already sparked the establishment of a new Vehicle Technology & Energy Centre (VTEC) that will house MotiveLab, a 3,000 square foot research facility focused on supporting Manitoba’s heavy vehicle sector. MotiveLab will feature a 1,000 HP engine dynamometer test cell and a drive-in climatic chamber (large enough to fit a bus, or truck or farm vehicle) with an integrated 1,000 HP chassis dynamometer.
“MotiveLab will be a development and test facility that local industry partners have been asking for to support their R&D needs,” said Ray Hoemsen, executive director, Research Partnerships & Innovation, Red River College. “It will allow them to test performance in extreme climates (especially cold), the use of alternative fuels, emissions reductions, the use of new materials and components, and more – all right here in Manitoba. It will mean reduced time for product development and further incentive to innovate.”
On the culinary innovation side, the College has recently emerged as a key player in the Province – having already helped Manitoba companies and food producers to create new products , and innovative uses of locally grown food to create healthier menu items.
“Our advanced culinary research program will complement existing resources in the Province to enhance research opportunities for the entire food industry, from producers through to restaurants and cafeterias,” said Karen McDonald, chair, School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, Red River College. “The skills and experiences gained by our students will impact the sector’s ability to innovate for years to come.”
The College’s culinary research program was hatched in 2014 with the construction of the Paterson GlobalFood Institute. Since then, Red River College has engaged in projects with Granny’s Poultry, the Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers Association, Best Cooking Pulses, as well as a handful of small and startup businesses.
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is granting two awards of $2.3-million from their College and Community Innovation – Innovation Enhancement grant program and the Canada Foundation for Innovation is providing $1-million from their College Industry Innovation Fund program and an additional $300,000 from their Innovation Operating Fund.
VTEC and MotiveLab will be based in the Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre at Red River College’s Notre Dame Campus.
Check out more coverage of this story:
Winnipeg Sun
MyToba
Winnipeg Free Press
Top Photo – From left, Ray Hoemsen, Executive Director of Research Partnerships & Innovation at Red River College (RRC), Guy Levesque, Vice-President, Programs and Performance, CFI, Bettina Hamelin, Vice-President, Research Partnerships, NSERC, MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, Paul Vogt, President of RRC, Karen McDonald, Chair of Hospitality and Culinary Arts at RRC and Dr. Mark Hoddenbagh, PhD, Vice-President, Strategic Development  at RRC are photographed at the Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre at Red River College in Winnipeg, Wednesday, September 7, 2016. MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced through the CCI Program, $32 million awarded to 32 projects that support university-college research collaboration, equipment, technology access centers and partnerships between colleges and companies. The Government of Canada is also investing nearly $3 million through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s CIIF Program. Canadian Press Images/John Woods

RRC instructor and researcher, Leon Fainstein and one of his former students, Serge Broeska have been entered in the “Create the Future Design Contest.
Their innovation: Flat Plate Solar Stirling Engine
It harnesses the power of the sun, using sustainable and environmentally friendly technology. The beauty of this low cost engine is that anybody can build it at home. A trip to the local hardware store provides everything you need!
Voting closes September 9th, 2016
Learn more and vote!
http://contest.techbriefs.com/2016/entries/sustainable-technologies/6615
Video Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QE-CmKxz40

RRC Culinary students at tasting perogies made with bean flour.

For the past two years, research chefs with RRC’s Advanced Culinary Research program have been developing new applications and recipes to show the versatility and nutritional benefits of pulses. Pulses are edible dry legume seeds such as lentils, dry peas, dry beans, and chickpeas.  They provide non-animal protein, fibre, and complex carbohydrates which play a role in weight management, maintaining good cholesterol levels, and provide a good nutritional boost to many foods.
Through funded research projects with industry partners such as  Manitoba Pulse and Soy Growers Association (MPSG), Best Cooking Pulses, and a variety of small start-up ventures, the chefs have reformulated dishes to incorporate pulses in non-conventional ways. A number of these dishes have been consumer tested at PGI with excellent results.  Research funding has been provided by NSERC, IRAP, and the MPSG research funds.  With International Year of Pulses wrapping up in December 2016, the Culinary Research team can be proud of their role in increasing pulse consumption for the health of consumers in North America.
To learn more, download the publication: http://blogs.rrc.ca/ar/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/spilling-the-beans.pdf

BETAC is a proud member of Tech-Access Canada, a formal network that has been created to harmonize and promote college applied research through the 30 Technology Access Centres (TACs) in Canada. The TACs have been meeting regularly since 2013 to share best practices regarding establishing and operating this type of applied research centre. This will help ensure that industry partners, college stakeholders, and government funders have a shared understanding of the value of TACs as representative of college applied research and their collective value to enhancing Canadian economic development.

Learn about Tech-Access Canada and the federal government’s Innovation Agenda