Dec 1, 2011
Vancouver, BC, November 30, 2011 – The BC engineers who developed a groundbreaking heating and cooling system for buildings at Langara College have been recognized with a national award.
The first operating Thermenex System was installed in Langara’s newly renovated C Building, along with the Students’ Union, in 2009. The system was developed by engineer Jeff Weston and his team at Vancouver-based firm IMEC Mechanical. On November 1, 2011, the developers were granted a National Award of Excellence at the annual Canadian Consulting Engineer Awards for their innovative and revolutionary approach to the heating and cooling of buildings.
“We believe we have developed the most sustainable building heating and cooling system,” Weston said. “There is no better way to showcase the merits of this system than by the recognition of our innovation through this prestigious award.” The awards were presented during a gala at the Ottawa Convention Centre.
The installation of the Thermenex system is part of an ongoing effort to transform Langara into a sustainable campus, and has so far yielded great results. Langara’s Director of Facilities and Purchasing Jay Strachan said, "The national recognition for IMEC is a testament to how innovative and progressive this system is. Langara is dedicated to becoming a truly sustainable campus, and we're proud to have been the first to give Thermenex a home."
The goal of Thermenex is to minimize the creation of heat and maximize the reuse of thermal energy for both the heating and cooling of a building. The name stands for Thermal Energy Exchange, and employs the use of fluid-filled piping with a temperature gradient to perform as a thermal energy hub. A Thermenex pipe – known as a header – is not a loop, but simply features one end that is warmer than the other. This header is then connected to the mechanical heating and cooling system of a building, thereby managing its thermal energy. No heat is rejected from the system until there is more thermal energy than the building needs, and therefore no energy is wasted. Additionally, no heat is added to a system until all of its thermal energy has been consumed. The effect is a sort of energy “recycling” that results in a rise in energy savings and a significant reduction of greenhouse gases.
The Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards are presented jointly by the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC) and Canadian Consulting Engineer Magazine. They are considered the highest form of recognition for the consulting engineering industry.
About Langara College
Langara College, located in beautiful Vancouver, BC, Canada, provides University, Career, and Continuing Studies programs and courses to more than 23,000 students annually. The College’s expansive academic breadth and depth allows students to choose their own educational path.
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Annie Mullins
Communications Officer
Communications & Marketing Services
T 604 323 5058
F 604 323 5680
amullins@langara.bc.ca