Paul Sadler Swimland

Providing children in the Riverbend area with a brand new swimming pool and learning facilities.

Paul Sadler Swimland was launched in Edmonton, Alberta in 2012 after more than a decade of success in Australia. Owner Jason Arnold relocated to Canada in 2010 and immediately recognized the opportunity for Swimland to expand its horizons. Since then, Swimland has become a leader in providing aquatic education to kids everywhere, becoming a major part of the community and helping to provide swimming lessons for people of all ages. Swimland offers a wide variety of programs that range from teaching the basics of swimming all the way to swimming 3 kilometres and earning a Swimland Diploma. Today, Swimland teaches more than 35,000 children every week in 19 locations.

In order to instruct as many young swimmers as possible, Paul Sadler Swimland required a brand new pool, reception area, lobby, boardroom, and administrative offices.  Arrow Engineering recognized how important Swimland was to the local community, and couldn’t wait to take on a project that would help new swimmers along in their learning journey while getting the most out of their swimming experience.

This project required both Arrow’s Mechanical and Electrical engineering teams to complete the scope of work. Our teams began with a design-build project delivery method. Using this method meant that we offered design and consultation services for the renovation of an adjacent vacant space and the development of a second pool as well as a reception area, staff rooms and offices. Throughout this project, we also converted three existing racquetball courts into base building retail space, the addition of bathrooms, shower rooms, a change room, and a janitor closet. We’re proud to say that this project was completed on time and to all client specifications in their 10,000 SF space.

Arrow Engineering designed a number of systems with the intention of minimizing interruptions to customers, staff, and existing facility systems during this project. Minimizing interruptions ensured that lessons and activities could continue in the interim. The electrical engineering team designed lighting, power, and pool equipment connections, and also made modifications to the communication and fire alarm systems. While the mechanical engineering team provided design and consultation work, they also helped Swimland’s owner obtain Alberta Health Services (AHS) approvals and permits.

“Creating a modern learning environment to improve learning outcomes and foster collaboration.”

Edmonton Public Schools will be opening two brand new schools in the coming years and Arrow Engineering has had the pleasure of working on both. One of these new schools is Soraya Hafez School, which is for K-6 students and will open in September 2020. This school is named after Soraya Hafez, who is an advocate for Arabic culture and language, and she is also an Edmonton-based teacher. Hafez has been recognized and awarded for her efforts in promoting the Arabic language and its culture. She has served as the President of Edmonton’s Canadian Council of Muslim Women, and was a long-standing member of the Arab Jewish Women’s Peace Coalition as well.

At 58,900 square feet, Soraya Hafez School was designed to accommodate up to 650 K-6 students. These students will be welcomed by a state-of-the-art learning environment which will promote collaboration among students and focus on the well-being of all who walk through the doors. The school’s design focuses on giving students a variety of bright learning spaces that feature natural light. Students will also have easy access to gathering spaces, outdoor playgrounds, and fully furnished learning spaces.

Arrow Engineering is passionate about school and education projects, especially those which cover underserved areas like the Soraya Hafez School does. We realize the importance of giving future generations a comfortable and energizing place to thrive. This particular project was completed using the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method, which allowed every party involved in the project to meet as a group on a daily basis, working together from day one in order to complete the project in the most collaborative and efficient way possible.

Using the IPD method allowed the team to establish and better understand the core values and project goals from the beginning of the project. To complete the project in a timely manner and achieve project goals, the IPD team ensured that the most efficient team member performed required tasks, even when it varied from their traditional roles. Being flexible and adaptable is so important at Arrow Engineering. The project was designed using Building Information Modelling (BIM), with the team focusing on cost optimization to make certain that project goals were being met and stayed budget. Our team worked closely with the mechanical contractor and other stakeholders to design high quality mechanical systems for the school. In addition, our energy modelling team worked with the entire IPD team to perform modelling that met energy code compliance and LEED certification, and further optimized costs early in the project lifespan.

“A state-of-the-art education centre that aims to encourage collaboration and connection between students.”

Edmonton Public Schools aims to open two brand new schools in the coming years and Arrow Engineering has the pleasure of working on both of them. One of those schools is  Thelma Chalifoux School. The school is dedicated to the memory of Thelma Chalifoux, a former senator and Métis activist who dedicated much of her life to learning and teaching the history and culture of the Métis people. Chalifoux also founded a consulting company for cross-cultural training, and in 1997, became the first Métis woman to be appointed to the Canadian Senate. She worked in the Senate until 2004, when she retired and continued to celebrate Métis culture throughout Alberta.

Thelma Chalifoux School is 88,500 square feet and will accommodate 900 students from grades 7 to 9. The school will be a state-of-the-art learning facility, featuring all the technology and conveniences needed for students to learn and thrive. Thelma Chalifoux School will be arranged into “learning communities”, which aim to foster collaboration between students and provide opportunities for teachers to work alongside them. This school will also feature an impressive performance art room, a modern teaching kitchen, and even an outdoor project patio. These spaces all aim to develop skills and enhance the students educational experience.

The team at Arrow Engineering is always eager to get involved in education projects, our organization understands the value of fostering the growth and education of future generations. The projects with Edmonton Public Schools allowed our team to collaborate with other stakeholders using the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method. IPD ensures that everybody involved in the project works together from the start, establishing shared core values and project goals. The IPD team held Big Room meetings in order to establish and track project goals and to more effectively resolve general project items. Using IPD, tasks were performed by the most efficient team members, regardless of their traditional roles.

Thelma Chalifoux School is being designed using Building Information Modelling (BIM), which allows the IPD team to better focus on cost optimization opportunities while still ensuring that project goals and values are upheld. Our mechanical engineering team is working closely with the mechanical contractor to ensure the highest quality systems design for the school. Our energy modelling team is also working with the IPD group to meet energy code compliance and LEED® certification, as well as optimize costs.

The Audi brand is a high end car that produces quality vehicles. Having a facility to showcase their products that mirrors that elegance is critical. Arrow, working with Kasian Architecture, was involved in the mechanical and electrical engineering design.

The dealership is approximately 68,500 SF. It is the first Audi dealership in Winnipeg and sits on a three acre site. The dealership is two-storey, with an expansive main floor showroom. The dealership included a basement parkade and wash and detail bays. Arrow’s mechanical team designed the parkade and shop ventilation system to service the roof top Tempeff heat recovery units.

Our electrical team designed the lighting layouts and fixtures to meet Audi’s design requirements. Our system included the fire alarm design, power and auxiliary layouts, equipment connections for servicing, wash bay and car wash equipment lighting systems; security rough in, and electric car charging stations.

Destiny Organics specializes in creating exciting new opportunities for Canada’s burgeoning cannabis industry, driving innovation through state-of-the art cultivation and production methods. In order to continue developing high quality plants for clients that are free of harmful pests and viruses, Destiny  required brand new facilities that could speed up and improve production. One of the most important parts of this process was the development of a new facility for storing worms for the purpose of making fertilizer for use in cannabis cultivation. This facility would also include process equipment necessary to allow for the processing and packaging of this important fertilizer.

The new fertilizing warehouse spans 90,000 square feet, allowing Destiny to speed up cannabis production, as well as improve the overall production of cannabis. This allows Destiny to ensure that stock at dispensary locations can be better maintained, making it widely available to clients for both medical and recreational use. To achieve the desired results, Destiny required consultation services from Arrow Engineering relating to electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering, as well as energy modelling and other vital services for the new warehouse facility.

Arrow Engineering was very excited to undertake this project for Destiny, as it gave our team an opportunity to increase our overall knowledge of the cannabis accessory industry, as well as our knowledge of working with process equipment and dusty environments. Our team went to work in creating the building design, including lighting, fire alarm, communications, distribution. The work also included the connection of process equipment provided by the owner of the building, and NECB compliant energy modelling.

Arrow Engineering lobbied for this project to be completed using an EM Model rather than a prescriptive path, which ultimately saved the client construction costs. Despite the design of the project being extremely rushed, our team utilized interdisciplinary internal coordination, which resulted in very few coordination errors being made throughout the project lifespan. During the project, the team was met with a number of design changes requested by the building owner, and the team worked diligently to ensure that these changes were implemented. The team was also met with issues related to the electrical inspector and the sizing of secondary conductions from the utility service transformer – in the end, our team was able to revise a ruling in our favour and negate costly rework that may have been necessary

Freedom Cannabis is a quality seed-to-sale cannabis company based in Alberta. Arrow Engineering’s Electrical team joined Freedom Cannabis to support with the electrical system design for their 111,000 square foot greenhouse facility. Although there is little experience to reference when designing a cannabis greenhouse, Arrow’s team was up for the challenge and took charge leading the research required to design an efficient, effective, and appropriate growing environment that supports Freedom’s production of quality cannabis. The final result was a diverse building including grow rooms and a laboratory, as well as the Freedom head office, product packaging, and shipping/receiving departments.

 

Arrow’s team provided electrical services including connection locations for large portable generators in case of an extended power outage. The system also incorporated roof-top solar panels, and the grow-rooms utilized traditional lighting, as well as test rooms for LED-grow lighting. The team utilized insulated metal panels to create an interstitial floor across the entire growing areas in support of the HVAC, electrical and control components required to operate the rooms. The grow rooms were also constructed from IMP for cleanability and ease of installation.

École J.E. Lapointe School in Beaumont, Alberta was in dire need of a modernized school. With the exception of the addition of a number of portable units, the school hadn’t been upgraded in any significant way since 1985. The nearly 600 students attending the school could benefit a great deal from the school being upgraded, with modernization being directly linked to the academic outcomes of students, and the satisfaction and performance of teachers. Knowing how much was at stake, Arrow Engineering was ready to do its part in helping to upgrade and modernize this Alberta school and ensure that current and future students and teachers could flourish.

The junior high school hosts students between grades 7 and 9, with a capacity of up to 600 students. The project undertaken by Arrow Engineering would see the complete modernization of the 52,377 square foot school, involving the addition of a brand new gymnasium, repurposing the school’s current gym into CTS, and the creation of modular classrooms, dedicated science labs, modern music, art and drama rooms, and modernized administrative suites for staff members.

Arrow’s team of experienced mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineers went to work in delivering design and consultation services for the complete modernization of the existing École J.E. Lapointe School. This included the creation of a flexible student gathering space, a well-equipped servery, as well as the creation of a modern gymnasium featuring hardwood flooring, spectator seating, and storage facilities.

The major modernization of the school is due to be completed in November 2019, as the school has remained in operation and the construction has been phased to allow the school to remain open.

In addition to the mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil services, our team also delivered energy modelling design and consultation for the implementation of a 52kW solar photovoltaic (PV) micro-generation system on the school’s new gym roof. Educational components have been included such as energy dashboards in the main lobby to stream real-time electrical PV generation values. Following this, our team provided fire alarm design and verification witnessing services for the school’s fully upgraded addressable fire alarm system.

 

Tekarra Lodge in Jasper, Alberta needed three new single storey buildings on the existing Tekarra Lodge site. These new buildings were to be used by staff members and included a staff lodge with a kitchen and living space, a laundry facility, and a caretaker residence. Arrow was proud to take on this project, as it would provide much needed upgrades to the Tekarra Lodge site and benefit the wellness and enjoyment of present and future Tekarra Lodge staff members.

Tekarra Lodge offers its guests a rustic getaway in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Its staff quarters required a modern replacement that would continue to comfortably house up to 11 staff members and give them easy access to a kitchen, living space, and laundry facilities. Arrow’s civil, mechanical, electrical, and structural engineers went to work providing engineering design and consultation for three single storey staff housing facilities with a total square footage of 6,100.

The Arrow team reviewed designs for the staff housing replacement project, providing feedback and recommendations made by our engineers. During the lifespan of the projects, our engineers discovered that existing service to Tekarra Lodge’s old building would not be sufficient, requiring a site re-evaluation and service upgrade.

The first phase of the Tekarra Lodge staff housing replacement project involved mechanical, electrical, civil, and structural engineering design and consultation for the 3,500 SF staff lodge, which included 11 bedrooms, a kitchen, and sufficient living space. The second phase of the project involved engineering design and consultation for a 1,400 SF public laundromat facility that would be used by Tekarra Lodge staff and guests, as well as a 1,200 SF caretaker residence.

Arrow’s team of engineers worked closely with officials at Tekarra Lodge and other project members to craft facilities that would serve as a beneficial upgrade to the site and would be sufficient for Tekarra Lodge staff members.

Major modernization to improve the educational outcomes of current and future students.

 

Grande Prairie’s St. Kateri Catholic School required major modernization in order to improve the educational outcomes of its students, and to improve the morale and performance of the school’s teachers and administrative staff. The school has a capacity of around 550 kindergarten to grade 8 students, all of whom will benefit from the modernization.

Arrow Engineering was proud to get involved in the project, offering its expert design and consultation services. With the educational outcomes of St. Kateri Catholic School students hanging in the balance, Arrow’s team went to work.

St. Kateri Catholic School is an institute that aims to nurture and engage students to become lifelong learners and responsible citizens. In order to help its students and teachers succeed, the school required a major modernization effort, including structural modifications, the removal and reduction of hazardous materials, and upgrading and replacing vital mechanical systems. With this in mind, Arrow’s team of mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineers began the design and consultation of this major project.

Arrow Engineering’s team of engineers are highly experienced in designing and consulting on projects in the educational sector. Our team took the needs of the school into account, transforming the existing open courtyard into a brand new modern library featuring high-end lighting. Our engineers also met St. Kateri’s need for additional windows, finishes, and other important aspects of the modernization process.

Our team also designed and implemented sustainable systems for the school, with a 80 kW solar power system being installed on the school’s roof, and a 2.5 kW solar tracker at the ground level near the school’s entrance. While the project is due to be officially completed in summer 2019, the majority of construction work has already been completed and the project is in its revisiting stages. This is mostly due to the school remaining operational throughout the project lifespan, and the construction being phased as a result.

An impressive addition to Northwest Edmonton’s automotive district, and a triumph in collaborative design and consultation.

Toyota Northwest Edmonton required design services for their automotive dealership located off 142nd Street and 137th Avenue in Edmonton. The new dealership site would be situated on a 9.5 acre site, with the building being approximately 97,100 SF. This new site would better serve Toyota clients in Edmonton, would be a welcome addition to Northwest Edmonton’s automotive district, and would become a landmark at Christy’s Corner thanks to its enormous size. Arrow was proud to take on this ambitious project, as it would be a massive improvement to the market and give automotive buyers an exciting new option to consider when purchasing vehicles.

The new Toyota location offers vehicle buyers a brand new business to peruse and consider when looking to purchase a new vehicle. It was important that the space would allow for comfortable browsing, as well as serve the needs of Toyota staff members. Toyota Northwest Edmonton is quite possibly the largest automotive dealership in Edmonton, making it a very ambitious undertaking for all those involved in its design and construction. Arrow Engineering’s civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering teams went to work in providing designs and consultation services for the new two-storey, 97,100 SF dealership location in Northwest Edmonton.

Our team produced and reviewed designs for the new automotive dealership, offering feedback, recommendations, and other expert consulting services for the project. Arrow’s mechanical engineering team developed designs for the dealership’s mechanical systems, plumbing, drainage, equipment and HVAC, while our electrical team went to work on designing the building’s electrical systems and lighting.

The project involved the civil, mechanical, and electrical design and consultation of the expansive building including Fire Alarm Verification Witnessing services for the two-storey facility. Arrow’s electrical team designed an extensive integrated lighting system working to ensure the systems worked together without issue to be as efficient as possible. The large outdoor lot size required an exterior lighting system designed to shutdown 50% of the area after mid-night for minimum safety illumination and sustainable, energy efficiency. The team also designed a speciality interior lighting system.

Throughout the project lifespan, our teams overcame several design challenges, including HVAC concerns and lighting system challenges, working alongside the architect and building owner to solve issues effectively. In order to proactively tackle potential problems, our engineering teams planned for elements like electrical rooms in advance in order to prevent any design changes being made at a later time.