National housing management certification in the works for Aboriginal Housing in Canada

Sylvia Olsen is developing curricula for housing managers to become certified in First Nation housing. “The key goal is establishment of an accredited course in housing management,” says Olsen. The over-arching accreditation will ensue from the First Nation National Housing Managers Association  (FNNHMA).

Olsen comes by her experience in First Nation housing from more than three decades living on Tsarlip Indian Reserve near Victoria, B.C., “I met my husband and moved there when I was 17 years old and I raised my family there,” she says. “It's a very nice place to live. I worked in housing at Tsarlip beginning in the early 1990s.”
     

Olsen is a founding member of the board of FNNHMA in 2006. She worked in provincial and national Aboriginal housing committees over the years. She is doing a Ph.D. in First Nation housing based on the history of Aboriginal housing development in Canada. She has other interests as a storyteller at heart, as a writer-in-residence at Carson Graham School in North Vancouver, B.C.. “I am a member of the Victoria Storytellers Guild.”
     

Olsen works with Mike King at FNNHMA (Housing Manager of Beausoliel First Nation in southern Ontario since 2000), and Nancy Hamilton at Vancouver Island University's Distance Education Department. Mike King describes a bit of FNNHMA history, “We work-shopped the idea of a housing managers certificate program with CMHC when we started the organization in 2006. We received funding from CMHC to visit housing trade shows and conferences, get a website established, and start developing a proper job description for  housing management.”
     

Mike says, “It's really all about property management on-reserve. Property management comes into it because the area of responsibility grows when you consider the tens of millions of dollars in property management we are discussing. It involves rents, mortgages, and asset management. A lot of these administrative functions are being done on a part-time basis. Much more needs to be done.”
     

Success is in the wind, says Olsen, “We have developed the Housing Managers Certificate Program 101.” The first module of FNNHMA certification has been delivered. It was piloted in three locations around B.C. in 2008/09. Fifteen students took the course in Nanaimo, and other classes were held in Terrace and Kamloops.
     

She was the initial facilitator teaching the course. Now the graduates are chomping at the bit to get the rest of the certification, “A complete curricula will include finance, administration, communications, and construction management,” she says. “Once it is all put together, VIU will work-up the details on national certification.”
     

The Atlantic provinces  also received pilot programs from FNNHMA, “We delivered pilot courses in Moncton and Halifax. We are now shore-to-shore with the program. There is strong interest in Quebec and Ontario Aboriginal housing, and we are working out the language questions for FNNHMA to certify in Quebec. We feel the urgency to get the whole thing going on a national basis.”
     

The curricula should be complete by the end of this year, she says. The way it stands VIU is now ready to deliver Housing Administration course one and two, and the course on finance is well underway. The course on communications is at hand, and Olsen will commence writing the last module on construction before the end of winter.
     

“We will be done in 2010,” she says, “VIU is really dedicated to developing this program. They are applying for extra funds and showing themselves to be an exceptional school. At the same time they recognize it is FNNHMA's initiative.” The FNNHMA certificate will be delivered at other universities like the Aboriginal department of a college in Sault St. Marie, Ontario.
     

One of the main battles for FNNHMA is to establish appropriate financial remuneration for these certified housing managers. “Finding the wage for certified housing managers is one of the challenges. You have precedents out there but a great deal depends on the financial state of the Band.” Even so, “Across Canada we have some of the most amazing people working in housing management on reserve,” and she notes, “The force of their expertise and a certification process will help make housing management certification a national reality."
     

Housing on-reserve is changing. “Lots of people are working to resolve the structural issues in First Nation housing. Poverty remains the main problem in housing.  Another problem is that housing remains entirely government-run,” whereas other social activities like health and education have been taken over by the First Nations. “Aboriginal housing will eventually be,” sooner rather than later, she says, “under the direct control of  First Nation leadership.”
     

FNNHMA is composed primarily of a board of directors at present. “We took a run at creating membership when we started the organization. Now we have the foothold to started a second membership drive. It has been a huge project to get a certified housing managers program and we have worked hard to get this production done. To roll it out nationally is cumbersome but it will become part of the whole group of housing organizations in this country.”

Huu Ay Aht constructing new administration and community facility

The Huu Ay Aht administration building is under construction in the First Nation community in Bamfield, B.C.. Charlie Clappis is project coordinator for Huu Ay Aht, "They poured the footings on the site Jan. 16, 2010," says Clappis. "It's 1,352 sq. m. (14,500 sq.ft.) on two floors. The building is heated by geothermal. It's going to have nice warm floors."
     

The facility is the difference between night and day for the community. Island West Coast Developments is the general contractor, Cobalt Engineering is the designer, and Ground Source Drilling is drilling the geothermal array. Clappis says, "Geothermal is definitely the way to go. We had a $4 million contribution ffrom INAC to the energy side."
     

Clappis says, "It's going to have a great location on a high point," affording a view of the Pacific Ocean, "and enough altitude to survive a tsunami," he jokes. The Huu Ay Aht Long House is on the site. It holds community events for 150 residents. The new admin-building also overlooks picturesque Pachena Bay Campground, the busy seasonal facility owned by Huu Ay Aht.
     

Clappis says the facility will hold a number of important community offices, administration, health and dental facilities, and offices for fisheries, forestry, aggregate mining, economic development, youth, Elders, education, and housing. "We started digging in November. The construction involves employment for Huu Ay Aht and skills development will be delivered."
     

Reid Longstaffe is the Island West Coast Development project manager on the project, "It's a beautiful location set up on a hill looking over the ocean. Construction began in November, and it's a bit of slow going with the winter weather conditions," says Longstaffe. "We poured concrete on the weekend. It was sunny, and the sun is still hanging in through the early part of the week."
     

The building contains two floors and a basement for the utility services. "It's a geothermal project with a lot of energy efficiencies," says Longstaffe. "We are doing some nice wood beams and using Douglas Fir doors, with full-length glazing on the back-side (facing the ocean)."  Longstaffe says the building should be done by the end of 2010.
     

INAC and Health Canada put money into project. The design phase goes back a couple of years, done by David Nairne and Associates. IWCD recently finished their own building in Nanaimo with geothermal installed in a horizontal loop.
     

Goran Ostojic is the engineer from Cobalt Engineering that is designing the building and geothermal array. "It's a sustainable project that came in reasonably priced with a few nice features in Douglas Fir, beams, and glazing. It is designed to have specialized health and dental services delivered in the building. It started in November and has proceeded below the initial budget projections."
     

Ostojic says he started to work on Huu Ay Aht's building design about 18 months ago. "It has design features like windows to use solar heat in winter and deflect heat in the summer. The whole build is designed for sustainable use." Cobalt has done the design work on a number of First Nation projects, "We encounter specific requirements from each First Nation tribe from different historical and cultural aspects."
    

 Cobalt will be working start to finish on the Huu Ay Aht facility that should be open in the spring of 2011 at the latest.

New power makes Douglas First Nation feel connected

The Lower St'at'mx First Nations have a world of opportunity at hand as they become part of  energy developments that make new opportunities available. Douglas First Nation partnered with Cloudworks Energy to help bring hydro-electric power into Douglas First Nation for the first time in history. This benefits Douglas and other In-SHUCK-ch member-communities of the St'at'mx Nation.
     

There are less than a dozen villages left in the St'at'mx Nation, and four of those are known as In-SHUCK-ch, but the people of these villages and town-sites have occupied the deep valleys from Mt. Currie to Harrison Lake since time immemorial. A woman named Cinnamon from Mount Currie talked one afternoon on a mountain-top while looking down at one of the lakes, Seton Lake, east of Anderson Lake. She said her grandmother recalled the view from that mountain-top at night, that it sparkled like thousands of stars congregated around a dark void. Cities of people once surrounded these lakes, and the sparkling 'stars' were summer campfires. The pithouses were countless and the artifacts remain everywhere to be seen.
     

The St'at'mx Nation was reduced to 11 reserves, and this year hydro power will be available for the first time in history to Douglas First Nation Indian Reserves. These communities can envision the future with new optimism. Families can grow in the villages, other families can return, and business and employment opportunity will become an everyday reality.
     

Douglas First Nation is in the power business now. They generate electrical energy from five (of six) run-of-river hydro stations. The last one will be finished this year. They are partners with Cloudworks and have members with the latest construction skills working for Kiewit and Sons, general contractor on the Douglas First Nation/Cloudworks Energy series of run-of-river hydro projects. Nick Andrews is in liaison with Douglas First Nation for Cloudworks Energy, “It's a great accomplishment and great thing for the communities.” Cloudworks Energy started negotiations in 1999 toward this end. “You can see benefits already. Communities have new infrastructure and capacity for developments like new housing. They have growing communication infrastructure. They have electricity to grow with and they are starting to feel more connected,” literally and figuratively.
     

Other benefits to the power projects partnership include jobs in maintenance of the facilities. “Cloudworks is employing people in Douglas communities to help in the environmental monitoring and operations of the projects.  This means a commitment to training in areas such as mill-writing, environmental data collection, and construction.  Having people from the community working with us to bring sustainable economic development to their community is a great thing.”
     

Andrews alludes to the construction phase being a big boom in jobs that is gradually winding down, and the run-down of construction phases are passing by. The current construction program will be completed in 2010. This means Cloudworks will be moving on to new projects and they are one of the companies interested in the BC HYDRO call-for-power reportedly coming before spring. Meanwhile In-SHUCK-ch communities have built a great relationship with BC Transmission Corporation and Clare Marshal, Manager of Aboriginal Relations at BCTC is on a business development drive. One example of BCTC's Aboriginal business development initiative comes about from dialogue with the In-SHUCK-ch communities near Pemberton.
     

BC Transmission Corporation lines cross traditional territory of the In-SHUCK-ch, in fact, high-voltage BC HYDRO electrical capacity is generated in a site called Seton Portage with another reserve of the St'at'mx. BCTC entered a dialogue with In-SHUCK-ch leadership. Following dialogue Timberline Natural Resource Group joined the communities to train a team of vegetation managers for BCTC operations. The result was establishment of In-SHUCK-ch Development Corporation that works “to ensure electricity is transmitted uninterrupted while making rights-of-way and roads safer.”
     

Meanwhile Cloudworks continues to work in partnership with First Nations to bring much-needed green energy solutions to communities. “From here we work on projects in Chehalis and others with Douglas, and hopefully others up the valley in Sk't'ina and Shew'tk'wa. “Sustainable development is our guidepost. We are prudent in the use of infrastructure in remote areas. Our expertise is available for other opportunities.” One look around the province shows many places where Cloudworks can put its investments to work – one opportunity is the Highway 37 Transmission Line Proposal in Northwest B.C.. Other opportunities beckon on Vancouver Island, following the success of Hupacaseth and now Tla-o-qui-aht building run-of-river and making it their economic advantage.
     

Andrews notes, “In BC, people want their energy from clean and natural sources, and we believe that they will seize opportunities to switch from gas and diesel.  So we believe the demand for good energy projects will continue.  Working closely with First Nations is a vital part of creating projects which balance provincial goals with those of local communities.” 

Geothermal utility delivering energy community-wide in Tofino First Nation

GeoTility Geothermal Installations and TerraSource Geothermal Utility Services are the brain-child of Jim Leask of Kelowna, B.C., who envisioned natural gas and other non-renewable energy sources becoming less-affordable as time goes by. The energy options to burning fossil fuel were practically non-existent in North America when he started a mechanical company in the Okanagan Valley of B.C. in the early 1990s.
     

Rick Nelson, General Manager for GeoTility in their Kelowna office, "Jim was a visionary in setting up a geothermal utility company in B.C.. Running a geothermal utility is not that difficult in this province but different provinces have different rules." In the province of B.C., meanwhile, GeoTility has found a lot of success by working with First Nations. "They are leaders in the green energy debate in this province."
     

GeoTility has installed systems at Sun Rivers in Kamloops, a housing development that resides on land belonging to Kamloops Indian Band, installed a community geothermal system for the Hesquiaht School, Autma-Squilx-W Cultural School, Blue Berry Community Centre and recently GeoTility broke ground on a centralized geothermal utility service for a brand new housing development for the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, in Tofino, B.C., on Vancouver Island. "It's all geothermal in Tofino at the new the Esowista housing development of the Tla-o-qui-aht community."
     

Nelson says of the company he works for, "We're passionate about delivering geothermal services. What started as a mechanical company under Jim Leask and Sons has become a complete geothermal company," he says, "including all the services involved, from drilling to mechanical installations to heat distribution, billing and maintenance."
     

Nelson says, "Basically Jim saw the day 20 years ago when natural gas distribution would become more and more expensive and he began looking at the options. As a mechanical contractor Jim saw geothermal as the next step in energy services and geothermal was a perfect fit for mechanical company," so, Seven years ago GeoTility was launched to pave the way for the geothermal industry to operate at the same level as other utility services.
    

 Today GeoTility even owns the drills (manufactured by Multi-Power Products in Kelowna). GeoTility worked with Tom Ulm, Sr., of Multi-Power Products to design a drill to fit inside an underground parkade, and as a result, GeoTility is able to retro-fit buildings in the core of a city's downtown with geothermal heating systems. They are also able to get on the job-site after construction has commenced, thus avoiding the delay of  the actual tower construction. Drilling is underway directly beneath existing buildings like the Georgia Hotel in Vancouver, and the Hudson's Bay Building in downtown Victoria, "We have also modified two drills with shorter masts for GeoTility that can operate in all ground conditions and be converted back to standard length for conventional projects.
     

At Multi-Power Products they call them 'low headroom' drills, says Tom Sr., "Geotility approached us to make a drill that could work under those confined spaces, and it had to be both diesel and electric to perform in enclosed areas." The low-mast drills run on rubber tracks to save concrete, and are transported to work-sites on trailers. They are flexible in terms of the ground conditions, says Tom Sr, "They work in hard rock or overburden, with what we call mud rotary or air rotary methods."
     

The short-mast drill is a fast machine, "It has shorter drill rods that have to be added more often so it has a faster tripping (rod pulling) rate that helps make up the lost time. Multi-Power Products has been manufacturing drills for 25 years, initially for the mining exploration industry. "Geothermal was a good match because it fills in the voids when mining drops off in the economy. We don't sell as many but the drills are always working," says Tom Sr.. They sell drills across Canada and the USA. Custom-order drills are also manufactured.
     

Meanwhile GeoTility designs the utility systems that run heat through whole communities. "We drill 700,000 feet per year and fill the holes with geothermal pipe. For example since the ground was laid out for new housing on Esowista property, in Tofino, drilling is commencing to supply heat to the entire community of 160 new houses plus other facilities, including a new Long House and community facilities."
     

Jordan Parrot is one of the engineers at GeoTilitynin charge of the Esowista drilling program in Tofino starting January 2010. "Its one large geothermal field with centralized distribution of the hot water," says Parrot. "We are doing the field engineering and mechanical design on this project. We are producing hot water for the geothermal array from hundreds of ground-loop drill holes."
    

 Parrot says the Esowista field is a large one, "It's a substantial size field, hundreds of holes. The drilling program will take three or four months to complete, depending on the weather. "The company is hiring some of their required labour from the Tla-o-qui-aht community.
     

Moses Martin is housing manager for Esowista Housing, the department belonging to the Tla-o-qui-aht community based in Tofino. "Construction is underway," says Martin, "the roads are roughed in and a new bridge was built to join this project to the existing Esowista community." Sixty-eight is the number of new houses slated for immediate construction and another 100 houses will be built within the next five years.
     

He notes that funding for the new housing development ($17 million )was obtained under the Canada Economic Action Plan, and Martin says $3 million of that was earmarked for geothermal heating. "With the overall size of the project we anticipate the return of Tla-o-qui-aht families to Tofino from places like Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Victoria, and Seattle, Washington."
     

Martin adds, It's a well-rounded housing plan that includes the geothermal heating for the new Long House and an eventual school for the new community. The bridge connects this subdivision, called Ty'Tan'Us, to the existing Esowista community and the the new community will have three access points, says Martin.
    

 Tla-o-qui-aht members will be active in the building of all phases. "We are ramping up the workforce as we speak. We will have a team of labourers working throughout the project, and phase one alone will supply jobs and paycheques for at least two years. Some training and apprenticeship will ensue."
     

The skilled labour will be learning new aspects of construction, says Martin, "We are looking for better quality housing construction being put into these homes. We want these homes to last at least 50 years. We are looking hard at the quality of the houses and we're going for the LEED Gold Standard of green and sustainable housing construction."

Thermomax takes solar-heat gathering to historic highs

When people hear Solar Panels they think electricity.  After all, the photo-voltaic electrical system that gets all the rave reviews and major marketing in the news is space age technology. But with all the hype, Photo Voltaic (PV) efficiency is actually only about 18% at most.
     

But there is another Solar – Thermal Solar in the form of solar panels and solar evacuated tubes. This technology is for heating your hot water, your radiant floor, your swimming pool. This form of solar energy can be up to 80% efficient. It’s completely renewable and return on investment can be as much as 15% a year – so in 8 - 10 years (depending on location) it could have paid for itself. Imagine paying off your hot water bill in 10 years and never paying again!
     

There are two main types of solar hot water heaters – flat plates, which are popular in warmer climates, and evacuated tubes. The tubes were developed in Europe in the 1970s and the first Thermomax evacuated tube factory was established in the UK. 
     

Patrick Spearing first became associated with Thermomax in 1979. When he moved to Canada in 1989 with his young family, he brought along the evacuated tube system and has never looked back. He became the representative for Canada, and, for a while, all of the US, out of his base in Victoria. Now, besides running his company Thermomax Industries Ltd., he has an excellent educational website www.solarThermal.com, and does trainings around the country for installers, architects, engineers and the general public. 
      

“The vacuum tube solar collectors absorb radiant energy from the sun in all weather conditions. The tubes are a perfect fit for areas such as our rainy west coast and our latitude." Spearing explains. “And in bright, cold areas such as Alberta, the reflection from the snow can increase the performance even further.  The light being collected within a vacuum means that we don’t lose the heat to the air – just like a thermos bottle.” 
     

A 1994 study commissioned by BC Hydro’s Power Smart Technical Services for Atlin BC states: “The evacuated tube technology is particularly suited for high collector to ambient temperature differential applications and for the collection of energy under partial sunlight conditions”.  This means it can reach high water temperatures even when it is cold and cloudy.  
     

The study goes on to say: “Note that the evacuated tube collector is approximately 1.6 to 4 times more effective than a flat plate collector. The higher efficiency results in the evacuated system needing a frontal collector area of only 3 square meters compared to a flat plate collector area of 5.96 square meters”. So a smaller collector is needed for the same annual performance.
     

The www.solarthermal.com website has performance graphs calculated from Environment Canada data at locations around the country, and you can look up the average performance in your area under “Regional Performance” on the website.
     

The Thermomax system is easy to install (it is much lighter than a flat plate collector and the wind can pass through between the tubes) and in appearance, looks lean and elegant, like a modern-day sculpture rather than a grey box sitting on a roof.  The tubes do not reflect sunlight and they discreetly blend into the roof. Pre-assembled, packaged components also make for straightforward and timely installation. The pump station contains all the fittings and safety devices for safe operation of the system, including valves to prevent heat leaving the hot water tank. The system is controlled by a differential controller. These can range from a simple one to a sophisticated one that can connect to the internet and log the performance of the system from a distance, an excellent tool for research and development.  
     

First Nations have been on the forefront of proving the Thermomax technology.  Municipal District of Opportunity of Wabasca in north-central Alberta began construction on the Wabasca Water World and Fitness Centre in 2002. At that time the planners researched solar power to offset some of the operating expenses. They sent a representative to Europe to search for the best technology and concluded that Thermomax had both the quality and track record needed for large jobs. The facility includes a 25 m swimming pool, whirl pool, sauna, steam room, and 2200 square foot weight training area. 
     

The Centre then installed the largest vacuum tube system in Canada in August of 2004. To provide a sense of scale, usually on a house one collector could be expected to provide domestic hot water for a family. 47 collectors were installed on that recreation centre! This system heats the main pool and whirl pool, the in-floor heating (deck, change rooms, lobby, and viewing area), and domestic water. Backed up with natural gas, the facility has saved approximately $10,000.00 per year with very little maintenance. Not only has the Municipal District of Opportunity saved money, it has raised significant interest in green technology and created a well-respected landmark in the community of Wabasca. 
     

"It's a matter of education and talking about this across Canada.” Spearing continues. “There is a lot of misinformation out there. We can operate solar heat generation in far lower temperature and sunlight conditions than most people believe possible. Proper design of the system is essential. Capital investment dollars are available for making these installations possible. And it truly is an investment: imagine putting a steel roof on your house. You know that roof is going to be trouble-free for a very long time.”
     

A lot of history bears out Spearing’s claims. Maintenance is low. Efficiency remains high over time. Replacing tubes is rare. "We have eight 25 year old systems operating in Seattle, Washington as we speak. I doubt you will find another vacuum tube system that can make such a claim.”
     

Okay, so this all may seem like rocket science....and then again, it might be as simple as feeling the sun warming your face.

Geothermal utility delivering new housing energy community-wide in B.C.

Geotility is a geothermal utility service that is the brain-child of Jim Leask of Kelowna, B.C., who envisioned natural gas and other non-renewable energy sources becoming less-affordable as time goes by. The energy options to burning fossil fuel were practically non-existent in North America when he started a mechanical company in the Okanagan Valley of B.C. in the early 1990s.

Rick Nelson works for Geotility in their Kelowna office, “Jim was a visionary in setting up a geothermal utility company in B.C.,” says Rick. “Running a geothermal utility is not that difficult in this province but different provinces have different rules.” In the province of B.C., meanwhile, Geotility has  found a lot of success by working with First Nations. “They are leaders in the green energy debate in this province.”

 

Geotility runs the Sun Rivers geothermal utility in Kamloops, a housing development that resides on land belonging to Kamloops Indian Band, and recently Geotility broke ground on a centralized geothermal utility service for a  brand new  housing development for the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, in Tofino, B.C., on Vancouver Island. “It's all geothermal in Tofino at the new the Esowista housing development of the Tla-o-qui-aht community.”

 

Rick says of the company he works for, “We're passionate about delivering geothermal services. What started as a mechanical company under Jim Leask and Sons has become a complete geothermal company,” he says, including all the services involved, from drilling to mechanical installations to heat distribution, billing and maintenance.

 

Rick says, “Basically Jim Leask saw the day 20 years ago when natural gas distribution would become more and more expensive and he began looking at the options.” As a mechanical engineer Jim Leask saw geothermal as the next step in energy services and geothermal was a perfect fit for mechanical company, so, “Seven years ago Geotility was launched to pave the way for the geothermal industry to operate at the same level as other utility services.”

 

Today Geotility even owns the drills (manufactured by Multi-Power Products in Kelowna). Geotility worked with Tom Ulm, Sr., of Multi-Power Products to design a drill to fit inside an underground parkade, and as a result, Geotility is able to retro-fit buildings in the core of a city's downtown with geothermal heating systems.  Drilling is underway directly beneath existing buildings like the Georgia Hotel in Vancouver, and the Hudson's Bay Building in downtown Victoria, “We have two modified drills with short masts that can operate in all ground conditions.”

 

Geotility designs the utility systems that run heat through whole communities. “We drill 700,000 feet per year and fill the holes with geothermal pipe.” For example since the ground was laid out for new housing on Esowista property, in Tofino, drilling is commencing to supply heat to the entire community of 160 new houses plus other facilities, including a new Long House and community facilities.

 

Jordan Parrot is one of the engineers at Geotility, and Jordan is in charge of the Esowista drilling program in Tofino starting this January. “It's one large geothermal field with centralized distribution of the hot water,” says Jordan. “We are doing the field engineering and mechanical design on this project. We are producing hot water for the geothermal array from hundreds of ground-loop drill holes.”

 

Jordan says the Esowista field is a large one, “It's a substantial size field, hundreds of holes. The drilling program will take three or four months to complete, depending on  the weather.” The company is hiring some of their required labour from the Tla-o-qui-aht community.

 

Moses Martin is housing manager for Esowista Housing, the department belonging to the Tla-o-qui-aht community based in Tofino. “Construction is underway,” says Moses, “the roads are roughed in and a new bridge was built to join this project to the existing Esowista community.” Sixty-eight is the number of new houses slated for immediate construction and another 100 houses will be built within the next five years.

 

Funding for the new housing development ($17 million )was obtained under the Canada Economic Action Plan and Moses says $3 million of that was earmarked for geothermal heating. “With the overall size of the project we anticipate the return of Tla-o-qui-aht families to Tofino from places like Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Victoria, and Seattle, Washington.”

 

Moses adds, “It's a well-rounded housing plan that includes the geothermal heating for the new Long House and an eventual school for the new community.” The bridge connects this subdivision, called Ty'Tan'Us, to the existing Esowista community and the nhe new community will have three access points, says Moses.

 

Tla-o-qui-aht members will be active in the building of all phases. “We are ramping up the workforce as we speak. We will have a team of labourers working throughout the phase, and phase one alone will supply jobs and paycheques for at least two years.” Some training and apprenticeship will ensue.

 

The skilled labour will be learning new aspects of construction, says Moses, “We are looking for better quality housing construction being put into these homes. We want these homes to last at least 50 years. We are looking hard at the quality of the houses and we're going for the LEED Gold Standard of green and sustainable housing construction.”

Hecate Strait windpower project to power Haida Gwaii

Lucy Shaw is director of North Coast relations for NaiKun Wind Energy and this puts her in touch with Haida councils, Tsimshian councils, and Gitxsan councils in the Pacific North West of Canada. A lot of the activity involves Council of Haida Nation business arrangements, but a submarine cable that will deliver the wind power to the BC Hydro mainland puts Lucy in touch with Tsimshian in Lax W Alaams and Metlakatla, and the Gitsugulka of the Gitxsan nation.
     

“I've been working in the project since 2006,” says Lucy. “Initial discussions began in 2002 and it was four years of negotiations between our corporate heads and their leadership that began to  move the project to the ready.” She says that by 2007 the Haida and NaiKun had signed a Memorandum of Understanding that began to formalize arrangements and by 2009 the commercial partnerships had been formed.
     

Everybody can be proud of the seven year effort but the First Nations in particular find wind power to be an attractive way to build capacity for economic development. “It meets the bottom line regarding stewardship, employment and training, and equity ownership with long-term income,” says Lucy.
     

Protection of the environment is one of the primary goals of the people of these unique islands, and the Haida NaiKun Wind Operating Limited Partnership was formed around principles that flowed from the earliest discussions. The Haida Nation partnership includes equal seats on the board of directors and equal say in day-to-day operations in the operations of the wind farm.
     

“The Haida Nation's interest in the project includes the wind power generation facilities planned for the giant Hecate Strait, and equity interest in the cables that will deliver power not only to the mainland but also to Haida Nation communities. “Haida is burning diesel to create electricity,” said Lucy. “They wanted to put an end to that,” which created the need for the Haida Link, a smaller cable from the NaiKun array of turbines that will power up Haida Gwaii.
     

Wind will supply 90 percent of the power on Haida Gwaii when the project is all connected.  Diesel power generation will remain as a back-up system and will be operational for one month out of each year. “The wind power generation of electricity is going to save 26,000 tonnes of green house gas emissions.
     

Construction is awaiting the permitting process, completion of a purchasing agreement for the power with BC Hydro, and Environmental Assessment Certificates from the province, and approvals from Haida Nation when everybody’s ducks are in a row. Then they raise the money and start to build it, “over a three year seasonal construction schedule,” says Lucy. “It's a six-month building season and we hope to prepare the way with pre-construction activities.”
     

Assembly points and warehousing facilities for construction materials will be arranged, surveys and arrays of turbines will be finalized, and once permitting and procedures are finished the project construction will commence in 2012. “Foundations are constructed in the first and second years, and towers are raised in the second and third years,” says Lucy. “The electricity will be flowing by 2015.”
     

The Hecate Strait is the giant body of water between Haida Gwaii and the mainland that once was coursed by boatloads of Haida warriors and traders in the coastal Potlatch economy. "It's a great wind source with consistent winds and a shallow, relatively flat seabed," says Lucy. 
     

Meanwhile offices in Skidegate and Massett provide the connections to the Haida communities and currently as group of Haida Nation representatives are touring England where wind power is well-established.

Complete green energy production has been set for 2020

Run Of River (ROR) Power develops renewable, sustainable energy through its portfolio of run-of-river and biomass projects in B.C., and the company is working toward biomass energy production by answering BC Hydro calls for power in energy production in wood waste. Rick Connors spoke on behalf of Western Biomass Power Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of ROR Power that runs out of Prince George, B.C.. 
    

"Our Suskwa project is taking advantage of First Nation natural resources in the Gitxsan traditional territory," a land-base that spans 33,000 sq km in the Pacific North West. "They have decadent forests and mountain pine beetle damaged wood fibre," says Connors,  "Rejuvenation of these decadent (80 year old) forests is necessary because they are no longer sequestering carbon." 

    

Connors notes that a healthy full grown hemlock will sequester 20 lbs of carbon per year and produce oxygen in abundance for people to breath. Due to their current condition the forests surrounding Hazelton and Smithers are ideal places to start seriously greening the Canadian economy. This 40 year project is designed to take out declining grades of wood and replace this decadent fibre with vibrant new forests. 
    

"We are proposing to build a high-pressure boiler to burn wood and heat water to create steam." Steam will spin a turbine, which charges a generator to produce 34 MWh of electrical energy. Connors says the project puts a $150 million economic infusion into a depressed area, and, "the Gitxsan people are partners having full ownership, buying in, and completely participating. And it is a project that provides links to all kinds of jobs in the forestry sector." 
    

A BC Hydro purchase of power from the plant would give Gitxsan a long-term cash flow running many years. The proposed plant site will be constructed on 16-acres including a former gravel pit operation outside of Hazelton,  says Connors, responsible re-application of land used as development property in the region.  
    

The power plant operations will employee 35 people full-time, and another 130 more jobs will be found in the 'periphery' doing  wood salvage, working in the greenhouse that provides seedlings to reforestation projects, and logging for a sawmill cooperative with Gitxsan license holders feeding the fibre from an Annual Allowable Cut in their territory. 
    

Suskwa depends largely on decadent forests for fibre, and other biomass fuel loads will be found in MPB killed lodgepole pine. The plant has been designed for a 40-year life span. The Run Of River Power development in Gitxsan is joined by an even bigger biomass power proposal (that has a shorter life span of about 20 years), says Connors. 
    

"The 60 MWh Tsilhqot’in Biomass Power Project is to be located 75 kms west of  Williams Lake in Hanceville, B.C.," and most of the biomass fuel for this energy production will be found in the MPB forests of the central interior. The Tsilhqot’in proposal is a 50/50 partnership with the First Nations and these folks have a huge problem with 'beetle' kill in their forests. They have less work to do in reversing decadent forest conditions. 
    

In this regard the Tsilhqot’in proposal focuses on beetle kill (and reforestation), which shortens the time span of energy generation according to this one-shot consumption of beetle damaged trees. Meanwhile the BC government's self-sufficiency targets for energy production are slated to be 2016, and the goal of complete green energy production has been set for 2020, says Connors. Carbon-neutral biomass projects contribute to government meeting both objectives. 

    

The ROR Power focus on B.C. has been based on First Nation initiative in all corners of the province. They have one fully operating run-of-river power generation facility on Brandywine Creek near Whistler with a rated capacity of 7.6 MW. They built close working relationships with First Nations of Squamish and Lil'wat communities. The turn into biomass includes the aforementioned partnerships. The company is presently developing five run-of-river project clusters totaling 639 MW of potential capacity. 
    

The green energy initiatives coming from IPPBC members like ROR Power are "creating opportunities where there are no opportunities to be found otherwise." Furthermore, says Connors, "The use of forestry biomass to create energy is proven technology and forestry byproducts have long been in use for energy production of forestry facilities in B.C.. The projects like Suskwa and Tsilhqot’in are taking energy production values from biomass to a new business level."  

Vancouver 2010 Olympics security an impressive array

The security budget for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics ballooned from $84 million to $330 million in the post 9/11 world. In Greece, where 70,000 security persons were on patrol for the 2004 Summer Olympics, the government spent $1.5 billion,  including a ratio of approximately 7:1 in security-to- athletes.
 

Meanwhile in Vancouver the 2010 Winter Olympics security costs will be more than twice the original estimate of $175 million, according to former Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day (the department  now under Hon. Peter Van Loan). Day said in 2007 that the original estimate was “drastically low” and that the cost will be, "more than $400 million but less than $1 billion."
     

The revised estimates made by Day were not surprising considering Canadian security agencies plan to use planes, tanks, ships, and about 13,000 military and police personnel to secure the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. Despite the massive number, a security network will be working hard to keep a low profile in the midst of half a million visitors.
     

As an example, Canadian Forces personnel and equipment will be apparent only during ceremonial events. Nevertheless the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games will take place under  the largest security operation ever held in Canada. This massive security force will be managed using an array of surveillance technologies, with closed-circuit cameras, electronic sensors, and unmanned aerial vehicles aloft over Olympic venues in Vancouver and Whistler. 
     

Armed soldiers and helicopters will be present in Vancouver in the background and  overall security  will include RCMP, the military, and other security operatives. These games will feature surveillance  by hundreds of cameras throughout Olympic venues using face-recognition technology.
     

The planning and preparation of Olympic security has been extensive. A three-stage series of exercises occurred at the direction of the 2010 Olympic Integrated Exercise Program, and the last exercise took place from Nov. 2-6, 2009. The three stage program consisted of complementary exercises increasing in scope.
     

Exercise Bronze took place in Nov. 2008, and examined regional safety and security issues. Exercise Silver was held Feb. 2009  and tested safety and security plans, procedures, and coordination. Exercise Gold was a full-scale operational exercise designed to prove that federal, provincial, regional, and municipal organizations stand coordinated and ready to respond to any possible emergency.

     

The exercises provided a realistic environment with mock casualties, and  involved a response from  first responders including police and fire services. Exercise Gold took place in controlled areas and brought together 140 federal, provincial, municipal and private sector organizations to test communication and coordination between the organizations. Everything happened away from the public eye as organizations worked from operational centres.
    

 “As hosts of the 2010 Winter Games, we are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for athletes, visitors and Canadians,” said Hon. Peter Van Loan. “That is why Canada has taken a comprehensive approach to security planning.  We are on track to deliver a safe and secure Games so that what people remember is the celebration and excitement of the competition, not questions of security.”
    

 “In a few short months we will welcome the world to British Columbia as we play host to the 2010 Winter Games,” said Hon. Kash Heed, BC Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General to media at the beginning of November. “Working with our partners in the federal and local governments, we will ensure these Games are safe and secure for all.” 
      

Bud Mercer is Chief Operating Officer of the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit, who said, “Exercise Gold represented years of planning, integration and preparation with local, provincial, national and international safety and security partners. 2010 will be an historic year for British Columbia and Canada, but the safety and security inter-agency cooperation and relationships will remain in place for years to come."  
      

Police have identified several threats to Olympic security, including anti-globalization, anti-corporate, and First Nations activists, not to mention international extremist organizations like al-Qaida, which already laid down threats to the London 2012 Summer Games. Organized crime remains, however, the highest security risk to the 2010 Games.
      

The ISU identified a number of domestic and international threats, including the nation's engagement in Afghanistan, which has put a different light on Canada in the international community, causing al-Qaida to warn Canada to withdraw from Afghanistan or risk attacks similar to 9/11 and bombings in London and Madrid.
      

Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) linked vandalism against sponsors like Royal Bank Canada to protests against the Games. CSIS also noted a group called the Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement has toured North America to stir protests against the Vancouver games.“I think you get a very definite sense that (Vancouver's Olympics are) a likely target,” said David Harris, a former CSIS officer who is director of international and terrorist intelligence programs at Insignis Strategic Research.
      

To buttress security options in October 2009, the provincial government gave host municipalities (Richmond, Vancouver, and Whistler) the power to enter residences between Feb. 1 and Mar. 31, 2010, to seize signs considered "anti-olympic." A further amendment gave Vancouver the power to fine up to $10,000 and imprisonment up to six months for sign and bylaw violations.
      

The reasons for opposition include security expenses to taxpayers (said in 2008 to be $580 million), and possible losses to be incurred including debt in the Olympic Village development, which was supposed to be profitable but is possibly running in the red to the tune of millions.
      

Opponents cite destruction of environment, loss of affordable housing, and use of the Olympics to force a $2 billion rapid transit link from Downtown Vancouver to the airport. Opposition to the Olympics is found amongst First Nations people and their supporters. 
     

The federal government will cover the cost of security at the border, at Vancouver International Airport,  and for international VIPs, while the B.C. government and federal government will split the cost of security for Olympic venues.
     

A First Nation security company called T’musta7 Aboriginal Protection Services will  provide security services to the Resort Municipality of Whistler and to other businesses, including Crown Corporations, during 2010 Winter Games. Owner Lyle Leo of Mt. Currie First Nation is focused on the Sea-to-Sky area. “We are looking at 100 pairs of boots on the ground within the next two or three months,” said Leo. 
     

“We are closer than ever to operational status since clarifying and renewing business relations. We had to rethink our plans after VANOC rejected our bid for services directly related to the 2010 Olympics,” he explained, but Leo remained firm in his resolve. “We were the only Aboriginal group prepared with troops on the ground,” he said, “and to be honest, it was quite disappointing to be rejected by VANOC.” 
      

T’Musta7 reassessed in order to create a sustainable long-term opportunity as a sub-contractor, and has recruited security personnel to  establish their preparedness by securing public events like music festivals in Whistler and a 4x4 rally at Pemberton. 
      

Leo  recruited First Nation personnel exclusively and was joined by Chief Don Harris of Douglas First Nation, who is, according to Leo, “making a lot of headway for Aboriginal community economic development since partnering in run-of-river projects. They want to take part with organizing opportunities for First Nations with the 2010 Winter Games.
    

 “Chief Harris is tuned in with changes in the Aboriginal community with his participation with the election of National Chief Shawn Atleo and the opening of the Osoyoos Business Centre, Leo has applied for security services contracts through Crown Corporation Procurement processes. 
     

Chief Harris said of T’Musta7, “We are recruiting in the Lower Mainland where Douglas First Nation has a lot of members. I am working onpolitical agreements with INAC to get people trained for employment. Lyle has contracts and we had 40-hour training program start with up to 20 more recruits.”\

Float home construction by Squamish economic developers

Mosquito Creek Marina has been a Squamish economic development since around the mid-60's, say's Donny Mekilok, Marina Manager. "We recently reacquired the lease on Lynnwood Marina and Light Industrial Estates, which is our Second Narrows property. The Mosquito Creek site contains 500 slips and the facilities are sold out at both marinas, although there is room for valet storage and dry storage at each location.

    

"The Squamish marinas are busy because of location and because we promote it as the best choice to moor a boat with good services attached, including eight yacht brokers, boat trades, marine systems, and other business operations like Platimum Marine." Mekilok says, "We offer one stop shopping to boaters where they can do fibreglas work, engine work, electronics, and canvas," services available at both properties.
     

"Squamish Nation Marine is the construction end supplying high density polyethylene welding, dock building, float Home construction, float shed construction and boat shed construction for both marinas. At the Mosquito Creek facility we've built 15 boat sheds in the past year from 60' to 90 feet in length."
     

Squamish Nation started float home construction, and presold 12 float homes at a recent home show in Vancouver, and "We sold over 2,000 feet of new dock, welded in the high density polyethylene that is favourable to the environment. 
     

With the Olympics around the corner, "We are transient moorage for the Olympics," said Mekilok, "and we have commitments from 30 boats and that number is probably going as high as 60. We are presently coming up with the plan for our Olympic waiting list. We've got a list of those who will take boats out and do revenue share on their slips." This puts the Mosquito Creek Squamish owned facility into play for the 2010 Olympics/Parlympics extravaganza on the west coast this February and March.
     

Both Squamish facilities are on the North Shore and Mosquito Creek Marina is 10 minutes from Lions Gate Brisge, says Mekilok, "The perfect location to fuel up, 15 minutes to fish Capilano and 25 minutes to the Georgia Strait," basically traffic-free. The facilities have always been the property of the Squamish nation. 
     

He says, "We have approximately 25 employees year-round at Mosquito Creek and another 12 at the Lynnwood facilities, personnel working in everything from administration to security, boatyard workers, dock builders and repair personnel, lift operators, and high density welders."
     

He notes they had a good year in 2009, "I think we're doing well in the recession with two full marinas, boats for sale, pre-sold float homes going under construction." The idea behind float home construction came about a year ago, "when we did a joint venture with the City of North Vancouver called the Spirit Trail. It won national awards for refurbishing the waterfront and we started looking at what we could do further. Reasonably priced float homes were designed by an architectural firm and design people.
     

"We're ready to start building 800 to 1600 sq ft homes ranging from $275,000 to $475,000. We were pleased to pre-sell 12 homes in four days. We will build them in a reconfigured area of the Mosquito Creek facilities, and we bought a used BC Ferry that is going in as the break-wall, and soon will be converted into a restaurant. 
     

The float home facility has the capacity to build eight more in this phase in the development. Owners will moor the homes at $1000 a month along the North Shore, connected by brand new docks, with natural gas connections for furnaces, and city water and sewer." Squamish is turning over every rock to make the future smooth sailing in an uncertain economic time.

Decadent forests in B.C. are failing to sequester carbon

Matt Mercer is a New Brunswick-born forestry professional who migrated to Vancouver Island where he works in forestry management consulting and raises a young family. Matt has been studying the forestry biomass file for the company he works for in Campbell River, B.C., Zimmfor Management Services Ltd., a consulting company of resource sector professionals that operates world-wide, including South America, Asia, USA, and Canada. 
     

Biomass has become a big file in on a world-wide scale and B.C. offers substantial opportunities in these emerging green-oriented (carbon neutral) forestry business practices. "We have quite a few clients in wood-products manufacturing and they are inquiring about regulatory changes from the B.C. government energy plan (of 2007)," says Mercer. 
     

"The plan outlines the energy strategies for the next few years with the goal of energy self-sufficiency by 2016," he says. Government policy has been undertaken to meet these energy goals, and institutional frameworks like the B.C. BioEnergy Network have been allocated funding to encourage development of research in nine basic streams of energy production from renewable or reusable resources. 
     

Canadians are behind parts of Europe where most facets of resource potential are exploited, including cities doing energy production from forest waste products found in Canadian sawmills and turned into wood pellets. Mercer says federal policies in Canada favour reduction of 'carbon intensities,' and part of B.C.'s energy policy reflects that strategy. 
     

"The federal government says that suppliers must reduce carbon intensities by 20 percent between 2010 and 2020." Suppliers with carbon-based energy output are looking at research into celulosic-based ethynol (alcohol fuel derived from wood waste), which, "emits smaller carbon intensity than other ethynols."  
     

And, he notes, "Co-generation is not uncommon in the forestry sector, with pulp mills recycling biomass into hog fuel to power their facilities. Mercer says the Zimmfor approach to biomass potential looks at both sides of the equation, from the points of view of both wood product manufacturer and fibre supplier. One informative source to follow is the BC Forestry Climate Change Working Group of pulp and paper, saw-milling, and forestry sectors.  
     

Decadent forests in B.C. are failing to sequester carbon due to mountain pine beetle devastation and other issues. These forests are under examination in Request For Power calls and Request For Qualification research proposals, and these forests stand to be harvested intensively for biomass, with high-priority silviculture operations to follow. 
     

"The forestry sector is looking at carbon-offset programs related to fertilization of forests, use of seed-stock to make better carbon-sequestering trees, and aforestation policies to plant new forests," says Mercer.

Security firm wants 10,000 boots on the job

Don Allen runs United Protection Services Inc. in Edmonton, Alberta,  where they have had a First Nation division for the past 12 years. "It's our fastest growing division and we have a partnership with United First Nations Corps., owned by Earl John," says Allen, "It's looking very good for United First Nations Corp. with their new contract to provide security services on oil sands construction sites north of Ft. McMurray. It's a 100 percent Aboriginal security service that will have 200 employees working in Alberta.
     

"In B.C. we bought North Star Patrol 4 1/2 years ago and Ken Robertson remained with United. It was Ken who put the deal together with Lyle Leo at T'Musta7 Aboriginal Security Services Inc.," Allen says, "Ken is our business development manager in B.C. and he's a specialist in short-term contracts. We do events in the Resort Municipality of Whistler and with businesses doing special events for everything from business conferences to beer gardens. We know that for the next few months there is a big push to work in security in the Lower Mainland. Our goal is continue procuring other long term contracts."
     

United Protection Services Inc. has employees in B.C., Alberta, and Saskatchewan, "and 20 percent of our workforce is First Nation and Aboriginal employees." Allen notes, "I am President of Security Officer Career College and Tom Hill is the General Manager. Tom delivers programs to communities that educate about crime to ensure a safe community. Some of these programs are employment oriented, and certificates of Completion issue from the Security Officer Career College.
     

SOCC is holding a national Aboriginal security services a conference at the River Cree Casino in Edmonton Feb. 10, 2010. "We intend to create empowerment for First Nation communities right across the country. We have a long term goal to help First Nation and Aboriginal groups to reshape the face of security services in Canada. The training services of the college are being promoted with all levels of government including INAC, and the course delivery is based entirely on reaching out to communities. We don't have a campus. We take the program all over Alberta, and we are expanding in B.C. and Saskatchewan."
     

The SOCC is working with various industries to provide the Aboriginal presence in security at places like First Nation owned and operated casinos in Canada. "River Cree Casino in Edmonton has 10 percent Aboriginal employment and we can improve it with trained personnel in security and other training like housekeeping services." Allen has been providing security services in one capacity or another for 33 years. He explains, "Initially I started the school and soon I branched into the security business itself. A couple of years later I was going out and providing security services with the people we trained." He instituted better training and built his human resources out places like Hobbema and other large First Nation communities in central and southern Alberta. "These jobs give people long term skills and good points on a resume for future employment." 
     

Earl John has spent 10 years building the United First Nation Corp. Presently, "We are trying to find partnerships that will work with us on the east coast, in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland in particular. We have operations in B.C. and Alberta and we are expanding into Saskatchewan," says John. "We want to go further east, both in Manitoba and Northern Ontario as well as the east coast." He says the core of his all-Aboriginal security service has been recruited out of Alberta. "We've hired from all across Alberta as far south as Sun Child and Stoney Creek and we have recruited successfully from the Chipewyan Prairie First Nation, the Conklin Metis, others have been recruited from Big Horn, O'Chiese, Sampson, Louis Bull, Erminskin and Montana Bands at Hobbema."
     

John says, "We have 160 trained and we will have double that by next year," and he notes the size of the corp. has been doubled over the past year. "We benefit from Tom Hill's six week training course delivered into communities and we are putting it in B.C. with the BC Justice Institute for compliance with Olympic standards. We are looking at partnerships to fulfill long term commitments to provide security services to industries like wood, rail, oil and gas, pipeline, and other transport sectors. We want to run contracts to secure new construction projects. We are working with Douglas First Nation's Chief Don Harris to provide training and employment to Lower Mainland First Nation personnel."
    

 John is proud of the company's Ft. McMurray contracts, "They're our bread and butter in security operations and its a win-win-win situation for everybody when United First Nation Corp. Inc. obtained the contract. It brings training and employment dollars to First Nation families who live on reserves where they need the incomes; it brings joint venture opportunities to First Nation entrepreneurs, and the client gets security services that are trained well beyond industry standards." He says personnel receive the basic security guard training plus conflict resolution management, safety sessions, defensive driving lessons, and life skills. "Plus they receive one week of on-the-job training for the work experience."
     

These security jobs outside Ft. McMurray come with more than fringe benefits. "These oil camps are well done operations, supplying all the amenities like weight training rooms, satellite TV, internet service, individual rooms with bathrooms, these are PTI Group camps that run like permanent long-established operations through the construction cycle all the way into industrial operations. Having a First Nation presence in these 3,500 man camp operations is our goal." Ultimately United First Nation Corp. is working toward a national goal of 10,000 pairs of Aboriginal boots on the ground.

Mt. Currie Band goes geothermal on new community facilities

ECCO Heating Products Ltd. supplied a complete geothermal system to provide heating and cooling for a 30,000-plus sq. ft. community centre at Mt. Currie First Nation, infrastructure long awaited by the patient people of Lil'Wat Nation who live 20 minutes from Whistler, B.C.. The Resort Municipality of Whistler will be the centre of skiing in the 2010 Olympics and nearby Mt. Currie has been gaining new economic ground, and turning to green energy solutions and geothermal savings, in the meantime. 
     

Rob Kersbergen of Whistler Geothermal is the mechanical contractor who was awarded the contract to complete the work for the much-needed Lil'Wat facility. The preceding community facilities were dilapidated and unavailable. ECCO Heating Products provided expertise and guidance after conducting a site survey with Whistler Geothermal for a detailed energy analysis of the proposed community centre. Kersbergen says, "We laid in 120,000 feet of pipe (over 22 miles) a year ago in a closed loop system, done in a horizontal array," which is laid in by excavation to about 7 feet of depth.
     

"It is a compact slinky coil design consisting of 120 circuits with 800 feet of pipe in each circuit, there are 12 circuits per header, and the headers are connected to a commercial VFD
     

(Variable Frequency Drive) flow station, which is located in the building's mechanical room. The VFD flow Station controls the volume and pressure required to meet the flow requirements through the ground heat exchanger and geothermal heat pumps from the earth to the building or from the building to the earth, depending on the building's demand," based on outdoor temperatures and building occupant requirements.
     
The new community centre will contain an HVAC system (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) with Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRV's). The HVAC system incorporates a series of Fan/Coil modules to utilize hot or chilled water supplied by the geothermal system to supply heating and cooling throughout the building. The system was designed so that it could provide heating and cooling simultanously based on the building's exposures and occupancy levels.
     

Kersbergen explains how the HVAC system involves multiple heat transfer modules (Heat Recovery Core) to extract heat from stale air being exhausted to the outdoors and tranfers that heat to the incoming fresh air stream into the building. "The Aluminum Core design prevents any cross contamination of exhaust and fresh air streams, only the heat is transfered, not the air." Mechanical engineers design the buildings with these energy efficiencies. They work with building loads (including numbers of people, doors, windows, and activities) and air flow calculations heat loss calculations.
    

 "I did the field work on the geothermal system, and with the technical expertise of Paul Vaillancourt of ECCO Heating Products, was able to modify the original mechanical design without compromising the performance or quality of the system." Paul Vaillancourt of Ecco Heating Products Ltd. is one of Canada's leading experts in the geothermal industry, says Kersbergen, "and he added tremendous value to this project."
     

It is estimated design changes "will have saved Mt. Currie's administration a few hundred thousand dollars, literally," says Kersbergen. "They were on a tight budget and had requirements for air quality in the two-level building." It's a steel clad, steel frame building that has 21,000 square feet on the main floor and another 13,000 estimated square feet on the second level.
    

 Kersbergen has been in the area for 21 years, "from the first stop sign to the first elevator." He says, "Lil"Wat Nation is progressive and doing a lot of development and the community centre in Mt. Currie will be filling with occupants within a few weeks. I predict it will be full by the end of the year." The centre has a reception area, elders centre, day care centre, band offices, business offices, and other features like a gymnasium and a full kitchen.
     

"Part of the building is a gymnasium with a higher roof that reduces square footage on the second floor." The facility was built to support a community of about 3,000 people in Mt Currie, and in the long run a building construction of this type should last 50 years. Mt. Currie has two sites, says Kersbergen, "including the old settlement and a new site up the hill that has a medical centre, fire hall, and grocery store."
     

Leonard Andrew is the chief, says Kersbergen, "and his brother Fraser was the superintendent on the community centre project." The community is growing and developing capacity to house people. "There will be a few homes built in the new area and geothermal has been proposed," but the go-ahead could be an INAC decision, and, "Will they ante up the extra money to go geothermal?"