2009 Canadian Consulting-Engineering Awards: Dessau Wins "Building" Category

Topping 60 nominees from across Canada, Dessau has been awarded the 2009 Canadian Consulting Engineering Award in the Building category, for its work on the new ultra energy-efficient headquarters of Quebec’s grain research institute, the Centre de recherche sur les grains – CÉROM. The honour was announced at an awards gala held in Ottawa on November 3.

The awards have been presented annually for the past 41 years by the Association of Canadian Engineering Companies (ACEC) in association with Canadian Consulting Engineer magazine. The awards are Canada’s most prestigious distinction for projects by Canadian engineering firms.

CÉROM’s mission is to conduct R&D for Quebec’s grain production sector. The two-story building has an area of 31,000 sq. ft. and is equipped with 24 geothermal wells, three greenhouses, laboratories and freezing rooms.

The building uses 54% less energy than a comparable building meeting the standards of the Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB).

Dessau’s mandate covered all engineering disciplines (civil, structural, mechanical and electrical), while geotechnical and material control services were provided by LVM-Technisol.