Ongoing Project Benefits

Investments made through the program not only generated economic benefits and supported job creation during the construction phase, they are providing ongoing benefits in the following, five key benefit areas:

1. Research and Development
2. Training Capacity
3. Energy Efficiency
4. Health and Safety
5. Business Incubation

For each individual project, up to three benefits were identified. While many projects identified three benefits, some of the other projects, such as the Cyber Information Project at Nunavut Arctic College, cited benefits in only one area, in this case, enhanced training capacity. For the major renovation of its Biological Science facilities, the University of British Columbia indicated that the project would improve research laboratories and that it would also enhance training capacity by addressing the quality of their teaching laboratories. In addition, since this renovation included structural and seismic upgrades for the building, health and safety improvements are listed as a third benefit. While the project also replaced electrical and ventilation equipment which could yield improvements in energy efficiency, that was not considered one of the top three benefits of this project.

Improving energy efficiency is the benefit that is provided most frequently, although a very similar number of projects also upgraded health and safety or expanded training capacity. Enhancements to research and development and business incubation were realized much less frequently, particularly at colleges and cégeps. In fact, for university projects research and development was the most frequently cited area of benefit.

Energy Efficiency Improvements

Overall the estimated total energy reductions resulting from KIP projects, amounts to over 1.3 million Giga Joules and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over 175 tonnes of CO2. The energy savings calculated are equivalent to the annual GHG emissions of over 34,000 passenger vehicles or 15,220 homes. In total is estimated that over $23 million will be saved annually in operational costs due to the energy efficient upgrades.

The amount invested in each of the benefit areas does not follow the same trend as the frequency of the benefits. Expanding or enhancing research or training generally cost more than installing energy efficient equipment or upgrading health and safety features. As a result, when comparing the amount invested, the benefit area of enhancing research and development facilities demonstrates a considerable increase in its relative ranking, while the area of health and safety improvements shows a dramatic reduction.

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1. Research and Development

The funding provided through the Knowledge Infrastructure program supported a total of 128 projects which improved research and development facilities at both universities and colleges across Canada. The investments in research and development facilities support the federal Science and Technology Strategy by enhancing Canada’s Knowledge Advantage. The new and improved buildings generate opportunities to keep Canada at the leading edge of important new discoveries in:

• Health and Life Sciences;
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Computer Science;
• Natural Resources, Energy, Environmental Science and Technology;
• Automotive and Aerospace; and,
• Natural Sciences and Engineering.

Health and Life Sciences

Out of the 128 projects, 34 were investments in research facilities for Health and Life Sciences. Health and life sciences encompass various research and instructional programs which focus on the knowledge and understanding of biology and workings of the human body and other organisms. The new and upgraded facilities improve the research and development capacity for programs such as structural and chemical biology, kinesiology, physical education, and genomics.

Bio Sciences programs at the University of British Columbia (UBC) are the most popular undergraduate programs in Science at the institution. The upgrades to the Biological Sciences West and South buildings made possible through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program improve the research and teaching capacity and increase UBC's ability to attract world-class researchers. The Bio Science research conducted in these facilities is fundamental to the biotech industry in BC which has over 100 companies with 2,600 employees and has attracted more investment dollars than any other province in Canada. The facility also houses the expanded UBC aquatic animal facility which supports leading-edge fisheries and environmental research on human impact on the aquatic environment and feedback to human health; best fish farming practices; and healthy food products.

The new $25.8-million Human Performance Laboratory located in the Richard J. Currie Center at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Fredericton provides rehabilitation and fitness programs and services for people both with and without physical challenges. The programs and services are designed to help ensure that people with disabilities reach their maximum functional independence and improve their physical ability and quality of life. The facility is the only one of its kind in Canada and one of only a few in the world. It is equipped with a walking track that diverts right into the laboratory and a new, cutting-edge motion capture system that includes force plates in the floor that help capture data.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Computer Science

Research and development in computer science and ICTs involve analysing the mathematics and science behind the hardware, and software, used in various technologies, computers, games or programs. Improvements to facilities used for ICT research enrich the studies and discoveries in areas such as software engineering, computer network security, web design, and computer game studies.

The CineFlux Centre at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University is a recently renovated facility for the testing and creation of new ideas and technologies in cinema. The facility provides researchers with specialized labs, collaborative multimedia studios for research and technology development initiatives, technical support areas, and archival space for rare and valuable film collections. Upgrading and extending current data communications networks improve access and performance for research.

The new MiQro Innovation Research Centre at the Université de Sherbrooke includes a world-leading centre of excellence for electronic research and assembly. The new centre is equipped with clean rooms for microchip design and development; manufacturing areas in clean rooms and specialized mechanical areas. The MiQro Innovation Centre is working towards becoming the world pioneer in packaging the next generation of microchips and designing packages for future generations of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS).

A new 6,409 square meter state-of-the-art New Digital Media/Film Centre was opened at Capilano University in British Columbia. The centre includes four classrooms, a lecture theatre, laboratories for computers, multimedia and digital animation, a digital film development facility, offices, and a library and study area. The facility was built to address a lack of space for students training in film production and industry demand for more highly skilled graduates in communications and media studies.

Natural Resources, Energy, Environmental Science and Technology

Research and development in Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Science & Technology include sustainable development, nuclear science, ecology, natural resource management, and geosciences. Scientists, researchers and graduate students at 31 institutions across Canada now have new and improved buildings that support research in these areas. The improvements enhance the facilities for research in programs such as nuclear science, bio-energy, land resource sciences, environmental design and rural development.

The new Vale Inco Living with Lakes Centre and Watershed Restoration Centre at Laurentian University are housed in a 28,500 square foot LEED Platinum facility for environmental and climate change research and monitoring programs in freshwater restoration of the Cooperative Freshwater (Ecology Unit). The centre consists of the main Living with Lakes Centre which includes multi-purpose, instrumentation, and teaching labs, as well as student learning space and the Watershed Restoration Centre which includes an aquatics restoration lab, a winter ecology climate change lab that brings water from Lake Ramsey into the lab, two environmental chambers, an equipment wash-down area to prevent spreading of invasive species, and storage and preparation areas for field operations.

The renovations and upgrades to the nuclear reactor and the adjacent nuclear research building improve the research and training opportunities for students, researchers and faculty in the medical and power nuclear technologies programs. The upgrades also enable McMaster University to increase production of isotope I-125 by approximately 20 percent to help address the shortage of this crucial medical isotope. The supply from the university represents 20,000 annual procedures around the world and reduces the backlog of patients waiting to receive prostate cancer treatment.

Natural Sciences and Engineering

Natural Sciences and Engineering encompass a large number of research areas including civil, chemical, mechanical and geological engineering, along with chemistry, physics, and astronomy which fall under natural science. There are a total of 70 projects which involved upgrading or building new facilities for programs such as sustainable and renewable engineering, biochemistry, aerodynamics research and civil, mechanical, automotive, and aerospace engineering.

The new Canal site building at Carleton University houses the Sustainable and Renewable Engineering program which teaches students both the technical and marketing skills needed to operate, build, design, and enhance sustainable energy systems. The systems studied and produced combine energy generation, distribution and end use in an environmentally beneficial matter.

The new Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE) Global at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology contains a climatic wind tunnel that can support a wide range of research and thermal testing of all types of vehicles. This facility enables the university to undertake cutting edge research and development in the areas of alternative fuel, thermal management, electric/hybrid vehicles, automotive manufacturing and materials, automotive communications, software and electronics.

The new 300,000 square foot Centre for Engineering Innovation at the University of Windsor houses more than 150 researchers and accommodates an additional 400 students in engineering. Students and researchers not only have more training and development space but have access to state-of-the-art facilities including a manufacturing courtyard equipped with modern, environmentally sustainable classrooms, labs and office space. Additional features of the new $112 million facility include an interactive auditorium, strategic skills investment program laboratories, environmental labs, industrial labs, a creative studio and a learning commons.

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2. Training Capacity

Overall the Knowledge Infrastructure Program has invested in 254 projects at post secondary schools across the country to improve the facilities used training and instruction. The new and renovated space allows for increased training capacity, introduction of new programs, and a superior learning experience for students. Across the country there are hundreds of programs available to students and with the $160 million KIP investment these students now have renovated, upgraded and new buildings to increase training capacity and the overall their experience. The investments made to training space at colleges and universities across the country contribute toward improving the People Advantage under the Science and Technology Strategy by increasing the number highly skilled graduates ready to contribute to Canada’s growing workforce.

Project close-out reports submitted by institutions indicate that Knowledge Infrastructure Program investments increased by over 200,000 square metres (2.2 million square feet) the total space available in classrooms and training facilities. Institutions credited this increase with enabling them to accommodate more than 62,000 new students. The majority of the expanded capacity resulted from new construction projects, although there were also some renovation projects that added training capacity by repurposing existing space into useable classrooms.

Investments by KIP created an even greater increase in laboratory space, over 252,000 square metres (2.7 million square feet) of laboratory space was built. These laboratories increase the amount of student training and research that institutions can accommodate.

KIP investments also expanded the capacity of institutions to provide other facilities that would be needed for those new students, such as nearly 52,000 square metres (560,000 square feet) of additional library space and more than 172,000 square metres (1.85 million square feet) of faculty offices, research offices and meeting facilities.

Institutions credited the additional capacity with expanding their ability to train students in a range of areas including:

• Skilled Trades and Heavy Equipment Operation
• Nursing, Health Care and Emergency Services
• IT and Business Administration
• Hospitality and Recreational Studies
• Communications and Media Studies, Social Studies
• Applied Sciences and Environmental Technologies

Skilled Trades and Heavy Equipment Operation

Funding from the program was invested in projects which improve training facilities for heavy equipment operators and skilled tradespeople. The improvements to the buildings enhance training in areas such as transportation trades and technology, tower and crane operators, mechanical trades as well as for programs and certification in Red Seal trades. The Red Seal program ensures a standard of excellence and recognition of the trade in the industry and across all provinces and territories. In total there are 52 Red Seal trades which include plumbing, welding, carpentry, electrical and culinary skills.

At Cumberland College in Nipawin, Saskatchewan, 1,576 square feet of space was added to the Central Park Learning Centre. The addition enhances training space for technical skills and trades programs, in-person and distance university courses, and industry credit and non-credit training courses. The new space increases the number and variety of training programs offered, and helps the college respond to industry demands by offering mineral, mining, hydro and energy sector training.

Upgrades and an addition to the heavy equipment operations training facilities of the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario enhance its ability to train students as tower and crane operators, heavy equipment operators and for mechanical trades. The added space allows for more extensive use of simulation equipment and enables the facility to contribute to research and development in future teaching methodologies for the crane and heavy equipment operating industry. The commitment to use advanced simulators in their training programs is contributing to the growth of two simulation companies with which it is collaborating - Fluid Motion Dynamics Inc. in Mississauga and the Vortex Team of CM Labs located in Montreal. The KIP investments have benefited the institution, enabling it to continue to be recognized, both nationally and internationally, for having a commitment to high safety and training standards.

Nursing, Health Care and Emergency Services

Across Canada there have been improvements and new buildings constructed to improve labs, classrooms and training space used for nursing, health care and emergency services programs. The new and renovated training space improves the facilities for programs such as Home-Care support, Practical Nursing, and Aboriginal Health, Rehabilitation Therapy, firefighting and paramedics. The investments not only enhance the programs available, they also increase capacity and the number of graduates which addresses the nursing shortage, particularly in Northern Canada.

IT and Business Administration

Renovations and upgrades at 11 projects across the country improve the training and teaching environment for programs under IT and Business Administration. These programs include, computer science, library and information technician, office administration, accounting, and many others.

Far up north in Pelly Crossing, Yukon territory, the construction of a new 2,500 square foot building expanded capacity by 30 full-time students, and improved the training and learning environment for credit courses, distance courses, continuing education courses, industry sector training, computer access programs, and community outreach, in particular to the Selkirk First Nation. The new facility includes classrooms, a computer lab, a mobile science lab, and new video conferencing equipment to enable distance education.

Hospitality and Recreational Studies

Programs such as hospitality and tourism management, event management, food and nutrition, culinary arts and fitness and health promotion are a few examples of Hospitality and Recreation studies which involved 7 projects under KIP. The program invested over $40 million in post-secondary institutions that developed or upgraded buildings and infrastructure for these programs.

Communications and Media Studies, Social Studies

There were a total of 21 projects across Canada which involved expanding, renovating or upgrading campus facilities to provide a superior learning environment for students studying multi-media design, journalism, print media, and social service work. In total, KIP provided over $60 million to schools to upgrade facilities which house such programs.

At Bart College in Cote D’Abraham, Québec, part of the college warehouse was converted into classrooms and production studios, creating room for an additional 35 students. The new renovated studio space and classrooms improves the learning environment and opportunities for students in the College Education Diploma in 3D animation and image synthesizing.

Applied Sciences and Environmental Technologies

In total, there were 50 projects across Canada which invested $258 million on new construction or renovations to improve classrooms and labs for Computer Systems Technician, computer science, and other applied sciences and environmental technologies. Over $40 million of that was invested in projects to improve training for students in environmental technologies, renewable energy, and power engineering technology.

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3. Energy Efficiency

Institutions identified 286 projects on which improvements to energy efficiency would be an important benefit. KIP engaged a firm which specializes in energy audits, Enerlife Consulting, to analyze the energy savings resulting from the projects. The findings are provided in the report: Knowledge Infrastructure Program: Energy Use Reductions. The firm determined that many additional projects, a total of 380 of the 520 projects supported by KIP, are providing energy efficiency benefits by incorporating more energy efficient systems and more environmentally responsible technologies and building practices.

Enerlife Consulting concluded that, overall KIP investments reduced the total energy consumption by over 1.3 million Giga Joules and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over 175,000 tonnes of CO2. The energy savings are equivalent to the annual GHG emissions of over 34,000 passenger vehicles or 15, 220 homes. In total, it is estimated that universities and colleges will save over $23 million per year in operating costs as a result of these energy efficiency upgrades.

Across the country, reduced emissions and improved sustainability were achieved by: expanding or building new facilities to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards; upgrading the physical infrastructure of buildings; replacing or upgrading heating and air conditioning and ventilation systems; installing living walls or a green roof; and incorporating alternative energy systems.

Building to LEED Standards

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized certification program which rates the design, construction and operation of a building. The certification assesses an entire building, including the sustainable site development, the materials used, water usage efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and overall energy efficiency. Under LEED there are four levels of certification; certified, silver, gold, and platinum. The certification process is becoming more prominent in new building construction across Canada. The Knowledge Infrastructure Program provided $800 million toward the construction and renovation of more than 64 buildings conforming to LEED certification standards.

As a demonstration of Lakehead University’s commitment to sustainability of the community and region in which it is located, the campus serves as a model for environmentally responsible development. The Academic Building is designed to meet LEED Platinum certification. Achieving this standard implies that the buildings and campus are designed to ensure high energy and water efficiency, conservation of natural resources, and a reduction in the production of waste and release of harmful substances both during the construction process and once the facility is complete. One of the more distinct features is the vegetation-covered roof where the vegetation covering over 50% of the roof acts as a cooling agent and helps manage runoff. The building also uses a geothermal heating system and a rain-water retention pond, which collect water for use in the building's non-potable water functions such as toilet flushing.

Upgrades to Physical Infrastructure

Upgrades and improvements to physical infrastructure often included the replacement of windows and doors, as well as the repair or upgrade of the building foundation and curtain walls. These were often intended primarily to improve functionality and safety and in some cases, to reduce water leakage and other problems associated with the physical deterioration of a building. These upgrades often produced secondary benefits by improving building insulation and reducing energy losses. The Knowledge Infrastructure Program invested over $398 million in projects across Canada that involved upgrades to physical infrastructure that directly improved energy efficiency.

Heating and Air Conditioning Upgrades

Across Canada there are campuses which underwent renovations to improve sustainability and energy efficiency through upgraded or improved heating and air conditioning ventilation systems. HVAC systems control the air temperature and ensure proper air circulation and ventilation within a building. The program provided over $202 million from the $2 billion total to over 64 projects that replaced or renovated older HVAC systems.

Living Walls and Green Rooftops

New life is growing inside 3 institutions and on the exterior of 6 buildings across Canada with the addition of an indoor living bio-wall and green roofs. A bio-wall is a vertical garden inside a building which acts as a natural air filtration system and, over time, helps reduce energy costs. KIP invested over $105 million in projects that incorporated a living bio-wall to improve air quality and energy efficiency. A green roof is a roof covered in vegetation to provide benefits such as storm water management, waste diversion, improved air quality, and increased energy efficiency. Both the green roofs and living walls not only provide energy efficiency benefits, they are also used as research and training tools for students in environmental science and engineering programs.

The new Waterfront Centre for the Built Environment at Nova Scotia Community College in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, incorporates the latest environmental building materials and technologies. The centre includes planted rooftops and living walls covered with vegetation as well as, alternative energy sources such as solar panels, wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, solar thermal hot water, and geothermal heating and cooling.

Alternative Energy Systems

Across Canada there are 25 institutions taking steps to building a greener campus by adopting and investing in alternative energy systems. Alternative energy sources include wind turbines, solar panels, biomass heating systems, turbine engine co-generators, and geothermal heating systems that increase sustainability and reduce energy costs.

At the University of British Columbia an old building was retrofitted to accommodate a geoexchange system to provide heating and cooling to the Okanagan Campus while reducing the use of fossil fuels on campus by more than 80 percent. This project extended the existing geoexchange system which was installed in 2006. This project is on one of the largest and best-monitored open-loop campus geoexchange systems in North America.

The new biomass gasification system at the University of Northern British Columbia uses a cleaner energy source by converting waste forest wood into a biogas as an alternative to fossil-fuels. The system can be used not only to provide heat to the university, but also to enhance research opportunities for students in Environmental Engineering and Environmental Science programs as well as for other bio-energy related research groups. The new system was awarded the top prize from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education in 2010 for its ability to connect teaching and research to campus operations, while serving as a model for communities and other institutions.

Providence University College in Southern Manitoba has reduced its natural gas consumption by 70% - 80% by constructing an alternative energy (biomass) heating/power generation facility. The new facility supplies nearly 70% of the institutions heating and has the potential to sell surplus power to Manitoba Hydro.

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4. Health and Safety

Many university and college buildings across the country are decades old and had experienced a deterioration in the overall functionality of the facility and the systems within the facility. In many cases, the aging and deterioration of buildings result in problems such as water leakage and can lead to mold formation and compromise air quality. The simple fact of aging can also mean that buildings fail to remain compliant with newer, more stringent health and safety codes. Addressing the deterioration of buildings and upgrading to more modern systems help students, faculty, staff and visitors to be more productive and to feel safer and be safer on campus. In total there were 260 KIP projects that upgraded health and safety systems and the security of buildings and overall campuses. These health and safety improvements generally fall under the following four broad categories:

• Maintenance of Essential Infrastructure;
• Accessibility;
• Security and Emergency systems; and
• Hazardous Materials and Air Quality.

Maintenance of Essential Infrastructure

There are some buildings at post-secondary institutions across Canada that date back to the early 1900’s. Not all of these aging facilities had fully kept pace with changing requirements incorporated into current building and safety codes. To address these issues, KIP invested in projects which addressed structural deficiencies, repaired building foundations, and replaced existing windows and doors with more modern ones. In total the program invested over $380 million in projects that involve infrastructure maintenance and building code upgrades to provide a safer and more secure environment for students, faculty and staff.

At Saint Mary’s University, renovating the historic McNally building was a key priority. KIP funding facilitated enhancements to laboratories, classrooms and collaborative learning spaces in the iconic building. The project also involved removing asbestos, replacing the building’s roof and repairing walls that had begun to crumble.

Accessibility

Decade-old buildings on many campuses across the country had never been equipped to serve persons with disabilities. Many of the renovation projects supported by the program involved upgrades to accessibility for students, faculty, staff and visitors with disabilities. The improvements included ramps, upgraded elevators and service counters better-suited to people in wheelchairs.

The newly-built and fully accessible Pacific Coast University facility in British Columbia is a 15,000 square foot multi-purpose facility that supports educational development in critical issues of workplace health and safety, disability management, rehabilitation and disability. It has been constructed to increase skills and competencies for individuals working in these areas while attracting other professionals to enhance their knowledge in these expanding areas. The new fully accessible building includes a library, a lecture theatre, classrooms and offices.

Hazardous Materials and Air Quality

To improve the safety of the learning environment, many of the institutions across Canada that have older campus buildings used KIP funding for projects that involved the removal of hazardous materials, the upgrade or installation of proper ventilation systems and the creation of proper storage spaces for harmful materials and chemicals. There were a number of older facilities which removed asbestos and improve d air quality by upgrading building ventilation systems and laboratory fume hoods, particularly for chemistry faculties and pharmacy programs. The improvements were essential because some laboratories had ceased being used due to the air circulation and ventilation being of such poor quality that they could not meet safety codes. On some of the KIP-supported projects, once renovations of facilities had commenced asbestos was unexpectedly discovered inside walls or ceilings. While safely removing that asbestos delayed project completion, institutions were able to improve health and safety by carefully removing the asbestos that had been encountered.

The Chemistry Building at Mount Allison University underwent major renovations to improve health and safety of the facility and its compliance to building codes. The renovations and upgrades included removing 51 exhaust fans and rooftop discharge housings along with replacing all existing laboratory fume hoods. The renovations improve the air quality and circulation within the labs, which now meet current laboratory design standards. The upgrades ensure students and researchers have a healthy and safe environment to conduct their studies.

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5. Business Incubation

Renovations, expansions and new construction took place at post secondary institutions across Canada to improve business incubation facilities. The new and improved facilities support business-academic collaboration and help to expand opportunities for the creation of new start-up firms and to foster greater levels of product and process innovation at existing firms through the adoption and commercialization of technologies developed from research at post-secondary institutions.

Business incubation projects account for only 4% of the projects supported by KIP, which is the smallest of the five categories of benefits. This is reflective of the number of business incubation proposals that were submitted to the program. However, these projects account for nearly 12% of KIP fundingThese new facilities are designed to enable private sector firms and university researchers to collaborate more effectively and to streamline the transfer the technology and research from the lab to the market.

Many of the incubator facilities supported through KIP offer flexible space that accommodates quick growth of client companies. The improvements and upgrades enable the facilities to respond to industry demand and create a more adaptive structure for flexible responses to new and growing clientele.

The new and improved incubation facilities also help post secondary institutions attract talented entrepreneurial students and faculty to build their innovations in Canada. The new and improved facilities further translate knowledge into commercial applications and enhance Canada’s Entrepreneurial advantage as highlighted in the Science and Technology strategy.

Information provided in the close-out reports submitted by institutions indicate an overall increase of 20,515 square metres in the space available for business incubation facilities and technology transfer offices in post secondary institutions across Canada.

The expanded Eureka Incubator at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba consists of 37 ‘start-up bays’ of 170 square feet each, meeting rooms and network space for a maximum of 37 start-up companies. The additional 7,500 square feet of space improves opportunities for the creation of high-tech start-up firms, promotes university – private sector collaboration and expands opportunities for the commercialization of university research. By adding the new space, the Eureka Incubator significantly extends University of Manitoba’s capacity to reach out to the private sector. An existing incubator that opened in 2007 had quickly filled to capacity and could no longer accommodate the rapid growth of companies that the university and its clients are seeking.

In the community of Corner Brook Newfound land, Memorial University expanded the Sir Wilfred Grenfell Academic building to increase laboratory space, computer lab capacity and add new classrooms. The new facilities house the largest astronomical telescope in Atlantic Canada and also provides space for the Gateway West business incubator. The upgraded incubator space provides students, faculty, staff, alumni and others with the opportunity and support required to nurture their business ideas into practical, commercialized products or services.