AEC Areas of Expertise
Alberta's AEC sector has numerous areas of specialization and expertise. The following are just a few of the many examples:
Coal extraction and processing
To help increase electricity generation at western Canada's largest coal-fired power plant, Alberta engineers set up an Automated Blending and Coal Analysis System (ABACAS).™ This award winning system, from an Alberta based company, allows for the optimal blend of coal in response to current plant conditions.
Construction management
The construction management expertise found in Alberta's AEC sector has been employed in a variety of outstanding developments. From the Calgary Tower to the largest ethylene and polyethylene facilities in the world at Joffre, Alberta's award winning construction management skills can assist all firms with a wide range of projects.
Environmental architecture, engineering and construction
Alberta companies are recognized world wide for environmental design and have won numerous environmental awards. Cardel Place, a recreation and library facility located in Calgary, Alberta, is among the first structures in Canada to be awarded a prestigious Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)™ Certification rating.
Infrastructure and transportation
Albertans were instrumental in the creating of the Confederation Bridge, a 12.9 kilometre section of the Trans Canada Highway stretching over the Atlantic Ocean's Northumberland Strait connecting the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. The Bridge was constructed as a faster and more economical alternative to the traditional ferry system.
Mining
Alberta is home to Canada's largest surface strip coal mine, Highvale. Highvale supplies two power plants - one of which is the largest coal-fired electrical generating facility in western Canada. With more than 12 million tonnes of coal mined each year at Highvale, concern about the environmental impact is great. An ongoing reclamation program has been in place since the mine opened. Local farmers currently lease the reclaimed land for crops.
Oil and gas exploration, development and processing
Alberta researchers continue to explore new technologies and processes for the development of our natural resources. One result is the revolutionary Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage [SAGD] process. This technique uses two parallel horizontal wells to retrieve super-heavy oil or bitumen. The development of SAGD potentially doubles the economic viability of oil sands reserves.
Oil sands development
The acclaimed Alberta AOSTRA-Taciuk Process [ATP] has been proven effective in producing oil from both oil sands and shales, as well as in environmental remediation projects. ATP technology has been endorsed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and has been used in Canada, the U.S. and Australia.
Pipeline design and construction
Alberta has an extensive network of oil and gas pipelines that, if laid end-to-end, would circle the equator more than eight times. The experience gained from such a vast network has given Alberta AEC firms a solid reputation around the world. Our expertise has helped develop pipeline projects from Siberia to South America. In fact, Albertans were involved in the design and monitoring of the world's highest gas pipeline in the Andes mountain range of Argentina.
Project management
An Alberta-based company recently won the electric power industry's most prestigious honor, the international Edison Award. This is the first time in the award's 77-year history that it has been granted to a Canadian enterprise.
The award-winning project was a 350-kilometre transmission line from Dover to Whitefish. The transmission line allows for steam-generated electricity to be carried from northern Alberta oil sands to southern markets. This extensive project was completed on budget and in record time was celebrated for its attention to ecological and Aboriginal concerns.
Telecommunications
Alberta's SuperNet provides high-speed, broadband Internet access for over 420 communities throughout the province. The residents of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta's oldest settled community, are now a part of the SuperNet following the "Longest Link" project. Construction of this 121 kilometre wireless link gives Fort Chipewyan, accessible only by air or winter road, access to the globe.
Winter construction technology and techniques
Alberta's AEC sector is a leader in cold weather construction. A recent program allowed Alberta engineers to provide Russian builders with mechanical, electrical and structural designs for cold weather wood frame housing. Unlike the concrete or brick construction that is often used in Russia, wood frame housing has been found to be both affordable and energy efficient in sub-Arctic temperatures.
