University of Alberta, July 11, 2024—The Canadian Underground Infrastructure Innovation Centre (CUIIC) announces the award of a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Alliance Grant for the groundbreaking project “Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction in Design, Construction, Repair, and Maintenance of Underground Infrastructure.”
This initiative, led by Dr. Alireza Bayat, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of CUIIC, brings together three Canadian universities to develop innovative strategies and technologies aimed at mitigating greenhouse gas emissions across various phases of underground infrastructure projects. The co-applicants include Dr. E. Davies, Dr. L. Hashemian, and Dr. S. J. Birchall (University of Alberta); Dr. R. Dziedzic (Concordia University); and Dr. I. L. Stefanovic (University of Toronto).
NSERC and 21 industry partners are funding cash and in-kind contributions totalling three million dollars over five years. The research will provide training opportunities for ten graduate and undergraduate students, allowing them to gain hands-on experience and interact with industry professionals in the field of underground infrastructure.
The Industry Partners include: Associated Engineering, EPCOR Water Services Inc., Metro Vancouver, Insituform Technologies, Region of Peel, AECOM, UDI Edmonton, Alberta Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association, Mott MacDonald Canada Ltd, Stantec Consulting Ltd., ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd, Dura-Line, eTrenchless Group, Lafarge Canada Inc., North American Society for Trenchless Technologies-NW Chapter, ParklandGEO, Precon, PW Trenchless Construction Inc., Westlake Pipe & Fittings, Benjamin Media Inc., Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Association.
“PW Trenchless Construction Inc. is thrilled to participate in the CUIIC’s innovative initiative. We are genuinely delighted by the broadening support the organization has garnered. It is our pleasure to contribute to the pioneering efforts directed towards sustainable and innovative maintenance of underground infrastructure.” – David O’Sullivan, President, PW Trenchless Construction Inc.
CUIIC, housed at the University of Alberta, continues to be at the forefront of research and innovation in underground infrastructure, leading collaborative efforts between academia and industry to address critical infrastructure challenges.
Dr. Bayat expressed his excitement about the project, stating, “This initiative will advance sustainable practices in the design, construction, repair, and maintenance of underground infrastructure, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to environmental conservation efforts.”
For more information, please contact:
Canadian Underground Infrastructure Innovation Centre
University of Alberta
About The Canadian Underground Infrastructure Innovation Centre:
The Canadian Underground Infrastructure Innovation Centre (CUIIC) at the University of Alberta is dedicated to advancing research, innovation, and collaboration in the field of underground infrastructure. CUIIC works closely with industry partners, government agencies, and academic institutions. Together, we foster innovation to provide cost-effective, sustainable solutions to the challenges involved in building, assessing, and rehabilitating underground infrastructure. To learn more about CUIIC or to become a member, please visit www.cuiic.ca.
About PW Trenchless:
PW Trenchless Construction Inc. provides general contracting services for the full range of utility installation construction methodologies, from traditional open-cut to the full array of trenchless construction. We continually explore alternative construction methods with our global network and have pioneered the advancement of underground installation and rehabilitation technologies in British Columbia and beyond. PW Trenchless was formally established in January 2000 and is an experienced general contractor broadly recognized as experts in the innovative, environmentally friendly, and carbon-aware trenchless methodologies and the more traditional open-cut utility construction style. Our leadership team has over 70 years of experience with construction solutions for underground utilities and services.
An alternate tendering process where the contract is awarded to one entity which comprises both engineering and contracting.
Because PW Trenchless Construction offers such innovative solutions for underground utilities, it is often beneficial for the owner to request solutions based on a performance specification. This allows PW Trenchess to offer unique solutions while working with equally innovative engineering companies. Learn more about design - build here!
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More InfoThe aging culverts under roads and highways in many case have reached the end of their engineered life-span. We consider the rehabilitation or replacement of these culverts to be vital to our built environment.
PW Trenchless has been a pioneer in working with MOTH, railway companies and municipalities in developing rehabilitation methodologies for the hundreds of thousands of culverts that currently exist in BC. We have offered solutions in both procurement and construction from design-build to sliplining, invert rehabilitation and full circumferential relining. Learn more about culvert rehabilitation here!
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EPR's demonstrate PW's ability to work as both a trenchless and civil contractor, completing EPR contracts using our civil contracting skills and assisting other pure trenchless contractors who only have the capacity to work in an existing pipe. Learn more about point repairs here!
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The vast majority of pipes are less than or equal to 200mm in diameter, but with today's densification practices of urban design, there is a major demand to increase current capacity to handle extra flow. Pipe bursting provides the ideal solution to this issue, particularly in an urban setting. Learn more about pipe upsizing here!
More InfoHorizontal Directional Drilling is a low impact Trenchless construction service where pipe is installed in a shallow arc along a bore path which has been created by a drilling rig. Often the terms Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and Directional Boring are used interchangeably, but in our industry we use the word “boring” when we utilize smaller sized drilling rigs with small diameters for short crossings in the hundreds of feet, and we use the word “drilling” when we utilize larger rigs with large diameters for long crossings in the thousands of feet. Learn more about horizontal directional drilling here!
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Developed by experienced engineers, the system is suitable for different media as well as various application needs and has already proven itself in numerous projects.Learn more about primus lining here!
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When you join PWT, you become part of a community of people who are engaged in the most innovative practices in the Trenchless Industry. We have been instrumental in setting up a scientific method for cities to gain carbon offsets/credits from their use of trenchless construction. This system has been reviewed by the BC Government and has been approved as of December 2018. We expect to see it in common use shortly.
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