Hemisphere Engineering

All about M&E┬áItÔÇÖs mechanical and electrical installationsÔÇöM&EÔÇöthat make buildings work, and Hemisphere Engineering has established a reputation thatÔÇÖs in demand in Canada and internationally, Ruari McCallion learns from John Chomiak. In 2007 Hemisphere Engineering celebrated an important landmark: 50 years since it was established, in Edmonton, Alberta. President and CEO John Chomiak has been with the company for most of its existence, having started in 1962.  ÔÇ£Hemisphere Engineering has always been in mechanical and electrical [M&E] and related work,ÔÇØ he says. ÔÇ£We provide and deliver engineering services to owners and architects who build buildings, from small to sophisticated research centers, whether they are private or for universities or government agencies.ÔÇØ They donÔÇÖt come much more sophisticated than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. Hemisphere participated in a design consortium on a Level 4 laboratory for CDC. To give some insight into what that standard is, a Level 3 lab requires people to go through showers and don clean clothing before they enter the laboratory, so itÔÇÖs pretty clean, about the same standard as an electronics industry ÔÇ£clean room.ÔÇØ The Level 4 standard requires scientists and operators to put on self-contained ÔÇ£spacesuits,ÔÇØ such as Dustin Hoffman wore in the movie Outbreak. Level 4 labs have airlocks and internal negative pressure, so any leaks will bring air in from outside, rather than letting nasty bugs out from inside. ItÔÇÖs a very high standard indeed, and while it would be wrong to describe it as second nature for Hemisphere, the company does have some pretty solid experience. ÔÇ£We were the mechanical and electrical engineers on a lab in Winnipeg for the Canadian government, which was completed in 1998. ThatÔÇÖs what prompted us to extend our services into this specialized field,ÔÇØ says Chomiak. ÔÇ£We were a member of the design team for the high-containment labs at CDC, Boston University, Fort Detrick [Maryland] and another in Montana. WeÔÇÖve gained a reputation for Level 4 and other sophisticated work. A world-renowned architect called us just recently, and weÔÇÖre now on the team for a proposal for a significant lab in England, one of the worldÔÇÖs leading NBC [nuclear, biological, chemical] research centers.ÔÇØ Hemisphere was the engineer for the Nanotech and other sophisticated buildings at the University of Alberta. It is also involved on a proposal for a Level 4 lab in India. The company is justifiably proud of its expertise and world standing in such a sophisticated segment of the market. It got there through investment in R&D andÔÇövery importantlyÔÇöin a stable, skilled and dedicated workforce. Over its 50-plus years, HemisphereÔÇÖs engineering services have been delivered via its Edmonton and Calgary offices for an outstanding list of significant projects.ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm very proud of our people,ÔÇØ Chomiak says. Hemisphere has around 175 on the payroll. ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm proud of the degree of technical knowledge and their skills; when we hire staff, they tend to stay. We have a number of 30-plus-year people; we invest in them, and many played a major role in getting us where we are today.ÔÇØAs well as sophisticated laboratories, Hemisphere has a history of building to high environmental standards. It worked on the first building in Alberta to be awarded LEED Gold certification; commitment to improvement and technological advance has been a corporate characteristic for as long as Chomiak has been involved. The company recognizes, however, that some processes can take longer than necessary. Chomiak says that the government needs to reduce bureaucracy and push the ability to fast-track design-build. One way of speeding projects up and cutting out wasteful effort is to get everyone involved on a project around the table talking to each other and making good decisions early on.ÔÇ£We do much research on new technologies, and we find that construction companies and building owners arenÔÇÖt always as up to date as we are,ÔÇØ he says. ÔÇ£We work with contractors, engineers, architects and everyone, hand-in-hand, with a team spiritÔÇöand weÔÇÖre big on listening. WeÔÇÖre good on drawings and specifications, but we find that contractors also have ideas that make sense, which we incorporate.ÔÇØ Budgetary control is high up the agenda. ÔÇ£There are different ways of skinning a cat, as they say. You can design a Cadillac, but if the owner doesnÔÇÖt understand your design, it could end up being costly and require redesign work.ÔÇØ Hemisphere can design the system the owner has the budget for, but it is essential to have excellent communication with all participants to ensure that all understand the consequences of the design.ÔÇ£LEED design principles, for example, have an impact on both capital and operating costs, especially with government buildings, schools and higher-education facilities,ÔÇØ he continues. ÔÇ£There are cost implications in going for LEED Silver and Gold standards; back in the 1960s Hemisphere designed a system for a school to be completely self-sustained utilizing a Caterpillar engine, for example, as the source of power and heating and cooling. We go through review processes and undertake calculations to show the owners and contractors both sides of the equation. If they want to have an economical operating cost, then they have to be sure theyÔÇÖre getting the right system in the first place, so itÔÇÖs essential that value-engineering is provided.ÔÇØ Hemisphere has a flat management structure, and its project managers, engineers and business units operate semi-autonomously, but they are all steeped in the three pillars that are the foundation of Hemisphere EngineeringÔÇÖs strategy.ÔÇ£The three pillars are: technical delivery, marketing and business development, and financial management,ÔÇØ says Chomiak. ÔÇ£Marketing and financial management pillars are small in staff numbers, but all pillars are equal in importance. If any fails, we have a problem. If marketing fails, engineering doesnÔÇÖt have work. If product delivery fails, it impacts across the organization.ÔÇØ So nothing is allowed to fail.┬áÔÇ£We have never walked away from a problem. There have been times when it has cost us, but our customers are important to us and so are their projects, and our reputation is also. All we can do is sell our knowledge and talents; Hemisphere Engineering lives on the returns generated by our professional reputation.ÔÇØ ÔÇô Editorial research by Vincent Kielty┬á