Carmichael opens new ‘operational net zero’ office in Belleville
November 22, 2023 | By Doug Picklyk
The new one-level commercial building features 125 kW of rooftop solar panels and uses two 20-ton air-to water heat pumps for heating and cooling.
Ribbon cutting at Carmichael Engineering’s new ‘operational Net Zero’ branch office in Belleville, Ont. featuring Belleville Mayor, Neil Ellis (centre left) and Maddie Carmichael, fourth-generation involved in the family-owned business (centre-right).
On the heels of celebrating the company’s 100th anniversary last year, Carmichael Engineering, the nationwide commercial HVAC service, maintenance, design and installation organization with locations in 22 metropolitan areas across the country, has opened its first ‘operational Net Zero’ branch office in Belleville, Ont.
The company hosted a grand opening ceremony Tuesday, November 21 with clients, city officials, friends, and Carmichael employees past and present.
Built from the ground up, the new one-level commercial building features a combined 10,000 sq. ft. office and warehouse space for Carmichael, along with two additional smaller units for lease.
Eric Rockarts, Carmichael Engineering, Belleville branch support.
“When we started out, our ultimate goal was to create a comfortable and functional space for our growing team in Belleville, and something they could be proud of,” said Eric Rockarts, branch technical support and the person who launched the original Belleville office 25 years ago (Oct. 1998).
Rockarts was instrumental in the development of the new facility and highlighted the efforts of the entire Carmichael design team and technicians along with the subtrades that worked on the construction.
“The building is a testament to Carmichael’s commitment to sustainability, to embrace new technologies, and to find better and smarter ways of doing things,” added Rockarts.
Designed to generate as much, or more, energy as it consumes over a calendar year, the building features 125 kW of rooftop solar panels, and it was constructed with energy efficient building envelope materials, LED lighting and its HVAC system uses two 20-ton LG reversible inverter scroll chillers (air-to water heat pumps) for heating and cooling (first install in Canada).
LG inverter scroll chillers on Belleville branch rooftop.
The building uses low-temperature in-floor heating in both the office and warehouse spaces, complemented with tempered fan coil air handling for heating and cooling. The smart building uses building automation system controls designed by Carmichael’s BAS team and the system is monitored by the company’s secure cloud-based Performance Advisor platform.
Involved with the grand opening ribbon cutting was Maddie Carmichael, who serves as Vancouver branch manager and fourth generation of the Carmichael family involved with the family-owned business.
“As part of the new generation of Carmichael, we’re aiming to pioneer solutions that not only elevate the operation, efficiency and comfort of indoor spaces, but to pave the future for a greener world for generations to come,” said Carmichael, adding, “This building, in itself, represents the importance of, and our commitment to, sustainability.”
Look out for more details on this new building in the Spring 2024 edition of HPAC magazine’s Modern Hydronics.
