Message from the Chair

Those of us adventurous enough to travel into the high forest for the annual barbecue enjoyed another memorable summer evening with our perennial hosts, Ian and Jane Price. The sixth event included a demonstration (for our new members from CIBSE) of a cunning use of sunlight, natural ventilation and propane heating for a gazebo. In the wine making competition the standards were such that the judges awarded the first prize to all the entrants!

This fall we were treated to a series of outstanding technical presentations. Your program committee worked hard to keep the momentum going despite the scuppering of a planned field trip on a tug, and the closure of a distillery we were scheduled to visit in December. In September, your Hon Sec stepped into the breach with a thoroughly learned but eminently comprehensible presentation on the technological aspects of leaky condos. In our October meeting we were taken on a trip into the upper reaches of Nepal by Gordon McConkey to see hydro plants being installed. The sight of Nepalese workers carrying pieces of penstock 35 miles and 5000 feet up mountainous terrain was truly eye opening. November took us into different, but none the less awe-inspiring territory. This time our journey was to the innermost workings of the human body to detect and arrest the spread of cancer using Canadian developed blue laser endoscopy.

Be sure, if you can, to attend the Annual General Meeting and the dining and dancing festivities to follow. These events are again at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver where we have reserved some rooms at (a special rate) for out-of-town members. You will find the notice and agenda for the AGM with this issue of The ChallEnge, along with the registration form for the dinner dance.

My message would not be complete without mention of our burgeoning website at wcgce.org, very ably maintained by our indefatigable past chairman, Ian Price. You will find there details of upcoming events as well as a copy of this newsletter.

On behalf of your group committee, may I wish you all a wonderful holiday and a happy, healthy, and prosperous last year of the millennium.

Alan Kay P.Eng., C.Eng., MICE., Chair 1998

Contributions to The ChallEnge are always welcome. After three years Brian Redway is stepping aside from the editor's desk, so if anyone out there has an interest in taking over this satisfying task, please contact Brian, at bredway@direct.ca, or the Hon Secretary at (604) 261-8913, or e-mail to iamrtm@direct.ca.  

In perfect summer weather 48 members and guests met at the home of Ian and Jane Price in North Vancouver for this ever popular event. The technical focus is a fine example of a fully operational, early Scottish telephone box. The function follows the last committee meeting before we adjourn for the summer. As the chair notes, the wine tasting competition provided new interest and reflected the enthusiasm for home and "U-brew" wine making in British Columbia. Our contestants brought red and white wine made from home grown grapes, purchased bulk grapes, and many kits from the hobby vintners businesses that are expanding in our territory. All of it was observed by your correspondent to be highly drinkable. Judging was done by an alphanumeric assignment to preclude the judges from knowing the identity of the vintners. Perhaps it also precluded them from weighting their judgments sufficiently, because in the final count all contestants earned first prizes.

Visit of IMechE member of Council

Richard Davey, member of Council for I.Mech.E and his wife Susan visited B.C and Alberta and took the time to meet some of our members. They spent two days in Vancouver and Victoria before driving North for more of our spectacular scenery. On the evening of their arrival the Hon Sec, Bob Martin and the I.Mech.E corresponding member, Jim Gordon, and their wives met with Richard and Susan. The next day Bob and Irene Martin escorted the visitors on a gondola trip to the top of Grouse Mountain, and a walk through Lynn Canyon park including the suspension bridge. Barbecued salmon dinner was followed by a meeting with other I.Mech.E members of the WCGCE - Brian and Margaret Redway, Bill Steven, Michael Thornley, John Chapman and Nick and Pippa Hawley.

Contacts like this help to keep the group in touch with trends in UK and give us an opportunity to pass on ideas and suggestions on how headquarters can strengthen their representatives in the Pacific Northwest. Thanks for dropping by, Richard and Susan

The first technical meeting of the fall session consisted of a presentation by the Hon Sec, Bob Martin, on short notice as the planned event did not work out. For those readers not familiar with British Columbia, the "leaky condo affair" is a tortured, highly politicized issue that is costing many thousands of residents untold discomfort, worry and expense. We, therefore, had quickly to bring more chairs into the meeting room for the thirty five members and guests who came to hear Bob Martin, assisted by Terry Probert of Aardvark Building and Inspection Services, give a most authoritative presentation on the history and development of this problem.

 

Fungal attack in a Vancouver condominium

 

Drawing substantially on material researched and published in the mid 1960's, Bob described the various ways that water and water vapour can enter the building envelope and the consequences of what can happen if this water does not have easy egress from the building fabric. He noted the consequences of trapped water in the formation of molds and fungus growth and the structural damage that ensues. He also outlined methods of design and construction which can minimize the problems and prevent the harmful and costly consequences.

Numerous questions from the floor showed the keen interest of the audience in the subject. The initial question period was followed by a short slide presentation by Terry Probert a building inspector. Terry showed pictures of structures he has been working on that illustrated the fungus growth and flashing problems noted in Bob Martin's presentation. The slides nicely complemented the presentations.

Small Hydro Projects in Nepal

Twenty-three group members were privileged to a vividly illustrated insight into the challenges of organizing, supplying and constructing small hydro plants in Nepal. With a degree in soils science from UBC and a career in consulting behind him, Gordon E. McConkey went to Nepal on behalf of the United Church of Canada. During his first tour he coordinated the construction of the Andhikhola hydro and rural electrification project between 1986 and 1990. This project yields 5.1 MW with transmission over a 50km, 3.3kV line with spans up to 860m. The intake river is the Andhikhola, and 3200 m³ concrete was used in the construction of the 60m x 37m x 10m dam. The work was completed for a cost of US$5.1m. The figure was kept this low by reconditioning donated, used machinery and optimizing the use of community resources, especially of labour. The amazing capacity of the people was shown in dramatic images of the movement of essential supplies. The Nepalese are superbly adapted to their mountainous environment as well as being highly sensitive to the preservation of all life (which made for methodology changes in doing small foundation work).

In 1992 Gordon McConkey returned to Nepal as Director of the Engineering and Industrial Development Department of the United Mission. Among the five projects under construction then .was the 12MW Jimruk hydro-electric and rural electrification project seen below during construction.

 The Norwegians were key participants in this development, particularly in the desilting technology needed to deal with the extraordinary sediment loads that occur in these rivers.

The Jimruk project entailed a 300m curvilinear dam with desilting basin and intake. The construction required 10,000 m³ of concrete. Transmission was over 180km of 33/132kV line.

This project also made use of a 1.8 km cable way for bringing in materials to the site. The photographs (in colour in the web version) were taken by Haakon Støle and Jens Søraa and published in the December 1993 issue of GEMINI by the SINTEF Group (The Norwegian Foundation for Industrial and Scientific Research) , the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in Trondheim, Norway.

An idea of the silting problem is given in one of the excellent Gemini photographs, reproduced here.

With a five-year survival rate of 14 percent and an annual toll of about 100,000 in the US alone, lung cancer is exceptionally deadly. This is substantially due to the difficulty of diagnosing it before it has spread. Mr. Andrzej Nawrocki , a biomedical Engineer with Xillix Technologies Corp., presented 21 members with one idea for improved detection..

Andrzej obtained his M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Lodz, Poland and gained clinical scientific experience at St Bartholomew's Hospital and The Royal London Hospital. He used excellent slides to introduce us to the LIFE-Lung fluorescence imaging endoscopy system. This system, developed by Xillix (www.Xillix.com) in Richmond, B.C., can reveal lung cancer one or two years earlier than white-light viewing and biopsy, the standard diagnostic method. The device is also five times more effective than white-light alone at identifying the pre-cancerous conditions. These are supported by multi-center clinical trials, conducted in seven leading lung cancer institutions.

The "LIFE" in LIFE-lung, we learned, stands for Lung Imaging Fluorescence Endoscopy. Andrzej explained that the principle of tissue fluorescence (autofluorescence) has been known for some fifty years. All tissues, when excited by light at specific wavelength, will fluoresce. Various tissues emit unique fluorescence spectrum. The intensity of green (normal) emission decreases more significantly than the red (abnormal) emission. The change in ratio between the two emissions leads to the change in perceived colour. As tissue becomes more abnormal the red to green ratio changes. Therefore normal tissue is perceived as green (it will produce "negative" result of the fluorescence endoscopy). Moderate or severe dysplasia or Carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be perceived as reddish brown ("positive" result).

The principle of operation of the system is based on spectroscopy measurements of native fluorescence by tissue on the inner surfaces of the lung. In these measurements, the endoscopy illumination channels are used to achieve uniform blue excitation light centered at 442 Nm. Video images of the fluorescing lung tissues are then acquired by the Xillix LIFE Camera through the bronchoscope imaging fibres.

The system has three major components: an Imaging Console (left), an Illumination Console (right) and a Xillix LIFE Camera (top). The Imaging Console includes a user interface (touch-screen monitor), a VCR and video printer, and a central processing unit that processes and stores digital images.

The Illumination Console contains a laser capable of emitting blue light at 442 Nm. During normal operation, one end of a bronchoscope is attached to the output of the Illumination Console and the other end (tip of the bronchoscope) emits divergent and coherent light. This light is shone onto the lungs through the illumination bundle of the flexible fibers inside the bronchoscope. The second bundle is used for capturing the natural tissue fluorescence emissions. These signals are then intensified by Xillix LIFE Camera and send to the Imaging Console for a real time video image processing and display.

The positioning of the bronchoscope in the lung is done by a doctor. The examination can be completed in about 20 minutes.

Andrzej Nawrocki explained that marketing of the LIFE-Lung system is handled under a joint development agreement with Olympus Optical Co. Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, who supply the optical components used in the system. We all left with a fascinating insight into a potentially life-saving piece of technology developed right in our group territory.

We also would like to acknowledge the help of Mr. Daryl Wisdahl in preparation of the slides and images used in this presentation. They were indeed exceptional.

The Western Canada Group of Chartered Engineers publishes the semi-annual newsletter, The ChallEnge on our own website (www. wcgce.org), as well as on paper. The on-line version contains minor differences in format such as pictures in colour, and a modified layout to suit the proportions of a monitor as opposed to letter paper. In terms of content it is the same. For those who like the on-line version we intend to offer you an option to be notified directly by a short email whenever a new newsletter edition is available on the Web. You can also find current information on the technical program on our website and a good selection of links to places of professional interest. Our "site engineer", Ian Price points out that great savings in mailing costs can be achieved if we can use the on-line resource to replace some of the paper copies. Feedback on this would be of interest to your committee. (Contact the Hon Sec or Ian via the web mailer).

Our constitution requires us: "In the spirit of the Charters of the Sponsoring Institutions, to promote and encourage the acquisition of knowledge relevant to the engineering profession." In particular we are to advance the engineering profession in Western Canada, Washington State and Alaska.

Your committee is considering ways of raising awareness of engineering advances and practices, and of the Chartered Engineers represented by the WCGCE

Members, please give us your input on a proposal to establish an "Outstanding Engineering Project" award. The award would recognize excellence in the engineering of multi-disciplined projects in Western Canada, Washington State or Alaska, in which Chartered Engineers have played a distinguished part. The award would go to the owner or project sponsor, and the contribution of Chartered Engineers would be noted in the citation.

We want your suggestions for Engineering Projects for Consideration (EPFC's), that satisfy the following criteria.

1. A result that is manifestly beneficial to the region, its business or infrastructure and has a high social value.
2. A significant personal contribution from one or more Chartered Engineers, or an individual or team of engineers under the direction of a Chartered Engineer, or a project that used engineering techniques, components or technology, recognized as having been developed by Chartered Engineers.
3. Exceptional, and recognized, technical merit in at least two of the disciplines represented by the group.

A project award sub-committee nominated by your group committee will review the slate of EPFC's and choose a short list. The short list would be posted for comment on the Web Site.

We particularly want your input on the selection process. Please visit www.wcgce.org and complete the form there, or e-mail or fax to the Hon Sec, a response to the questions noted below, adding any other thoughts you wish.

Recognition would take the form of a letter of recognition (citation) and perhaps a plaque, scroll or other token. With their concurrence, the project would be publicized on our web site, in the newsletter, by notices in engineering journals, and perhaps releases to other business, technical media and academic media.

The frequency of the award would be subject to availability of suitable projects that meet the criteria (A,B,C of 1, above). We welcome input on this too.

AWARD IDEA RESPONSE

1. COMMENT ON THE PROPOSAL

I support the proposal Comment:

I do not support the proposal Comment:

I like the idea but suggest something else Explain:

 

2. COMMENT ON SELECTION

Leave the final selection to the committee

Poll the members via the web site

Use another process Explain:

 

3. COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR RECOGNITION:

 

4. SUGGESTIONS FOR POSSIBLE NOMINEES FOR AWARD:

Project Name:

Owner:

Rationale for nomination,

Meets A because:

Meets B because:

Meets C: because:

Contact for possible follow up:

Your present Group Committee will retire on Saturday 30^th January1999. A new Committee will be elected and will take office at the Group Annual General Meeting which will be held on that date at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Vacancies are occurring this year due to the retirement of some members. It is particularly hoped these vacancies will be filled by younger members who are willing to come forward to serve, so that future continuity may be maintained.

Any member of a Sponsoring Institution may nominate a member of the Group who is willing to serve. The names of nominees should be notified to the Hon Sec for inclusion on a final nomination list which will be presented at the AGM. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor of the AGM. The Constitution requires between six and twelve Ordinary Members to sit on the Group Committee, as well as the Officers and ex-Officio members. It also requires that each Sponsoring Institution be represented by a minimum of two members of Committee.

The official Notice of General Meeting of The Western Canada Group Of Chartered Engineers is being mailed with the hardcopy of this newsletter. The nominating committee is preparing a panel of nominees and this too will be included in the mailout. The same information will also be posted on our website, www.wcgce.org.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Please come along and let us know how we may best serve the needs of the membership of our Sponsoring Institutions. If you are a chartered engineer and plan to attend the dinner dance, do come to the meeting first. Sociable arrangements are made for the reception of the spouses of members while they are attending the business meeting. The committee needs your support!

If you plan to attend the meeting, do stay for the Group's Annual Dinner Dance. Commencing directly after the A.G.M., the evening offers good food, great music, live entertainment and good company! A ticket form with contact and payment details is being mailed with this newsletter.

Bob Martin, Tel: (604) 261-8913

Hon. Secretary Fax: (604) 261-4686

Gavin Vernon is again steering our technical program. He has over thirty interesting presentation and visit opportunities under review for 1999. Check out the web site, or watch your fax for schedule and topic announcements.

Return to Services Menu