Photo courtesy Enermodal Engineering

Enermodal Engineering's portfolio of sustainable design includes Brookside Public School in Toronto.

Trow Global of Brampton, Ont., has garnered a top 10 spot in The Zweig Letter 2009 Hot Firm List, with four other Canadian companies making the coveted roster. The annual ranking, by management consulting and research firm ZweigWhite, identifies the 200 fastest-growing architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms in the United States and Canada. The other four Canadian firms in the remaining top 200 were:
• Enermodal Engineering (Kitchener, Ont.);
• Golder Associates (Mississauga, Ont.);
• Group2 Architecture Engineering (Red Deer, Alta.); and
• MTE Consultants (Kitchener).

Firms were ranked based on percentage and dollar growth in revenue over the past three years.

While some firms are not new to the top 200—Group2 and Trow made last year's list—Enermodal is enjoying the novelty of its first time. Over the past three years, the green building consulting firm has experienced a 35 per cent growth in annual revenue.

Stephen Carpenter, Enermodal's president, discussed the firm's sustainable accomplishments and plans.

"Our over 25 years of experience in sustainable technologies and energy modelling was invaluable once green buildings and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design [LEED] took off in the last five years," he told Construction Canada Online. "With over 40 per cent of all LEED Canada certifications, we have a firm grasp on what it takes to create a landmark green building from scratch. Now, we are looking to reduce other impacts of the built environment, such as communities through LEED for Neighbourhood Development, and existing buildings with LEED for Existing Buildings."

This September, Enermodal will move into a larger office space to accommodate its rapid growth. Aiming to be the most energy-efficient office in the country using 75kWh/m², the new building is seeking Platinum certification under LEED.

Photo courtesy Enermodal Engineering

At Mountain Equipment Co-op in Burlington, Ont., Enermodal implemented six ice thermal storage units onsiteâ??the first application of this technology in Canada. The system makes ice at night to shift the peak cooling electrical load to night when energy is less in demand/expensive. It then cools the building during the day by circulating liquid refrigerant between the ice tank outside and the fan coils at the store ceiling.

Photo courtesy Dwight Arthur

Group2 Architecture Engineering worked on the recently completed Fine Arts and Multi Media Centre of Olds College (Alta.).