Englobe’s project management excellence shines in the Westwood Garage project

From its earliest days, Englobe has built its reputation through its broad expertise in environmental and engineering consultation. In 2021, our Edmonton team added yet another success story to our legacy, through its work on the Westwood Garage project for its client, NAIT.

 

An ambitious expansion project

Wishing to expand its operations at its main campus NAIT had acquired a large brownfield site from the City of Edmonton. The site previously operated as the Westwood Transit Garage, where the City of Edmonton had stored and maintained its buses and other public transit assets since the 1960s. A large diesel spill in the past had contaminated a considerable portion of the site (equivalent to 21,000 tonnes of soil), and other hazardous materials were also found in multiple buildings.

 

NAIT’s project objectives included removal of existing structures, site remediation, and utility upgrades to prepare the site for redevelopment. The work had to be completed safely and efficiently, within budget, and on an aggressive schedule. In addition, the project’s urban location, and the fact that the main NAIT campus remained fully operational during the project, added public safety concerns to the mix.

Meeting the challenge

 

In spring 2021, NAIT retained Englobe as the prime consultant responsible for overseeing the safe removal of all hazardous materials and providing consulting services to facilitate the required remedial work at the site. This scope of work, which continued to grow after the initial project award, would eventually include geotechnical investigations, onsite and laboratory materials testing services for utility relocation, compaction testing, concrete testing, contract administration, work supervision, and onsite consultation.

 

 

A meticulous project management approach

 

From the outset, the Englobe team demonstrated its project management excellence: proficient at handling multiple priorities, committed to following through, and highly organized in all aspects. It established a robust process to identify, manage and mitigate risks – whether anticipated or unexpected - to prevent the project from derailing, and prioritized open, transparent communication so all parties were on the same page.

 

Due to the aggressive schedule, accompanied by complications caused by adverse weather and the COVID-19 pandemic, sound project management practices were essential for managing the multi-disciplinary role that Englobe filled on the project. “Attention to detail and the ability to offer timely, responsible solutions for handling challenges made this a successful and rewarding project to be a part of,” said Byron Mazur, Project Manager, Environment. “This could only be done with an acute understanding of our strengths and weaknesses, along with rigorous project management.”

A fine collaborative effort

 

NAIT’s Westwood Garage project was large-scale, involved many project partners, and required a diverse team to cover all aspects. It remains one of the most multidisciplinary projects ever managed by Englobe’s Edmonton team.

 

By the project’s completion in late 2021, Englobe had successfully transformed the Westwood Garage’s derelict buildings, on a contaminated site into a clear property poised for redevelopment and expansion of NAITs Main Campus. Thanks to the collective efforts of our skilled Edmonton team, NAIT can now implement its plans for growth and address the needs of students and industry partners into the future.