Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
University Hall is the iconic centrepiece of the University of Lethbridge campus in Alberta, Canada. As part of a $20 million capital renewal program funded by the Government of Alberta, the university replaced its ageing heating and cooling infrastructure with a new energy centre that now supplies heating and cooling to approximately 80% of the campus.
The project involved the installation of a new mechanical plant and equipment to improve energy efficiency, reliability and long-term operational performance. The Mechanical Contractor Strathcona Mechanical Limited, engaged Dewick & Associates to develop the Mechanical Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Manuals for the upgraded systems.
Our focus was on producing a comprehensive handover package that provides the university’s facilities team with the information needed to safely operate, maintain and optimise the new district energy infrastructure throughout its lifecycle.
By Alexandra Vuksa
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Strathcona Mechanical Limited was engaged to deliver the mechanical services for the University Hall District Energy System Renewal at the University of Lethbridge. Funded through the Government of Alberta’s Capital Maintenance and Renewal Program, the $20 million project replaced aging heating and cooling infrastructure with a modern district energy system that now supplies heating and cooling to approximately 80% of the campus.
As part of the project handover, Strathcona Mechanical required comprehensive Mechanical Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Manuals that accurately documented the new energy centre, associated plant and campus-wide distribution systems. The documentation needed to support a smooth transition from construction to operation, providing the University’s facilities team with the technical information required to safely operate, maintain and optimise this critical infrastructure.
Unlike a typical commercial building, a district energy system consists of interconnected plant, equipment and distribution networks that support multiple buildings across an entire campus. The documentation therefore needed to explain not only each individual asset but also how the systems operate together, their control strategies, maintenance requirements and procedures for identifying and resolving faults.
Given the importance of the new energy centre to the University’s daily operations, the Mechanical O&M Manuals needed to be accurate, well organised and easy to navigate, ensuring facilities personnel could quickly access the information needed to maintain reliable campus-wide heating and cooling.
Working closely with Strathcona Mechanical Limited, Dewick & Associates’ Technical Writing team developed a complete set of Mechanical O&M Manuals using approved drawings, equipment data, commissioning information and manufacturer documentation.
The manuals included detailed system descriptions, equipment schedules, operating procedures, preventative maintenance requirements and troubleshooting guidance, all presented in a logical structure that supports both day-to-day operation and long-term asset management. Every document underwent Dewick’s quality assurance process to ensure the information was technically accurate, compliant and practical for ongoing use by the University’s facilities team.
Dewick & Associates delivered a comprehensive mechanical documentation package that supported the successful handover of the University Hall District Energy System Renewal. The completed Mechanical O&M Manuals provide a reliable reference for operating and maintaining the new district energy infrastructure, helping the University maximise system performance, support preventative maintenance and extend the life of its critical assets.
For Strathcona Mechanical Limited, the project was completed with a professionally prepared handover package that met the client’s requirements while reducing the administrative burden of compiling complex documentation. The result is a long-term operational resource that will support the University of Lethbridge’s facilities team for decades to come.
University of Lethbridge: Campus development
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Detailing a structured strategy for monitoring, adjusting, and optimising building systems after handover, to ensure they operate efficiently, meet performance targets, and respond effectively to actual occupancy and usage conditions, including:
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