Enermodal Engineering

Enermodal Engineering was found in 1980 by three University of Waterloo graduates including current president Stephen Carpenter. Initially the firm focused on developing software to assess renewable energy systems and building energy usage. This work included software to analyze the energy performance of windows; this software became the tool to rate windows to NFRC and CSA window standards.

Enermodal Engineering is Canada’s largest consulting firm exclusively dedicated to green buildings and communities. With a professional staff of experts in the area of green and energy efficient buildings and specialists based in Kitchener, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Toronto, Enermodal is working on sustainability projects worth over $5 billion. For 30 years, Enermodal has been an industry leader, pioneering some of the most innovative yet practical green building technologies including rainwater cisterns, onsite biofiltration, radiant cooling, building renewable energy systems, and variable refrigerant flow systems. Enermodal’s success is rooted in a hands on and technical understanding of building systems and energy use.

Enermodal is the foremost LEED consulting firm, with Enermodal delivering the LEED 2009 Rating System, employees serving as LEED Faculty members, and President Stephen Carpenter appointed chair of the Technical Advisory Committee. This first hand knowledge of LEED is an important contributor to Enermodal’s record-breaking 250 LEED projects across North America. Additionally, Enermodal is responsible for 45% of all LEED Canada certified buildings.

Enermodal has provided LEED services for Canada’s premier green buildings including the Toronto Region Conservation Authority’s Restoration Services Centre (first Platinum certification in Ontario), Fifth Town Cheese (first Platinum industrial certification), Currie Barracks (first Canadian Stage 2 LEED-ND certification), and the RBC Centre (largest LEED project in Canada). Enermodal also designed its new headquarters, A Grander View, to achieve three LEED Platinum certifications and become Canada’s most energy-efficient office.

In 1991, the firm designed and managed the construction of the Waterloo Green Home–a winning entry in The Canadian federal government Advanced Houses competition. The house was widely viewed as one of the best examples of residential green buildings and was the subject a book, Green Home, by Wayne Grady.

Enermodal continued with its work in green buildings by designing and occupying of the first green office building in Canada in 1996. Green on the Grand in Kitchener, Ontario was a winning design under the Canadian government’s C2000 program that promoted green office buildings. With an annual energy use of just over 100 kWh/m2, Green on the Grand is still one of the most efficient office buildings in Canada. Another Enermodal building is the University of Ottawa Biology Building, which achieved 70% energy savings and was given several energy efficiency awards.

With their success in green building design, the firm began designing and certifying buildings to the LEED Green Building Rating System in 2004 (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The firm successfully certified the first building (Stratus Winery) under the Canadian version of LEED. To deal with growing demand for their services, Enermodal opened offices in Calgary (2006), Toronto (2008), Edmonton (2009), and Winnipeg (2010).

In 2009, Enermodal designed and built its own headquarters, A Grander View, which uses 70 kWh/m2 - making it Canada's most energy-efficient office building.