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The Desautels Concert Hall is the newest addition to the University of Manitoba’s Taché Arts Complex. It serves as a cutting-edge rehearsal and performance space for students of the Desautels Faculty of Music to showcase their progress and talents and as a hub for performing arts groups in Winnipeg.

This 407-seat, 1,332 m² facility hosts diverse events, from solo acoustic performers to operas complete with an orchestra pit. Exceptional acoustics, achieved through meticulous engineering, allow performances to resonate across four audience levels. Careful integration of building systems preserves the hall’s beautiful aesthetics and reduces noise from outside and within the facility.

Designed for energy efficiency and targeting LEED Silver certification, this world-class hall provides a rich acoustic experience and flexible space, supporting student and community talent for generations.

Project Highlights

• The 1,332 m² facility hosts 407 seats, four audience levels and an orchestra pit for rehearsal and performance uses
• Meticulous acoustic engineering, discreet system integration to reduce internal/external noise, flexible staging and audience layouts
• Enhanced audience experience, energy‑efficient operations and LEED Silver certification

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The new Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada is a state‑of‑the‑art, 86,000 square foot facility housing more than 20 aircraft, 14 galleries, meeting rooms, classrooms, a gift shop and an observation lounge overlooking active runways. KGS Group engineered the energy‑efficient facility targeting LEED Silver certification, balancing visitor experience with performance, constructability and budget.

Working with the Museum, curator, architect, Winnipeg Airports Authority and utility owners, KGS Group’s multidisciplinary team brought the interactive galleries to life and resolved complex requirements including environmental temperature and humidity control for displays and the illumination of the grounds, building façade and galleries.

The final energy model demonstrated 39.1% annual energy savings, achieved through coordinated “out‑of‑the‑box” design strategies and rigorous quality assurance. Stakeholder concerns and issues were addressed, including energy savings, budgeting and LEED certification. The result provides Winnipeg with a destination go-to attraction and venue that welcomes visitors from across Canada and beyond.

Project Highlights

• Design and commissioning of temperature and humidity stabilization and humidification systems for artifacts
• High‑efficiency HVAC and building automation to achieve energy targets, showing 39.1% annual savings
• Electrical distribution and specialty power for interactive exhibits, AV and classrooms
• Fire protection and life‑safety systems tailored to large artifacts and public assembly spaces
• Quality assurance and internal project management including design reviews, constructability checks, and commissioning support

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Perimeter Aviation is a leader in providing safe and innovative aviation services to rural and northern communities in Manitoba and Ontario. To continue to provide an exceptional level of service for their customers, their facilities in Winnipeg required significant upgrades.

Working as a subcontractor for MMP Architects Inc., KGS Group oversaw the planning, design and construction of the expansion and renovation of their main terminal building. This project was split into multiple phases to ensure flights and customers were not significantly impacted.

The first phase included an 18,000 square foot expansion featuring a large and prominent cross-laminate timber ceiling and a new commercial kitchen for the departure terminal. In the second phase, the existing 4,000 square foot terminal building underwent substantial renovations, featuring new kiosks, a modern baggage area, a welcoming arrival area and an upgraded on-site parking lot. Improvements to the remote parking lot took place in the third phase of the project.

The main terminal building also underwent significant mechanical and electrical upgrades. These included new HVAC systems and associated controls, as well as new plumbing and fire protection systems. Additionally, new electrical services included LED lighting, addressable lighting control systems and Lutron shade controls. To maintain customer safety, upgrades also included a state-of-the-art surveillance camera system, access controls and a public address system.

These new facilities and upgrades will help Perimeter Aviation continue to make travel safe, accessible, and impactful for their passengers, connecting communities with every flight.

Project Highlights

• 18,000 sq ft expansion and the renovation of the existing 4,000 sq ft terminal
• Cross‑laminated timber feature ceiling, new commercial kitchen, upgraded kiosks and baggage area, welcoming arrivals zone
• New HVAC and controls, plumbing and fire protection, LED lighting, addressable lighting control, Lutron shade controls, surveillance cameras, access controls and public address system

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KGS Group was retained by Prairie Architects to help turn the historic Milner House into a new childcare facility. To address the need for childcare within both the company and the community, Great-West Life initiated the adaptive re-use of the vacant 2-1/2 storey house.

KGS provided geotechnical, mechanical and electrical consulting services for the design, construction, and commissioning of the new daycare building which was designed with a highly sustainable approach. In fact, the facility achieved LEED platinum, the highest level of LEED certification possible. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Key sustainable features integrated into the facility’s design include: energy efficient geothermal heating and cooling, LED lighting, water use reduction, displacement ventilation and low to zero emitting materials for healthy indoor air quality.

The result is a safe, resilient and welcoming environment that demonstrates how heritage renewal can serve the community.

Project Highlights

• Adaptive reuse of the two and a half‑storey Milner House
• LEED Platinum certification
• Geothermal heating/cooling, LED lighting and displacement ventilation
• Water use reduction, low/zero‑emitting materials and healthier indoor air
• First heritage building in Manitoba converted to a childcare facility
• Second heritage building to achieve LEED certification
• Great‑West Life’s first LEED‑certified building in Manitoba
• Among Winnipeg’s largest daycare facilities

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KGS Group partnered with the Royal Canadian Mint to design and oversee construction of a cutting-edge, open‑loop geothermal cooling system for a new coin‑making process – a first for the Mint. The system uses groundwater’s stable temperature to cool equipment, replacing energy‑intensive chillers and cooling towers, nearly eliminating greenhouse gas emissions associated with conventional cooling.

Cooling now relies on a single pump and as the water absorbs heat from the equipment, heat pumps capture that free energy to warm the building through space heaters and ventilation systems. The conditioned water is re‑injected to the underground source, providing thermal balance and long service life.

KGS delivered an integrated design, controls coordination and construction oversight to bring the system online safely, with minimal disruption to operations. While this project significantly reduced the Mint’s energy use, the success here is the reduced environmental impact it will have for years to come.

Project Highlights

• Open‑loop geothermal process cooling with groundwater source and reinjection
• Single‑pump cooling loop with heat pumps that recover waste heat for building heating
• Integrated space heaters, ventilation equipment and facility controls
• Reduced energy use and lower operating costs
• Cooling-related GHG emissions nearly eliminated
• Thermal balancing for longevity, reduced environmental impact and reliable year‑round operation

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Seven Oaks School Division needed an upgraded bus service facility. Seeing this as an opportunity to bring a larger vision to life, they acquired a 50-acre parcel of land for development of an all-encompassing Learning and Service Centre. This new centre would not only meet current service needs but would also serve as a multi-use space where students, parents and the broader community could come together for land-based learning and play.

KGS Group collaborated with PCL and Prairie Architects to achieve the aggressive project schedule, providing mechanical, electrical, civil and structural engineering services as well as construction administration services. Integrated design and collaboration among the project team were key to keeping costs within the school division’s budget while maintaining the project vision.

A modern space was created to house the school division’s transportation, operations and maintenance departments as well as conference rooms and vocational trades classrooms. Incorporating a combination of Indigenous and western perspectives, KGS worked with the project team to bring the client’s vision to life.

Project Highlights

• An agricultural learning centre providing unique opportunities for hands-on learning and service space for garden and greenhouse produce
• Three kilometers of granular walking trails
• A toboggan hill
• Naturalized storm water retention pond
• Wawiyia’kiti’gahn (circle garden), used as an outdoor teaching area
• A naturalized landscape and planned agricultural plots for community vegetable gardens

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When Ceridian was moving into their new home at True North Square, KGS was engaged to engineer the mechanical and electrical components. The 24,000 square foot project included complete development of shell space within a new office tower in downtown Winnipeg. Our team provided engineering services for all of the mechanical and electrical systems in the beautiful, new space.

With function, efficiency and aesthetics top of mind, we connected new plumbing systems to the existing while minimizing disruption to other tenants, developed the HVAC systems including installation of multiple hydronic fan coil units (systems also feature demand control ventilation using CO2 monitoring) and coordinated the sprinkler systems to suit complex architectural ceiling requirements. We also completed the distribution for both general and emergency power, lighting systems and controls, fire alarm and security systems, and telecommunication systems, including data outlets and extending the base building services.

The result is a cohesive, high‑performing environment with reliable building services, flexible power and data and intuitive controls that reflects Ceridian’s brand and supports day‑to‑day productivity.

Project Highlights

• Engineering services for all mechanical and electrical systems, designed to reduce disruption to other tenants during construction
• Integration of services into the blank canvas while keeping function, efficiency and aesthetics at the forefront

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SaskTel’s Lorne Street facilities house critical telecommunications equipment serving all of Saskatchewan and provide office space for 400+ employees. Aging electrical infrastructure posed a significant reliability risk for a utility that requires uninterrupted, maintainable and highly reliable power. KGS Group was engaged to modernize the electrical system that would integrate seamlessly with a broader building renovation with minimal disruption to operations.

KGS Group was the electrical design consultant for all areas of design and construction for both the electrical modernization and the building renovation. Extensive pre-design and planning included electrical layouts, cutover planning and sequencing of the work to minimize outages, prevent unplanned service interruptions and minimize impacts to staff.

The electrical modernization involved the replacement or refurbishment of all major electrical systems in these facilities including new UPS systems, new main switchgear lineups and extensive downstream power distribution and controls improvements. This work was integrated into a larger building renovation that also included electrical design services for the replacement of the exterior of one building and extensive interior renovations to office areas, customer spaces and data centre space. Lighting, fire alarm, power and security upgrades were engineered to meet the highest building design standards.

KGS worked collaboratively with the owner, construction manager and other consultants, and applied extensive expertise with critical power systems and building renovation projects to deliver a new, highly reliable, modern electrical system on-time and on-budget. This project increased energy efficiency, reliability, maintainability and power capacity to ensure the facilities would support their needs long-term.

Project Highlights

• Installed new systems to provide resilient, clean power to critical telecom loads
• Replaced main switchgear lineups and upgraded primary distribution for capacity and reliability
• Upgraded downstream power distribution and controls
• Engineered staged cutovers and sequenced tie‑ins to minimize outages and avoid service interruptions
• Delivered electrical design for building exterior replacement
• Completed electrical design for interior renovations across office, customer and data centre areas
• Installed lighting upgrades to meet high performance and efficiency standards

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KGS Group led a multidisciplinary team to design and construct a state‑of‑the‑art Utility and Maintenance Facility for the City of Portage la Prairie’s public works and utilities departments. With a focus on sustainable design, the new facility exemplifies the hand-in-hand relationship between the health and comfort of those who will use the building and Mother Nature.

After the City was informed their current facility was unavailable long-term, KGS Group delivered a solution that seamlessly integrated an innovative horizontal closed-loop geothermal system, water-source heat pumps and high-efficiency HVAC heat recovery technologies that will withstand Manitoba’s harsh climate. The final result is a new facility 25 times more efficient at reducing greenhouse gas emissions than the standard building in Manitoba.

Project Highlights

• Closed‑loop geothermal wellfield to serve the building’s heating and cooling loads
• Water‑source heat pumps for space conditioning and energy‑efficient distribution
• High‑efficiency HVAC heat recovery technologies integrated into ventilation systems
• Building systems to verify performance and optimize operational settings

To advance IKEA’s global mandate to reduce its carbon footprint, the IKEA Winnipeg store adopted geothermal heating and cooling as a cornerstone of its energy strategy. KGS Group provided design, construction management and commissioning for a geothermal heat pump system that meets the heating and cooling requirements for the 400,000 square foot retail facility.

With four pumping wells and eight recharge wells, this system is the largest geothermal installation of its kind within Winnipeg. Since November 2012, the plant has delivered reliable, year‑round heating and cooling without using the backup gas boilers, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the building while showcasing pragmatic geothermal innovation.

Project Highlights

• Designed a geothermal heat pump system to serve the 400,000 square foot IKEA Winnipeg store
• Drilled and completed four pumping wells and eight recharge wells – the largest of it’s kind in Winnipeg
• Engineered wellfield layout and hydraulic balancing to optimize performance and facilitate maintenance redundancy
• Lowered carbon footprint for IKEA Winnipeg

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Magellan Aerospace was awarded a contract to manufacture three, low earth orbit satellite buses for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission, one of the largest space projects ever undertaken by Canada. Design and construction of an advance satellite integration facility (or clean room) where these and future satellites would be constructed required an intense multi-disciplined engineering effort between KGS and Magellan.

The new facility needed to be designed and constructed to stringent standards to meet unique spacecraft manufacturing requirements. Working closely with Magellan Aerospace, KGS Group provided structural, mechanical, electrical and construction supervision services for the design, construction and commissioning of the 5,800 sq. ft. building.

The completed facility went into operation in the spring of 2015, meeting tight budget and scheduling constraints.

Project Highlights

• We provided structural, mechanical, electrical and construction supervision services for the design, construction and commissioning of the 5,800 sq. ft. building.
• Met tight budget and scheduling constraints
• Intense collaborative multi-disciplined engineering effort between KGS and Magellan