EastPoint’s architects and engineers met with CUPW representatives to discuss their recent acquisition of a property in Bayers Lake NS. We assessed the existing site—a warehouse and showroom facility—for the feasibility of completing a partial demolition and renovation to meet CUPW office and training requirements.

Based on a code review and functional space programming exercise, we determined renovating the existing structure would necessitate a reduced footprint to meet code requirements, causing significant impact to the building’s ability to deliver operational needs.

Following the feasibility assessment, CUPW engaged EastPoint to proceed with a demolition package for the existing building and design of a new facility and site orientation to better serve its operational requirements. The new 5,000 SF, two-storey facility will provide ample office, meeting rooms, training, and common space, and maximizes layout on the lot for required parking spaces.

The building, currently in design, features a sloped gable roof design and is a steel frame construction with slab on grade and shear wall concrete stair cores. The front façade framing elements, coloured to match the Canadian Union of Postal Workers logo colours, provide a focal point on the exterior to guide users and visitors to the main entrance. The exterior envelope of the building will be designed using the rainscreen principle with a primary metal cladding, insulation, and air and vapour barrier membranes. The overall wall, roof and foundation assemblies have been designed to meet the energy requirements of the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings 2020.

EastPoint’s partnership with TD Bank was an exciting journey in creating a space that blends corporate identity with local presence. Our role encompassed architectural and structural design, focusing on the exterior envelope and steel frame construction while embodying TD’s branding ethos.

The new branch needed to properly capture the brand for visual impact, and create a landmark within the backdrop of the surrounding business park. The design emphasizes approachability and openness, with high glazing and inviting sightlines, including a unique green wall housing ATMs that illuminates the building’s brand after hours. Design was informed using the client’s standards, guidelines, and reference drawings. Selected materials are durable and proven in the local climate, reflecting the iconic TD green and ensuring visual continuity with other branches. Mechanical equipment is concealed using screening to preserve the building’s visual impact.

While following client standards, our design is tailored to suit the local environment. For example, as use of a prominent tower would conflict with zoning restrictions, we instead emphasized lower-level branding, positioning the TD logo prominently on the building. The strategically corner-oriented building provides optimal brand visibility from different perspectives.

By harmonizing corporate identity with local context, we achieved an accessible, functional, and distinctly branded space for TD Bank.

Home to more than 30 Olympians, Cheema Aquatic Club serves an important community role in providing sports opportunities for youth and masters members.

EastPoint designed a major building expansion that updated the existing building footprint and added a second floor to the facility, providing a new gym facility, new multi-purpose community room, additional boat storage, and other facility upgrades. Accessibility improvements such as barrier free access and low vision pathfinding prioritize inclusivity, catering to the specific training needs of persons with disabilities and para-athletics. The facility is now capable of supporting 400 youth per day for after school and summer seasonal programming and allows for hosting other clubs and award ceremonies.

Our team provided comprehensive services including 3D laser scanning, BIM, architectural, and engineering support from concept through to construction completion. Our work included construction cost estimates and detailed descriptions of the accessible and sustainable features supporting Cheema Aquatic Club’s applications for federal and provincial funding.

Planning NAIG 2023—the largest event of its kind in the region—required massive coordination. NAIG’s executive team were looking for a solution to the logistical challenge of moving 5,000+ athletes and their coaches and relatives around the 17 separate sports venues serving the games, plus the onboarding and training of 4,000+ volunteers to assist with the game’s delivery.

Thanks to EastPoint’s 3D laser scanning technology, BIM software, and technical resources, we captured digital twins of the sports venues for NAIG 2023—a groundbreaking integration using Esri’s software applications and scan-to-BIM workflows.

• Accurate Venue Representation: The digital twins provided precise models of each sports venue. This allowed the executive team to visualize the layout and infrastructure of each venue, facilitating better planning for transportation, accommodation, and other logistical needs.
• Wayfinding and Navigation: By integrating Esri’s software applications, volunteers and attendees could access detailed maps and navigation tools to find their way around the venues.
• Transportation Management: With accurate venue data and integrated software applications, the executive team could efficiently manage vehicle dispatches, pick-ups, and drop-offs for over 5,000 athletes and coaches, ensuring athletes arrived at events on time.

Following a significant fire at the Cox Institute, EastPoint fast-tracked efforts with the Dalhousie University Facilities Management Team, building maintenance, academic staff, students, researchers, and insurance representatives to provide a rapid damage assessment and building redesign.

Cox Institute houses chemistry laboratories, teaching/training spaces, offices, storage and collaborative student and staff areas. The University required a rapid response and redesign to get students back to school as soon as possible.

EastPoint’s design team worked with each of the existing user groups collaboratively to define present and anticipated future operational needs. Like any research facility, long-term flexibility was required to attract new scientific participants in a building which promotes safety, accessibility, and diversity.

The project brought this early 1960s building up to current building code expectations for life safety including accessibility, travel distances, exiting, vertical transportation, air quality and chemical storage.

Our collaboration with Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) spans multiple strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing sustainability, efficiency, and safety across their campuses.

Key examples include:

• Energy & GHG Reduction Planning: Collaborating with NSCC, we developed a strategic roadmap to achieve ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets. Through scenario planning and innovative solutions, we outlined actionable steps to meet NSCC’s sustainability goals, including significant emissions reductions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050, while optimizing resource allocation and budgeting.
• Electrical Infrastructure Assessments & Maintenance: Spanning 19 sites, our ongoing work with NSCC focuses on assessing and maintaining electrical infrastructure across NSCC campuses. Through comprehensive thermographic and ultrasonic testing, we identify potential issues, providing detailed reports and recommendations for repairs and improvements. Our efforts include preventative maintenance programs and construction management for addressing identified deficiencies, ensuring the safety, reliability, and efficiency of NSCC’s electrical systems.
• Sydney Waterfront Campus Energy Modelling:  Constructing NSCC’s newest campus in downtown Sydney presented an opportunity to optimize energy performance and sustainability. During the project’s design phase, EastPoint assisted the design team to evaluate various options for the building’s central heating plant. EastPoint performed innovative parametric analysis, which allows designers to visualize the impact of hundreds of potential combinations of a series of energy conservation measures.

NSPHA owns and operates over 11,200 public housing units for low-income families and seniors. These units provide housing to more than 17,000 households. Reducing energy costs via efficiency and decarbonization is crucial for sustainable housing and combating energy poverty.

EastPoint’s energy and emissions management plan:

• Offers a holistic energy and GHG emissions management strategy for NSPHA.
• Guides significant energy and greenhouse gas reductions in public housing through objectives, action plans, scenarios, and financial measures.
• Provides operational recommendations to incorporate into a 10-year business plan.

By aligning NSPHA’s mission with the energy plan’s goals, an overarching vision statement was crafted to promote healthy, sustainable, and affordable housing, addressing climate change through deep energy cuts and decarbonization initiatives.

Dartmouth Housing, a not-for-profit provider of affordable housing, manages 497 properties, including 3-to-4-bedroom duplexes, single-family homes, and apartment buildings.

To meet Dartmouth Housing’s housing stock goals and funding requirements, EastPoint conducted building condition assessments (BCRs) for 51 properties. With no existing condition data available, EastPoint meticulously collected data for integration into Dartmouth Housing’s maintenance management system.

The comprehensive BCR report:

• Details the condition of building systems, accompanied by photographs, descriptions, and precise cost estimates for renewal or replacement.
• Highlights mandatory versus recommended work, rated by priority.
• Provides a 10-year roadmap for renewal and replacement at each of the properties, along with energy efficiency and accessibility recommendations.

This report helped Dartmouth Housing secure government funding for recommended renewals and upgrades, underscoring the critical role of accurate data in funding applications and long-term facility planning.

EastPoint partnered with Sustane Technologies Inc. to design their state-of-the-art solid waste processing facility, where innovation meets sustainability. This groundbreaking facility, fully operational since 2019, has the capacity to process 70,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, turning it into high-value fuels and recyclable materials at a lower cost than traditional landfilling. Sustane’s commercial products include high-purity biomass energy pellets and synthetic diesel, both derived from waste plastics.

Our team was responsible for everything from detailed design and construction documents to site development. The project transformed a greenfield site into a fully equipped facility, complete with office space for 30 people, large storage capacity, and robust infrastructure to handle heavy truck traffic. From civil engineering to stormwater management, we ensured the facility met all operational needs while staying on time and on budget.

This project highlights EastPoint’s diverse expertise across architecture, mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering, as well as our ability to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions. Sustane’s facility is a prime example of how we bring complex projects to life—helping to shape a greener future.

The Maritime Link project created a vital 500 MW high-voltage transmission system, bridging Newfoundland and Labrador with Nova Scotia to bolster grid reliability and enable renewable energy transmission. As the prime building consultant, EastPoint led the design for converter stations and support facilities at both locations, overseeing the project from conceptual design through commissioning with a strong focus on quality, safety, and sustainability.

Working closely with ABB specialists, subcontractors, and stakeholders across multiple regions, our team optimized each station’s footprint to integrate underground HV lines, overhead electrical, and critical structural features. Using REVIT, we created a detailed 3D model that ensured precision in every aspect of design.

The 60m x 60m converter stations house reactor halls and all HVDC conversion equipment, arranged around a central control block with offices, boardrooms, and essential facilities. Above, the mezzanine holds advanced desiccant-based dehumidification and cooling systems, ensuring optimal environmental control. This innovative design supports the essential flow of renewable energy, making a lasting impact on Atlantic Canada’s energy future.

EastPoint’s fully in-house multi-discipline team took on the challenge of rehabilitating the Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship (COVE), a 60-year-old waterfront facility in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Originally used by the coast guard, the buildings have been transformed into a dynamic hub for over 50 ocean-related start-ups and established enterprises. With 2,400 m² of office and workshop space and 1,530 m² dedicated to labs and shops, COVE now offers cutting-edge amenities like marine services, electronics testing, and mechanical fabrication.

Our team worked closely with building users to understand their operational needs and create a flexible, efficient, and collaborative environment. From workshops to interviews, we facilitated a seamless process that maximized space and provided full interior system upgrades.

One key challenge was coordinating with multiple stakeholders while maintaining a tight schedule. By partnering with construction managers, we streamlined the project timeline. EastPoint also conducted thorough options analyses to evaluate space layouts, structural upgrades, and mechanical systems, ensuring long-term energy efficiency.

The result? A revitalized facility that’s not only sustainable but primed for future innovation in ocean technology.

EastPoint led the conservation and stabilization of the iconic Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, a FHBRO-Designated building constructed in the 1950s. The museum’s striking A-frame roof and timber-framed gable end windows had deteriorated due to weather exposure and original installation methods, putting the structure at risk.

With its four unique roofing types—slate, 2-ply modified bitumen, inverted membrane, and ballasted modified bitumen—the roof required expert care and attention. Our team conducted extensive site investigations to assess the condition of the roof, structural glulam beams, and timber-framed windows, identifying areas in need of repair or replacement.

Parks Canada trusted EastPoint with the task of preserving the architectural significance of this historic building while ensuring long-term structural stability. Our remedial design focused on roof rehabilitation and enhancing the building’s resilience, safeguarding this important piece of Canadian heritage for generations to come.

Georges Island, a historic gem in Halifax Harbour, had long been off-limits due to lack of infrastructure. To open it up for visitors, Parks Canada teamed up with EastPoint to build a safe, accessible marine facility. The project included designing a new wharf, floating docks, and essential support structures to accommodate both small pleasure crafts and larger vessels.

Our team quickly delivered several design options, and once the final plan was selected, we created detailed design drawings and specifications, all while keeping the project on budget and on schedule. Despite challenges like limited site access and unknown subsurface conditions, we ensured smooth project progress by coordinating the timely delivery of materials and carefully managing construction logistics.

The timber-piled wharf, with its durable steel pipe-supported floating docks, now welcomes visitors to explore the island. With the capacity for future expansion, the project revitalizes one of Halifax’s most iconic landmarks, ensuring its accessibility for years to come.

Sable Island, Canada’s 43rd National Park, is a remote and unique island 290 km southeast of Halifax, known for its wild horses, grey seals, and delicate ecosystems. Until recently, the island’s buildings were powered by diesel generators, a costly and inefficient solution.

The Sable Island Microgrid Development Project is changing that. By replacing diesel generators with a sustainable solar-powered microgrid, this project reduces fossil fuel consumption by 60% and saves Parks Canada $290,000 in energy costs each year. The microgrid provides reliable, eco-friendly energy while protecting the island’s fragile environment.

Building this system in an area with extreme weather and corrosive salt spray required careful planning and collaboration. The success of the Sable Island Microgrid proves that renewable energy solutions can thrive in challenging environments and serves as a model for other remote locations looking to make the switch to clean energy.