The new Grant Harvey Centre opened its doors on September 28th, 2012 with a whole weekend of events and celebration. This $29 million facility features an Olympic size 200 x 100 foot surface suitable for speed-skating with seating for 500, and a regulation NHL sized 200 x 85 foot ice surface with seating for 1500 and Kube Solutions provided a state of the art geothermal system.
This two-level complex also includes a three-lane walking/running track on the upper level as well as a community events room, a multi-purpose meeting room and full kitchen facilities. The Olympic-sized arena was built with particular accessibility for sledge hockey, a popular sport in the Paralympic Games. Team Canada sledge hockey players, Alan Dixon and Greg Westlake, provided a demonstration during the weekend events.
“I love the ice at this temperature. It is cold enough to be fast and soft enough that it doesn’t chip with our picks.” Alan Dixon, Team Canada sledge hockey player.
THE GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM
Kube Solutions is proud to have been a part of this project in providing a state of the art geothermal system that will recapture and re-use the energy. The integrated Kube System provides ice slab refrigeration while heat from the refrigeration process is used for heating inside the building (air handler, bleacher seats, radiant floor heat), for snow melt (snow melt pit and sidewalk in the winter), and for domestic hot water. This arena is 45% more efficient than the model energy code.
This Kube system also provides underground energy storage for excess heat that is generated during the ice production. This heat is stored in the earth and then sold and distributed to the tennis facility next door. This UTES (underground thermal energy storage) system that utilizes a buffer is the first of its kind in North America and has been developed and realized by Kube Solutions in partnership with Natural Resources Canada.
Global Maritimes was there to capture this event including a segment on the Kube System.
As well, John McNeil wrote a great article on the Kube system that was featured in The Daily Gleaner on September 27, 2012. Click on the link below to view.
GHA.pdf
