Centre for Applied Research in Sustainable Infrastructure (CARSI)

Red River College Polytechnic (Red River College of Applied Arts Science and Technology), Winnipeg, Manitoba
What the facility does

Research and development in advanced sustainable infrastructure, green buildings and building envelopes.

Areas of expertise

The CARSI facility is the first dedicated research lab at a college in Manitoba. CARSI is focused on the research and development of sustainable infrastructure technologies, with an overall aim of lessening the impact of civil infrastructure and buildings on our natural environment. CARSI supports initiatives to utilize recycled materials in infrastructure, and to improve the life cycle of structures. It also advances the green building industry by initiating research projects to improve the energy performance of buildings, particularly in cold climates.  The equipment available in CARSI supports structural, building envelope, and materials research (concrete, building envelope, and asphalt) activities.Red River College’s new Building Envelope Technology Access Centre will be operating out of the CARSI facility.

Research services

Structural testing, Building envelope testing, Air leakage testing, Infrared thermography, Environmental chamber testing, Materials thermal testing, Concrete and asphalt properties testing, Non-destructive testing

Sectors of application
  • Aerospace and satellites
  • Clean technology
  • Construction (including building, civil engineering, specialty trades)
  • Education
  • Energy (renewable and fossil)
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Manufacturing and processing
  • Policy and governance

Equipment

Function

Dual Environmental Chambers

Side-by-side chamber configuration with common wall and removable section for building component or material research; independently controlled chambers

MTS Structural Equipment

Structural dynamic test system, compression and tension structural testing; static and low-cycle fatigue testing

Removable Wall Section

Removable exterior wall section incorporated into CARSI building that utilizes actual climatic conditions for thermal and lighting properties testing

Strong Floor

Testing of large structural members

Neubrex NBX-6040

Non-destructive structural temperature and strain-sensing system

Weather Stations (2)

Gathers localized climatic data as needed for research projects

Retrotec Blower Door Fans

Full system for conducting large building air leakage tests

Infrared Camera

Thermal analysis of buildings

Video Boroscope

Wall inspections and investigating anomalies in building envelope

Air, water and structural test chamber Wall assembly testing for air and water leakage, and structural deflection under simulated wind loads
Infrared camera Camera for infrared thermography applications in buildings, particularly for building envelopes
Portable Smart-Lab Portable lab for testing of air leakage in windows and doors
  • SMT Research
  • Vector Construction
  • Antex Western
  • Proskiw Engineering
  • Southern Comfort Mechanical
  • Cornerstone Housing Corporation
  • Solar Solutions
  • Manitoba Hydro
  • University of Composites Innovation Centre
  • National Research Council
  • Industrial Research Assistance Program
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Title

URL

CFI Building Smarts – i2eye with Red River College and Manitoba Hydro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwnOzr3ZQj0&feature=player_embedded

Red River College exploring air leakage in Manitoba buildings

http://blogs.rrc.ca/ar/2012/11/red-river-college-exploring-air-leakage-in-manitoba-buildings/

AR&C installs energy monitors on new building

http://blogs.rrc.ca/ar/2012/05/arc-installs-energy-monitors-on-new-building/

Architectural Engineering/Technology students present applied research projects

http://blogs.rrc.ca/ar/2012/04/architectural-engineeringtechnology-students-present-applied-researc…

Red River College hosts 2nd Air Barrier Rodeo Workshop

http://blogs.rrc.ca/ar/2012/01/red-river-college-hosts-2nd-air-barrier-rodeo-workshop/

BETAC Picks up where SITRG left off http://blogs.rrc.ca/ar/2015/10/betac-picking-up-where-sitrg-left-off/