Green Homes

George Brown College, Toronto, Ontario
What the facility does

This lab is equipped to prepare new construction and green technologies for manufacturing through monitoring, materials testing, demonstrations and prototyping

Areas of expertise

Ninety percent of residential construction firms are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with less than five employees, making significant research and development an unfeasible burden. George Brown College's Green Homes initiative addresses this innovation gap by providing SME partners and students with increased opportunities to pursue applied research projects, resulting in regional economic development and graduate job readiness.

Research services

Laboratory and field testing, Manufacturing-systems testing, Technology demonstrations, Commercialization, Real-time sensor analysis, Remote data collection, Development of innovative materials and methodologies, Indoor air-pollution monitoring and testing, Prototyping, Urban sustainability, Home retrofit

Sectors of application
  • Clean technology
  • Construction (including building, civil engineering, specialty trades)
  • Consumer durables
  • Consumer non-durables
  • Energy
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Manufacturing and processing

Specialized lab

Equipment

Materials Testing Lab

Tools for testing of building materials include:

  • M-6 air meter pressure type kit
  • ACM-32 metal slump cone
  • M-250 concrete rebound hammer (Swiss hammer)
  • HM-69 Rapid RH™ System
  • H-3050 Vicat consistency apparatus
  • SS-15 Gilson 8" sieve shaker
  • S-200 Dynamic Cone Penetrometer and hand auger set
  • S-215 Static Cone Penetrometer with dial indicator
  • Soil strength classifiers 350 lbf/160 kgf capacity (HM-216)
  • H-4230 liquid limit machine without counter
  • H-4253 plastic limit test set
  • H-4244 1,000 mL glass hydrometer jar
  • Sonic ranging sensor, model SR50A SDI -12, 232 or 485 output
  • Sonic ranging sensor tower mount, model SR50ATOM SDI-12, 232 or 485 output

 

Measurement and Sensor Lab components:

  • Digital multimeter, 8½ digit, model 3458A
  • 250-watt DC electronic load, model 6063B (x4)
  • Power supply, 600V, 5.5A, 3300W, model N8742A
  • PV analyzer, wireless sensor, data analysis tool and leads model
  • PVA-600
  • FLUKE 1555 insulation resistance tester
  • FLUKE 1621KIT ground resistance tester

 

Technology Access Lab
  • Network components and lab equipment
  • Printers for printing both documents and drawings
  • Remote research/testing VLANs (25 sites) to provide private networks for remote sites
  • Workstations used as drop-in/hoteling space for in-lab network admin, development, testing and administration work
  • Computers and laptops equipped for design, testing and building automation
  • WUFI and AutoCAD software
  • Digital projectors
  • Smartphones (for testing and development of smartphone-based energy-management applications)

Title

URL

Research GBC: SOS Project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGuriph33wA

Research GBC: H20 Project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDuvizsJe-U

Research GBC: MaRS Revit Project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pwadD-nEuI

The BIM Lab

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xp9ENKV1lc

The Advanced Prototyping Lab

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybbn7jrPNxkap

Introducing the Green Building Centre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAlPNFJO_ZA

Building Sciences Lab

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdg26xBhFJA

Building Materials Lab

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTINDg3p4ro

Building Automation Lab/Business Accelerator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3ir6rbh76o

“Light-up purses and smart lamps evolve from research projects.” The Globe and Mail Featured Report on Colleges. 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/light-up-purses-and-smart-lamps-evolve-from-research-projects/article27193895/