$520,000 in financial support to upgrade an industrial ventilation system with heat recovery and aerothermal heat pumps
At the Canam plant in the Beauce region, we don’t skimp on ventilation. Welding activities generate smoke and contaminants that need to be evacuated, making it not only a health and safety issue, but also an energy challenge. Continuous air renewal takes a lot of electricity. Thanks to Hydro‑Québec’s expertise and the $520,000 it provided in financial support, the company used its system upgrade to improve its energy strategy.
Three times the energy efficiency and 1.25 million kWh saved each year
To ensure the well‑being of its staff, Canam modernized the ventilation system at its Saint‑Gédéon‑de‑Beauce plant by installing heat pumps in the mezzanine [JH1] and a heat recovery system. Draw inspiration from their success story!
Video of 3 minutes 55 seconds
Improving its energy strategy one project at a time
“At Canam, we’ve been talking about energy management for a long time,” notes Sylvain Roberge, Electrical and Automation Supervisor at the Saint‑Gédéon‑de‑Beauce plant. “We had already invested in various measures, but technologies are evolving and becoming more energy efficient. We knew we could do better.”
It was a visit by an account representative and a commercial engineer from Hydro‑Québec that helped shine a light on the plant’s untapped energy efficiency potential. As Mr. Roberge put it, “At the end of the five‑hour visit, we’d come up with projects for the next 20 years!” To begin, the company opted to focus on the plant’s ventilation.
Heat recovery: A system that’s twice as efficient
Canam was already using a system capable of recovering up to 50% of the heat from the exhaust air. That equipment is still operating, but since it didn’t cover the entire air flow, the company decided to take it one step further. By analyzing the potential for improvement with the Hydro-Québec team, Canam opted to add a system based on complementary technologies:
- Plate heat exchanger
- High‑efficiency aerothermal heat pumps
The plate heat exchanger works via thermal conduction. The outgoing warm air moves along one side of thin aluminum plates, while the incoming cool air circulates on the other side. The two air flows do not mix and the heat travels through the metal and preheats the fresh air. At the Canam plant, this system recovers 70% of the heat and uses it to heat the fresh air.
If it’s -20°C outside, the air is preheated by the exchanger and can reach up to 7°C. So we recover enough heat to increase the temperature by 27°C.
Gabriel Gauvin-Rhéaume
Technical Expert at Hydro-Québec
The heat pumps take care of the remaining 30%. They capture the heat naturally present in the outdoor air, even during cold snaps, and send it inside the plant.
“Their performance varies according to the outdoor temperature but the amount of heat produced is higher than the amount of electricity needed to make them work,” explains Mr. Gauvin‑Rhéaume. This results in an average efficiency of about 300%, which means that heat pumps use three times less electricity than traditional electric heating systems.
As a bonus, in the summer, the reverse occurs and the humidity level in the plant is reduced. “They reduce the humidity level and enhance comfort,” states Mr. Gauvin‑Rhéaume. That’s quite an advantage in an environment where long-sleeve shirts and personal protective equipment are required at all times.
The right energy at the right time
With this upgrade, Canam can take advantage of the Demand Response (DR) Option. “This rate option gives the company a credit on its electricity bill when they reduce their electricity use during peak demand events,” explains François Michaud, Hydro Québec account representative.
When the plant receives a peak demand event notification, it switches temporarily to its previous propane system, which is now used as a backup energy source.
Benefits no matter how you look at it
The benefits of this project exceed expectations. Thanks to this upgrade, the company:
- saves 1,250,000 kWh per year, which is equivalent to the electricity used by 70 households
- considerably reduced its consumption of fossil fuels
- recouped its investment within three years
“This project reflects the company’s values,” notes Dominic Lessard, Senior Director, Operations Support. “At Canam, our priority is the health and safety of our 800 colleagues who, in a region where the plant is one of the biggest employers, are also often family and friends: brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours.”
This desire to optimize electricity use is shared among all of Groupe Canam’s plants, in particular at Canam Ponts, which adopted a hybrid heat pump system.
An energy approach within reach for all businesses
“There are many companies in Québec that have big needs when it comes to air exchange because their processes produce all kinds of contaminants,” notes Mr. Gauvin‑Rhéaume. The type of system used by Canam can be adapted to different industrial contexts, making it highly advantageous for companies.
“We’re going to take on other energy efficiency projects,” states Mr. Roberge. “We have a great working relationship with Hydro-Québec. They help us think about how we want to move forward.”
Canam is a great example of how, even in a demanding manufacturing sector, operational constraints can be transformed into competitive advantages. Dominic Lessard is quick to encourage other companies to follow suit: “What would I tell them? Go for it! It’s worth it.”
About Canam
Founded in 1960 in Saint‑Gédéon‑de‑Beauce, Canam is today one of the largest steel structure manufacturers in North America. The family business employs over 5,100 people in 22 plants in Canada and the United States, as well as in engineering offices in Canada, India, Romania and the Philippines.
With over 300,000 completed projects and an annual production capacity of more than 500,000 tonnes, Canam serves commercial, industrial, institutional and multi‑residential customers by offering a wide range of products such as joists, steel decks, heavy and lightweight steel structures and prefabricated buildings.
Recognized for its integrated approach, meticulous technical skill and culture of continuous improvement, Canam is actively committed to sustainable development. The company aims to achieve carbon neutrality for its Canadian operations by 2050.
