Project Summary

The Wild Wing sports bar franchise is one of the largest in Canada, with 99 restaurants across the country. To meet the needs of the franchise, a commercial space in St. Albert was chosen to be renovated. Lexus Engineering partnered with the chain’s out-of-province designer to oversee and authenticate the design within the local jurisdiction.

Project Goals

The goal was to design a fully functional and code-compliant mechanical system, including heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning for the seating, kitchen, and bathroom areas. The plumbing and electrical systems for various fixtures and appliances in the restaurant were also part of the project.

Our Solution

Working closely with the restaurant designer from Ontario, we determined that make-up air must be tempered to maintain indoor design temperature. The designer proposed using an electric duct heater, the traditional exhaust fan, and make-up air unit combination used for all the other franchises of the restaurant on the east coast. However, since natural gas is cheaper in Alberta, we advised that using a natural gas-fired make-up air unit would result in lower operating costs as compared to an electric duct heater.

Result

Lexus Engineering worked closely with the original designer using remote collaboration techniques to prepare a mechanical and electrical design that meets the franchise’s standards but is adjusted to perform well financially under a different set of geographical circumstances. By using a natural gas system, the franchise owner can save roughly $8,000 per year in heating costs based on 2021 data. We are proud to have contributed to the design of one of their locations in Alberta.

Codes: NBC2019AE, NECB2017, NPCC2015, NFPA 96