Research & Development

The overriding issue of our time is the rapid degradation of the ecosphere. It affects all of us. Recent climate change impact events have served to forcefully inform, if not shock us, into the realization that “systems” originally designed to manage and protect water or air may very well be broken or, at best, not operating effectively. In some case the realty may be worse – the environmental infrastructure may not exist.


Since 1994, GREENLAND® has been responsible for health & wellness and environmental systems research, including:

  • Stormwater management facility performance and maintenance;
  • Surface and groundwater modelling and development web-based information platforms;
  • Watershed health and stream restoration monitoring tools & best practices;
  • Remote sensing applications for collaborative river basin protection projects;
  • Green roof and vegetated or “breathing wall” technologies for new buildings and retrofitted facilities;
  • Intuitive mobility access systems (incl. “Smart Door” prototype); and,
  • Design performance verification of Low Impact Development (LID) practices and development of Smart stormwater technologies.


For example, in partnership with other teams, we initiated a research program about a new (yet "natural") water treatment technology for storm water management facilities and waterways. A number of demonstration sites in North America and overseas were identified. Pilot sites were initially constructed. GREENLAND® was responsible for the monitoring of the Canadian projects and assisted with the preparation of technical publications and conference presentations about the global project findings. The concept for these natural treatment systems is rooted in biomimicry and hydroponics. While these structures are initially being marketed as aesthetically beautiful and able to enhance biodiversity and nurture fish and wildlife, more scientific applications were identified to naturally clean and oxygenate waterways.


Finally, GREENLAND® was retained to identify alternatives to eradicate invasive fish species in Canadian waterways by using new / existing mechanical and chemical treatment technologies and again to test marketable global products for removing filterable reactive phosphorous from water bodies. Engineering and natural science advice was required on how best to manipulate site-specific problem areas and to design the most effective water body treatment systems, and set of protocols / procedures, while minimizing environmental and property impacts.


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Client Testimonials

Town of The Blue Mountains

On behalf of the Town of The Blue Mountains, we would like to thank you and your organization for your specialized technical support in a peer review capacity over the past four years… Your team not only provided timely review of all drainage related features of development applications but introduced updated municipal design criteria addressing changing climatic conditions. By unraveling the weather factors that impact snow melt potential, your team has helped the Town better understand how to be proactive in developing sustainable infrastructure.

Your team’s support assisted in keeping Town’s development projects moving forward efficiently. In addition to this, the review and introduction of updated municipal design criteria and construction standards addressing changing climatic conditions, continues to ensure the Town of The Blue Mountains fulfills its mandate for sustainable development.

Reg Russwurm MBA, P. Eng.
Director of Engineering and Public Works
Town of The Blue Mountains

February 3, 2014
 

Muskoka Watershed Council

The Muskoka Watershed Council’s mission is to champion watershed health in those watersheds that flow into and through the District Municipality of Muskoka. There is no conservation authority in Muskoka, instead the Council is a volunteer-based organization supported by the District of Muskoka, local consulting firms, and local Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change offices.

The Muskoka Watershed Council is currently undertaking a project to understand the potential impact of climate change in Muskoka to the year 2050. In working with our municipal partners, decision support tools such as Greenland’s new CANWET-5 model could be useful in informing our watershed management planning decisions in relation to policy development, stewardship priorities and education and communication programs. 

Peter Sale
Chair
Muskoka Watershed Council

November 17, 2014
 

University of Guelph

The reappearance of excessive nutrient loading in Lake Erie and the subsequent algae blooms is an extremely complex issue and is quite different in nature than the previous phosphorous loadings in the 1970s. Unlike the issue in the 1970s, there are far more sources adding nutrients to the late and these sources are diverse in nature ranging from rural to urban. In order to understand the nutrient loading, both in the temporal and spatial domains, more complex analytic and predictive tools are required in order to help policy make sound, science based, and defendable solutions.

The University of Guelph is uniquely positioned to help address the issues around Lake Erie with long standing core strengths in both the agricultural sector and the environmental field. In conjunction with our partner, Greenland Consulting Engineers, and their watershed evaluation tool (CANWETTM), we believe that we have the engineering and technology to extrapolate CANWETTM from the watershed level up to the lake basin level and provide decision-making support for the entire Lake Erie basin.

Hussein Abdullah, Ph.D., P. Eng.
Director, School of Engineering
University of Guelph

January, 26 2015
 

Corporate Partnerships & Associations

Partnerships and Accreditations