Steve Kemp |
M.A.Sc., P.Eng, LEED® AP BD+C
Senior Energy + Sustainability Specialist
Steve Kemp is a building science engineer specializing in energy
modelling and design, and sustainability. His work experience
includes a wide range of projects including green building design
facilitation, renewable energy technology studies and energy research.
Expertise + Experience
Memberships + Awards
With nearly 20 years of building science
experience, Steve’s expertise in sustainable
buildings and LEED consulting is an asset to the
RDH team. Skilled in numerous energy technologies
including geothermal energy, smart lighting
control, solar power generation, solar hot water,
heat recovery and thermal storage, Steve is
renowned as one of Canada’s top energy efficiency
technology experts.
Registered Professional Engineer, Provinces of
Ontario and Manitoba
Steve leads RDH’s Energy and Sustainability team in
Ontario, eastern Canada and the United States. His
role involves providing strategic advice for early
stage services (i.e. integration of energy, building
enclosure, heating/cooling and ventilation) and
participating in design charrettes. Additionally, he
leads investigations of energy and mechanical
performance in existing buildings, and whole
building energy efficiency modelling and simulation
for new and existing buildings.
LEED® Accredited Professional: Building Design and
Construction
Member and past chair, Energy & Engineering
Technical Advisory Group LEED® Canada
Past President, Canadian Chapter of International
Building Performance Simulation Association
Green Building Champion Leadership Award,
CaGBC, 2014
Typical Projects
ENERGY EFFICIENCY + SUSTAINABILITY
Steve provided energy and sustainability consulting
services on the following projects:
RESIDENTIAL

This housing complex was the first LEED NC
Platinum certified social housing building in
Canada. Sustainable features of the building
include an accessible green roof for residents,
operable windows and in-suite heat recovery
ventilators. The building’s ventilation system
eliminates the chimney effect problems of
typical multifamily buildings and air-tight suite
construction helps to limit odours and noise
pollution.
Steve has developed custom design tools for
energy efficient design evaluation such as
RETScreen, EFAST, and FRAMEplus Online.
In 2014, Steve was presented with the Green
Building Champion award by the Canada Green
Building Council, for his expertise in sustainable
building design, green technology and building
energy simulations.
Steve Kemp is a Principal and shareholder of RDH
and is committed to the success of RDH projects.
Education
M.A.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, Dalhousie
University, NS
B.Eng., Mechanical Engineering, Technical
University of Nova Scotia, NS
B.Sc., Physics, Dalhousie University, NS
Chapelview Residence, Brampton, ON

77 Governors Road, Dundas, ON
Completed in 1999, this innovative mid-rise
building is one of the most energy efficient
apartment buildings in Canada. The building
design incorporates innovative solutions to the
envelope and ventilation problems common in
many multi-unit residential buildings. The wellinsulated building envelope and high
performance windows offer improved comfort
and eliminate the need for perimeter heating.
Individual heat recovery ventilators in each
suite ensure superior air quality under all
conditions. Annual energy and water savings
are expected to be 35% and 50% respectively.
Additional sustainable features of this 89,300
sq. ft. residential building include highefficiency central chiller with water-based
variable speed cooling tower and high
efficiency lighting. LEED certified.
rdh.com | buildingsciencelabs.com
Steve Kemp |
M.A.Sc., P.Eng LEED® AP BD+C
Senior Energy + Sustainability Specialist

Richmond Housing Co-operative, Toronto ON

This high-rise multi-unit residential building
houses people from the hospitality field, and
has a public restaurant and training kitchen on
the ground floor. Sustainable features which
helped achieve a 38% reduction in energy costs
include in-suite heat recovery ventilators, lowflow water fixtures, green surfaces for all
roofs, and natural ventilation to all principal
spaces of the building. The mechanical system
transfers energy from the warm side to the
cold side of the building. Additional features
of the LEED NC Gold certified building include
insulated rain-screen cladding that eliminates
thermal bridging, high recycled content in
structural materials, and a rainwater cistern
INSTITUTIONAL


The Remai Art Gallery includes administration
space, food services, art storage vaults,
meeting spaces and controlled gallery spaces.
Key sustainable features include the use of
recycled and regional materials, an indoor air
quality plan during construction, low-emitting
materials and finishes and the development of
green housekeeping and green education
plans. Energy saving measures include high
performance envelope construction, energy
efficient lighting with daylighting controls, and
heat reclaim chiller. The gallery is targeting
LEED NC Silver certification with construction
scheduled to be completed in Spring 2016.

University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine Clinical Skills Building, Gibbs Gage,
Calgary, AB
LEED NC Gold certified, this facility houses an
animal handling area, laboratory and teaching
rooms, and administrative offices. The project
has features emphasizing both energy and
water efficiency with storm water and animal
waste treatment, low-flow plumbing fixtures,
heat recovery on air handlers, operable
windows, and a wind turbine to reduce
electrical demand. The building uses
evaporative cooling taking advantage of the
low humidity climate in the Calgary cooling
season eliminating the need for a traditional
chiller.
University of Massachusetts Amherst Campus
Police Station, Amherst, MA
Key sustainable features for this building
include efficient lighting and high efficiency
mechanical equipment including condensing
boilers, a ground source heat pump system,
and energy recovery ventilator. Design
strategies that helped achieve a predicted 43%
energy savings include an efficient condensing
domestic hot water heater, a window-to-wall
ratio of 21%, energy recovery ventilation,
ground loop heat pump, and demandcontrolled ventilation. This project is LEED
USBGC Gold certified.

Waterloo Regional Police Investigative Services
Building, Cambridge, ON
LEED NC Gold certified, this cutting edge
sustainable building utilizes rain water
harvesting and includes a high efficiency
boiler, variable speed drives for ventilation,
and energy efficient lighting complete with
occupancy sensors throughout, and on/off
daylight control in the perimeter offices.
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
(SAIT), Trades and Technology Expansion,
Calgary, AB
This project consisted of three buildings on
the SAIT campus. The Aldred Centre (Centre
Wing), the Johnson Cobbe Energy Centre (West
Wing) and the Cenovus Energy Centre (South
Wing). The Centre and West Wings are LEED
Gold certified; the South Wing is LEED Silver
certified. The buildings contain a mixture of
lecture theatres, laboratories, and fabrication
shops each with unique ventilation
requirements. This expansion project utilized
a variety of sustainable features and energy
efficient systems including water efficient
landscaping, energy efficient lighting and
HVAC systems, and the use of renewable
materials throughout construction. This
project adopted strategies during construction
to divert at least 50% of waste and materials
away from landfills.
Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan, EllisDon,
Saskatoon, SK

Lakehead University Academic Services
Building Phase 1 Simcoe Hall, Orillia, ON
The first building on the Orillia campus
focused on energy efficiency by targeting 10
energy points. Other sustainable features
include the integration of daylighting and
views for occupants, improved indoor air
quality, a green building education plan, and
exceptional water efficiency performance.
Achieved LEED NC Platinum certification.

Trent University DNA Module Block D, Trent
University, Peterborough, ON
This teaching complex is a 44,700 sq. ft.
facility with six teaching and 12 research
laboratories, a vivarium plus offices, support
and student lounge areas. LEED NC Gold
certified, the project focused on occupant
comfort and improved indoor air quality,
rdh.com | buildingsciencelabs.com
Steve Kemp |
M.A.Sc., P.Eng LEED® AP BD+C
Senior Energy + Sustainability Specialist
potable water reduction, and use of energy
efficient building systems. A unique site
feature involves renewable electricity
generation by a hydroelectric dam.

efficiency with a hard target established to
ensure compliance and measures put in place
to achieve the targets. Evaluation of the
targets and recommendations for
improvement were made by the compliance
team. Supported defining the LEED NC Silver
requirements and energy efficiency
performance targets. Sustainable features
include the use of PV, thermal solar for
domestic water pre-heat, LED parking lighting
– possibly solar powered, a rain water cistern
with rainwater re-use in toilets, cooling towers
and irrigation, and interior glazing for
maximizing daylight penetration.
Waterloo Region Consolidated Courthouse,
Kitchener, ON
One of the largest courthouse facilities in
Ontario, consolidating three regional courts
into one seven-storey facility. LEED NC Gold
certified, the building’s key sustainable
features include low-flow plumbing fixtures,
use of recycled and regional materials, lowemitting furniture and finishes. Underground
parking in the facility reduces the heat island
effect of surface asphalt spaces and the
downtown location promotes the use of public
transit.
COMMERCIAL

Targeting LEED CS Platinum certification, this
38-storey office building has a dual duct
design to separate ventilation from heating
and cooling to achieve higher ventilation
delivery efficiencies. Peak cooling is provided
by Enwave Deep Lake Cooling and heating
through high efficiency condensing boilers.
The lighting system is designed to achieve 0.6
W/ft2 by using LED technologies along with
extensive daylighting and occupancy sensor
controls. The building is targeting 50% cost
savings relative to the Model National Energy
Code for Buildings (MNECB).
HEALTHCARE

McMaster University Children’s Health Centre,
Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, ON
Targeting LEED Silver certification, this project
has a strict energy intensity target
incorporating an efficient mechanical,
electrical, and lighting design and pursuing
the measurement and verification credit.
Design features include cascaded air flow to
save on heating energy and the use of
occupancy sensors to turn off variable air
volume boxes when spaces are unoccupied.

The Margaret and Charles Juravinski Centre for
Integrated Health, Hamilton, ON

Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, Oakville,
ON
Energy efficiency measures include a high
performance envelope, energy recovery, plus
daylight and occupancy controlled lighting.
Targeting LEED Silver, the hospital’s
sustainable features include storm water
irrigation, access to public transit, water
efficient fixtures, low-VOC finishes, and the
use of materials with recycled content and
regionally sourced.

The Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health
and Wellness, P3 Compliance, Peel Region, ON
This integrated health and wellness facility
aims to be precedent setting in energy
RBC Waterpark Place, Toronto, ON
Targeting LEED CS Platinum certification, this
class AAA office tower includes a 50,000 sq.ft.
podium with retail services and amenities
including a large food court. Energy efficiency
features of the building include deep lake
water cooling, high efficiency boilers and a
high performance envelope that is beyond the
typical office building. The mechanical systems
will combine two independently controlled VAV
systems that will provide heating / cooling
separately from ventilation providing superior
delivery of outdoor air. Other sustainable
features include a very large green roof,
efficiently plumbing fixtures, occupancy and
daylight sensors as well as a variety of lowemitting and certified materials.
LEED Gold certified, the design achieved an
energy consumption reduction of 34% relative
to the Model National Energy Code for
Buildings and a reduction in potable water
consumption of plumbing fixtures and fittings
by 35%. Sustainable features included a highperformance building envelope, heat recovery
ventilation, rainwater cistern, plus highefficiency heating with hydronic, radiant panel
and condensing boiler system.

100 Adelaide Street West, Toronto, ON

Steelcare Plant 19, Steelcare, Hamilton, ON
LEED Silver certified, this 85,000 sq. ft.
building includes a two-storey office area, a
loading area with air lock, and a fully
automated warehouse. The project
incorporated water conserving plumbing
features, infrared natural gas tube heaters, a
rainwater cistern to supply water for toilet
flushing, and an energy efficient lighting
design with low lighting power densities and
occupancy controls.
rdh.com | buildingsciencelabs.com
Steve Kemp |
M.A.Sc., P.Eng LEED® AP BD+C
Senior Energy + Sustainability Specialist

Southbrook Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Developed a measurement and verification
plan for the Burlington Union Gas building to
compare the new (post MMM recommended
changes implementation) monitored
operational data from the building against the
energy model previously developed and report
on operational deficiencies. While the building
was a LEED project, the measurement and
verification scope of work targeted achieving
the LEED M&V credit and served as a research
project for Union Gas on the performance and
potential performance of their combined heat
and power system (CHPS).
EED Gold certified, this hospitality and retail
facility provides a superior indoor environment
for vineyard visitors. Water and energy savings
exceed 40% and the project received the 2008
Award of Excellence for Architectural Design.
Sustainable features include the use of 33%
regional materials, a high performance curtain
wall system, and demand controlled
ventilation.
TRANSPORTATION

Ottawa Light Rail Transit Confederation Line,
City of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON

A conversion of a portion of the existing BRT
system into an LRT system. Providing
sustainable services including energy
modelling and LEED consulting to achieve a
LEED certification for the maintenance and
storage facility and system.
Reassessed the performance of an existing
Combined Heat and Power System (CHPS) and
made recommendations for improving
performance. The plant included a diurnal
thermal storage system to maximize the use of
heat from the CHPS. The existing system was
modelled using an hourly simulation engine
(specifically TRNSYS) whose results compared
favourably against the 15 minute sub-metering
data of the system.
SUSTAINABLE PLANNING

Currie Barracks, Canada Lands Corporation
This mixed-use community development
includes approximately 3,000 homes (single
family and multi-unit residential buildings)
plus various retail, commercial, educational,
and recreational components. This brownfield
redevelopment was the first Canadian project
to achieve a Stage II Gold certification under
the USGBC LEED for Neighbourhood
Developments Pilot Program.

Fort St. John DES Feasibility Study, Fort St.
John, BC
Investigated the technical viability and
potential operating costs (fuel and
maintenance), installation costs and annual
income from the sale of energy over a 30-year
life. The energy demand was based on a
neighbourhood consisting of a civic centre,
school, mixed-use retail/residential, mixed-use
office/residential, apartments, townhouses
and detached single family homes. District
energy distribution networks were developed
to understand pumping energy and
distribution losses. A central plant energy
model was developed to understand operating
energy costs. Economic analysis included
energy, operating staff, maintenance and
insurance costs. Life cycle analysis was
performed including an energy rate sensitivity
analysis.

Union Gas Burlington facility, Measurement
and Verification of Combined Heat and Power
System, Union Gas, Burlington, ON
Regent Park Alternative Energy Study, Toronto
Community Housing Corporation, Toronto, ON
Conducted a feasibility study to investigate the
technical viability and potential operating costs
(fuel and maintenance), installation costs, and
annual energy savings over a 20-year period.
District energy distribution networks were
developed to understand pumping energy and
distribution losses and a central plant energy
model developed to understand operating
energy costs and impact on the long term
performance of the geo-exchange well field.
Economic analysis included energy, and
maintenance costs and inflation adjusted
utility costs to determine energy savings.
ENERGY STUDIES

Assessment and Recommendations of a
Natural Gas Fired Combined Heat Power
System with Integrated Diurnal Storage, Union
Gas, Burlington and Windsor, ON
BUILDING RESEARCH

Impact of Architectural Form and Features on
the Energy Performance of Multi-Unit
Residential Buildings, Canadian Mortgage and
Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Performed a parametric analysis of over 6,000
combinations of envelope including window,
wall performance and window to wall ratios
and investigated massing of the buildings
(floor plates, building height and orientation)
with respect to their impact on the annual
heating and cooling requirements of the
buildings. The results were normalized by
building area. Investigated the influence of
these parameters with respect to how these
rdh.com | buildingsciencelabs.com
Steve Kemp |
M.A.Sc., P.Eng LEED® AP BD+C
Senior Energy + Sustainability Specialist
buildings were able to accommodate solar
energy systems. This work was completed for
CMHC and published as a Research Highlight.

Performance Monitoring of 77 Governor’s Road
Condominium, Dundas, Ontario, Canadian
Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Monitored the performance of a six-storey
condominium designed to reduce energy use
by 35% relative to ASHRAE 90.1. Associated
activities included planning, installing, and
commissioning of a computer-based data
acquisition system for building energy analysis
plus completing blower door air leakage
testing.
RENEWABLE ENERGY


Renewable Energy Technology in Remote
Communities, Natural Resources Canada
RETScreen v4, Natural Resources Canada:
Developed the envelope performance model
for Version 4 of RETScreen which incorporates
all previously developed modules in addition
to a simple building energy efficiency model.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Retrofits in Highrise MURBs, Canadian Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (CMHC)
Developed a series of energy efficiency
measures that can be retrofitted to high-rise
multi-unit residential buildings across Canada.
The measures were organized into packages to
decrease the greenhouse gas emissions by
20%, 30%, and 40% in a cost-effective manner.

SOFTWARE DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT

EFAST, U.S. EPA
Managed and developed software for part of
the “Tools for Schools” kit. The program
analyzes the cost and performance of energy
recovery ventilators for any location. The
calculation engine accounts for climate, freecooling and user-chosen ERV options.

Gas Cooling and Power Generation Guide,
Union Gas
Managed and developed a software feasibility
tool for modeling gas cooling and a small gas
power plant (distributed generation), with
waste heat reclamation and energy cost
savings.

FramePlus™ Online, Natural Resources Canada
Managed and developed a software tool for
calculating window performance to CSA
standards using generic framing systems.
Users can specify glazing, spacer, frame and
operator characteristics at project sizes.
Assisted in the investigation into subsidy
impacts on renewable energy technologies
being considered or implemented in remote
Canadian areas.
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