OSPE - The Voice - September 2016 - 37

student spotlight engineering his own career path: Jake lipohar's entrepreneurial approach to his future W hile Jake Lipohar didn't always know what career path he wanted to follow, he was always certain that whatever the career choice, it would have to make a difference in people's lives. This desire, coupled with his love of math and science, guided Lipohar towards the best means for problem-solving that he could think of - an education in engineering. A recent graduate from Carleton University's Architectural Conservation and Sustainability Engineering program, Lipohar chose to pursue an education in civil engineering over other areas of interest, like aerospace engineering, because of the wider range of society that he believed he could help. "The most appealing aspect of my studies and my current area of focus at work has been the emphasis on sustainability and conservation. It's important to consider the environmental impacts of all aspects of a project, from building materials to energy use," said Lipohar. "I learned this firsthand while completing my capstone project with Windmill Development Group, working on a structural rehabilitation project on Albert Island." Lipohar was part of a 25-person team tasked with revitalizing two structures and developing an entirely new one on the former Domtar Lands. These undertakings were part of a broader initiative called the Zibi Project, which is intended to restore public access to a contaminated and abandoned section of waterfront between Chaudière Falls and Victoria Island. "The idea of working on a historic structure that was over 100 years old was exciting, so I jumped at the opportunity," said Lipohar, whose Top: Jake Lipohar with incoming ESSCO President Mike Lavdas. Bottom: Jake Lipohar leading ESSCO President's Meeting in Toronto, 2015. role was to reinforce the structure's clay masonry so that the walls would be fully resistant to earthquakes. To do so, Lipohar experimented with the design of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics and a surface-mounted thin strip system. In the end, the surface-mounted strips proved successful in increasing the walls' resistance capabilities. Lipohar is currently working for Bentall Kennedy, a real estate investment advisory and services firm that is committed to addressing real estate's environmental and social impacts. Working under the Manager, Technical Projects, Lipohar's supervisor is a P.Eng. who is able to validate his work at the firm. Lipohar is participating in critical infrastructure construction projects, including Ottawa's Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, and is working on the recertification of the Sun Life Financial Centre to meet LEED Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance standards. His day-to-day activities often include aggregating information on the Sun Life building's HVAC systems, occupancy September 2016 The VOICe 37

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