High- tech wind alert system is a ‘ big advantage’
Trampolines have flown through the air, roofs have blown off, and hail has hammered buildings during violent storms around Calgary this summer, but reports of loose construction material sent sailing by sudden wind gusts have been declining.
City staff and workers in the construction industry are crediting a specialized wind warning system with providing contractors enough lead time to secure materials before strong winds hit.
“At high speeds, anything that’s not tied down properly is going to dislodge and go sailing,” said Cliff de Jong, co- ordinator of issues management for planning and development at the City of Calgary.
After a three- year- old Calgary girl was killed by a 363- kilogram bundle of metal that flew off a highrise hotel under construction in a wind gust, the city introduced an electronic wind warning and notification system in 2011.
Michelle Krsek died instantly on Aug. 1, 2009, when construction debris plummeted from a downtown Calgary building during a violent windstorm — a tragic incident that also left the toddler’s six- year- old brother and father seriously injured.
The one- of- a- kind alert system is officially known as the Advanced Weather Forecasting System, and it’s mandatory for under- construction buildings five storeys or taller in the inner city and Beltline area.
The system sends construction contractors height- and site- specific information regarding how predicted wind gusts will impact their projects and advanced forecasts of heavy wind gusts through email alerts.
“It’s not your typical Environment Canada or weather channel weather predictions,” said de Jong.
Nearly four years after it launched, people who use the system — financed through building permit fees — say it’s been a success.
“It’s a big advantage to have it, especially with Calgary weather — it’s so unpredictable, it can be so extreme,” said Frederick Vine, senior vice- chair of the Calgary Construction Association.
This summer’s wild weather has included tornado warnings inside and outside of Calgary city limits, destructive hail storms that flooded city streets, and several intense thunderstorms.
“Absolutely, it’s an effective system,” said Chris Ruthven, regional safety manager at EllisDon Construction.
“It’s a definite benefit. It’s teaching us what the wind does and where, rather than just guessing.”
Since the two- phase system, which includes a mobile app and an alert system, was introduced there have been fewer serious calls regarding construction debris blowing off sites during windy weather, said de Jong.
He said many contractors will cancel or postpone riskier operations, shut down early, or be more aware that they need to “batten down the hatches,” thanks to the detailed information the weather forecasting system provides.
“What’s happening is ( companies) are doing risk management based on the wind’s prediction,” de Jong said.
Complaints to the city’s 311 phone line regarding falling debris from buildings under construction has dropped from 32 complaints in the first six months of 2014, to 24 in the first six months of this year, although it’s unknown how many complaints in either year were wind- related.