This is a guest post from Tate Engineering Incorporated
(Member since 2013)
Tate Engineering continues to use unique and flexible approaches for facility solutions
Necessity is certainly the mother of invention for Roxanne Tate. In 2011, she was expecting her third child and her husband, Murray Tate, was on the verge of relocating the family to advance his career. In light of this — and the fact their eldest child would be starting school soon — she informed her employer she wouldn’t be returning from maternity leave. “Family is our first priority,” says Roxanne. “We knew we needed work closer to home to be there for our children. That’s when I decided I would start a company.”
After spending an exhaustive year doing research and building a contact base, Roxanne started the incorporation process in 2012, to open Tate Engineering.
“Eighteen months into it, Murray decided to join the company,” she says with the hint of pride.
With Murray handling project management and Roxanne covering energy management, the duo continued to expand their reach. They focused on collaborations to compete for larger mandates.
One of Tate Engineering’s biggest jobs involved the new Nova Centre, for which Murray chaired the Works Committee, comprised of the four major stakeholder groups. Since the opening of the Convention Centre, reviews of the facility have been positive.
“We wanted to be a part of this project because of the impact it’s now having on the province,” says Roxanne.
Then there was Milton Christian Church in Queen’s County, which the parishioners could scarcely afford to maintain.
“We did a needs evaluation and determined that the sanctuary area was near and dear to their hearts,” says Roxanne. “If they built a new building it was going onto the property next door, so we thought ‘What if you could have both?’”
After a detailed assessment it was determined that relocating the original church was a feasible option and the sanctuary was preserved, reinforced and placed on a new foundation.
“Now the parishioners have a facility that they can afford to heat, that is comfortable and accessible — and they host activities there throughout the week.”
Tate Engineering has also taken some creative approaches to energy management.
“We initiated an energy efficiency competition with a few long-term care facilities. Since they have limited capital we worked with the premise that they wouldn’t pay anything if they didn't save energy.”
Despite the gamble, this paid dividends because all but one home reduced their energy use and the initiative has led to additional work with homes on a larger scale.
“It also demonstrated the value of behaviour change and monitoring energy use, because you need to measure what you want to manage.”
According to Roxanne, Tate Engineering’s consistent integrity, effectiveness and tenacity are key to their success.
“We follow through. Nobody wants to waste money and time, so we strive to clearly define our objectives at the beginning of a project and we outline our approach to success. This provides opportunity for stakeholders to engage in the process and tailor the solution to meet their specific needs.”
Flexibility is another cornerstone of their unique approach.
“We can also change and adapt by identifying roadblocks, digging down to the root cause and then work through it. The solution needs to be effective and it needs to align with the client’s core values.”
Thanks to the relationships Tate Engineering has cultivated over the years, the company’s pool of resources continues to expand.
“If we’re working on a small project, we build the appropriate team to suit that project — if we have something larger and dynamic which requires a diverse team, we now have a network of experienced professionals.”
Looking to the horizon, Roxanne sees Tate Engineering’s expanding roster as a healthy sign.
“We’re a growing team. We’ve recently hired a Senior Project Manager and have plans to recruit a junior or intermediate team member later this year. We’re really excited to have them on board and look forward to what we can do together in the future.”
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