RWDI

RWDI started with snow accumulation and drifting studies for Southern Ontario’s farming community. Frank Theakston, a professor at the University of Guelph in the Ontario Agricultural College,{{Cite news |last=Keeling |first=Betty |date=17 July 1969 |title=Receives engineering distinction |pages=3 |work=News Bulletin University of Guelph |url=https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/c2272b75-3c16-4fdc-8937-78a65ddc9e94/content |access-date=30 August 2023}} developed a technique to simulate ground-level winds and drifting snow using an open-channel water flume.{{Cite web |title=William Rowan, P.Eng |url=https://peo.on.ca/about-peo/awards/william-rowan-peng |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=Professional Engineers Ontario |language=en}} Bill Rowan, one of RWDI's founders, worked with Theakston and marketed the technique to local architectural firms. The Canadian government eventually included it in design standards.{{Cite web |title=RWDI Creates Better Habitats {{!}} 2016-05-11 {{!}} ENR {{!}} Engineering News-Record |url=https://www.enr.com/articles/39420-rwdi-creates-better-habitats |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=www.enr.com |language=en}}

In 1974, Colin Williams joined to work on the water flume. Anton Davies led the building of the first wind tunnel in 1978,{{Cite web |title=Anton Davies – CTBUH |url=https://www.ctbuh.org/people-profile/anton-davies |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=www.ctbuh.org}} and Peter Irwin joined in 1980 to further develop the firm's wind engineering capabilities.{{Cite web |title=Peter Irwin – CTBUH |url=https://www.ctbuh.org/people-profile/peter-irwin |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=www.ctbuh.org}} In 1982, the firm became a branch of Morrison Hershfield.

After projects including Toronto's SkyDome (1985){{Cite web |title=Wind engineer reaches dizzying heights |url=https://mcgillnews.mcgill.ca/s/1762/news/interior.aspx?sid=1762&gid=2&pgid=2063 |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=mcgillnews.mcgill.ca | date=3 April 2019 |language=en}} and the Wind-gate in Buffalo (1984), the founding members wanted to establish their own firm. Thus, Bill Rowan, Colin Williams, Anton Davies, and Peter Irwin formed Rowan Williams Davies and Irwin (RWDI). Bill Rowan was its first President.{{Cite news |date=2019-03-28 |title=Why this Ontario engineering firm is the go-to for starchitects designing the world's supertall towers |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/rob-magazine/article-why-this-ontario-engineering-firm-is-the-go-to-for-starchitects/ |access-date=2023-08-30}}

Launched as the first RWDI spinoff company:  

• Established in 2000, Motioneering designs and delivers specialized damping systems for buildings, bridges, and other structures. Motioneering has consulted on over 300+ supplementary damping systems worldwide, including the iconic tuned mass damper ball in Taipei 101,{{Citation |title=Taipei 101 |date=2023-08-02 |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Taipei_101&oldid=1168387869 |work=Wikipedia |access-date=2023-08-04 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2005-07-19 |title=Taipei 101's 730-Ton Tuned Mass Damper |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/a266/1612252/ |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=Popular Mechanics |language=en-US}} Shanghai Tower, 111 West 57th Street Tower, Central Park Tower, Madison Square Garden, Grand Canyon Skywalk, and the Dublin Spire.{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Michelle |date=2015-08-07 |title=Keeping Skyscrapers From Blowing in the Wind |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/realestate/keeping-skyscrapers-from-blowing-in-the-wind.html |access-date=2023-08-09 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |title=Damping Projects |url=https://www.motioneering.ca/projects |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=Motioneering |language=en}}

Launched under the RWDI Ventures Incubator:{{Cite web |title=RWDI Ventures |url=https://www.rwdiventures.com/ |access-date=2023-12-07 |language=en-CA}}

• Orbital Stack is a web-based software solution that simulates various climate conditions for engineering and architectural design. Launched in 2020, Orbital Stack uses both artificial intelligence (AI) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model wind comfort and safety, airflow patterns, outdoor thermal comfort and daylighting, and cladding pressure for buildings and urban spaces.{{Cite web |title=AI-powered CFD Tool Based on Decades of Wind Tunnel Data |url=https://www.neuralconcept.com/post/neural-concept-rwdi-partner-to-create-ai-powered-cfd-tool |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=www.neuralconcept.com}}{{Cite web |title=Orbital Stack |url=https://orbitalstack.com/ |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=Orbital Stack |language=en-US}}
• ClimateFirst is climate-risk analysis software that models the impact of a changing climate on specific building systems to determine financial costs and provide practical guidance to mitigate risks.{{Cite web |title=ClimateFirst: Manage Climate Risk and Costs for Buildings |url=https://climatefirst.net/ |access-date=2023-12-07 |website=ClimateFirst Building Solutions Inc. |language=en-US}}
• ParticleOne is a predictive software tool that monitors indoor air quality, including airborne diseases, and models specific viral risks (including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, rhinovirus, and RSV).{{Cite web |last=ParticleOne |title=Canadian engineers and scientists develop technology to measure, track, and reduce COVID risks inside buildings |url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canadian-engineers-and-scientists-develop-technology-to-measure-track-and-reduce-covid-risks-inside-buildings-863453635.html |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=www.newswire.ca |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=ParticleOne |url=https://particleone.com/ |access-date=2023-08-09 |language=en-US}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.rwdi.com/ RWDI's official website]
• [http://enr.construction.com/projects/international/archives/031124a.asp Giant Damper Doubles as Building’s Interior Adornment]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312172824/http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/jun2006/id20060609_507158.htm?chan=innovation_architecture_great+spaces Canadian wind engineering specialists contribute to winning design for new Singapore casino]
• [http://football.ballparks.com/NFL/HoustonTexans/index.htm Reference to RWDI's contribution to the design of the Reliant Stadium]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060513035741/http://www.ballparkwatch.com/stadiums/new/philadelphia.htm Reference to RWDI's contribution to the design of the Citizens Bank Park Stadium, home of the Philadelphia Phillies]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060906150436/http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/highlights/2003/0306tacoma_e.html RWDI tests Tacoma Narrows Bridge models in NRC wind tunnel]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927192634/http://cbs4.com/local/local_story_163170749.html CBS TV News interview with RWDI's Florida facility]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070810210425/http://www.motioneering.ca/User/Doc/pp_comcast_center.pdf World's Largest TLCD in Philadelphia]
• [https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/canadexport/0006445.aspx?lang=eng RWDI and Burj Khalifa]

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Category:Engineering companies of Canada

Category:Companies based in Guelph

Category:Consulting firms established in 1972

Category:1972 establishments in Ontario