Connectivity is central to Eddy’s solu- tion. The system runs on LoRaWAN, a leading LPWAN (low power wide area network) technology, to achieve maximum connectivity in an environ- ment where Wi-Fi and cellular reception can often be impeded by rebar, concrete walls and other common building materials. Overall, says Allan, “Eddy’s system is the only one on offer today that offers both technologies, ensuring up to 99.999 per cent connectivity and future smart grid integration while enabling 24/7 monitoring and AI driven behav- ioural learning to provide an elevated level of customized protection.” The system has proven successful in several real-world applications. In one case study, Eddy Solutions imple- mented LoRaWAN sensors, hubs, and a property manager dashboard to help a luxury condo property in downtown Toronto reduce its severe water damage claims. After 60 days, the system identified 21 water- related issues throughout the building, including overflowing fixtures, leaking boiler room equipment and numerous heat exchanges that required draining. “In all instances, the property manager was alerted to the issues, prompting actions that mitigated damage,” Allan reports. “Left unchecked and unmon- itored, the damages and costs would have been significant.” Success stories like these continue to pour in – so much so that the company anticipates its Intelligent Water Protec- tion Solution will yield the bulk of its business over the next year. The Toronto-based business is proud to see its Intelligent Water Monitoring system bring tangible results to the construc- tion community. It is also thankful for the efforts of its team and the recogni- tion of its industry peers. “This award further validates the work that we are doing and the need for smart water monitoring in buildings of all types, and we plan to build on this incred- ible momentum going into 2019,” says Allan. SECONDPLACE NanoPhyll Inc. AntiStick It was NanoPhyll’s desire to reduce downtime, mitigate maintenance costs, and control the environmental impact of construction that inspired the Hamilton- based company to create AntiStick, a permanent form-release solution for regular and MDO-grade plywood used in concrete formwork. The solution is the result of the company’s idea to reduce the amount of chemicals used in traditional form- release solutions and create a product that improves the appearance, quality and longevity of formworks while only requiring one application. “Traditional form-release agents or formulations include solvent-based and water-based barrier agents as well as chemically reactive surface coat- ings. However, these agents need to be applied before each new use of the form materials to achieve a proper release effect after concrete curing,” explains Dr. Tanvir Ahmmed, NanoPhyll’s product development manager. “These multiple applications of the form-release agent increase the overall cost and downtime, as well as the environmental impacts of the chemicals used. Also, the use of some form-release agents leads to poor adhesion of paints to the concrete.” NanoPhyll’s AntiStick formulation, on the other hand, requires a single initial application over the lifetime of a plywood board, thereby reducing the environmental footprint of the chemicals used in the formulation and providing an easy release effect by attaching to the formwork. One of the biggest challenges for the company was creating a permanent solution for a highly-abrasive concrete pouring environment. The solution was tousefunctionalizednanoparticleswhich turned NanoPhyll’s polymer coating to a nanocomposite coating. “The inclusion of nanoparticles increased the mechan- ical strength and the abrasion resistance of the coating, thus producing a superior nanocomposite coating that can with- stand the highly-abrasive concrete form application,” says Ahmmed. Furthermore, NanoPhyll rendered its nanoparticles hydrophobic to make the coating anti-stick. Doing so enables the formwork to be released easily after each concrete casting, reducing costs and downtime. The product was put through several tests for abrasion resistance, Builders' Digest Quarter 4 2018 | 19