EP 19 · 2021-09-27 · 47:58
Natural Gas for Nova Scotia Builders: Construction Heat, Utility Coordination & the CSA Scope Boundary — Heritage Gas
Heritage Gas walks Atlantic Canada builders through how natural gas distribution actually works — procurement, civil coordination, safety, and the hydrogen transition — in the show's first energy-sector episode.
AC
Allison Coffin, MBA, P.Eng.
⟶ The story, written up — a sharp read with every fact on the record. Or skip straight to the moments that matter, as clips.
// CHAPTERS — TAP TO JUMP THE PLAYER
0:04Guests and Company Overview — Dan introduces the three Heritage Gas guests and Allison gives a company overview: NS natural gas distributor since 2003, subsidiary of Tri-Summit Utilities, regulated provincially, operating in HRM, Pictou County, and Cumberland County.2:12Natural Gas 101 and Pricing Stability — Jevin explains natural gas basics as a cleaner fossil fuel vs. coal-generated electricity. Discussion of commodity pricing volatility and how Heritage Gas uses fixed pipeline contracts to stabilise rates for customers.8:46Residential New Construction — Bedford West — Ryan describes Heritage Gas's role in fast-growing Bedford West subdivisions: coordinating with multiple builders, entering after foundations are in, running 10-15m service stubs to the HRM property line, and the division of scope at the meter.13:20Benefits, Reliability, and Commercial Growth — Jevin on reliability (99.9999% uptime tracked by Allison's team), natural gas generators gaining popularity post-hurricane outages, affordability vs. electricity and oil, and commercial portfolio savings in the millions.19:30Regulatory Scope, Contractor Qualifications, and Safety — Allison explains the CSA Z662 vs. B149 boundary at the meter. Ryan covers click-before-you-dig protocols, the InfoExcavation app, stop-and-talk education on site, and Heritage's barcode-tracked fittings programme — potentially the first Canadian utility to do 100% tracking.23:40Green Hydrogen and the Energy Transition — Allison on Heritage Gas's position for the energy transition: three-quarters of NS energy still fossil fuel, polyethylene pipe system suited to hydrogen blending, abundant NS wind for green hydrogen production, renewable natural gas.29:20Commercial Projects: Queen's Marque, Richmond Yards, Downtown Halifax — Jevin details Heritage Gas involvement in Queen's Marque (seawater plus gas hybrid), Richmond Yards, and downtown development challenges. Discussion of underground tram lines, Halifax bedrock vs. directional drilling in Cumberland County, and archaeological finds.36:10Getting Involved Early in the Design Stage — Jevin on the shift from reactive ('when shovels hit the ground') to proactive design-stage engagement: being in the room at mechanical specification produces better outcomes for developers and for Heritage Gas.40:50Construction Heating, HVAC Trends, and Emergency Response — Jevin on natural gas construction heating for curing slabs and drywall — common in western Canada but underused in NS. Ryan on Cogswell and Spring Garden utility relocations, and the emergency response function (third-party strikes, ice/car impacts).
// THE INTRO
Host Daniel Arsenault sits down with three Heritage Gas staff — Allison Coffin (Manager, Engineering & Construction), Ryan Boudreau (construction crew lead), and Jevin MacLellan (new construction account manager) — for the podcast's first energy-sector episode. The conversation covers Heritage Gas's history as Nova Scotia's sole natural gas distributor since 2003, the mechanics of connecting new residential subdivisions (Bedford West) and major commercial projects (Queen's Marque, Richmond Yards), commodity price volatility and how fixed contracts stabilise customer pricing, the CSA regulatory boundary between the utility meter and the building, the click-before-you-dig safety regime and Heritage's barcode-tracked asset programme, and a forward-looking segment on green hydrogen blending and renewable natural gas. For construction operators the most actionable material is the insight that getting Heritage Gas into design-stage conversations — not just at shovel-drop — dramatically simplifies mechanical specification, and that natural gas construction heating (curing slabs, drywall, frost fighting) is an underused option on Nova Scotia job sites despite being standard practice in western Canada.
// THE LESSONS
See all 10 lessons ▸Engage the natural gas utility at the mechanical design stage — not at shovel-drop — to keep gas as a live option and simplify specification.
“the sooner that we can get involved in the conversations the better”
Fixed pipeline supply contracts are the tool Heritage Gas uses to dampen commodity price volatility for customers; operators choosing energy sources should ask suppliers how they manage that exposure.
“entering into these contracts allows us to be more confident in the security of the price”
Natural gas construction heating (curing slabs, drywall, frost fighting) is standard in western Canada but underused in Nova Scotia — it is available here once street gas exists near the site.
“project guys that do projects out west wonder how they can get the natural gas for the construction heat”
The Heritage Gas scope ends at the meter under CSA Z662; everything inside the building is CSA B149 and a different qualified contractor — clarifying this boundary at tender avoids scope gaps.
“heritage gas falls under csa standard z662... once you get past our meter set into the house you fall under csa”
Utilities are last in the ground in new subdivisions because they are shallowest; gas crews need only 10-15m service stubs once foundations are poured — coordinate timing accordingly.
“we're usually the last utility in because we're typically the shallowest”
Heritage Gas's barcode-tracking of every in-ground fitting (100% as of this episode) is a model for asset-lifecycle management; construction operators should ask utilities what tracking they keep on buried infrastructure.
“all of our pipe and fittings that are getting put in the ground are tracked”
Working in existing urban streets (Halifax Peninsula) involves unexpected buried infrastructure — tram lines, old retaining walls, archaeologically significant material — budget for discovery and have a protocol for archaeologist engagement.
“we encountered some abandoned tram lines under the asphalt... we work with a local archaeologist”
Nova Scotia's polyethylene gas distribution system (all pipe under 20 years old) is technically ready for hydrogen blending — new builds that spec gas today are not stranding an asset.
“those materials are more conducive to the idea of blending hydrogen with your natural gas”
Halifax Peninsula's bedrock means trenching only — no directional drilling — which is slower and more expensive; factor this into civil schedules for downtown gas connections.
“we have a high amount of bedrock so all of our work here is trenched”
Commercial anchor customers drive infrastructure expansion routes; residential operators near large commercial developments have a better chance of getting gas service than those in purely residential areas.
“a lot of times commercial customers dictate the direction that we're going and how far we can go”
// CLIPS FROM THIS EPISODE
Story · 2:51
“so we're actually the second franchise holder”
Story · 9:12
“yeah i uh it's pretty crazy the amount of construction uh in town”
Framework · 10:56
“so what we do is uh contractor that's building the subdivision will install the pipes”
Hot take · 12:23
“some some builders are you know some some builders do a hundred percent”
Hot take · 14:15
“with the natural gas infrastructure it's hard to be everywhere uh that our customers want us to be”
Story · 19:38
“my team actually tracks and reports our stats on how reliable our system is”
Framework · 22:02
“any mechanical contractor can i'm not sure just a qualifier doesn't need to be a preferred contractor”
Framework · 24:00
“everybody's heard of call before you dig or it's click before you dig now”
Hot take · 26:20
“the other thing i guess we're we're now uh tracking all of our fittings”
Framework · 27:38
“i think we know the energy system that we rely on today is going to look very different in the future”
Framework · 28:55
“the other thing that's interesting here of course in nova scotia we have an abundance of wind resources”
Story · 30:17
“just look at the queen's mark building just uh behind us here”
Framework · 35:04
“so when we're installing like up in cumberland county uh the ground is very conducive to trenchless technology”
Story · 36:25
“sometimes we'll actually encounter old artifacts so we work with a local archaeologist”
Framework · 38:16
“so in western canada ontario typically you know a lot of the project manager site managers will utilize the natural gas resource”
Story · 46:20
“could be a couple of things so it could be like a third-party contractor digging in the street without locates”
All 10 lessons from this episode, on one page.
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// FEATURED BUSINESSES
Eastward Energy Incorporated
Eastward Energy is Nova Scotia's natural gas distribution utility, holding a franchise to distribute n…
The Armour Group Limited
Halifax-based, family-held real estate company that integrates investment, design, development, constr…
Liberty Utilities (Gas New Brunswick) LP
Regulated natural gas distribution utility holding the franchise to distribute gas in New Brunswick. I…
// FACT-CHECKED ✓ web-verified, with sources
✓ VERIFIED
Heritage Gas scope ends at the meter under CSA Z662; everything inside the building falls under CSA B149 and requires a different qualified contractor.
CSA Z662 applies to pipeline systems up to the customer meter set assembly; CSA B149.1 covers all downstream piping and appliance installations. This boundary is well-established in Canadian gas regulation.
SOURCE ▸✓ VERIFIED
Heritage Gas has been Nova Scotia's sole natural gas distributor since 2003.
Confirmed: Heritage Gas (now Eastward Energy) was formed in 2003 and holds a provincial franchise for natural gas distribution in Nova Scotia. NS Energy Department also confirms single-distributor structure.
SOURCE ▸✓ VERIFIED
Queen's Marque uses a seawater energy system supplemented by natural gas — a hybrid approach.
CBC and ConstructConnect both confirm the seawater heat pump system drawing from Halifax Harbour at 12m depth, 600m offshore. Natural gas supplement for heating and restaurant kitchens is consistent with Heritage Gas involvement.
SOURCE ▸// COMPANIES & ORGS ✓ verified
Eastward Energy (formerly Heritage Gas Limited)TriSummit Utilities Inc.Allison Coffin, MBA, P.Eng.Jevin MacLellanThe Armour Group Limited ▸Queen's MarqueRichmond YardsCogswell District RedevelopmentLiberty Utilities (New Brunswick Gas) Ltd.
// PROJECTS NAMED
Queen's MarqueRichmond YardsBedford WestCanard BuildingCogswell District RedevelopmentSpring Garden Road Utility UndergroundingKeys Brewing (excavation)
SOURCE: podscope · public episode data · JcCc3XbzcPY