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Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Doors Open Waterloo Region 2016 features science and technology theme



(News Release)

Waterloo Region Forty-eight sites, many of which are not regularly open to the public, will participate in the 14th annual Doors Open Waterloo Region (DOWR) on Saturday, September 17, 2016.
Since 2003, well over 250 participating sites have opened their doors to more than 100,000 visits during Doors Open Waterloo Region.


The Doors Open Waterloo Region 2016 sites include both first-time participants and back-by-popular-demand favourites, selected for their architecture, heritage, or for the interesting things going on inside. Some sites have all three!

Most sites are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but several have shortened hours, so visitors are encouraged to carefully read the individual listings on the map/guide or on the website.

Doors Open Waterloo Region 2016 theme: Into Science + Tech
Get into science and tech… literally! It’s the 2016 Doors Open Waterloo Region theme. Explore special places that have earned Waterloo Region an international reputation as a hub of science and technology. 

All sites are listed at www.regionofwaterloo.ca/doorsopen and are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m unless noted:

 Google Kitchener-Waterloo office:
Check out how Googlers work! See the group fitness space, rock climbing wall, meditation room, Maker’s Lab, games room and more. 11 a.m. TALK - The Impact of Design and Architecture on Culture: Find out how Google’s culture is both shaped by, and reflected in, the design and architecture of its buildings.

 Bridgit HQ:
Bridgit’s software helps construction and development companies manage big projects. Bridgit won Google Demo Day in San Francisco, and its founders were named as the Techvibes Entrepreneurs of the Year. 100 Ahrens St. W. is now home to a variety of tech and creative services companies.

305 King St. W. – 4 Doors Open Sites

 Sweet Tooth:
Sweet Tooth is an app that allows online retailers to create their own points-based loyalty programs. Come get a taste of startup/Sweet Tooth life and enjoy the beautiful Kitchener skyline, including The Tannery, Kaufman Lofts and Victoria Park.

 reebee:
The reebee app makes it easy to browse local retail flyers, save money on everyday essentials, stay organized by creating detailed shopping lists, and be a savvy shopper. Visit reebee’s bright, inviting office in the 305 King building.

 Square:
Square started with a simple idea – that everyone should be able to accept credit cards – and they’ve been rethinking buying and selling ever since. Visit Square’s Kitchener office and staff will explain how their Silicon Valley company succeeds in Waterloo Region.

 mappedin HQ:
mappedin builds digital wayfinding experiences into customer-facing applications, such as interactive directories and maps in public spaces. Visitors can explore the open-concept office, located in what was Kitchener's first high-rise commercial centre. 

 REEP House for Sustainable Living:
This model home is one of the first residential retrofits certified Platinum under the Canada Green Building Council’s LEED Canada for Homes (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. REEP Green Solutions maintains REEP House to inspire action at your home by showcasing sustainable home technologies.

Into Science + Tech sites, continued

 Stantec Waterloo Region Office:
The remarkable innoTECH building achieved Waterloo Region’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification for new construction from the Canada Green Building Council. Stantec designed innoTECH’s beautiful, environmentally sustainable interiors, and expert staff will tell the story of how a building like innoTECH is designed and built.

 The Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre:
Explore this amazing building at the University of Waterloo; a state-of-the-art research centre and an architectural marvel. It’s the ideal environment for researchers to unlock the amazing power of quantum information science and the boundless potential of nanotechnology.

 Wilfrid Laurier University Science Building:
Interactive Science activities and guided tours will be offered at this academic hub for more than 3,500 full-time undergraduate science students and more than 180 graduate science students. Perhaps its most striking feature is the lovely three-storey, tree filled, skylit atrium that runs the length of the interior.

 Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics:

NO DROP-IN VISITS, ONLY PRE-REGISTERED GUIDED TOURS – SEE BELOW
The world’s largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics welcomes scientific explorers for Doors Open. Discover the award-winning space while learning about the Institute's research, training and educational outreach activities. Tours are free but timed tickets are required. Tickets available beginning Monday, August 29 online at www.perimeterinstitute.ca/tickets or by phone at 519-883-4480.

 Shopify Plus:
Originally a barrel warehouse at the Seagram distillery, this building was redesigned and expanded as a museum in 1984. It was later the home of The Centre for International Governance Innovation, and is now the new Waterloo office for Shopify Plus. Access by guided tour only, approx. every 15 min., 15 visitors per tour.

 Christie:
OPEN 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Christie will show its Christie MicroTiles, a customizable digital display canvas, followed by a visit to its manufacturing center to see the robotic technology used in the manufacture of laser projectors. Visitors will also see a demonstration of Christie VeinViewer technology, using near-infrared light to project a real-time digital image of a patient’s veins onto their skin. Access by guided tour only, approx. every 20 min., 25 visitors per tour.

 ACL Steel:
Tour this 38,000 sq. ft. metal fabrication facility, where structural steel building frames are designed, manufactured, and shipped out to industrial, commercial, and institutional construction projects in Waterloo Region and across North America. Some of this year’s participating Doors Open sites were built using steel from ACL! Closed-toe shoes required to tour this facility.

 Region of Waterloo International Airport Operations Centre:
The Operations Centre was built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver standards set by the Canada Green Building Council. Visitors will have a unique opportunity to see the airport’s firefighting and maintenance equipment up close, and will be able to speak with the Airfield Specialists who operate them.

 Clearpath Robotics
Clearpath is dedicated to automating the world's dullest, dirtiest and deadliest jobs with self-driving vehicle technology. Stop by to see Clearpath's colourful 25,000 sq. ft. headquarters, learn how industrial and research robots are made, and see them in action with live demos! Access by guided tour only, approx. every 20 min.

 Conestoga Engineering and Information Technology Campus
The bright, open and inviting building houses innovative technology labs, the Craig Richardson Institute of Food Processing pilot plant, and a welding shop. Take a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the food processing plant, architecture and interior design labs, and more. Certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver by the Canada Green Building Council.

 Greentec Inc.
Tour Greentec’s 82,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art processing facility and learn firsthand how old electronics and data are safely and securely destroyed. See the recycling process for e-waste, then watch and learn how materials like gold and copper are recovered for reuse. Access by guided tour only.

Waterloo North Hydro OPEN 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
See behind the scenes in the operations, administration, mechanical and control room areas at one of Ontario’s oldest electricity distribution companies. A Canada Green Building Council certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver facility, Waterloo North Hydro’s office/operations centre is designed to optimize energy efficiency and minimize environmental impact. Access by guided tour only. Last tour: 3:15 p.m.

Where can I find out more information about the Doors Open Waterloo Region event?
 Look for the map & guide at libraries, museums and tourist offices across Waterloo Region from July until September 17, or in the Saturday, September 10 edition of the Waterloo Region Record

 Photos and details of all of the Doors Open Waterloo Region sites can be viewed through links at www.regionofwaterloo.ca/doorsopen
Check out the website now and pick your own must-see sites!

 ‘Like’ the Doors Open Waterloo Region Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Doors-Open-Waterloo-Region/82880538162

 Follow Doors Open Waterloo Region on Twitter or Instagram @DoorsOpenWR

 Sign up at Eventbrite to get an event reminder https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/doors-open-waterloo-region-tickets-26087641839

Check the Doors Open Waterloo Region website this summer for information on:
 Children’s activities, music, drama presentations, heritage displays and other special events

Doors Open Waterloo Region 2016 is presented by the Region of Waterloo, and generously supported by The Record, City of Waterloo, City of Kitchener, City of Cambridge, and the Townships of Woolwich and Wellesley.

For more information about Doors Open Waterloo Region go to www.regionofwaterloo.ca/doorsopen
call 519-747-5139, or email doorsopen@regionofwaterloo.ca.

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