Our Journey
Cobalt’s journey takes you through a series of key milestones that has inspired growth, thought leadership and innovation throughout the years.
In the Beginning
1957 - 2000
- 1957 - The original parent company, Vinto Engineering Ltd. (VEL) is established in Edmonton, Alberta
- 1986 - VEL move offices to 1200 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC; Staff count: Nine people
- 1990 - VEL completes first C-2000 project in Western Canada: Crestwood Corporate Centre Building 8 (Vancouver, BC)
2000 - 2004
- 2000 BOMA BC Toby Award: Crestwood Corporate Centre Building 8 (Vancouver, BC)
- 2001 - Cobalt moves offices to 625 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC;Staff count: 25-30 people
- 2002 Excellence in Urban Design Award: Coquitlam Centre (Coquitlam, BC)
- 2003 - LEED® and Modelling Services launch
- 2004 - First LEED Silver certified building in Canada: Semiahmoo Library and RCMP Facility (Surrey, BC)
- 2004 - First LEED Certified research facility in Canada: UBC Technology Enterprise Facility III (Vancouver, BC)
The Birth of Cobalt
2005
- May - VEL rebranded to Cobalt Engineering
- Jan - Partner Albert Bicol Appointed to Vancouver Urban Design Panel
- Jan - CEO Edward Smith named Business in Vancouver Top 40 under 40
- Aug - Partner Vladimir Mikler joins Technical Advisory Committee for Canadian GeoExchange Coalition
- Oct - First LEED certified residential high-rise tower in Canada: The Silva (North Vancouver, BC)
- Nov - First LEED certified financial institution in Canada: Envision Credit Union (Langley, BC)
- 2005 UDI Award of Excellence: The Taylor Building recognized by the Urban Development Institute for Excellence in Design
- 2005 Holcim Acknowledgement Award: Langara College Library (Vancouver, BC)
- 2005 Canadian Architect Awards of Excellence: Langara College Library (Vancouver, BC)
- 2005 ASHRAE Technology Award: UBC Technology Enterprise Facility III (Vancouver, BC) for mechanical design
2006
- July - Aquisition of Mahanti/Chu Engineering Ltd. adds electrical design services
- Aug - Toronto office opens
- Oct - Kelowna office opens
- Mar - Client Seminar Series launches in Vancouver, BC - AIBC-accredited seminars
- Apr - Awarded mechanical contract for Millennium Water (Southeast False Creek Olympic Village) (Vancouver, BC)
- Completed first P3 health care project in BC: Diamond Health Care Centre at Vancouver General Hospital (Vancouver, BC)
2007
- May - Aquisition of Pacific Rim Consultants Ltd. expanding electrical design services
- May - Cobalt Design & Management Ltd (CDML) - Cobalt’s sister company launches
- Feb - Partner Albert Bicol named as one of Building Design and Construction Magazine’s ‘Top 40 under 40’
- Apr - Named Canada’s Best Workplaces 2007
- Sept - First LEED Gold Certified long-term care facility in Canada: Cottonwood Lodge (Coquitlam, BC)
- Sept - Partner Ken Newbert appointed a member of the Standing Committee on Energy Efficiency in Buildings
2008
- Jan - Prince George office opens
- Sept - Client Seminar Series launches in Toronto, ON - Continuing Education CORE Program Provider seminars
- Sept - Sustainable Master Planning and Refrigeration services launches
- Nov - UBC School of Architecture + Landscape Architecture Appoints Partner Vladimir Mikler as Adjunct Professor
- Staff count: 144
- 2008 National Urban Design Awards: Leigh Square Community Arts Village awarded a certificate of merit in Civic Design
- 2008 Governor General’s Medal in Architecture: Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre
- 2008 SABMag Award: Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre and Langara College Library
- 2008 BC Hydro Power Smart Excellence Awards in Energy Management: Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- 2008 BC Hydro Power Smart Excellence Awards for Innovation in Sustainable Building Design: Discovery Green Building 12
- 2008 Sustainable Building Services Awards: Finalist for Langara College Library in International Scheme of the Year category
2009
- Nov - Mark Blamey becomes CEO at Cobalt
- Sept - Los Angeles office opens
- Jan - First LEED Gold aquarium in the world: Aquaquest at the Vancouver Aquarium (Vancouver, BC)
- Jan - Partner Vladimir Mikler Appointed to Vancouver Urban Design Panel
- Jan - First Canadian commercial structure with a pre-certified LEED Platinum Core and Shell: Metrotower III (Burnaby, BC)
- Feb - Partner Stuart Hood appointed to the West Vancouver Design Review Committee
- Apr - Named Canada’s Best Workplaces 2009
- Sept - Named one of BC’s Biggest Engineering firms in Business in Vancouver’s Book of Lists
- Dec - First LEED Platinum CS office building: Discovery Green Building 12 (Burnaby, BC)
- 2009 SABMag Award: Aquaquest at the Vancouver Aquarium (Vancouver, BC)
- 2009 NAIOP Real Estate Excellence Awards for Green Design Stewardship: Discovery Green Building 12 (Burnaby, BC)
- 2009 NAIOP Real Estate Excellence Awards for Mixed Use development: The Rise (Vancouver, BC)
2010
- 2010 Globe Award for Excellence in Urban Sustainability: Millennium Water (Southeast False Creek) (Vancouver, BC)
- 2010 SABMag Award: UBC Sauder School of Business (Vancouver, BC) and Gastown Rehab (Vancouver, BC)
- 2010 UDI Award for Excellence: Discovery Green Building (Burnaby, BC) and The Rise (Vancouver, BC)
2011
- Apr - Named Canada’s Best Workplaces 2011
- 2011 SAB Canadian Green Building Awards: Creekside Community Recreation Centre (Vancouver, BC) and Vancouver Island University Deep Bay Marine Field Station (Baynes Sound, BC)
A New Realm of Possibility
- Oct - All Associates become Associate Partners
- Oct - Cobalt joins Integral Group opening a new realm of possibility
