Sleek, renovated public building employs passive heating and cooling

Located just north of the city walls, on a pier in the Bassin Louise, Pavillon Espace 400e was conceived as the focal point for Quebec City’s 400th anniversary celebrations which took place in 2008. The project transformed a 1950s cement factory [which had most recently served as an interpretive centre] into a venue for live performance, exhibitions, workshops and other events.

By Jim Taggart

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An educational tool in its own right

The Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Technologies and Renewable Energy Conservation in Penticton is a post-secondary training facility for students entering the new generation of sustainable building trades. With a floor area of 7,000 sq.m the project is by far the largest of Canada’s current contenders for the Living Building Challenge [LBC].

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Design of short lifespan building takes creative thinking

Commissioned by the Province of Manitoba, and designed for an initial five week service life as the provincial pavilion at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Centre Place Manitoba has now been successfully relocated and re-erected on the outskirts of Winnipeg. The design team had three main objectives in designing the structure: to embody the energy of the Province and its people; to reinforce Manitoba’s position as a centre for culture and trade; and demonstrate its commitment to sustainability. Given the temporary nature of the structure, the last of these objectives was the most challenging.

B y George Cibinel

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One of the first in Canada to meet Living Building Challenge

This 510m2 childcare centre endeavours to address the considerable environmental design ambitions of the Living Building Challenge with the unique early childhood learning objectives of the Reggio Emilio method. Unlike LEED, in which choices can be made as to which credits to pursue, the Living Building Challenge is unequivocal. In Version 1.3, for which the SFU Childcare Centre is registered, there are simply 16 design prerequisites, all of which must be met in order to achieve Living Building certification. The prerequisites are grouped into six categories or petals: Site, Materials, Energy, Water, Indoor Quality, and Beauty + Inspiration.

B y Karen Marler

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Combo of apartments, library, community centre aims for LEED Gold

The Mount Pleasant Centre sets a precedent, being the first truly multi-service community centre in Vancouver. The integrated program came about through the choice of site. Reviewing its options for the replacement of an aging community centre on the south edge of the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, the Vancouver Park Board began to look for a more central location.

By Jim Taggart

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Passive solar design, low-impact materials make award winner

Situated in Toronto’s Forest Hill, an old established neighbourhood of imposing, yet reserved residential architecture, the Cascade House disarms, with its bold rectangular forms and its striking material palette of green glass and dark slate.

By Paul Raff

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Simplicity, adaptability delivers more space and efficient footprint

This infill project in Vernon, BC replaces a neglected 1950s era single-family home with a duplex that that affects a five-fold increase in conditioned floor area from the original 1,100sf, yet increases site coverage by little more than half that figure. It is one of the few houses in Canada to achieve the highest possible rating, LEED Platinum, from the Canada Green Building Council.

By  Hugh J. Bitz

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Warehouse to Office in Saskatoon - aodbt architecture + interior d

Through the mid 2000s, the steady growth in our firm made it necessary for us to look for additional office space. After a lengthy search for suitable premises, a rather unassuming egg warehouse was selected for re-development.

By Charles Olfert

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