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Net Zero is the latest buzzword around the green building industry. The implication is that we should strive for buildings that consume only as much energy as they generate on site. The Living Building Challenge has set this target and the 2030 Challenge aims for zero carbon emissions from buildings by 2030. But is this the right end goal? While achieving net zero is laudable, in the Canadian climate it may be a technically unrealistic target or, at best, financially impractical, because of the significant capital investment required in on-site renewable energy generation.

By Stephen Carpenter

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This major adaptive reuse project is located on a two hectare site at the southern end of the downtown waterfront in Halifax with access from Lower Water Street. The site steps down approximately 7.5m from west to east, from Lower Water Street to the harbour. To the south there has been significant redevelopment of some of the existing harbour buildings including the NSCAD, and historic Pier 21. To the north and west vacant lots exist that will be subject to future development.

By WZMH Architects

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The Sisters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus [SCSHJ] is a Catholic order of nuns that originated in France in the 1820s, and spread to Quebec about a century later. The convent in Sherbrooke was established in 1911, and today its 160 residents represent about half the population of the SCSHJ order in the province.

By Jim Taggart

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Schlüter Systems manufactures accessories and membrane products for the tiling industry. Its Canadian headquarters, located in a rural part of Montreal, is a 6100m2 building that includes office space, a studio showroom, training facilities and a product warehouse.
The design, which emphasizes occupant comfort, energy efficiency, flexibility, longevity and ease of maintenance, is both a reflection of the Schlüter company philosophy and a showcase for its products.

By Anh le Quang

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The Waterloo Region Museum is located in the pastoral setting of Doon Heritage Village – a living history village that has interpreted the history of the Waterloo region since 1957. The Museum functions as a visitor centre, but also contains more than 1800m2 of gallery space to better relate the story of the region, its history and its people. The building contains a large central lobby, community and classroom spaces, a 120-seat theatre, and a dramatic ‘Quilt Wall’ façade facing the main street.

BY BRIAN RUDY

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Natural Resources Canada chose to relocate its CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory from Ottawa to Hamilton to be closer to the steel and manufacturing sectors it serves through metallurgical research and testing. Currently under review for LEED Platinum certification this new building raises the bar for the sustainable design of industrial buildings in Canada.

By Birgit Siber

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The Enmax conservatory came to life when the Calgary Zoo decided to convert two existing aging green houses from the 1960s into a new mixed use facility.  Set in the south portion of the Calgary Zoo campus, the new Enmax Conservatory houses a visitor centre and banquet facilities as well as two revitalized green houses. The green houses are now experiential learning facilities designed to educate visitors on the relationship between humans and their environment. The focus on ecological education informed design decisions at every stage of the project.

By Kaz Bremner

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The Centre of Excellence was designed and built as an innovative, sustainable post-secondary facility highly adapted to its site, climate and context. Opening in the fall of 2011, the facility will support a program mix that has a focus on sustainable building technologies and processes, as well as research and development of alternative and renewable sources of energy. The innovative features of the building itself will be used as a teaching tool to help train the next generation of trades people in green construction practices.

By Jim Taggart

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Hesquiaht Community School consists of a 1,330 m2 wood frame learning/community centre constructed in the isolated first nation community of Refuge Cove, 50km north of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Accessible only by air or water, Refuge Cove experiences severe climatic conditions in the form of 3.3m of annual precipitation and consistently strong southeasterly winds. The topography is steep, rugged and blanketed with thick underbrush and old growth forests.

By Leung Chow, McFarland Marceau Architects

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