Pavilion a first in new sustainable development plan for lemurs

The main approach skirted by the moat. The Valley Zoo Makira Outpost provides indoor and outdoor accommodation for lemurs and visitors, and is the first building to adopt the new sustainable development principles of the zoo’s master plan.

by Troy Smith and Laura Plosz

Lemurs are native to the island of Madagascar, and most remaining species are now listed as endangered or threatened - largely due to habitat loss from deforestation. While conservation of lemurs in Madagascar is a high priority, the country’s poor economic situation and the lemurs’ limited range make protection and preservation an ongoing struggle. (more…)

Past and present coexist comfortably in heritage laboratory renovation

The BC granite facade and leaded windows were cleaned, and the copper scuppers and downspouts restored

Completed in 1923, the Chemistry Centre was UBC’s first permanent building and is a major heritage landmark.
It is one of only two Collegiate Gothic style buildings on campus, complete with granite facade, copper scuppers
and downspouts, leaded windows, and corridors with detailed brickwork and woodwork. (more…)

Sustainable shelter

considering the need for both human and animal interaction with the building introduced an extra level of design complexity

Design strives for LEED Gold in harsh climate

Built to handle more than 10,000 animals annually, this 4,000 sq.m sustainable shelter facility is located on a wooded lot that extends deep into the neighbouring community. The goal was to develop a building form and architectural character that would allow it to sit unobtrusively in its forest setting.
The design challenges were heightened by Winnipeg’s extreme climate, which includes hot summers and the third coldest winters of any major city in the world. (more…)

for high performance buildings

The Earth Rangers Centre uses earth tubes and a double foundation wall. The energy recovery in winter and summer is sufficient to temper the air about 5º C on average and up to 10º C on cold days.

It has become increasingly common to provide heat recovery on ventilation systems in buildings. In fact, it is difficult to achieve the minimum energy performance requirements for a LEED or other high performance building without it. (more…)

Trail breaker a LEED Silver first

The school is remarkable for its quality of light, with large areas of south facing glazing bringing high levels of daylight into classroom areas

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Empowered by the client’s mandate to build a “green” school, the design team pushed the envelope well beyond energy-efficient design, and set out to create a healthy, user-friendly learning environment that effectively facilitates the learning process in the true spirit of sustainability - all within the standard budget for school construction. (more…)