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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Large Georgian home leaves small enviro footprint

Ottawa’s first LEED Platinum detached house is located in the city’s upscale Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood northeast of downtown. It replaces an older, much modified and energy inefficient home that the owners had occupied for many years.

By Linda Chapman

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Sustainable engineering firm shows how it’s done in LEED Platinum headquarters

In the design of Enermodal’s new headquarters, A Grander View, the primary goal was to create a LEED Platinum office that would be the most energy-efficient in Canada. Since its completion in late 2009, energy consumption for the 2150 m2 building is 69 kWh/m2 of energy per year. This was very close to the design energy modelling predictions of 65 kWh/m2. This compares favourably with the Canadian average of almost 400 kWh/m2. Water consumption is a metered 82 % lower than for a conventional building – exceeding predictions by 9%. This level of performance was largely accomplished through an integrated mechanical system, although building form, orientation and materials all played a part.

By Stephen Carpenter

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Public building makes a statement with energy and water savings

by Jim Taggart

The 1,600 sq.m office and conservation centre has cut the need for potable water by 70%, and passive heating, high-efficiency boilers, and heat recovery ventilators have reduced energy use by 42%. The building has become a destination to learn about LEED construction, and best practices in water conservation and on-site septic treatment.

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Calgary Court Centre

Bridges connect the towers across the light-filled atrium at every level

by Bill Chomik

Located in the heart of Calgary, the new court centre serves both federal and provincial jurisdictions with a total of 73 courtrooms - one configured specifically for aboriginal hearings - making it the largest court facility in Canada. The design for the 1 million SF complex was driven by concerns for transparency, public space, sustainability, circulation, and flexibility. (more…)

Net Zero Water

Sustainability performance at the building, neighbourhood and city scale

Emerging storm water management methods represent a key approach to sustainability of integrating ecosystems within our infrastructure. [NE Siskiyou Green Street, Portland, OR; Kevin Robert Perry, ASLA]

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How water and waste infrastructure strategies at different scales, from the building to the city, can respond to sustainability and other challenges. (more…)

A sustainable response integrates culture and landscape

View along the rammed earth entry wall, an attractive and durable construction with excellent thermal qualities. Note the section of Cor-ten steel at the location of the service yard.

The design of Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre is a specific and sustainable response to the building’s unique context - the unusual Canadian desert found in the South Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Sited adjacent to a remnant of the Great Basin Desert, of which 1,600 acres are being preserved by the Osoyoos band as a conservation area, this interpretative centre is part of a larger 200-acre master plan. (more…)