HPAC Magazine

CaGBC awards Mohawk College with Canada’s second Zero Carbon Building Design certification

June 15, 2018 | By Jillian Morgan


Mohawk College in Hamilton, ON has earned Canada’s second Zero Carbon Building Design certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).

Mohawk college zero carbon building design

The centre will house labs and classrooms specializing in fields such as clean and renewable energy, sustainable design, technology automation, cyber security and materials manufacturing, among others.

The college was awarded the certification for its planned Joyce Centre for Partnership and Innovation. The first to receive the certification was evolv1, a multi-tenant office building in Waterloo, ON.

The centre is one of 16 projects from across Canada, including evolv1, to be chosen as a pilot project for CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Standard.

To qualify for the certification, buildings must model a zero carbon balance and have highly efficient envelope and ventilation systems to meet a defined threshold for thermal demand intensity. A project must also have onsite renewable energy systems capable of providing a minimum of five per cent of building energy consumption.

Project teams are required to evaluate energy use holistically, including impacts on peak electricity, and determine the GHG emissions associated with structural and envelope materials.

Energy for the centre will be generated through solar photovoltaic panels. There will be nearly 500 solar panels mounted to canopies on the roof of the Joyce Centre. Curtain wall technology was used to improve insulation, and the centre will use no natural gas on-site.

The centre will also feature 38 geothermal wells that draw energy from more than 600 feet below the building.

“We worked diligently to enhance sustainable features using natural materials, maximizing natural light and views, applying finishes strategically, integrating water conservation measures and green roofs,” Joanne McCallum, CEO of mcCallumSather, said.

The Joyce Centre for Partnership and Innovation will be home to new and existing programs offered through Mohawk’s School of Engineering Technology. www.mohawkcollege.ca

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stories continue below