All posts by Giulio

Sustainability, Technology, Top Stories

A step ahead

Leave a comment

Empire Communities embraces green building and with a constant eye on the future

By GREG McMILLAN
It’s one thing to talk about green building goals, it’s quite another to actually have a top-of-the-line track record that’s beyond reproach.

And as an undisputed leader in sustainable design and development, Empire Communities falls comfortably into the latter grouping.

“We strive to create the best possible homes to meet our customers’ evolving needs, and plan to continue innovating to make a positive environmental impact in the long-run,” says Paul Golini Jr., Empire Communities’ executive vice-president and co-founder.

The proof is in the track record. Empire was one of the first in the new home industry to offer Energy Star qualification – an international criterion for energy efficient consumer products – as a standard on every home, using the Energy Star name and logo as part of their green halo for the company.

Moreover, Empire is the leading new home builder in Southwestern Ontario for Energy Star and the fourth largest Energy Star builder in Canada. The company, with headquarters in Vaughn, Ontario, believes that building green is the key to building communities and homes that will benefit both the homeowner and surrounding environment.

Empire was part of the Energy Star Next Generation 2013 committee, attended the Innovative Information Home and the Green Builder Conference, while Golini Jr. serves on the board of directors of EnerQuality, a group that designs and delivers green building programs to the residential construction industry in Ontario.

When it comes to awards, Empire steps to the front of the line, as well. In 2013, 2012 and 2011, the company was named green builder of the year by the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), a prestigious three-year run that recognizes best-in-class builders leading the way in sustainable design and development.

Empire was also awarded the green builder of the year award by EnerQuality, a company that designs and delivers green building programs to the residential construction industry in Ontario, in 2013, 2011 and 2008. The Hamilton and Halton Home Builder Association (HHHBA) also bestowed its green builder of the year award to Empire in 2008 and 2011, while the Waterloo Region Home Builder Association followed suit in 2012.

“Working in concert with private sector companies like EnerQuality and government entities like Natural Resources Canada (NrCan) has contributed to the cultivation of a very healthy collaborative building environment,” says Golini Jr. “Our combined efforts are producing structures that meet or exceed recommended green building standards, and the people of Canada are reaping the benefits with lower energy costs, and a lower impact on the environment.”

Empire adheres to the Energy Star standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In accordance with these guidelines, its homes include high performance windows, taped ducts for better air tightness and upgraded insulation. And Empire also utilizes products and services from Reliance Home Comfort, a leading provider of heating and cooling solutions.

Empire tends to go the extra mile when it comes to sustainability. For example, in Niagara Falls, Golini Jr. points out that its Imagine site is the most progressive green home community available to consumers from any volume builder ever in Canada. Empire has built two geothermal model homes in the community and this is available as an option for Imagine homeowners. In addition, Empire has installed an electric vehicle charging station by the presentation centre and an additional one in the garage of one of their model homes to showcase how this option would appear in the home. All in all, the initiative is yet another example of how Empire is surpassing the use of Energy Star in creative and innovative ways.

“We are the first production builder in Ontario to adopt Energy Star as a standard across all product lines and in every one of our sites in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area,” Golini Jr. says. “We constantly strive to keep up and exceed current and upcoming versions of Energy Star.

“Empire works with trades and manufacturer partners to test and measure new technologies to employ in our homes, while always having a current Discovery home in construction,” adds Golini Jr.

“We took a leading role in planning, marketing and constructing the Archetype Sustainable House project at Kortright Conservation Centre, a joint venture with BILD and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), and we are currently building an Optimum home at our Summerlea community (near Hamilton) which takes Energy Star to the next level.”

Each Empire home is carefully designed and built to reduce energy bills and promote a healthier living environment, helping residents to save money and enjoy a higher quality of life. Golini Jr. says the company also employs a green team of experts to educate homeowners on the inner workings of their new energy-efficient homes.

 

Web: http://www.empirecommunities.com/

Recognized for its outstanding attention to detail and best-in-class customer service, Empire Communities designs and builds commercial, industrial, low-rise and high rise residential, luxury new homes, and affordable housing properties. Over the past 20 years, Empire has developed some of the most successful master-planned communities in the area, including over 5,100 houses and 3,200 condominium units. Its commitment to using energy-efficient amenities and appliances sets the standard for eco-friendly living to help promote a sustainable future.

 

Architecture, Ideas, Sustainability, Trends, Wood

Safe, Strong and Sophisticated – New Construction Option to Transform Ontario Streetscapes

Leave a comment

By Michael Giroux

A change in construction rules for midrise buildings in Ontario will not only reduce their carbon footprint through the increased use of renewable wood products, but will also create more job opportunities and increase government tax revenues – all under one roof.

The government’s recent decision to propose amendments to the Ontario Building Code to allow for the use of wood in the construction of buildings of up to six-storeys, an increase from the current four, will provide a new construction option that fully meets the health, safety, structural and fire performance requirements of the building code.

The decision is the result of participation in a lengthy, research-driven 2015 Model National Building Code of Canada process that has involved a great deal of consultation and input from expert stakeholders, including many from Ontario’s building industry, which encourages performance focused innovation.

Changes to the Code are expected to create new economic opportunity by unlocking urban development along main-streets and along key transit routes. Both are key to human scale urban intensification – so important for sustainable communities.

These changes also allow for a new construction choice that will lead to increased competition at the building materials level, the opportunity for lower costs for homebuilders and the potential for increased affordability for homebuyers. In fact, in jurisdictions where such buildings are already permitted, there is ample evidence of cost savings of 12% or more.

Changes to the Code are also aligned with the province’s 2006 Provincial Places to Grow Growth Plan. Its vision is to take advantage of existing infrastructure to support growth in a more compact and efficient way. This includes intensification in built up areas, and the reduction of dependence on the automobile by building mixed-use, transit-supportive, pedestrian-friendly developments. The Plan also calls for a range and mix of housing, taking into account affordable housing needs.

The Ontario building industry argued in favour of these and other benefits of a Code amendment in a 2013 report called, Unlocking the Potential for Mid-Rise Buildings. The report, commissioned by the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) outlines the immense potential in neighbourhoods that have underutilized land on major avenues and corridors. It shows that mid-rise buildings are often well served by existing infrastructure and transit, and can help to meet the demand of the increasing population in cities in and around the Greater Toronto Area.

Similar changes to the British Columbia Building Code in 2009 have been credited not only for increased job creation and taxes for municipalities, but the availability of affordable housing in that province. In fact, the new wood mid-rise option is so popular with B.C. builders that more than 150 projects representing more than 250 of these buildings are either built or under construction.

The safety of these buildings isn’t an issue, as some inaccurately suggest. In fact, research shows the number of post-occupancy fire incidents does not increase with wood construction. A leading group of scientists and academics from across North America, under the direction of a team at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) in British Columbia, recently completed a comprehensive study on the potential vulnerabilities of wood mid-rise buildings versus other building types. The research showed zero causalities across all construction types; similar injury rates across all construction types; and ultimately, remarkably similar fire spread with no distinguishable differences by construction type. As well, because of the design of these buildings and the use of active and passive fire protection systems, required in all building types, most fires were confined to between the room of origin and the floor of origin.

What’s more, the proposed 2015 Model National Fire Code contains many new provisions specific to the construction phase of 5- and 6- storey wood mid-rise building projects that address potential fire hazards and provide solutions to reduce risks. Once adopted by provinces, these new requirements make these buildings amongst the safest to build of any building types.

Safe, strong, sophisticated… we look forward to seeing this construction option, already available in other Canadian and USA jurisdictions, adopted in Ontario.

Michael Giroux is President of the Canadian Wood Council

 

Architecture, Ideas, Style, Sustainability, Technology, Trends

+HOUSE: House for a client with acute environmental sensitivities

Leave a comment

superkul inc. architect

uperkül inc | architect designed this unique home in Mulmur, Ontario for a client with allergies and acute sensitivities to dust, pollen, electromagnetic radiation and a long list of construction materials. +HOUSE sets a new precedent in Canadian environmental design by exceeding standard requirements without sacrificing aesthetics or appearing utilitarian. The home creates a strong connection between its own insular world and its beautiful surrounding landscape while providing a truly healthy retreat from environmental threat.

The design process began with the architect and client extensively researching and testing proposed building materials to ensure the client would not experience any adverse physical reaction. The design balances LEED criteria – the project is LEED Gold-­‐targeted – with the client’s unique requirements. In certain situations, LEED standards, such as using materials with higher recycled content, were not suitable.

superkul_+HOUSE_hi_14

+HOUSE’s stripped down minimalism, conceptual clarity, refined details and functional spaces integrate a wealth of health sensitive technologies. The structural walls were comprised of insulated cement-­‐bonded inert wood fibre blocks that inhibit the growth of fungi and molds. The interior walls were finished with a natural clay plaster, a mold-­‐resistant product that helps regulate interior humidity and temperature, and required no paint finish. Zero VOC paint was sparingly used and was generally applied offsite to avoid gas emissions. A soy-­‐based sealer was used for the concrete polished floors and counters, and PVC-­‐free blackout roller shades and untreated silk and hemp fabric were used for the window treatments.

Sliding wood and glass doors at the front of the house pull fresh air in from the south, and skylights and clerestory windows on the north wall circulate it out, cooling the house. During pollen season, the owners can seal the interior and turn on the air conditioning generated by a pond-­‐loop geothermal system, which also heats the house via a radiant floor system. Ducts were installed with hospital grade filters. Electrical conduit was run vertically rather than horizontally to minimize the creation of fatigue-­‐inducing electromagnetic fields. Construction required special protocols – no solvents, no gasoline-­‐fired tools, and no combustion heaters.

superkul_+HOUSE_hi_06

Despite the house’s health-­‐conscious and sustainable agenda, contemporary design feels like its impetus. The open concept interior feels welcoming and airy. A mostly opaque northern wall is sheltering while the fourteen-­‐foot high triple-­‐paned glass south wall provides extensive day-­‐lighting and expansive views of the landscape and access to a long cedar deck. Cloaked by a green roof that extends the natural slope of the land, the design blurs the distinction between inside and out.

The site’s existing natural conditions were preserved and enhanced where possible. Built into a hill overlooking a pond, this linear house sits on the footprint of a previous dwelling. Nearly a dozen mature trees were transplanted to a local nursery to protect them during construction and replanted once the house was complete. Low-­‐maintenance local grasses and plantings reduce irrigation, and integrate with the local ecosystem. A permeable driveway mitigates storm water run-­‐off.

This carefully considered house exemplifies a new architectural approach that marries aesthetic and environmental concerns to create thoughtful domestic spaces that are balanced, natural and sustainable.

superkul_+HOUSE_hi_10

Architecture, Ideas, Sustainability, Trends

Eco-friendly E’terra Samara Tree-house Villas

Leave a comment

Farrow Partnership Architects

Context

Situated at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula, the site currently features a 5-star eco-resort founded by a client who is committed to creating a restorative place in the forest that harmonizes with nature. Existing structures on the site are certified LEED Gold, and the dining room serves seasonal, organic and local foods.
The owner’s intent has consistently been to balance ecology, economics and ethics—three Es which generated the name E’Terra. From a marketing perspective, the resort aims to establish itself as “your sanctuary of choice” by addressing the mental, physical and spiritual dimensions of health.

Integration of sustainable design
Fabric bonnets are attached to the wooden frame and function like the leaves of a tree, providing shade and comfort while actively neutralizing airborne pollutants and odors. The bonnets are PTFE fiberglass coated non-toxic and flame-resistant TiO2 (titanium dioxide) fabric. The self-cleaning benefits of TiO2 bonnet allow the material to break down dirt and other organic materials through a chemical reaction with the sun’s UV rays, oxygen and water vapor present in the air.
The samara villas use composting toilets and filter the low-flow showers gray water and feed it back into the forest system. The limited amount of electricity required is gained through a decentralized PV power grid thereby generating its own energy and processing its own waste.
Materials have been chosen for their inherent economical qualities. They are non-toxic and transparently-sourced from socially equitable origins.

Image 4

Innovation in addressing client’s requirements
The E’Terra Samara project takes the client’s bold eco-resort concept to the next level by making open connections with the natural beauty of this UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
Twelve one-bedroom villas are designed for suspension in the trees overlooking Georgian Bay. Rather than following the common practice of nailing to the tree, these structures will hug the trees through a system of dynamic tension.
The tree house as building type evokes early memories of a secluded world that fueled the imagination with a fresh outlook on life in a natural setting. It suggests a free spirit and positive approach to healthy living in contrast to spartan “health retreats” that are rooted in a philosophy of deprivation.
E’Terra Samara provides guests with the opportunity for sheltered yet direct contact with nature essentially allowing them to experience “camping in the trees.” Decades of research indicate that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems, known as biophilia.
The design emerged from a desire to not only be “in the trees” but also “of the trees.” The dominant image is derived from the shape of a samara, commonly known as the maple key. Samaras are recognized by their fibrous, papery propeller shape that appears in autumn and enables the wind to carry maple tree seeds (which biologists refer to as the “fruit”) farther from the parent tree than regular seeds. At night, the irregularly placed structures glow in the trees, suggesting the bioluminescence of fireflies.
The structure will be prefabricated off-site in three sections. The construction methodology will draw from East Coast light-weight wooden sailing boat construction techniques. Each samara villa frame will be hoisted into place and bolted together in the winter months, with absolute minimal disturbance to the delicate flora.
Locally harvested wooden frames are suspended from a simple steel shoulder and cable system that hugs the tree trunk. This construction methodology is inspired by the umbrella-like yukitsuri ropes which support the black pine tree branches in Kenrokuen Garden located in Kanazawa, Japan.
High-strength drawn carbon structural cables, made of a series of small strands twisted together like a vine, form larger cables which are attached to spiral circular rods. These rods are tied to the embedded plate connection at the wooden beams.

Image 2
Larger role

The E’Terra Samara project points the way for others as a leader in the eco-tourism movement. It celebrates low impact structures that connect people directly with living things through imagery, materials and structure.

The tree house villa concept reflects a growing awareness and appreciation for biophilic design, which is derived from the instinctive bond that exists between human beings and other living systems.

A leader in the eco-tourism movement, this project points the way as an example for others. It celebrates low-impact structures that connect people directly with living things through imagery, materials and structure.

 

Architecture, Green Energy, Ideas, Sustainability, Technology

NET ZERO STADIUM – Castro Mello Arquitetos

Leave a comment

 

Brazil’s showcase eco-arena expected to be a centrepiece of global attention

By GREG McMILLAN

Watch  Copa Verde movies:

https://www.yousendit.com/download/UVJpYnU5NEgzeUlYRHRVag

http://copaverde.com/copaverde/ThePlan__Home.html

By the time the 2016 Olympic Games are underway in Brazil, the world will know all about a ground-breaking showcase eco-arena located in the heart of the nation’s capital, Brasília.
Brazil’s national stadium, or Estadio Nacional de Brasília, will get more than its share of global attention long before 2016 – as it will be the centerpiece for soccer’s 2014 World Cup.
Designed by Castro Mello Arquitetos of San Paolo, with Ian McKee, LEED AP, serving as green building and sustainability manager for the project, the stadium is aiming for LEED Platinum designation. Work is continuing leading up to the World Cup in June 2014.

“We were given the tremendous opportunity of building a stadium for the World Cup,” McKee says. “This was a moment for our firm, this was a moment for our country, to build the best stadium in the world.”

With a seating capacity of 68,009, the stadium will have a number of environmentally-conscious features.

Right off the top, 90 per cent of the materials from the original demolished stadium are being  recycled or reused onsite. There is a rainwater harvesting and reuse system, water-saving plumbing fixtures, a two-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) system and LED lighting.

Of special note: Potable water consumption will be reduced by more than 80 per cent. And a breathable façade will provide sufficient ventilation in the seating bowl and main concourses.

“The large white roof protects the building and the area around the bowl and the inner bowl,” McKee explains. “The roofing reduces the heat island effect. And the solar power integrated into that roof improves overall energy efficiency.”

interna_01 

The site will feature habitat restoration with native plantings and improvements to pedestrian access. The stadium’s location in the center of Brasília allows for bike valet parking for 3,500 bikes inside and around the facility—unprecedented bike parking capacity for a stadium. Because more than 50% of emissions related to stadium operations are related to fan transport to and from the event, the design team felt it was critical to provide alternative, emissions-free transportation options.

“When we tell people they will be able to ride their bikes right into the stadium and drop them off with a bike valet, you can see it in their eyes … that this is going to be a new stadium experience,” says McKee.

The project is expected to be the first net-zero energy stadium in the world and a net energy producer. While the solar PV system is estimated to produce 2.8 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, the project is only expected to use approximately two million kWh per year. As a result, the remaining energy produced will be passed on to Brasília.

Outside the stadium, the design team has hoped to draw attention to an area geared to “pleasurable, healthy” experiences.  More than 6,000 native plant species will be planted, ideally creating a rich and diverse park open for all to enjoy.  Walkways will be permeable for water absorption into the soil and lightly colored to further reduce the heat island effect.

Additionally, swales will capture and direct stormwater runoff from parking areas, cleaning the water and removing chemicals and solids. The deposits will be placed in a man-made lake for possible reuse inside the stadium.

These strategies, aided by recycling and composting initiatives, will allow stadium visitors to learn about sustainable living, landscaping, engineering, as well as green design and building, McKee says.

externa_01

“The stadium is really designed for the local environment, fully focused on sustainability,” he adds. “And it’s an effort to have Brazil recognized as a model for the world to follow.”

Green Energy, HVAC, Sustainability, Technology

Pushing the geothermal envelope

Leave a comment

Innovative GeoSmart Energy earns solid reputation for expertise and knowledge

By GREG McMILLAN

There’s an adage used by sports teams that goes something like this: You’re only as good as the players around you.

In many ways, that same maxim applies to the business world. And a specific example can be found with GeoSmart Energy, one of the largest non-manufacturing based distributors of geothermal heating and cooling solutions.

How does the GeoSmart team push the envelope? They make sure their geothermal specialists and their customers have access to the most effective and efficient geothermal energy products and services available on the market today.

“GeoSmart Energy is a brand of geothermal heat pumps,” says Chad Brezynskie, Vice-President, Sales & Marketing, GeoSmart Energy. “We are a privately-owned Canadian company with a grassroots team that has come from the trenches. And we have an amazing group of contractors on our team.”

Brezynskie tells Green Building and Sustainable Strategies magazine that the contractors, in fact, allow GeoSmart to pull away from the field.
“They are the ones that do all the hard work. They take our product to market and we appreciate every opportunity they give us to work with them on a project.”

GeoSmart, Brezynskie says, separates itself from competitors by only working with a select group of contractors, then supporting them from design to project completion. And that could also involve collaborations with architects, engineers and building owners.

“It’s not just geothermal, it’s high-performance geothermal,” he says. “Just about anyone can make it work, but that shouldn’t be the measure of success.

“We follow up in a year or two. Is the customer happy? Are they as comfortable as they thought they would be? We believe the measure for success is whether the system is performing as planned, or better. It’s about achieving performance and comfort. Doing that comes with experience and we have a lot of that.”

Besides having a full line of residential and high performance commercial product available, GeoSmart also prides itself on ingenuity.

“We have the right products for virtually any project,” says Brezynskie, “but when it comes to the heart of the system – the outside loop – we have been quite innovative.”

PipeCompare_11

One example is how GeoSmart decided to create a unique identity for geothermal ground loops about 10 years ago.

“Gas pipe is yellow, sometimes orange, and almost everything else is black,” he says. “That’s what most of our competitors use – black. But not us, we created green geothermal pipe. That’s what colour it should be. If someone is digging and they hit a green pipe, now they know what it is.”

But GeoSmart didn’t stop there.

“We looked at the material the pipe was made of, as well, and improved on that. The industry always used PE3608. It’s a pretty good resin, very good at handling pressure and temperature change and transfers heat fairly well.

“But our green geothermal pipe uses PE100. It has all the same properties [high density polyethylene] of the previous generations of resin, but with dramatically higher strength. This means we can use a thinner wall, and still have a higher pressure rating, all the while achieving better heat transfer.

“So all of our pipe is green and is made of PE100. It’s the best.”

The cost and energy-efficiency of geothermal is also a big selling point, he says. “We can reduce a building’s cooling cost by 50 per cent and that can be a huge saving in a large office building. And heating costs for a rural home using propane or oil can be reduced by up to 75% with geothermal. It’s huge.”

The GeoSmart team sees a lot of different construction methods and architecturally-challenging projects, however Brezynskie says any uniqueness is never especially daunting.

“We can always integrate into the environment seamlessly,” he says. “That’s the thing about selling comfort, it just needs to be there … all around you. You can’t see it or hear it, it’s just there.”

Web: http://www.geosmartenergy.com/

Architecture, Building Envelope, Ideas, Sustainability, Technology, Trends

ARQUIETECTONICA

Leave a comment

More than computers

Microsoft headquartered in standout sustainable building in Paris, France

The Microsoft brand has always been synonymous with change and innovation – and that link often goes far beyond the world of computer technology.

Case in point: Microsoft France is headquartered at Paris’ EOS Generali building, which has garnered earned substantial environmental certifications.

The building, located in the city’s Issy-les-Moulineaux area, achieved both BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) In-Use and HQE (High Environmental Quality in Use) Exploitation® standards.

00.205.5.8pil_edit46

The project, jointly initiated by the owner, Generali Real Estate, and the main lessee, Microsoft France, is a first in western European country; improving overall environmental performances.

The building, designed by international architectural firm Arquitectonica, has improved the environmental performances of the site and have been able to generate energy savings of more than 25 per cent.

The certifications testify to the excellent quality of the ecological and sustainable management and operation of the real estate complex.

Arquitectonica is an architecture, interior design and planning firm that began in Miami in 1977 as an experimental studio. Led by Bernardo Fort-Brescia and Laurinda Spear, the studio has evolved into a worldwide practice, combining the creative spirit of the principals with the efficiency of delivery and reliability of a major architectural firm.

00.205.5.120pil

Today, Arquitectonica has a practice across the United States directed from regional offices in Miami, New York and Los Angeles. Arquitectonica’s international practice is supported by a European regional office in Paris; Asian regional offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Manila; the Middle East regional office in Dubai; and Latin American regional offices in Lima, Peru, and São Paulo, Brazil.

The organization focuses on ecologically-sensitive, yet commercially-viable, design, and is widely recognized for its ability to create unique forms of memorable imagery in close harmony with the environment.  The firm explores the complex challenges of contemporary built and natural environments, developing solutions that balance a modern aesthetic with an ecologically sensitive practice to create value, identity and a sustainable environment.

Since its founding in 1977, Arquitectonica has won numerous American Institute of Architects and Progressive Architecture Design Awards.

Web: arquitectonica.com

00.205.6.15pil

Technical Achievements

Eos Generali, Issy les Moulineaux, France

 

HEQ High Environmental Quality  – High Efficiency Level

The High Environmental Quality (HEQ) label is a sustainable-development approach applied to the design, construction and operation of buildings, with a view to controlling their impact on the outside environment and ensuring that the interior atmosphere is healthy and comfortable. Ratings are in three levels, “highly efficient,” “efficient” and “HEQ validation”

Compliance is recognized by official certification awarded by the construction-sector scientific and technical French centre (CSTB) in respect of new service sector buildings that comply with specifications including 14 points. It also reflects the Generali Group’s desire to invest in sustained development.

“Highly Efficient” Level in following categories

Eco-construction                  harmonious relationship between the building and its immediate environment

Eco-management                 water management

Eco-management                 management of upkeep and maintenance

Comfort                                  Visual comfort

 

“Efficient” Level in following categories

Eco-management                   energy management

Comfort                                    olfactory comfort

Health                                       quality of air

Health                                       quality of the water

 

The High Environmental Quality (HEQ) label also means lower energy consumption, which in turn, means lower cost for the tenant.

Air Conditioning

Radiant panel air conditioning with 1.35 m addressable zones

Ceilings

Metal ceilings with clear height of 2.8 m in the offices

Air

Low pressure fresh air system

Canvas Blinds

Adjustable canvas sun blinds

Raised Floors

Raised floor with 12 cm clear height

Power Supply

Power supply with 4 standard power points per work station

00.205.5.115pil

Awards

AIA Florida, Award of Honor for Unbuilt Work, 2006

Eco-Building Forum, ““Grand Prix” award, top prize for achievements in sustainable design”, 2007

Society of American Registered Architects (SARA), Design Award of Merit, 2010

AIA Miami, Honor Award of Excellence in Architecture, 2013

 

 

Architecture, Green Energy, HVAC, Ideas, Sustainability, Technology, Trends

HUMBER RIVER HOSPITAL

Leave a comment

The future of healthcare: lean, green and digital

Humber River Hospital, designed by HDR

In 2008 the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) approved funding for Humber River Hospital (HRH), to begin the planning and design of a 167,300 sm (1.8 million sft) acute care facility on a dense urban site in the middle of Toronto’s North York region. The objective was to combine on one site the services and patient care currently being delivered at three different sites. With this goal in mind Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and HRH partnered to achieve the largest hospital in Ontario and second largest in Canada.

As a major capital project IO and HRH began the process of procurement through the Public, Private, Partnership (PPP) delivery model. HRH envisioned creating a hospital founded upon a “New Model of Care”; while remaining firmly rooted in the diverse community the Hospital serves. For HRH it was important that the new facility’s design not compromise the health of building occupants, the surrounding community and natural resources.

Ex01_HumberRiver_Southeast_MoneyShot_09-07-11_7inHumber River Hospital, designed by HDR

HOK Architects Corporation (HOK) was entrusted with realising HRH’s vision as the Planning, Design and Compliance (PDC) Architects. HOK is an industry leader in both Healthcare and Sustainable design; bringing to the project leadership in planning and systems development, and a focus on developing a holistic sustainable vision for the overall site. HOK led HRH’s staff and physicians through a comprehensive planning process to develop the specifications, and create a test design establishing innovations and strategic direction for the new Facility; characterized by Lean, Green and Digital principles. Although these principles address different aspects of the hospital’s operations and development they are intertwined; enabling the hospital to provide best quality service to the community while being a thoughtful local neighbour, supportive employer and responsible health and wellness citizen.

The new site is located on the former parking lot of a government services campus; with residential neighbourhoods to the north and major arterial expressway to the south. The planning team met the challenge of providing within a 26 acre site a 167,300 sm (1.8 million sft) new home for a broad range of health care services; while creating efficient, ready access for patients and staff. HRH 656 bed Facility anticipates receiving 136,000 ER visits, 5,300 births, 192,700 ambulatory visits and 40,700 surgeries each year. To accommodate such large volumes of visits to HRH’s services within the site’s size confines HOK proposed to leverage cutting edge technologies and planning concepts.

4438-humber-river-regional-hospital-4155Humber River Hospital, designed by HDR

Business cases for automated supply delivery systems utilizing robots, complex pneumatic transport of soiled laundry and linen to external haulage units, and the use of a pneumatic tube delivery network are just some of the features implemented to achieve efficient healthcare operations. As a result of these initiatives Barb Collins, HRH’s Chief Operating Officer, believes that the hospital is “on track to save 164 kilometres per day of walking time, with a potential savings of $2,000,000 per year in operating costs.”

Another key strategy is the HOK-developed “Portals of Care”. Similar to an airport drop off this concept allows visitors to access HRH’s services effectively and intuitively at specific drop off points; channeling traffic flow according to desired destination. Compared to a traditional hospital the separation of access to different types of services (like ER, dialysis, ambulatory and inpatients) enhances accessibility for the community, boosts efficiency and gives HRH the ability to manage pandemic incidences without shutting down all services. The cumulative result of HOK’s strategic approach to planning and internal supply delivery is the optimum use of site conditions to achieve a large, complex, state of the art hospital on a tight urban site.

Some of the most advantageous impact HOK’s contribution has had on the realization of the hospital are the sustainable strategies focused on Facility energy consumption. Recognizing that a healthy environment is intrinsically linked with wellbeing, HOK and HRH set forth to minimize the new hospital’s energy footprint and reduce its yearly operational costs. Hospitals are one of the most challenging building types; with “24-7-365” activity, strict indoor environment requirements and occupant safety demands that result in power intensive systems and equipment.

With this in mind the HOK team designed hospital systems with focus on the implementation of energy recovery measures, leading-edge systems design and efficient operational protocols; using typical industry means and methods. At the same time the goal was to maintain 100% fresh air delivery to all areas of the hospital, optimizing indoor air quality.

An integrated design group (including HRH, HOK, The Mitchell Partnership and Mulvey & Banani International Inc.) set a target of 40% energy cost reduction from the base case in ASHRAE 90.1 2007. Nine months of research (using energy modeling, test design inputs, cost verifications and a concerted focus on enhancing conventional systems to reduce energy use) proved that 40% energy cost reduction could be achieved for this building type and size. Despite doubt from the Proponent Consortiums, HRH and HOK were confident in the research and that their vision could be attained.

To ensure that the sustainable innovations and targets were met once the project was released to the bidders, HOK specified in the bid documents that 15 points were to be achieved for the LEED® Canada-NC 2009 Credit EA – Credit 1: Optimize Energy Performance. Sample test design and energy model data equating to 40% energy cost reduction was included to guide the bidders. In addition the consultant team specified essential requirements based on the research test design; examples being the delivery of reduced air velocities and the utilization of waste heat, while leaving enough opportunity for market and industry value assessments. To ensure success HOK worked with IO to implement the Energy Guarantee Letter; an aspect of the Project Agreement between HRH and the winning Project Company Consortium that stipulates a specific energy usage in the 30 year Facilities Management contract. Where the LEED Credit EA – Credit 1 targets energy costs, the Energy Guarantee Letter targets actual energy use and is not impacted by the fluctuation of energy prices. In HRH’s case this leads to a 50% reduction of energy use from the base case; ensuring that the hospital will continue to achieve energy reductions once in operation, and into the future.

As the Consortium team continues to build the new facility the vision is beginning to be realized. Once HRH opens in the fall of 2015 it will be considered one of North America’s most energy efficient hospitals. The research developed through HRH’s and HOK’s leadership puts the new hospital on track to provide over $3,000,000 per year in operating expense savings. HRH is on target to achieve LEED gold and the predicted energy use will be 1.15GJ/square metres/year versus the North American average of 3GJ/m2/year. These efficiencies will offset 11,371 tonnes of CO2 per year; equivalent to taking either 2,187 cars off the road, saving 409,356 twenty-five year old maple trees or saving 4,373 acres of forest. In addition the site will be planted with 800 new trees to meet the City of Toronto’s Tier 1 planning specification. The Facility’s Energy Use Intensity is on target to be 103 kBTU/square foot/year; putting HRH 15 years ahead of the 2030 challenge of 101 kBTU/square foot/year.

Ex12_HumberRiverP2_NortheastAerial_09-02-11_7inHumber River Hospital, designed by HDR

The vision and innovations of HRH, its stakeholders and the consultant team have made possible the reimagining of a hospital’s mandate and the site’s potential. The result is a highly sustainable health hub for the community and City; setting a new standard of care that balances social, financial and environmental wellbeing.