government of canada project sets new sustainability standard for public buildings

When completed in spring 2007, the $29-million Jean Canfield Building in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, just might be the most environmentally progressive structure ever built by the Government of Canada. The facility, designed by the architectural team of HOK and Bergmark Guimond Hammarlund Jones, is a flagship project for new national initiatives to create sustainable designs, supportive work environments and workplace connectivity. The project is on track to earn a minimum LEED Gold rating, with the potential to achieve Platinum.

Located in an underused “gateway” to downtown Charlottetown, the site offers the potential to revive a neglected part of the city. The building, which will house offices for various federal government departments, is designed to serve as a public showcase for sustainable building technologies and to create both a landmark building and a model for urban revitalization within Charlottetown.

To reduce its visual impact on the surrounding urban fabric, the four-story, 186,260-square-foot building is articulated as two distinct components: an L-shaped north wing that defines the urban street edge and a south wing that accommodates a sun-filled urban park. All elevations reflect and reinforce the surrounding streetscape. A three-story glazed bay at the building’s north corner, for example, echoes one of the city’s major gateway intersections. Regional red brick on the north wing and Wallace sandstone on the south create visual links to the area’s historic architecture.

Massing and orientation are designed to optimize access to natural light, solar energy, and natural ventilation. The south wing, with its large areas of glazing, is skewed 45 degrees off the city’s diagonal grid to take advantage of the higher sun angle in the south and to maximize exposure for daylighting and a roof-top solar array. Massing of the two wings also creates a central 3-story atrium, providing additional daylighting and natural ventilation. In-floor venting will carry stale air to the atrium, where it will then be released through the roof using natural convection currents.

The building and site facilitate on-site stormwater management as well. The roof, the park and landscaped areas direct rainwater to below-grade cisterns (giant rain barrels) for use in toilet flushing and irrigation of planting beds. Approximately 80% of the site area not covered by the building will be pervious to rainwater. Water from sinks and showers will also be collected, treated, and stored in the cisterns. The use of native and adapted plantings limits irrigation needs, and plumbing fixtures include low-flow toilets and showers and waterless urinals. Overall, the building’s water demand will be reduced by approximately 80 percent compared to conventional buildings.

Reduced energy consumption in the building equates to about 55 percent efficiency according to ASHRAE standards. Primary building cooling comes from chilled cast-in-place concrete slabs fed from electric chillers – a system made feasible through the project’s passive design strategies. An under-floor air supply system enables air to be distributed with a higher outlet temperature (63ºF), and fan rooms on the perimeter allow high volumes of fresh air to provide free cooling during mild times of the year. To complement the building’s extensive daylighting, electric lighting has automated daylight dimming and occupancy controls. Lamps are low mercury and have a high color-rendering index.

Material selection was based on the following criteria: performance, durability, low-maintenance and non-toxicity requirements, lack of harmful chemical emissions, resource efficiency, low-embodied energy, local availability, recycled and recyclable content, and use of renewable resources (e.g. FSC-certified for wood products). The team focused on creating a “long life/loose fit” design solution. The goal was to maximize the building’s longevity while equipping it with the flexibility to accommodate the workplace of the future. To promote planning and construction efficiencies, modular solutions were created when possible. In addition, the design supports future recycling and reuse of building components.

Central to the design strategy was creating a healthy, productive work environment.

Mechanical systems are designed for optimum indoor air quality. Operable windows in the atrium promote cross ventilation and stack exhaust. Office areas have access to views, fresh air and daylight from two directions. Glazing on the northeast and northwest facades has been carefully designed to provide glare-free daylighting. The atrium is envisioned as a “town centre” for the workplace community of 450-500 employees, a place for informal interaction and collaboration. Facilities include a reference library, training breakout rooms, fitness center, training facilities, and drop-in office/business center. Placing the atrium’s main level on the second floor allows the primary ground-floor activities to take on a more public-use, street-oriented focus.

integrated design process

To reduce its visual impact on the surrounding area, the building is articulated as two distinct components: An L-shaped north wing that defines the urban street edge, and a south wing that accommodates an urban park.

Through a collaborative process initiated early, the project team developed sustainable solutions designed to function as true systems rather than as amalgamated components. The integrated team comprised consultants from architecture; interior design; structural, mechanical and electrical engineering; landscape design; and commissioning. The client team included a project manager, architect, interior designers, discipline engineers, commissioning agent, and operations representatives.

This interactive, iterative design process, which included energy and daylight modeling, generated options at each stage. Assembling such possibilities from many directions created an integrated solution that transferred and shared costs within various systems. The inherent mass of the structural system, for example, is an important part of the heating and cooling system. Similarly, the building form and volumes are a key part of both the natural daylighting and natural ventilation strategies. The success of this design process in achieving building efficiencies and synergies will serve as a model for future Government of Canada buildings and other sustainable projects.

Information provided by HOK (www.hok.com).

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA JEAN CANFIELD BUILDING
CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

PRODUCTS

FLOORING
VIEWPOINT COLLECTION CARPET TILE BY INTERFACE
TERRA TRAFFIC FLOOR TILE BY TERRA GREEN CERAMICS
(RUBBER FLOOR TILES TO BE USED BUT NO SHOP DRAWINGS YET)
RAISED FLOORING SYSTEM BY ASM INC.

CEILINGS
CIRUS SYSTEM ACOUSTIC CEILING TILE BY ARMSTRONG
T-BAR GRID BY ARMSTRONG


PAINTS AND WALLCOVERINGS
ICI PAINTS ARE THE MAJOR SUPPLIER, ALTHOUGH VARATHANE, NIAGARA COATINGS, 2K ACRYLIC, AND SCUFFMASTER ARE SUPPLYING SMALL AMOUNTS OF COATINGS AS WELL.


ADHESIVES / SEALERS
EUCOSIL CONCRETE SEALER BY EUCLID CHEMICAL COMPANY
PRIMER AND POLYBITUMEN CAULKING BY BAKOR
PROGLAZE SEALER BY TREMCO

FIBERBOARD / WOOD PRODUCTS
SKYBLEND PARTICLE BOARD BY ROSEBURG FOREST PRODUCTS
ACQ PRESSURE TREATMENT FOR WOOD BY GOODFELLOWS

INTERIOR FINISHES - NEW
CGC SHEETROCK (98% RECYCLED MATERIAL)
PLASTIC TOILET PARTITIONS BY GLOBAL STEEL PRODUCTS CORP.
STEEL STUDS BY MD SYSTEMS

EXTERIOR SYSTEMS
ALUMINUM BY ALUMICOR

ROOFING
COATED, HIGH-STRENGTH ROOF INSULATION FIBRE BOARD AND PERFORATED ASPHALT FELT BY EMCO BUILDING PRODUCTS
AC FOAM RIGID INSULATION BY ATLAS ROOFING CORP.
ROOF FASTENERS BY OLYMPIC ROOF FASTENERS
COLGRIP ROOF INSULATION BY SOPREMA