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the technology advances available now; it means 'future proofing' buildings against new technological developments as well, says Vaidila Banelis, senior partner at the Toronto office of Zeidler Partnership Architects. "I think that's where we're headed: trying not necessarily to adopt exact technologies at this point but somehow in our designs making sure that the projects are somewhat future proof and able to adapt to the next wave . . . ready to accommodate whatever new thinking might emerge." Banelis, who has significant experience with institutional projects, cites The Learning Exchange at Mohawk College in Hamilton and The Student Learning Centre at Ryerson University in Toronto as prime examples of recent projects in which future proofing has been made a priority. That means embedding as little as possible in concrete or structural work – keeping ductwork, wiring and telecommunications infrastructure exposed, easy to access and malleable so as to be easily upgradeable or adaptable to new technologies. "I think we used to embed an awful lot in the building and that makes for a very static structure," says Banelis. But while future proofing is a key strategy to increasing the longevity of any new building, it is one that cannot be tested or evaluated for best practices until today's new buildings reach an 'upgrade-ready' point in their life cycle. Unless otherwise mandated by government or other authorities, the rate of progress in the marketplace of any new technology will be determined by the profitability of adopting it. And as most of Canada enjoys the luxury of energy that is cheap, clean and accessible, investing in energy-efficient design is of comparatively less economic import. The savings of energy-efficient upgrades are of less value here than in Europe, for instance, where electricity costs run between two and four times as much as Canadian prices. But there's no need to go so far afield for an example of how market conditions drive sustainable design. "The types of design and construction that have taken place in the arctic and subarctic regions for many years have, out of necessity, already been very energy-efficient," says Rod Savoie of Stantec (formerly FSC Architects & Engineers), practice lead for Northern Canada, from his office in Whitehorse, Yukon. For many northern communities, fuel must be shipped in by barge or flown in, resulting in exorbitantly high heating and powergeneration costs. "While there's more to sustainability than energy efficiency, because commercial and institutional buildings [in the North] have been efficient for years, I think there's been a reduced driving force among owners and government to pursue sustainable design avenues." Savoie notes that it was only in February of this year that the first LEED-certified building was registered in the Yukon, and it was driven by a private-sector client. Savoie also points out that – unlike most of southern Canada – none of the three territory governments have mandated compliance with LEED or any other sustainability standard. Granted, to do so would involve challenges in meeting certain expectations: locally sourced building materials are nearly impossible to come by, and shipping costs tend to prohibit heavier choices such as concrete. Lightweight steel and wood framing are by far the most common construction methods in the North. Both the climate and the high cost of energy make some technologies more worthwhile to pursue here, and others less so. Heat retention is key, with triple- or even quadruple-glazed windows the norm, while there is very little need for cooling systems except in larger commercial buildings and health-care facilities, says Savoie. Mandating sustainability standards instead of allowing them to be voluntary also serves as a kind of vote of confidence for the industry, says Melanie Rank, project architect with Quadrangle Architects. Speaking of Quadrangle's current work on several office buildings close to Toronto, Rank sees each project targeting green design in some format – the most popular choice being LEED Silver certification. It's a label that adds value, and one that tenants are looking for, says Rank. But it comes at a price: while the hard costs of actually making a building more efficient and environmentally friendly may not be that much higher (taking into account cost savings down the road), "there's a whole other realm of costs associated with the design and the LEED certification process" of which project owners and developers need to be mindful. Speaking to the prevailing frustration over costs and delays in LEED certification, Derek Neale, principal of Vancouver-based Neale Staniszkis Doll Adams Architects, suggests the design community is turning away from LEED – "not from the principles behind it, but the process and the bureaucracy and the time that it takes to actually get things certified. Municipalities, developers, non-profit groups – they're all asking the same question: Is there another process we can go through that achieves the same ends but is not so overbearing?" There are several options: BuiltGreen is a certification program for environmentally responsible single-family and small multi-unit residences; the Green Globes system (also known as Go Green and BOMA BESt) competes with LEED in offering building environmental assessments and ratings; Passivhaus is a European standard focused on stringent energy use; and ASHRAE 90.1 is a standard for energy efficiency in buildings established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Although these standards may not be known by the general public and thus not have the same marketing cachet as LEED, they have merit and are finding their way into law. And as energy efficiency and green design principles are codified in municipal bylaws and building codes, "LEED is becoming less important as the regulatory environment becomes more complex," says Neale. ■ NIAGARA PROTECTIVE COATINGS Distinctive Finishes For Distinctive Buildings Epoxal Stain Flooring - Retail Music Store Manufacturers of LEED-Compliant Coatings and Systems Epoxal: 100% Solids Epoxy Stains and Coatings/OVOC Kromoquartz: Seamless Epoxy trowelled overlayments and Terrazzo Liquistone: Textured, Coloured, Exterior Masonry Wall Coatings Kromotex: Decorative, Seamless Flooring System 7071 Oakwood Drive, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada L2E 6S5 Telephone (905) 356-1581 • Fax (905) 354-2077 1-800-461-1NPC (1672) Email: npc@computan.on.ca Website: www.niacoat.com JUNE 2012 Sustainable Design Strategies Niagara Coatings.indd 1 p.34-37Sustainable design.indd 37 /37 2/22/10 11:08:28 AM 5/25/12 11:46:28 AM

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