Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/255439
150 Elgin Street by Martha Uniacke Breen photos courtesy pcL constructors canada R ight in the heart of one of Ottawa's busiest downtown thoroughfares sits a relic from another age – an ele- gant Second Empire-style residence built in 1875 for a prominent doctor of the time, Dr. James Grant, and his wife Maria. The residence, and the equally venerable First Baptist Church built two years later that stands next to it, are both designated as heritage buildings, which posed a conundrum when the landowner, the federal government, put the parcel of land they stand on up for bid. After all, the site had become highly desirable for develop- ment – located right in the heart of downtown on the corner of Gloucester and Elgin, and easily accessible by public tran- sit, bike and on foot. Competition for the contract was fierce: what was needed was an ambitious, truly innovative 21st cen- tury concept for this gem of a commercial site, and Morguard Investments Ltd.'s design had the goods. Morguard's plans called for a mixed office/retail tower that would rise out of the back of Grant House (technically, according to the construction manager, Tom Valente of PCL Constructors Canada Inc., the entire tower is a renovation), adding a public indoor winter garden, glass atrium and other amenities that would make it inviting for visitors and tenants. The building's design would be sympathetic to the house and the church, with a stepped-back design that would soften the differences in their scale, and feature architectural homages like concrete walls at the first three levels with glass cladding above, peaked windows and buttresses at street level. The rest of the building would be strictly 21st century. Performance Court is a state-of-the-art fully LEED Gold certi- fied building that will cost its future tenants significantly less to operate and consume – approximately 45 per cent less than the standard energy for a building of this size. "LEED standards entail [providing] major sustainability and energy savings," explains lead architect Harry Yaghjian of NEUF architect(e)s. "The object is to produce as little carbon emissions as possible. Basically, you want to love the planet." According to Yaghjian, everything is up for consideration when working to meet stringent LEED protocols. The enve- lope of the building features high-efficiency insulation that reduces heating and cooling, while electronically controlled blinds, daylight-sensing light switches and other equip- ment control solar gain. The use of local materials reduces transportation energy costs; where feasible, recycled and reclaimed materials were used instead of new. Even the water systems are super-efficient: a large tank on the roof recycles and uses clean waste water and rainwater and recirculates it to washrooms and to irrigate the ground floor park. "Crafting a LEED-certified building is not significantly more challenging than a standard building for us," says Valente. "Many of the site-related items, such as waste recy- cling and soil erosion plans, have been part of PCL's culture for years." As Yaghjian points out, they may cost more in the con- struction phase of a project, but quickly pay for themselves in operating costs and in sustainability. A list of the various energy-conscious amenities the building offers shows how with commitment and imagination, just about any element in a building can be made more sustainable. Other interesting options used include underground parking spe- cifically reserved for low-emissions vehicles, as well as showers and secure bicycle parking. Only low- VOC materi- als were used in the building finishes to prevent indoor air pollution; to keep pol- lutant levels at the lowest possible rate, an indoor air quality management plan was instituted during construction to ensure not only that the mechanical sys- tems operated at low-emission levels, but were kept free from pollutants that could possibly be released later when the building was occupied. Careful consideration was given to maximizing views and daylight for the office workers that would be its future occupants. The seventh and fourth floors both feature fully landscaped "parks" (the larger park on the seventh 150 Elgin Street p50-53_150 Elgin.indd 51 14-01-22 11:04 AM