Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/354800
substations instead of just one." Sk ylight s run the leng th of the building, and the natural light makes for a better working environment for employees, plus reduces energy con- sumption and heat output from light fixtures. However, because the pro- cessing centre is a 24-hour operation, it was necessary to limit the amount of light pollution emanating from the skylights during the night shift – par- ticularly due to the building's proxim- ity to the airport. The response, says Douglas, was a fully integrated light- ing control system with occupancy sensors and light-pollution-reducing fixtures. Unfortunately, nothing can guard against the intense heat load created by the mass of machinery inside. "We have mechanical cooling using a chiller plant –there are three 650-ton chillers with a cooling tower housed in the mechanical rooms with a cooler tower outside," explains Alex Mitro, project manager with Integral Group, mechanical consultant to the project. "But we're using free cooling whenever possible, ventilating the space with cooler air from outside." The unique demands of the process- ing centre make free cooling an even more efficient strateg y than usual. "With most buildings, you're heating them the most in winter. But with Can- ada Post, Christmas is the busiest time – they're running at their peak capacity in winter, and the amount of mail they process varies during the rest of the year," explains Mitro. "So peak cooling [needs are] actually in the winter, and we were able to achieve good energy savings using free cooling. Plus, the heat generated by the machinery pro- vides supplementary heating in the building by transferring the warm air around inside . . . The building is really quite energy efficient." ■ LOCATION 5940 Ferguson Road, Richmond, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER Canada Post Corporation ARCHITECT Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning GENERAL CONTRACTOR Bird Design Build Ltd. PROJECT MANAGER MHPM Project Managers Inc. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Weiler Smith Bowers Consulting Structural Engineers MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Integral Group MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR Canstar Mechanical Ltd. ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Applied Engineering Solutions Ltd. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR Nightingale Electrical Ltd. CIVIL CONSULTANT Aplin & Martin Consultants BUILDING ENVELOPE CONSULTANT CSA Building Sciences Western Ltd. COMMISSIONING CONSULTANT K D Engineering Co. TOTAL AREA 700,000 square feet TOTAL PROJECT COST $200+ million AUGUST 2014 /69 Canada Post Pacifi c Processing Centre Surrey Vancouver Kelowna Calgary www.aplinmar n.com Proud to Provide Civil Engineering Services for Canada Post Pacific Processing Plant PROJECT MANAGEMENT ENGINEERING PLANNING SURVEYING CSA Building Sciences Western Ltd. Engineering The Building Envelope Since 1993 Condition Assessments Remediation Roofing Consultants tel 604.523.1366 www.csawest.com Bldg 1-8h.indd 1 14-06-25 4:31 PM