Open 24 hours a day and meeting strict interior environmental requirements, hospitals are notorious energy hogs, making LEED certification difficult. The Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, built in accordance with the Green Guide for Health Care and LEED standards, attained LEED Silver certification in 2009, making it one of New England’s first LEED-certified hospital facilities.

An early commitment to sustainable practices enabled the recycling of more than 90% of construction waste during the building’s three-year construction schedule, as well as the use of building materials containing significant recycled content. Electricity conservation measures include high-efficiency air handlers, low-E windows, sunshades, low-energy light fixtures, and abundant daylighting; more than 75 percent of interior spaces receive natural light. Use of low-emitting adhesives, sealants, carpets, and paints throughout the facility preserves air quality, while low-flow plumbing fixtures reduce water consumption.
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• Operating suites for cardiac and vascular surgery
• Diagnostic and treatment facilities
• Variable acuity inpatient units
• Ambulatory care clinics
• Dining, conference, and family centers
• Elevated and below-grade walkways connecting new center to existing hospital

This signature venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is a $178 million complex that includes a landmark multipurpose sports, recreation, and community facility on Richmond’s waterfront, along with the City Centre Waterfront Park and public plaza. In addition to catalyzing the transformation of the riverfront into a high-density, urban neighborhood, the Richmond Olympic Oval will also provide a venue for community events in the future, creating a legacy extending far beyond its immediate purpose.

In the Richmond Olympic Oval, waste heat produced in the creation of ice may be used to heat the building. The city of Richmond also may create an innovative thermal utility that will utilize the waste heat to provide low-cost heating and cooling for the entire new 32-acre urban waterfront neighborhood being created around the Oval. Optimization of the building envelope, particularly the 20-hectare roof, and development of a highly efficient mechanical system are among the other primary strategies contributing to the building’s projected energy performance of 42% below the Model National Energy Building Code.

Rainwater collected from the Oval’s massive roof is stored both inside the building, to supplement toilet flushing, and outside in a pond in front of the Oval for use in irrigating surrounding trees and landscaping. Marsh plants populating the pond provide natural water purification, improving the quality of water in the connected Hollybridge Canal. Sustainable materials include a 100-by-200-meter ceiling made of wood salvaged from British Columbia trees ravaged by pine beetles, as well as low-VOC paints, coatings, laminates, and sealants. With a design solution that optimizes energy use, environmental health, and aesthetic value, the Oval has achieved LEED Silver certification.
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Richmond Olympic Oval Media Kit

• 400m speed-skating track featuring two 4m lanes and one 5m lane
• Seating for 8,000 spectators
• Athlete testing center
• Rowing/paddling tank
• Cardiovascular rehabilitation center
• Fitness, wellness and sports medicine centers
• Concessions

Designed in the late 1970s, this landmark structure won the prestigious Owens Corning Energy Award and then, 20 years later, was one of the first commercial buildings to receive the Energy Star, a joint citation by the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency honoring buildings that demonstrate excellence in energy performance. Today, it stands as a model of the seamless integration of innovative engineering strategies with award-winning design.

Between two glass walls forming a double skin, automatically controlled louvers transform the building shell from fully transparent during occupied hours to a fully opaque, insulated condition when vacant. They also provide heat shielding of the interior through near-perfect solar shading. The vented four-foot space between the glass walls creates a continuous thermal buffer around the perimeter from which heat may be collected or purged depending upon building demand. Consequently, energy consumption is one-third that of conventional office buildings.
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• Corporate offices
• Operations center
• Commercial and retail space

Striking a harmonious balance with its wooded site, the Student Recreation and Fitness Center showcases the natural beauty of New England, both through ample fenestration and use of locally harvested and manufactured materials, including quartzite stone veneer and green and purple slate that adorns the monumental stair bases. Glass and structural steel are locally manufactured, and recycled materials abound, including copper wall panels containing 90% post-industrial metal, maple veneers of 100% preconsumer wood fiber, and rubber sports flooring.

Outdoor views reach 90% of indoor spaces, and low-E tinted insulated glass reduces energy costs. Further cost reductions are achieved by occupancy and carbon dioxide sensors that govern the building’s light, heat, and ventilation. VOC-free paints, preinstallation “green-guarding” of carpet and furniture, and exclusive use of green housekeeping products ensure high air quality throughout. The project received LEED Silver certification in 2008.
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• Cardiovascular fitness area
• Three-court gymnasium
• Multipurpose athletic court
• Weight room
• Leisure pool
• Two convertible racquetball courts
• Walking/jogging track
• Juice bar
• Three multipurpose rooms
• Two double-height, skylit galleries
• Centrally located control desk

Cardel Place, a flexible, multiuse regional recreation and education centre serving the residents of Panorama Hills, a rapidly growing neighborhood of Calgary, provides a six-lane, 25-metre pool with recreational component, fitness facilities, a three-court gymnasium, an ice arena, and a library, on a site adjacent to two high schools. The 195,000 sf complex is the product of a public partnership that included the City of Calgary Parks and Recreation, the Nose Creek Sport and Recreation Association, the Calgary Public Library, and two school authorities.

During the schematic design phase, the city of Calgary mandated that city-funded public facilities must achieve LEED Silver certification at a minimum. Although Cardel Place was not subject to the mandate, innovative sustainable solutions incorporated into the design enabled the facility to surpass this requirement and earn a LEED Gold rating. Signs throughout the facility explain the building’s sustainable features to the public.

The combination of ice rink and pool within the same facility makes possible an innovative exchange of heat and cooling: Cooling from the ice rink is used to dehumidify pool air, and heat from the arena ice plant and from the building’s cogeneration system is captured and redeployed elsewhere in the building. Waterless urinals, low-flush toilets, and electronic faucets save over 1 million liters of water per year. Abundant windows and natural light reduce lighting energy consumption and provide daylight and views to 90% of interior spaces.
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• Multi-component aquatic facility featuring a four-lane, 25-meter lifestyle pool
• Fitness and weight room facility
• Triple gymnasium
• Two NHL-size ice arenas
• Calgary Public Library
• Community meeting rooms and offices
• Pro shop
• Food services

Energy-saving measures implemented in Santa Monica’s LEED Silver Public Safety Building not only meet California’s Title 24 Energy Code - they also bring the building’s annual energy consumption far below annual consumption models. The Public Safety Building houses headquarters for the police and fire departments as well as jail facilities, a state-of-the-art emergency operations center, and a coordinated dispatch center consolidating police and fire functions. The structure delineates a corner of Santa Monica’s newly developing Civic Center District.

Santa Monica’s year-round moderate climate makes a natural-ventilation strategy viable for the entire building. Air is distributed through a raised access flooring system, with individually controlled outlets at each workstation. Individualized climate control is only one of many ways that the building’s design emphasizes occupant health and comfort. A large skylight and three-story atrium bring natural light into the center of the building. Computer-controlled lighting systems dim with the introduction of daylight or shut off when workspaces become vacant.
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• Police headquarters/detention facility
• Fire department headquarters
• Emergency operations center with 911 communications system
• Coordinated dispatch center for police and fire
• Underground parking for 100 official vehicles

Water-efficient technologies are key sustainable strategies in Yale University’s Graduate Chemistry Research Building, which attained LEED Silver certification in 2006. Wastewater is reused in two innovative ways: by harvesting HVAC condensate and by recycling wastewater via reverse osmosis. As architect of record partnered with Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Cannon Design integrated these two optimizing technologies seamlessly into the building’s water systems.

The reverse osmosis system, used to purify water for the labs, is a complete loop system that includes a tank for wastewater storage and circulating pump to deliver that wastewater to toilets for sewage conveyance. Condensate water from the HVAC system is stored and used to irrigate the landscape. Consistent with Yale University’s continuing commitment to the ecologically beneficial practice of historic preservation, the Prospect Building, a three-story, 10,000 sf brick structure that had occupied the site since 1910, was completely relocated and reused.
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• Fume hood intensive, interconnected modular labs for organic and physical chemistry research
• Dedicated lab support spaces
• Space for social and academic interaction among Yale’s Science Hill departments
• Courtyard between existing and new buildings
• Physical connection to existing building

Converting some 300,000 sf of existing and unused engineering research facilities into state-of-the-art biomedical and chemical research laboratories, the first phase of Illinois Institute of Technology’s LEED certified University Technology Park preserves an architecturally and historically significant Mies van der Rohe-inspired building while replacing outdated, inefficient building systems. The extensively renovated and redesigned complex integrates three existing structures – the IITRI Life Science Research Center, Incubator Building, and Technology Business Center – into one sustainable facility.

Original single-pane wood windows, restored to meet the stringent requirements of historic preservation guidelines, were made more energy-efficient with an innovative secondary interior glazing and insulation system. Exterior facades were carefully restored and reused. The Technology Business Center is part of a LEED pilot program for shell and core construction, with tenant standards developed for subsequent tenant buildouts.
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• Renovation and reconstruction of incubator building and portions of Technology Business Center, IITRI Center, and vivarium and toxicology suites
• Wet and dry labs
• Office and major equipment shared tenant support spaces
• BSL-3 labs
• Analytical chemistry and molecular and cell biology labs
• Expanded offices and research archives

At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the President’s Task Force on Sustainability brings together students, faculty, and staff to lead and coordinate the school’s efforts to conserve resources and reduce environmental impact. To this end, WPI’s sustainability goals are interwoven with its academic and research endeavors, both local and global.

WPI’s East Hall, intended as a model for all future green buildings on campus, embodies this institutional commitment to sustainable practices, supporting the school’s academic mission while conserving energy and natural resources. A green roof and a stormwater monitor and testing station in the ground-floor lobby educate students and the public about green design and enrich the institute’s environmental science curriculum. Energy performance optimization, system commissioning, and low-flow plumbing fixtures achieve 30% reductions in energy and water consumption. Abundant, glare-free daylighting, high air quality, and localized thermal and lighting controls create a comfortable, supportive living environment designed to lure upperclass students back to campus living.East Hall attained LEED Gold certification in June 2009.
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• Five-story, 232-bed residence hall
• 220-car parking structure with one level below grade, providing site with a landscaped edge
• Landscaped 40-foot-wide “Arts Walk” connecting center of campus with city of Worcester’s arts district

Concluding a two-year search, Cannon Design purchased the Power House, a landmark 19,000 sf building in downtown St. Louis, as the new headquarters for the firm’s St. Louis offices. Constructed in 1926 to generate steam heat for nearby municipal buildings, the Power House, easily recognized by its tall, arched windows on three street façades and fine terra cotta detailing, had sat vacant for 25 years. The $8 million adaptive reuse project strikes a synergy with other exciting downtown St. Louis developments such as Ballpark Village and Cupples District and achieved LEED Gold certification in 2009.

The revamped Power House features a three-story interior gallery formed by constructing two partial levels that, combined with the existing two floors and rooftop penthouse, create a total of 32,000 sf of office and conference space designed to facilitate Cannon Design’s highly collaborative, team-oriented work approach. The new floors are set back from the building’s spectacular windows to maintain the building’s sense of transparency and volume. The interior, essentially an empty shell, was completely rehabilitated, with installation of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical infrastructure. External modifications include historically accurate replacement of windows in their original masonry openings and creation of a 3,500 sf urban garden.
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• Office and conference space
• Three-story interior gallery
• Rooftop penthouse
• 3,500 sf urban garden

The Edward A. Doisy Research Center, a $67 million, 206,000 sf tower in the heart of midtown St. Louis, is playing a key role in the continuing rebirth of the city's urban corridor, with modular laboratories, offices, and support spaces enabling Saint Louis University's renowned research and development of vaccines and other treatments for diseases of the liver, heart, lung, and brain.

Consistent with its commitment to human health, the LEED certified Doisy Center incorporates an array of sustainable design features that preserve the well-being of occupants as well as the larger environment. Laboratory and office spaces lining the perimeter of the 10-story tower maximize views and natural lighting, with 90 percent of interior spaces enjoying views to the outdoors. Low-VOC adhesives, paints, carpet, and wood, as well as rigorous exhaust and drainage standards, help maintain a level of air quality that exceeds ASHRAE standards. A state-of-the-art building automation system efficiently and reliably optimizes researchers’ comfort.

Numerous site-level measures further enhance the Doisy Center’s sustainable nature. Removal of existing buildings, streets, and parking lots from the site reduced stormwater runoff by more than 25 percent. Reflective roofing materials and an 8,000 sf "green roof" mitigate heat-island effects. And wind-generated power supplies a clean, renewable energy source to reduce the building’s overall energy consumption.
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• Center for Vaccine Development, including clinical service lab, sample prep lab, patient interview rooms, exam rooms, and waiting and support areas
• Seven modularly designed laboratory floors with offices, conference rooms, and laboratory support functions
• BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs
• Penthouse with conference room and two outdoor terraces
• Covered walkway connector to School of Medicine

Housing an exciting synergy of athletic, wellness, and sport science and technology research facilities under one roof, the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence minimizes environmental impact while promoting the athletic achievement and wellbeing of the 20 percent of Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes who reside in Victoria and the Camosun College and Victoria communities. Carbon dioxide monitoring and a natural ventilation system keep air quality high and energy costs low; large angled windows bring daylight and views to 90 percent of interior spaces while minimizing solar gain. Bike storage and shower facilities encourage physical fitness as well as use of non-polluting transportation.

Ninety percent of construction material waste was diverted from landfills via recycling, including processing drywall scraps into new materials and reusing fill from the building excavation under a new turf field. The Institute is Victoria’s fifth LEED Gold building and the first sports facility to be so designated.
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• Sport medicine facilities
• Sport science centre
• Fitness and wellness facilities
• All-weather, lit, outdoor artificial turf field
• Triple gymnasium
• Trails system
• Athlete/student housing
• Classrooms/administrative spaces
• Food service

The vibrant atmosphere of the Student Recreation and Wellness Center at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh owes much to the natural beauty of the adjacent Fox River, and preserving the river’s ecological health was a major focus in the Center’s design and construction. Erosion-control strategies during construction protected the river from construction-induced sedimentation. Runoff and site disturbance are minimized by pervious paving, collection and release of roof runoff into onsite rain gardens, and limitations on paved parking. Site paving is shaded to reduce heat-island effects; native plantings reduce irrigation and fertilization requirements.

The building’s generous fenestration delivers panoramic river views as well as natural lighting to many occupied spaces, reducing electrical loads and fostering a dynamic indoor environment for students, staff, and faculty. Tinted, low-E glazing optimizes efficiency of the building envelope; energy costs are further reduced by energy performance optimization of building systems. More than half of construction waste was recycled or reused, and building materials including steel, concrete, carpet, door and window frames, and millwork contain significant recycled content. The majority of wood-based materials are Forest Stewardship Council certified, and 20% of building materials are regionally manufactured.
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• First floor “free zone”/juice bar
• Double-height cardio space
• Three-court gymnasium
• Suspended running track
• Climbing wall
• Multipurpose athletic court
• Weight training pit
• Golf simulation
• Locker rooms, multipurpose rooms
• Offices, wellness, and administrative spaces
• Outdoor recreation

Having recently opened an Office of Sustainability and set a goal of becoming a carbon-neutral campus by 2020, Northern Arizona University wanted its new Health and Learning Center to achieve LEED Gold certification and meet the most recent specifications of the 2030 Challenge, which included a 50% reduction of the building’s carbon footprint.

The 287,000 sf renovation and addition project achieves these goals through a variety of strate¬gies, not the least of which is the consolidation of programs from five separate standalone buildings—campus recreation center, campus health clinic, athletic training and competition, disability resources, and general classrooms—under one roof.

An array of 102 solar thermal panels on the roof meets 70% of hot-water demand for athletic and recreation showers and is able to fully meet hot-water demands during an annual two-week shutdown of the central plant for preventive maintenance. The solar array has also reduced the building’s overall energy usage by 6%. An existing graywater loop running through campus supplies the building with water for toilet flushing and landscaping irrigation.
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• Learning labs
• Medical spaces
• Indoor elevated jogging track
• Climbing wall
• Gymnasiums and locker rooms
• Health service program spaces

Meeting Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s goal of creating a LEED Gold laboratory building meant, above all else, minimizing HVAC energy consumption, as laboratory air must be changed many times per hour to keep workers safe from airborne contaminants. Total-enthalpy wheels and glycol-runaround loops recover heat energy from office and laboratory exhaust streams respectively. Rooms with heat-producing laboratory equipment are outfitted with standalone air-conditioning units to keep ventilation demand low. To meet a requirement for 100% redundancy in the ventilation system, three-dimensional computer modeling enabled development of an alternative to the typical n+1 solution of an extra air-handling unit that sits largely idle. Instead, an economical system of interlocked ductwork and dampers enables a group of larger-capacity air-handling units to work as one, ramping up output to keep airflow constant should one unit fail.

On the roof, south-angled photovoltaic panels alternate with north-facing clerestories in a sawtooth configuration that elegantly combines electricity generation with natural illumination of interiors. Daylight reaches windowless laboratory spaces as well, through fiber-optic solar lighting, a technology developed at ORNL. Sunlight captured by a roof-mounted collector dish travels down fiber-optic cables deep into the building to illuminate workspaces with beautiful full-spectrum light that is unaccompanied by heat—further reducing cooling demand.
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• Chemical Sciences and Materials Science divisions
• Adaptable and flexible laboratories
• Central service corridor
• Offices for researchers