What is Sustainable Development?
Sustainability can be defined as “living in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” A simpler way of saying this is: Enough for All, Forever.
Sustainable development means that a project takes into account the social, environmental, and economic factors of building, and tries to balance them as best it can. Projects that take this approach can use less energy and have healthier air quality than conventional buildings. They can preserve the environment and help reduce the effects of climate change. They can even help to build more vibrant communities.
Sustainable Design: A Complicated Job!
We have been thinking about how to make the Beaver Barracks sustainable since the very beginning of the project development.
Every part of the project, from the way we designed the buildings to the plants we will use in the landscaping has been looked at carefully to make sure it meets our sustainability goals. We want to make the Beaver Barracks as green as possible!
How can you tell if it is Sustainable?
There are a lot of different ways to measure how sustainable a building project is. One of the most widely recognized rating systems is called LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. We based our sustainability goals for the Beaver Barracks on the LEED system. We are also using Energy Star qualified appliances and machinery wherever possible.
What are we doing at the Beaver Barracks?
Here are some of the sustainable features that we are really excited about:
The Design Process:
- Affordability: Building sustainably costs more than regular building. In order to make sure that the project fits within our funding, and is sustainable and ultimately affordable for tenants, we applied for grants to offset these extra costs.
- Community Consultation: At the design stage of the project the CMHC (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation) supported Sustainability Charrette. This event brought together building design and construction experts as well as CCOC staff, tenants and our housing partners. Working together, we brainstormed on how to maximize the performance of the building, from the envelope and building systems to tenants’ behaviour.
- Integrated Design Process: This is an interdisciplinary approach to building, where the architects, engineers, clients and specialists work together from the early stages of the project to develop the best possible design.
- Energy Modeling: We have done computer modeling of the project to make sure that it exceeds national and provincial energy and building requirements.
The Buildings:
Construction:
- Wherever possible, construction waste will be recycled.
- Wherever possible, we have reduced the cost of transportation of materials between the manufacturer and the development site by choosing materials available locally.
- Reuse of site trees
Outside:
- Like most urban land, the project site was a brownfield – vacant land previously used for commercial facilities. Before we started construction the polluted soil was removed and responsibly disposed.
- Well insulated, well built building envelope.
- Durable, low-maintenance materials.
- Extensive and Intensive Green Roof.
- Reduced exterior light pollution.
- Compost stations and recycling.
Inside: Building Systems
- Heat Recovery Ventilators for ventilation with exhaust air heat recovery.
- Energy Star compliant 3rd party financed Ground Source Heat Pump for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water (Geo-exchange system)
- Low-flow water fixtures.
- Smart meters in each unit.
Inside: Design Features
- Wherever possible, we are using low emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings and carpet (No HCFC’s or CFC’s) to improve indoor air quality.
- Energy efficient lighting.
- Energy Star appliances
- No carpets
- Use of balcony doors (vs patio doors)
- Bike storage is provided.
- No Garbage Chutes.
The Community:
- Mix of incomes, ages, abilities, and household types.
- Affordable housing through Below Market Rent programs
- Locally produced food (BUGS community garden).
- There will be heritage interpretation panels and public art on the site.
- Partnerships with supportive housing organizations.
- Opportunities for local economic development in the community.
- Close to shops, services, employment, schools and public transit.
Green Education programs:
- All tenants sign “green commitments” and pledge to do their part.
- A Green Animator on staff hosts workshops on green living.
- Signage in key locations reminds tenants and visitors of green features.
- Tenant-led community garden model runs gardens and composting.
- Surveys provide feedback on initiatives and opportunities for improvement.