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National Works Yard

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Location

701 National Ave
Vancouver, BC
Canada

Content Type
  • Building
Budget
$23,000,000
Site/ building area:
5.05 ha (Administrative Centre), 437 m2 (Parking), 399m2 (Operations Building)
Completion Date
2004
Certifications & Awards
  • 2005: Silver Award of Excellence for General Contractor (the $10 million to $40 million category), Vancouver Regional Construction Association
  • 2004: BC Steel Design Award, Architectural Division (outstanding steel structure), Canadian Institute of Steel Construction
  • LEED-BC Gold Certification
project team
  • Owner: City of Vancouver
  • Project Manager: Peter Bremner, P.Eng. - City of Vancouver Engineering
  • Architects and Engineers: Omicron Architecture Engineering Construction Services Ltd.
  • Construction Managers: Omicron Construction Management Ltd.

Summary

Key Sustainability Features:

  • The combination of high-efficiency fixtures and storm water collection results in a 75% reduction in potable water use, saving over 2,000,000 litres of water annually
  • 75% of materials used in the project were locally manufactured
  • 23% of materials used in the project were locally harvested
  • 90% of construction waste was recycled
  • Innovative mechanical and lighting systems use 60% less energy used than required by the Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB)
  • The mechanical system consists of a ground source heat pump system, combined with radiant panel heating and cooling

The National Works Yard is an Engineering Operations Facility for the City of Vancouver that incorporates the operations of eight city branches and associated administrative support. It houses approximately 400 employees. This brownfield development was built on a former rail yard and has become a pilot initiative for the City of Vancouver to promote sustainable design practices. The Administrative Centre and Parking Operations Building were the first in Canada to receive LEED Gold Certification from the Canada Green Building Council under the LEED-BC criteria.

Stormwater runoff is managed on-site through landscape swales, sediment ponds, porous paving, and a green roof. A 75% reduction in potable water use was achieved through low-flow fixtures, waterless urinals, dual flush toilets, drought resistant landscaping, and the use of treated rainwater to flush toilets.

High volume fly-ash concrete was used for the concrete walls and slabs, the steel structure contains 100% recycled content, and 90% of construction waste was recycled. Seventy-five percent of materials were locally manufactured and 23% of materials were locally harvested to reduce transportation costs associated with materials. The building's use of paralam roof trusses is particularly noteworthy. The trusses were manufactured locally by gluing together long strips of waste wood and microwaving them, thus eliminating the need to harvest larger trees.

The building is sixty percent more efficient than the MNECB as a result of using efficient lighting and radiant heating and cooling powered by a ground source heat pump. A high performance curtainwall system with large roof overhangs reduces unwanted heat gain. A portion of the building's electricity is produced on-site with a demonstration photovoltaic array incorporated into the skylights of the Administration Building.

The building is located in a densely-developed area that is close to public transit. Alternative transportation choices were further encouraged with heated indoor bike lockers, showers, car pool spaces, a propane fueling station, and outlets for electric cars. Displacement ventilation, low-VOC finishes, daylight, operable windows, access to views, individual lighting, and temperature and humidity controls create a healthy indoor working environment for staff. The open plan design has accessible mechanical and electrical systems that can be easily adapted as needs change.

The City of Vancouver has used the National Works Yard extensively as a teaching tool through public tours and exhibitions. It is universally accessible and incorporates four public art projects.

Tours: Available upon request, call: 604-632-4353

 

This post was imported from the 'Greater Vancouver Green Guide', it's part of the 'Green Guide Portal' to the Green Building Brain