Centennial College’s A-structure, Canada’s first LEED Gold, zero-carbon, mass-wood higher-education structure, will open its doors this week. A-Building, originally known as A-Block, is located on Scarborough’s Progress Campus and promotes Indigenous ways of being and teaching.
The extremely efficient building envelope and all-electric domestic hot water heating and HVAC systems helped A-Building earn zero carbon certification. A rooftop solar photovoltaic panel array will generate enough power to balance the facility’s yearly electricity use by 68,000 kilowatt hours, contributing to its LEED Gold certification. Additionally, the floor-to-ceiling windows that let natural light into the room give the building a WELL Silver accreditation.
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The college collaborated with Colliers Project Leaders, EllisDon Construction, DIALOGUE, and Smoke Architecture. Together, they delivered the roughly $112 million project. Additionally, the project included an Indigenous working group. The addition, which spanned six stories and more than 130,000 square feet, was complemented by a 15,000-square-foot restoration.
Facilities at Canada’s first LEED Gold certified building
There are Administrative offices, collaboration areas, and culinary services. Additionally, space for the School of Engineering Technology and Applied Science are all housed in A-Building. Among other adaptable classrooms, an internal courtyard serves as an outdoor classroom, allowing instruction in a circle arrangement, and 13 rooms fitted with unique exhaust blowers allow for smudging.
“We are overjoyed to see Centennial College’s A-Building expansion completed,” stated Craig Applegath, DIALOG’s Partner and Architect. “It gives me great pride that this project is the nation’s first zero-carbon higher-educational facility. Furthermore, it demonstrates DIALOG’s unwavering commitment to meeting and exceeding sustainability benchmarks across our work.” We’d like to thank Centennial College for being excellent collaborators and for ensuring that Indigenous ethics and environmental justice were at the centre of our design.”
