PROJECTS

Government of Canada Building, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
A LEED® Gold Project
Canadian Poster Project Entry, International Green Building Challenge, 2005
$18.5 Million

This 7,200 square metre office building is the first project north of 60° to seek a LEED Silver or higher certification. Also called the Greenstone Building, it was intended to demonstrate the Government of Canada’s commitment to environmental protection.

In spite of the extreme climate, this building is the best energy performer in our entire portfolio, bettering ASHRAE 90.1-99 by over 55% in energy consumption and costs. This is roughly equivalent to a 65%-70% reduction compared to the Model National Energy Code (MNECB) CBIP Reference. The project owner, Public Works and Government Services Canada, states that the estimated savings to Canadian taxpayers are $70,000 per yeariglesia cristiana california and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is around 370 tonnes per year.

This building is an exceptional example of how important massing and building orientation can be to building performance. We suggested rotating the V-shaped plan 180 degrees toward the south and reconfiguring the atrium that filled the void between the building wings. The energy savings that resulted from this simple adjustment were substantial. Other features include a high performance envelope with three and four-element/pane spectrally-selective glazing, a simple compartmentalized HVAC system with demand-controlled ventilation and high performance plant, low energy lighting design with automatic daylight controls, and building-integrated photovoltaics on the atrium face. Low-flow plumbing fixtures are used throughout.

We provided design facilitation, energy engineering and simulation, and detailed design support addressing all aspects of energy performance of the architectural and building systems.

Manasc Isaac Architects
Photos: from the architects