July 28, 2006

Green Building

Residence aims for LEED platinum

Hamilton project incorporates state-of-the-art technologies

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

HAMILTON

Dundurn Edge Developments Inc. has broken ground on what could be one of Canada’s first LEED platinum buildings — the West Village student condominium project in Hamilton.

Paul McMurray, vice-president of construction, told Daily Commercial News that state-of-the-art materials and innovative technologies have been incorporated in the project, which has an estimated construction price tag of $20 million.

One such feature is an on-site wastewater treatment system. The nine-storey building will be the first multi-unit residential project in Canada to boast such a plant, McMurray said.

Sandy Alyman, general manager of the Hamilton-Halton Construction Association (HHCA), said she didn’t have any data on how many LEED projects have been undertaken in the city.

“I can tell you that this (student residence) is the first LEED project to come through our plans room.”

She said HHCA is pleased that two of its members, Harris Rebar and Coreslab Structures (Ont.) Inc., have been awarded subtrade contracts. Other trades are currently being tendered.

McMaster University’s off-site student accommodations is aiming to acquire the LEED platinum standard.

Designed by RF Lintack Architect, the project will provide off-campus accommodation in apartments for 450 McMaster University students. The building is located on the former CNIB site on Main Street West in Hamilton.

Substantial completion is scheduled for next August.

Measures have been incorporated in the design to reduce energy consumption by 50 per cent and water consumption by 75 per cent over conventional buildings.

“Essentially, the owners, Dundurn Capital Partners, wanted a high-performance building,” McMurray said. “That’s how it all started.”

LEED consultant is Kitchener’s Enermodal Engineering, which provides energy and sustainable design consulting services.

The superstructure consists of a reinforced concrete basement structure with a “raft-slab” foundation, an insulated concrete forms (ICF) exterior wall system with interior structural steel frame and hollow-core floors and precast stairs.

The ICF reinforced-concrete shell structure is intended to extend the building’s life cycle and create an airtight structure.

McMurray said an environmentally responsible approach has been taken to re-cycling of materials.

Concrete salvaged from demolition of the existing building on the site has been pulverized and crushed for re-use.

In the works is a demonstration project with the city of Hamilton for separate pickup for organic waste, recycling and garbage. The aim is to reduce landfill waste.

Part of the development is 11,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor facing Main Street.

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