GREEN ON THE GRAND - tboake.com · GREEN ON THE GRAND INTRODUCTION Green on the Grand is a contemporary commercial office building situated in the Lancaster Corporate Centre in Kitchener

GREEN ON THE GRANDKITCHENER, ONTARIO

SNIDER REICHARD MARCH ARCHITECTSENERMODAL ENGINEERING LTD.

Caroline ProchazkaM. Arch CandidateUniversity of Waterloo

ADVANCED STUDIES IN CANADIAN SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Table of Contents Quick Facts IntroductionProgramFloor Plan and Building Section Site Site PlanSustainable DesignEnvironmental Controls Heating, Cooling & Ventilation SchematicsConstruction Integration of SystemsCostingLeadership in Energy Efficient Design CertificationConslusionEndnotes & Image and Drawing CreditBibliography

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QUICK FACTS Building Name Green on the GrandCity Kitchener, OntarioCountry CanadaYear of Construction 1996Architect Snider Reichard March ArchitectsConsultants Energy Modeling: Enermodal Engineering Ltd., Mechanical Engineering: JNE Mechanical

Structural Engineering/ Site Planning: MTE Consultants; Electrical Engineering: Davis Design Engineering Services

Program Commercial Office buildingGross Area 2,291 m2 or 24,950 square feetOwner/User Group Ian Cook (owner). Consulting firms (tenants)

Climate Temperate, Cold-humidSpecial Site Conditions Grand River Conservation Authority jurisdiction,

recreational trailsAesthetics Pitched-roof, low-rise, commercial style. Structural System Engineered wood products: Laminated Strand

Lumber beams and columnsMechanical System Water based radiant heating and cooling, Fresh air

ventilationSpecial Construction Double stud wall construction Daylighting Daylighting is maximized by 30% glazingShading Plantings (trees and shrubs) to reduce east and

west lightAcoustics Acoustic tile and gypcrete to muffle sound. Lack of

ambient mechanical noise.Ventilation Fresh air circulated at rate of 10 – 20 l/s/person; air

is cycled only once.Adaptability Rectangular units maximize usability; holds

potential for reuse as residential or care facility.User Controls Only 10% of glazing is operable. Individual tenant

controls on heating/cooling system. Estimated LEED rating Silver StatusBudget $2,500,000 (Approximately $1,090/m2 or $100/sf)Cost of Constructions UnavailableMaintenance Cost Annual energy bill $7,700: 42% that of a

conventional commercial building1

Special Circumstances C-2000 grant of $200,000 towards increased design fees

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INTRODUCTION

Green on the Grand is a contemporary commercial office building situated in the Lancaster Corporate Centre in Kitchener Ontario. Bordering the Grand River, the building and landscaping seek to be integrated into both the commercial development and the natural environment of the Grand River Trail System. As a collective design effort, the project arose out of the partnership of Ian Cook Construction and Enermodal Engineering Ltd. with a goal to create a building at significantly lower energy and environmental cost than a conventional commer-cial building, promoting a healthy internal environment and seeking high leasing rates. In conjunction with Snider Reichard March Architects of Waterloo, and local engineering firms MTE Consultants, Davis Design Engineering Services and JNE Mechanical, a design for a highly insulated, efficiently serviced build-ing with a complementary aesthetic was developed. Richard Reichard of Snider Reichard March Architects reflects that Stephen Carpenter of Enermodel Engi-neering provided the impetus and technical thinking, while Ian Cook of Ian Cook Construction contributed builder experience to the project. He continues to state that the “process needed some glue to hold it together,…only the architect thinks globally”, and that in order to combine all the different elements of the design, “the architect acted as coordinator and mediator2”. The design was predicated on principals of energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management and air quality. Aesthetic decisions were made to benefit the environmental design goals and to blend into the current commercial environment.

Green on the Grand is a high-efficiency, low-tech building. While some newer technologies were incorporated, at a premium, the services do not involve any computer controls or technology that is not readily available on the market. With a conservative aesthetic, the owner sought to raise leasing rates through a good-sense building approach. This case study will review the most important elements of this design, primarily those, which contributed to the design goals. The use of a gas-fired chiller/heater, radiant ceiling panels, a landscaped pond and natural materials contributed a premium of approximately 7.4% to the

Fig.1 (Above) Shows the main entrance from Riverbend Drive. Fig.2 (Below) shows the main entrance along a column-lined path next to the retention pond.

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Fig.3 (Above) The main entrance (1) is next to the water retention pond (2). Tenancies (indicated by different colours) are connected by shared elevators, washrooms and stairs (3). Fig.4 (Left) Shows a simplified building section, proving the efficiency in use of useable area and the ease of construction of a simplified, continuous facade.

budget cost of $2 500 000. These technologies, however, in combination with an airtight, well-insulated envelope have created a comfortable building with a remarkably high lease-rate. As a Canadian building, Green on the Grand dem-onstrates how a building can be designed to exclude the often extreme exterior climate while permitting ample daylight and fresh-air ventilation. Green on the Grand creates a regulated internal system that provides occupant comfort with-out being wasteful of resources.

PROGRAM

Green on the Grand is built on a 1.4-acre site in the Lancaster Corporate Centre in Kitchener Ontario. With river setbacks and easements, the buildable area is only 1.0 acres3. The building is low-rise to maintain a similarity of massing with the surrounding buildings4. The resulting building is two stories in height with a partial basement for mechanical services (Fig.1&2). The 2,180m2 plan is com-posed of two overlapping rectangles. These commercial occupancy tenancies are rectangular in shape to ensure maximized usage of floor area (Fig.3). The tenants, principally engineering and consulting firms, complete their own interior layout and design following common criteria.

The program and environmental strategies appear unrelated. As a ‘sustain-able’ building, proposing innovative mechanical services, Green on the Grand appears to be very rational and conventional in its layout. A mechanical room in the basement accommodates all of the building services. These services are fed through ceiling mounted panels, thus allowing clear floor space and unimpeded lengths of perimeter wall area. This may provide an advantage over conventional buildings, which use perimeter radiators or baseboard heating.

Given the site proportions, and the desire to maximize land usage, the build-ing is oriented on a north-south axis, with extensive exposure to the east and west (as well as views of the river to the east). The offset rectangles minimize

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core space and increase building exterior5, allowing for a greater penetration of daylight into the building. Between the two rectangular blocks, the area of overlap offers access to all units, and contains the principal stair, elevator, and washrooms. The mechanical shafts are paired with the two stairs. The central-ization of common areas allows a leaseable area that amounts to 84% of the overall floor area6.

The section demonstrates the significance of the energy efficiency strategy (Fig.4). Stacking of the floor plates allows for a simple, continuous and effec-tive envelope construction. A sloped roof offers greater longevity and permits dormers for daylighting of upper floor tenancies and core areas. In elevation (Fig.5&6), the site orientation is expressed in a distinct lack of shading ele-ments, as the building must rely on planting to shade the predominantly hori-zontal east and west sun.

SITE

The Lancaster Corporate Centre is located on the east edge of Kitchener. It is accessible by public transit as well as the Grand River Trail for pedestrians and cyclists, which runs along the bluff to the east of the site, overlooking the Grand River. As the site borders the Grand River, it is under the jurisdiction of the Grand River Conservation Authority. The only restrictions posed by this designation, however, were setbacks and no-build zones.

The site design consists of three elements: parking areas, pedestrian and bicycle areas, and landscaped areas (Fig.7). The parking strategy aimed to minimize land coverage by efficient parking layout. Unfortunately the parking areas are paved in asphalt, which contributes to the urban heat island effect in summer by collecting heat on the extensive black surface, and it does nothing to improve ground water regeneration.

Fig.5 (Above) The second exit along the north facade. Fig.6 (Below) West side of the building. All facades are treated equally and lack shading devices. They rely on trees to mediate solar gain and light in the summer.

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Pedestrian and bicycle areas have grass paving systems7. This surface (trade name Grasspave) is a recycled plastic honeycomb grating which allows grass to grow through it without being crushed under light traffic. The Grand River Trail connects to the building with small walkways. The area between the build-ing and the Grand River Trail has been developed as a patio area, with recycled plastic furniture and a composter for lunch scraps.

The landscaping is very important to the quality of this project. A pond at the front of the building offers additional outdoor amenity and advertises the ‘green’ aspirations of the building. The pond (Fig.8&9) has three functions: storm wa-ter retention, cooling tower, and natural wildlife habitat. Rain water from the roof drains directly into the pond, the mechanical system ejects excess heat into the pond from where it can dissipate through evaporation, and the na-tive plants along the perimeter of the pond are meant to provide a protected habitat for native birds and small animals8. The balance of the landscaping has been designed for two effects. Firstly, the tree selection incorporates privacy screening (sugar maples along the north and east) to enhance the beauty of the Grand River Trail, deflection of cold winter winds (white spruce along the northwest) and shading from low sun angles (white ash on the west side). The ground-cover areas are seeded with rye grasses, fescues and wild flowers to limit maintenance and watering requirements. Some plants are provided for bird habitat and colour (serviceberry and bearberry throughout the site). Secondly, landscaping in the north corner of the site is raised and planted so as to conceal the garbage and recycling bins9.

In general, it seems the design of Green on the Grand attempts to compensate for the building, by contributing significant landscaping to the site. It is these few site treatments (ie. the selection and location of trees) which the Green on the Grand can then harness to improve the inner environment and promote the proper functioning of the mechanical systems. To the benefit of the energy ef-ficiency ratings, the deciduous trees shade a large amount of glazed area from hot afternoon sun. As a proposition for how to ‘live lightly on the land’, Green on Fig.7 Site Plan

1. Green on the Grand2. Water Retention Pond3. Parking4. Grand River5. Riverbend Drive

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the Grand begs the question: should our goal of sustainable architecture be to prevent damage to the land by curbing our building practices, or to continue with little change and compensate the land for our presence. The design of Green on the Grand is allied with the latter.

Green on the Grand functions adequately in the Southern Ontario climate. In a more southern climate, with a longer summer season, the highly insulated con-struction would perform adequately, and the site planting would have an even more significant role in shading. The building would benefit from more operable glazing to promote cooling through natural ventilation. The pond would serve as a cooling tower for a longer portion of the year, but might not function as well in a very humid environment, as evaporation would be limited into vapor saturated air. In a more northern climate, Green on the Grand would demonstrate a worse performance. While the construction would impede heat loss well, more fuel would be required to heat the interior and to pre-heat the incoming fresh air. The pond would be frozen during a larger portion of the year and would undesirably cool the entry area during the already short summer season.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

As a sustainable building, Green on the Grand focuses on sustainable mate-rial selection and efficient envelope design. The design criteria weigh heavily towards energy and water conservation, and aim to create an indoor air quality that is comfortable and very low in volatile organic compounds.

The three criteria for material selection were embodied energy, off-gassing potential and cost. The principal materials are wood, insulation and sheathing. Even engineered wood has a relatively low embodied energy, while the em-bodied energy of the insulation varies depending on its composition. The wall area is 30% glazed and the large roof area is covered in fiberglass reinforced asphalt shingles. The concrete slab and foundation contribute significantly to

Fig.8 & 9 Show the water retention pond from a view at the entrance (above) and from the window of a second storey office (below).

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the embodied energy of the building. Table 1 compares embodied energies for these principal materials.

Considering the relative densities and weights of each of these materials, it is evident that the blown-in cellulose is the least costly to produce and hence con-tributes least to the embodied energy of the building. The EPS insulation is very light, but has a high embodied energy, and covers twice as much of the building as windows do. As a result, the windows contribute much more to the embodied energy of the building than does the EPS insulation. Concrete has fairly low embodied energy, but is a weighty material and forms the bulk of the foundation and hence contributes a significant amount of embodied energy as well.

The construction of Green on the Grand on this site has created smaller micro-climates and reinforced natural habitat. While the building itself has occupied approximately 900m2 of land in addition to the expanse of asphalt paving, the design seeks to compensate the site for some of this loss. The pond and as-

Table 1 Comparison of Embodied Energy of Principal Materials

Material Embodied Energy10 (MJ/kg)Engineered Wood (LSL, LVL, Wood-I-Joists) 11Wood (sheet goods) 10.4EPS Insulation 117Mineral-Wool Batt Insulation 14.6Blown-in Cellulose Insulation 3.3Glazing (tinted) 14.9Reinforced Concrete 1.6 – 2.0

sociated landscaping contribute both as a cooling summer microclimate and a natural habitat for local bird species. The planting to the north and east of the building partly screens the view of the building from the recreational trail. The minimized mechanical systems limit the acoustic impact of the building on the natural woodlot and river valley to the east. The strategy of planting native shrubs and trees also allows the site landscaping to take care of itself, lessening the need for chemical fertilizers and noisy lawn mowers.

Water conservation was one of the key tenets of the design. The 70% reduction in water usage from a conventional office building model was achieved in three ways. First, all washroom fixtures are ultra-low flush. The urinals and faucets all have automatic shut-off and the showers offer a manual override (to turn off water while soaping up, for example). Second, by using the storm-water reten-tion pond as a cooling tower, it is estimated that Green on the Grand saves 500m3 of water annually11. Again, the native landscaping completes this goal by requiring less irrigation. Any irrigation that is provided comes from rainwater supplemented by a well12.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS

Green on the Grand focuses on three elements for environmental control. Daylighting, radiant heating and cooling, and fresh, clean air all contribute to a healthy interior atmosphere13. Occupants can control their own lighting needs. The heating and cooling is controlled by tenancy and the ventilation feeds to all areas equally. Some occupants have noted that more user control of tempera-ture would be desirable14. The building, however, demonstrates little adaptabil-ity to conditions other than the current configuration. For example, the control of heating and cooling does not anticipate subdivision of the units.

Lighting is provided primarily through daylight, supplemented by energy-effi-cient ballast fixtures and task lighting. The lower floor was designed to provide

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daylight to 50% of the area, while the upper floor can be 100% day lit15. The upper floor uses a combination of perimeter glazing and dormers to bring light deep into the building. Moreover, a specific arrangement of dormers allows daylighting of core spaces such as washrooms and corridor (Fig.10&11). The low-energy light fixtures (Fig.12) are dimmable to allow lowered energy use on brighter days and they operate on motion sensors16 - which ensures further energy conservation when the building is unoccupied. To prevent problems of glare or over lighting, the windows are equipped with roller- or horizontal-blinds17. Interior glass walls and glazed entranceways combine to light the entry hall and stair.

The design goal for the heating and cooling system was to use energy equip-ment with the least environmental harmful fuel. The design uses a natural gas-fired chiller/heater, which functions at 85% efficiency to warm or cool water for the radiant panels. These radiant panels cover 30% of the ceiling surface. Due to the high area coverage and high efficiency of water based heating, the water only needs to be heated to 35C in winter and cooled to 13C in the summer compared to conventional perimeter radiators which require much higher tem-peratures. By using natural gas, the chiller does not contribute to peak electric-ity demand and is a cheaper source of energy. Figure 13 and 14 demonstrate the system for heating and cooling.

Of the glazing on Green on the Grand, only 10% is operable. This allows a very small amount of user-controlled ventilation, as the building performance relies on a pre-set, mechanical cycle. The mechanical ventilation provides 10/L/s/person for 20 hours of the day as a set standard. Under certain conditions, such as when external air can be used for cooling the building or when there is a need for additional fresh air, the air will be circulated at 20L/s/person18. The dis-placement ventilation system ensures that only 100% outdoor air is circulated. As each volume of air is only circulated once, CO2 levels are maintained at a healthy 450ppm19. A diagram of the ventilation system is shown in Figure 15. Air is pulled in from the exterior, heat exchangers pre-adjust the temperature,

Fig.10 (Above) Skylight in Enermodal office. Fig. 11 (Below Left) Skylight in washroom. Fig. 12 (Below Right) Artificial lighting in offices.

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Fig.13 Heating schematic

Fig. 14 Cooling schematic

Fig.15 Ventilation schematic

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and a heating/cooling coil heats or cools the air to the desired temperature. For summer cooling, the air passes over a desiccant, which removes some of the moisture in order to prevent condensation when the air passes through the office and comes in contact with the cold radiant panels. The air is released at floor level, where it rises as it gains heat, and escapes at ceiling level20.

Each tenant has made a commitment to the air quality in the building through selection of finishes. Carpets were avoided throughout the building as they are costly to produce and have a short life span. For a more natural and durable flooring, vinyl tile was selected21. The walls are painted exclusively with ultra-low VOC paints or for an alternate finish, are covered with an attractive textured cel-lulose product. Furniture, a common source of formaldehyde in particle boards, was either recycled from previous offices or was site-built of wood products which do not contain of volatile solvents.

Green on the Grand uses primarily active strategies do control the temperature, light and humidity of the internal environment. With seasonally changing weath-er outdoors, the energy-efficient system maintains constant conditions indoors. This efficient system, however, does not produce nearly as much ambient noise as a standard rooftop HVAC unit. While this lack of ambient noise results in a quieter building exterior, and generally quieter interior, there is no masking for noise between units22. While the drywall ceilings have some acoustically damping capacity, they do not succeed in blocking sound transmission between floors and from the core circulation areas to the units. Moreover, with no carpet finish, the wood I-joist floor acts like a drum, transmitting every footfall from the upper floor to the occupants of the lower floor.

CONSTRUCTION

The structural choices made during the design of Green on the Grand have car-ried the most significant effects on the overall energy efficiency of the building. A

Fig.16 (Above Left) Typical ceiling panel. Fig.17 (Above Right) Air-intake grille in office corridor. Fig.18 (Below Left) One of the few operable windows. Fig.19 (Below Right) HVAC equipment and heat exchanger in basement.

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well-insulated and airtight enclosure has resulted in the use of much less energy and materials for the construction and operation of the building23. The structure of Green on the Grand is almost entirely of wood. The use of engineered wood products was a decision based in sustainability: wood is a renewable resource, it is energy efficient, less expensive and has low embodied energy. Engineered wood was selected over dimension lumber in order to overcome the dimen-sional instability24.

The first story structure includes structural stud walls of laminated veneer lumber studs at 600mm on centre with a central building support of laminated strand columns, up to 6.7m apart25. The exterior walls are of a double stud construction that allows a higher level of insulation. The perimeter walls are filled with blown-in cellulose insulation26. The cellulose insulation is made of 100%-recycled newspaper. In addition to the cellulose insulation, the exterior of the wall is wrapped in 50mm of EPS insulation with stucco coating. This EIF system eliminated thermal bridging through the studs or ring joist. The walls above grade (Fig. 20&21) are RSI 9.4 (R=53, U=0.02) and RSI 5.13 (R=29, U=0.03), more than three times the ASHRAE 90.1 standard for commercial buildings. Below grade (Fig.22), the concrete foundation is insulated with75mm of rigid fiberglass drainage board giving RSI 1.78 (R=10, U=0.10). The second floor is constructed of 400mm deep wood I-joists supported on laminated strand beams and the perimeter stud walls below. The first floor is of concrete. Where a mechanical room exists below (as in Fig.22) this is 65mm of concrete on 450mm wood I-joists. For slab on grade conditions as in Figure 23, the floor is an insulated slab, providing RSI 2.42 (R=14, U=0.071).

The roof includes two types of structure (Fig. 24&25). The steeply pitched roofs are carried by 450mm deep wood I-joists, while the shallow pitch parts of the roof are supported on wood trusses manufactured off-site27. The cathedral ceil-ings contain 350mm of mineral-wool batt insulation while the flat ceiling areas are insulated with 450mm of blown-in cellulose. The mineral wool is a product made of recycled slag. The steep roof results in RSI 7.83 (R=44, U=0.022) and

Fig.20 (Above) Double stud wall at main floor. Fig.21 (Below) Single stud wall under roof overhang.

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the shallow roof is RSI 11.65 (R=66, U=0.015).

The selection of windows and doors was critical to issues of heat loss and heat gain through glazing. All of the windows are triple-glazed, double low-E coated, double argon filled with silicone spacers. The outer pane is spectrally selective with high visible transmission28. These high quality windows limit summer heat gain and winter heat loss. Even with 10% of the glazing operable, such windows allow the internal environment to be controlled primarily by mechanical means. Furthermore the insulated fiberglass frames limit thermal bridging and provide increased strength with a smaller frame. The larger glazed areas at the front and back entrances include a 50mm thermal break29. The R-value (R=6.2) was a leading factor in the selection of these windows. The doors are also highly insulated with a 13mm thermal break and a glazing system similar to that of the windows30.

Waste management was an integral issue in the design and construction phases. Materials such as trusses and engineered wood were selected in part for the ability to minimize site waste by having pre-cut elements delivered to site for immediate installation. Workers on the construction site were responsible for sorting many recyclable products into bins for delivery to recycling facilities. Moreover, selecting materials with high recycled content, such as cellulose in-sulation (newspapers), mineral wool (slag), engineered wood (wood chips) and recycled drywall meant a further diversion of materials from the landfill. In com-parison to a conventional building, Green on the Grand uses almost exclusively re-usable or renewable materials, and of the construction materials, almost all waste was recycled. Conventional concrete and steel structure contain high lev-els of embodied energy and are not easily recycled. When Green on the Grand outlives its usefulness, the wood and glass can be recycled. The concrete can be crushed and reused in much the same manner as Green on the Grand has used crushed concrete for drainage around the weeping tile. The insulation can either be reused or, in the case of cellulose insulation, easily decomposed.

Fig.22 (Above) Foundation wall assembly. Fig.23 (Below) Slab on grade.

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INTEGRATION OF SYSTEMS

As Green on the Grand uses primarily active environmental controls, there is much potential for an integrated system treating many elements at the same time. With full design control, one could devise an arrangement that intertwines the various systems, resulting in a more efficient use of space and resources. The systems selected here, however, are not integrated. The heating and cool-ing are virtually separate from the ventilation. These again are separate from daylighting. One must question whether this is the most efficient means to ser-vice the building. Daylighting provides ample excess heat in Ontario and could potentially be harnessed to assist in heating. Operable windows are a simple means of ventilation in summer, yet there are so few.

While the ducting and piping have been concealed in bulkheads and floor cavities, respectively, and floor vents are not readily visible, the radiant panels appear intrusive, even though they are painted to match the ceiling. Moreover, the design seems to be very rooted in the present, and does not anticipate technological changes in the future, which could make the current systems ob-solete. While Green on the Grand remains above current energy standards by a generous margin, this margin is bound to decrease in the future. Though the current systems are very efficient and reflect a large saving in comparison to the ASHRAE 90.1 standards, it is important to note these standards are relative. One must consider that with current issues of environmental preservation and climate change, these energy efficiency standards are subject to change and much more stringent regulations are likely to come, with the potential to radi-cally alter perceptions about such ‘energy-efficient’ buildings.

As part of a corporate centre, Green on the Grand is accessibly by several means. The building is integrated into a pre-existing stretch of recreational trail, public transit routes and major roadways. This allows occupants the convenience of personal vehicles as well as promoting the more fuel-efficient means such as cycling and public transit. Integration into its built environment

Fig.24 (Above) Steep roof assembly. Fig.25 (Below) Shallow Roof Assembly.

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was achieved with a conservative palette to match the colours and style of the Lancaster Corporate Centre. Integration into its natural environment is provided through the pond and the native plantings.

COSTING

The majority of cost decisions were made with the original design goals in mind: to reduce energy use and cost by 60% relative to ASHRAE 90.1; to emphasize electrical load reduction; to reduce CO2 emissions by 60% relative to ASHRAE 90.1; to eliminate the use of ozone-depleting chemicals; to use materials and practices which have a low impact on the environment, and; to reduce water use by 60%31. The initial 1994 proposal to “design, construct, promote and monitor the performance of a C-2000 office building”32, resulted in a CANMET C-2000 grant of approximately $200,00033 to assist in added design fees, documenta-tion and the cost of monitoring34. Ultimately, the cost premiums for alternate technologies, fixture and glazing amounted to 7.4% of the construction costs35.

The budget for Green on the Grand was initially set at $2,500,000. The key financial goal, however, was a saving in operation costs through a reduction in energy and material consumption. Through careful energy modeling Enermodal could predict which decisions were most significant and what changes to the design proposal would produce the greatest reduction in energy demand. The energy model of the final design predicted a 58% saving in annual utility costs as compared to a typical new office building. In simulated performance tests, Green on the Grand required only 50% of the operating energy, of an ASHRAE 90.1 model and only 28% of the water used in a typical new office building. The expected annual savings were $8,400 or $3.85/m236 .The design team hoped that the energy efficient design would provide savings to both the owner and tenants, as well as reduce greenhouse warming and produce less acid rain37.

In truth, the results are similar to those predicted with some small differences.

Fig.26, 27 & 28 Landscaping plays a critical role in the sustainability of the building and providing amenity and green space for building occupants.

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An occupant survey performed in 1998 revealed that 80% of the tenants were satisfied with the quality of light and 50% were satisfied with the ventilation on the building38. Generally, 25% of the tenants were satisfied with the ventilation and temperature in the building39. Those dissatisfied tenants, seemed to be more concerned with summer comfort than winter, and would prefer more oper-able windows40. For the owner, a practical measure of success is lease-rates. During the design and construction phases, the commercial tenancy rate in Kitchener was less than 80%. When construction was completed, Green on the Grand was fully leased. Furthermore, monitoring of the building through its first year revealed that the true annual energy savings were approximately $7,700, exceeding initial estimates by 10%.

Construction costs must also be considered in the success of a construction project. Pre-construction modeling comparisons were performed between Green on the Grand and two other conventional office buildings: a slightly smaller one according to local building code, and one of twice the size, accord-

Table 2: LEED Green Building Rating System Summary Project Checklist Sustainable Sites 5/14 Possible Points Water Efficiency 4/5 Possible Points Energy & Atmosphere: Prerequisite waived 12/17 Possible PointsMaterials & Resources 9/13 Possible PointsIndoor Environment Quality 8/15 Possible PointsInnovation & Design Process 0/5 Possible Points Project Totals 38/69 Possible PointsGreen on the Grand Result Silver Status

ing to 1996 MEANS Cost Guide. Additional costs for mechanical equipment, wall assembly, etc. could in this way be compared to two other models.

The wall assembly created an initial saving as the engineered wood is cheaper to design, does not require top-grade wood, and is easier to assemble than a steel structure. The lowered concern for thermal bridging is an added benefit. The savings in the wall construction would compensate for the extra expense of the high-grade glazing units, ultimately creating a very efficient wall assembly.

The cost of the mechanical system was a more serious concern, as the gas-fired chiller with radiant panels was expected to be more expensive than conventional servicing. Compared to a rooftop unit, it was more expensive. However, in comparison with the MEANS building, which does use a chiller, the extra care in the building envelope was reflected by a decreased cost (per building volume) for mechanical equipment.

LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY EFFICIENT DESIGN CERTIFICATION

Green on the Grand pre-dates the inception of the LEED rating system. The de-sign is contemporaneous with the BREEAM rating system, which, at that time, had been adopted from Britain. Green on the Grand was very successful under the BREEAM system, achieving the highest grade, outstanding, in design and second to best, excellent, in operation and maintenance. For the purposes of this case study, an estimated LEED rating has been assigned and evaluated. Table 2 shows the breakdown of point allocation for the various categories.

Green on the Grand is estimated at a high LEED Silver standard. Some as-sumptions and compromises were made to account for the design predating the LEED system. In the category of sustainable sites, the LEED system is biased in favour of brownfield sites and high-density development. Potential points were lost as a result of this being a newly developed site and due to the low

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density of this low-rise/large-footprint building. In regards to water efficiency, Green on the Grand performs very well, only losing one point where wastewater treatment is concerned. The ultra-low flush fixtures and low irrigation require-ments of the landscaping are rewarded in LEED points. In contrast, the points gained in the energy and atmosphere category are contestable. Green on the Grand underwent extensive commissioning and monitoring during construction and in the first year of occupancy. This is commendable and conforms to the requirements of the C-2000 program. The commissioning was all done by En-ermodal Engineering Limited, one of the consultant firms throughout the design process. Unfortunately, it is the first prerequisite of this LEED category, which specifies that the commissioning must be done by an entity outside of the de-sign team. While there is no effort made to include renewable energy or green power in the design, by waiving this prerequisite Green on the Grand can claim the points it deserves for a high level of achievement in optimization of energy performance.

In the category of materials and resources, LEED favours renovation or adap-tive restoration projects, hence, these points are inaccessible to Green on the Grand. Indoor environment quality is another success for this design, though it could have benefited from closer scrutiny of the construction air quality and a higher level of interior controls after occupancy.

Finally, though the design team of Green on the Grand was multi-faceted, and the resulting building in quite successful, no innovation points were allotted. Green on the Grand does not contribute visibly to occupant education, it does not excel at internal acoustic performance, and the lifecycle costing analysis stopped short of demolition or deconstruction. While the LEED system has certain biases that do not reflect buildings such as Green on the Grand, as a potentially Silver rated LEED building, it is very successful. The rating could be still further improved to Gold by the installation of CO2 and internal air quality sensors, harnessing of renewable or green energy and increased controllability of non-perimeter systems.

CONCLUSION

Green on the Grand is a Canadian example of how to integrate energy efficient design into commercial development. While it seems to ignore the opportuni-ties for passive solar design, the inclusion of current technology and smart envelope design results in a building which can maintain a comfortable internal environment with ease from one extreme of Ontario climate to another. The site in Kitchener has benefited from the landscaping. Reintroducing native species and offering habitats for birds and small animals was integral to the completion of the design: trees were needed for west shading, and the pond had been selected in place of a cooling tower.

The C-2000 program provided an incentive to developers to adopt innovative technologies. The financial assistance eliminated the burden of cost premiums and allowed for a more extensive design and modeling process. Using these governmental resources, the Green on the Grand design team achieved a unique commercial building, which has a much more positive effect on its site than would a conventional commercial building. It is a model for future devel-opers of how a small premium can produce significantly higher lease-rates as well as much lower operation costs. Despite the conservative style, Green on the Grand is an advanced building benefiting both the occupants as well as the site.

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GREEN ON THE GRAND

ENDNOTES

1. Enermodal Engineering Ltd. Green on the Grand C-2000 Office Building: Final Report. Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology (CANMET). Ottawa, Canada. 1996.

2. Interview with Richard Reichard of Snider Reichard March Architects, April 23, 2003.

3. Enermodal Engineering Ltd. 1996 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid. 7. Ibid. 8. Ibid. 9. Ibid. 10. Alphabetical listing of embodied energy coefficients: http://

www.arch.vuw.ac.nz/cbpr/embodied_energy/files/ee-coefficients.pdf 11. Enermodal Engineering Ltd. 1996 12. Ibid. 13. Green on the Grand: The first C-2000 Office Building: http://

www.enermodal.com 14. The Vital Signs Project: Green on the Grand Case Study (1998): http:

//www.fes.uwaterloo.ca/architecture/faculty_projects/terri/hypoth1.html 15. Interview with Stephen Carpenter of Enermodal Engineering Ltd. March 19,

2003 16. Advanced Buildings: Green on the Grand Office Building: http://www.advance

dbuildings.org/main_cs_gog.htm 17. Ibid. 18. Enermodal Engineering Ltd. 1996 19. Advanced Buildings: Green on the Grand Office Building: http://www.advance

dbuildings.org/main_cs_gog.htm 20. Ibid. 21. Richard Reichard, April 23, 2003 22. Enermodal Engineering Ltd. 1996 23. Cook, Ian and Carpenter, Stephen. Green on the Grand: Canada’s First C-

2000 Office Building, Energy Efficiency and Environmental Responsibility in

Commercial Construction. Union Gas. Kitchener, Canada. 1998 24. Cook, Ian and Carpenter, Stephen 1998 25. Ibid. 26. Ibid. 27. Ibid. 28. Ibid. 29. Ibid. 30. Ibid. 31. Enermodal Engineering Ltd. 1996 32. Ibid. 33. Stephen Carpenter, March 19, 2003 34. Ibid. 35. http://www.enermodal.com 36. Cook, Ian and Carpenter, Stephen 1998 37. Ibid. 38. The Vital Signs Project: Green on the Grand Case Study (1998): http:

//www.fes.uwaterloo.ca/architecture/faculty_projects/terri/hypoth1.html 39. Ibid. 40. Ibid.

IMAGE & DRAWING CREDIT

1. The author is credited with Figures 1, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 27.

2. Professor Terri Meyer-Boake of the University of Waterloo has graciously supplied Figures 2, 5, 6, 9, 17, 18, 19, 26 and 28, as well as images for the Title and Quick Facts pages.

3. Snider Reichard March Architects supplied image 4. 4. Enermodal Engineering Ltd. supplied images 13, 14 and 15.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

PRINT REFERENCES1. Cook, Ian and Carpenter, Stephen. Green on the Grand: Canada’s First C-

2000 Office Building, Energy Efficiency and Environmental Responsibility in Commercial Construction. Union Gas. Kitchener, Canada. 1998

2. Enermodal Engineering Ltd. Green on the Grand C-2000 Office Building: Final Report. Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology (CANMET). Ottawa, Canada. 1996

INTERNET REFERENCES1. Advanced Buildings: Green on the Grand Office Building: http://www.advanc

edbuildings.org.main/_cs_gog.htm 2. Alphabetical listing of embodied energy coefficients: http://

www.arch.vuw.ac.nz/cbpr/embodied_energy/files/ee-coefficients.pdf 3. Green on the Grand: The first C-2000 Office Building: http://

www.enermodal.com 4. The Vital Signs Project: Green on the Grand Case Study (1998): http:

//www.fes.uwaterloo.ca/architecture/faculty_projects/terri/hypoth1.html

PERSONAL INTERVIEWS1. Carpenter, Stephen. Enermodal Engineering Ltd. Interview and tour March

19, 20032. Reichard, Richard. Architect. Snider Reichard March Architects. Interviewed

April 23, 2003

Documents

GREEN ON THE GRAND - tboake.com · GREEN ON THE GRAND INTRODUCTION Green on the Grand is a contemporary commercial office building situated in the Lancaster Corporate Centre in Kitchener