The Claudette MacKay-Lassonde Pavilion, the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building on Western’s campus – and 15th in Ontario – is inching closer to its completion date of September.
Once complete, the $22-million, 45,000 square-foot building will house research on green technologies, processes and materials and, at the same time, the building itself will feature advanced environmentally sustainable construction technologies and methodologies.
One of the unique areas of the building to be studied will be the green roof. For this building, the roof has been covered with a series of flats that include seven species of drought resistant sedum, a hardy garden plant preferred over grass for green roofs.
Everything from soil moisture and temperature to water flow will be monitored through a variety of probes throughout the roof. Also located on the roof will be a wind turbine and a number of solar panels to generate electricity.
The soil and plants on green roofs can also insulate a building for sound, with the soil helping to block lower frequencies and the plants blocking higher frequencies.
Within the building, anyone will be able to check up on the building’s ‘green progress’ with a series of touch-screen kiosks allowing real time data related to water consumption, electricity and other environmental initiatives.
Some quick facts about The Claudette MacKay-Lassonde Pavilion:
• The pavilion will be the second green building in London – other is the Sisters of St. Joseph’s new residence
• Western is hoping to get a Gold LEED rating
• Western will also be aiming for LEED certification as it renovates buildings such as Stevenson-Lawson and the Physics buildings
• Cost differential between regular building standards and LEED is approximately five -10 per cent, with an estimate cost recovery of possibly five-10 years.
• Water recovery – rainwater from the roof will be collected in a 10,000-litre cistern. The water will be filtered and used for the toilets.
• Third floor is mainly Canadian Foundation for Innovation funded labs
• A walking bridge connects Thompson Engineering (third floor) and the green building (second floor).
• Atrium will include a garden of bamboo, sweet grass and other plants, along with a 150-gallon fish tank – also using water from the cistern.
Visit Flickr for photos of The Claudette MacKay-Lassonde Pavilion.