Waterloo, Ontario
Snider, Reichard, March Architects; Enermodal Engineering, Mechanical Engineers

Green on the Grand has 2200m² of office space along the Grand River in Waterloo.  A landscaping pond is used to manage stormwater quality and quantity.  Native and drought-resistant plant species are used to avoid irrigation.

Water-based radiant heating and cooling panels, a gas-fired absorption chiller/heater, and an outdoor pond to evaporate waste heat from the chiller are combined with a well sealed and insulated envelope to allow the building to use 28 % of the energy specified in ASHRAE standard 90.1.  Photo- and motion-sensor controls, energy efficient lighting fixtures, and daylighting design strategies allow the building to use 50% of the lighting energy needed in a typical office.

A focus on indoor air quality led the design team to use a 100% outdoor air ventilation system and carefully select finishing materials.  Innovative materials include: 100% recycled gypsum wall board, straw-filled interior wall panels used as room dividers, highly durable linoleum floors and baseboards, VOC-free adhesives and paints, cellulose-based wall coverings and formaldehyde-free particleboard furnishings.

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