WHW Architects designed Nova Scotia’s first LEED certified building and has focused on green design for over a decade. The architectural firm also has 16 professionals who are LEED accredited.
LEED certification
Buildings and designs that are certified by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) are structures that were constructed using sustainable site development, are efficient in terms of water and energy usage, are made with eco-friendly materials, are healthy in regards to indoor environmental health, and reflect the environmental responsibility exhibited by the owner, architects and construction company. LEED certification is a standard that is internationally recognized and in Canada is under the umbrella of the Canada Green Building Council.
The Juno Building
The first building certified by LEED in Nova Scotia, designed by WHW Architects, was the Juno Building at CFB Halifax (Stadacona). This 160-room accommodation, conference facilities and large-scale dining room was also granted an Award of Excellence by the Canadian Design-Build Institute. The Juno Building met environmental and sustainable criteria through, for example, the usage of paints and sealants that emit a minimal level of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), a design that takes advantage of passive solar (natural sunlight) heating, insulation that maximizes energy efficiency, and the recycling and reuse of 99% of construction waste.
The Joggins Fossil Centre
WHW also designed the Joggins Fossil Centre which is registered with the Canada Green Building Council. This is due to it being mostly run on solar and wind power, it has many locally made windows that allow for extensive passive solar heating and it has been constructed with local materials, such as sandstone and hemlock.
Bedford Institute of Oceanography
Adding to WHW’s curriculum vitae of eco-architecture is the design of the Energy Centre at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. It is extremely energy efficient as photovoltaic cells sense when the interior is too hot, automatically opening windows to let cool air in, and turning off electric heat when window panes let in enough solar heat. This equates to a reduced reliance on green house gases, as does the building’s ability to harness the harbour’s cool water for air conditioning.
Green Roofs
WHW Architects is a forerunner when it comes to the incorporation of green roofs. The Joggins Fossil Centre and BIO’s Energy Centre both have aesthetically pleasing and ecologically friendly tops to their buildings. Green roofs protect buildings from storm water overflow and make them more waterproof since the sod and vegetation absorb rainwater. They also increase structure insulation and provide additional green space and homes to avian wildlife.
Halifax West High School
WHW Architects’ consulting approach reflects sustainability as everyone involved with construction, from building owners to constructors and designers, sit around the table and discuss structural plans in a communal fashion. This was truly apparent when it came to the Halifax West High School project, built under a fast-track management process, where construction and design were concurrent. It was of utmost important that Halifax West be a healthy school, not only ecologically but also for students and staff, especially since its last building was closed in 2000 due to toxic mould contamination and environmental illness.
With architectural design completed by WHW Architects and support from the Department of Education’s Healthy Schools Construction Committee, the new Halifax West opened in 2003 and was considered to be the healthiest school in the country. Ecological and indoor health are reflected in the design, construction and operations through the ongoing non usage of fossil fuels, except for the generation of certain lab equipment, the use of minimally toxic adhesives, finishes and paints, exemplary clean ventilation systems, air intakes positioned so that minimal air toxins are ingested into the school, the lack of carpeting, and no pesticides were used as part of landscaping projects.
Green roofs, energy efficiency, design reflecting LEED standards, and a holistic approach to creating building projects all reflect WHW Architect’s goal of environmental and sustainable stewardship. As part of the architectural industry since 1945, it is clear that WHW’s expertise has evolved to meet the critical needs of an ecologically degraded planet.
For more information on green design and eco-living, visit Green Emerge.
Michelle Brunet - I am a late bloomer when it comes to writing and being published. Out of high school I completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology and ...
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