Langara College’s Buildings Awarded LEED Canada Gold Certification « Eco Question

Langara College’s Buildings Awarded LEED Canada Gold Certification

June 24, 2012, 9:56 pmFiled under: Eco Design > Eco Philosophy — Posted by Eco-Question Editor

Content by: Langara College – www.langara.bc.ca
Posted by: Eco-Question Editor
Source: Langara College – www.langara.bc.ca
Photo Credit:

Special Thanks:

Deborah So
Communications Officer
Langara College – www.langara.bc.ca

Vancouver, BC – Two “green” building complexes at Langara College were awarded special recognition for sustainability, it was announced on Jun 13, 2012.

The Library/Classroom Building and the Students’ Union/Building C complex, both at the College’s main campus, have been awarded LEED® Canada Gold Certification by the Green Building Council of Canada. The accolade is an internationally respected benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings. The pair of structures were designed by Teeple Architects, and opened in 2007 and 2009 respectively. The buildings feature an impressive series of innovative green elements, including the incorporation of wind energy to provide ventilation and the use of fly-ash-infused concrete in construction.

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Langara College's Buildings Awarded LEED Canada Gold Certification "LSU/C Building" © Langara College / www.langara.bc.ca

“We realize how important sustainability is, and how important it is for us to do our part in terms of being strong role models,” said College President Dr. David Ross, as he unveiled the LEED® Canada Gold Certification plaques. “This certification is in many ways a voice to the commitment that we have towards being a sustainable community, and to the goals outlined in our strategic plan as a College.”

The Students’ Union/Building C complex is the first ever construction to feature Thermenex, a revolutionary thermal energy exchange system that was developed by local engineers. Amazingly, through the use of Thermenex, the complex produces zero greenhouse gas emissions from heating and cooling. The system has since been selected for incorporation into a variety of cutting edge constructions.

“During the design of the project Langara really became a pioneer – specifically with regards to the Thermenex system,” added Dr. Ross. “It really is a world-leading initiative in terms of facility research and development, and I think we need to be proud of that.”

The Library/Classroom Building has received numerous awards for its innovative and sustainable design, including the 2005 Canadian Architecture Award of Excellence, the 2005 Holcim Foundation Award, and the 2008 Sustainable Architecture & Building Award. Architect Jeff Christianson, who worked on the Library/Classroom Building project, was on hand at the ceremony to celebrate the achievement.

“Greenness was at the forefront of Langara’s vision for this project, and we were happy to push forward with that,” said Christianson, who works for IBI/HB Architects. “It’s quite refreshing to have that kind of commitment.”

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The Langara College and Sustainability

Langara College's Buildings Awarded LEED Canada Gold Certification "The Langara College Library/Classroom Building" © Shai Gill / www.langara.bc.ca

At Langara College, they are deeply committed to being part of a sustainable society. They understand that the world’s resources are finite and need to be used conservatively and wisely. They know that their choices, both big and small, impact on the world and future generations.

As an educational institution, they have a responsibility to lead initiatives that positively contribute to the community. Their goal is to foster, and provide leadership to create more environmentally sound, socially just, and economically vibrant communities.

Langara College’s Future Plans Include:

Moving toward 100% recycling of paper, plastics, and glass including the recycling of plastic containers and non-refundable glass products.
Reducing campus paper usage.
Continuing to build new structures to meet LEED Gold Standards.
Encouraging the use of alternative forms of transportation.
Minimizing the campus energy consumption.