Vancouver Convention Centre West Achieves LEED Platinum
The Vancouver Convention Centre West (VCC) has been awarded LEED® Canada Platinum certification, the first convention center project in the world to earn what is the program's highest rating.
"The design goes far beyond the big box functionality and experience of a traditional convention center," says Mark Reddington, FAIA, a partner of LMN Architects, which designed the facility in collaboration with MCM and DA. "Instead, it offers a new vision of sustainability and a rich public experience by weaving together the natural ecology, local culture, urban context, and building program in a unified whole that functions literally as a living part of both the city and the harbor."
A prominent feature to be recognized around the world is the centre's six-acre living roof, which is Canada's largest and the biggest non-industrial living roof in North America. Landscaped with 400,000 native plants and grasses, the green roof acts as an insulator to mediate the exterior air temperature, as well as contributes to the building's stormwater utilization and integrates with the waterfront landscape ecosystem.
Other green features include:
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Restored marine habitat that is part of the building's foundation,
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On-site black water treatment and desalinization systems that are projected to reduce potable water use 60 to 70 percent over typical convention centers,
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A heat pump system that takes advantage of the constant temperature of the adjacent seawater to produce heating and cooling,
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Extensive use of local materials, including Douglas fir and Hemlock wood finishes harvested from Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast,
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Energy efficient fixtures and advanced energy management systems, and
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Natural daylighting and ventilation.