'The greenest building is the one already built."
Whether that saying is true depends on the building, of course, but it does raise the question of whether decades-old buildings can be brought to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards.
Extending the life of an old building is not as straightforward as it sounds. Many fail to meet modern building codes, let alone qualify for LEED points. And buildings with a heritage designation come with strict renovation rules.
However, a number of projects across the country are tackling older buildings in an effort to earn LEED points for things such as water-energy efficiency and air quality which helps to reduce operating costs in the future. Projects can even earn points for the amount of original building being saved. If you're going to save a cultural landmark, why not do it to the highest standards, proponents say.
Because the Canada Green Building Council awards LEED certification based on the total number of points earned, different older buildings have the chance to achieve green status in their own unique ways. Here are three projects that have applied for LEED certification - by recycling, restoring and repurposing.
Vancouver East Cultural Centre When it comes to older buildings, nasty surprises can be ruinous. So, when work began on the charming First Methodist Church occupied by the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, architects were dismayed to discover crumbling foundations and a roof supported by "an enormous system of trusses ... that looked like my dad might have built," says Hugh Cochlin, a principal of Proscenium Architecture + Interiors in Vancouver.
The Centre, affectionately known as the "Cultch," has occupied the 1909 structure since the 1970s, but it needed a significant amount of work.
"There's always a balance that has to happen between life safety and respecting heritage fabric," Mr. Cochlin explains.
"We had a decision to make that is classic for all old buildings: You have to bring it up to current codes ... you have no choice but to undo quite a bit of what was already there."
When the building's original roof structure was replaced with a steel frame, the century-old 2x4 wood pieces were reused elsewhere in the building, which helped earn LEED points. The building's restored features include an interior staircase, the balcony inside the 220-seat theatre and wood floors. The overall project also included a new administrative wing, additional washrooms and a new 80-seat performance venue for small, independent theatre companies.
When pursuing LEED points, theatres face a different set of heating, cooling and lighting situations than, say, an office building, Mr. Cochlin explains. Theatres have enormous spaces and performing arts stages that get hot under the lights. Indoor environmental quality credits were achieved by improving air quality in the theatre and maximizing daylight in administrative spaces.
While the restored building is as energy efficient as is possible, project managers didn't pursue certain LEED points where the costs would have outweighed the benefits, Mr. Cochlin says. Still, the return on investment for a project of this kind can be measured in the venue's new lease on life. It was a venue of the Cultural Olympiad which took place during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Building size: 730 square metres Completion date: Fall 2009 Total cost: $14-million LEED New Construction, Silver
Smith Hall, Banff, Alta.
It was the high cost of new building construction that saved the Banff Centre's Smith Hall from demolition.
Smith Hall was one of three original chalets constructed on the side of Tunnel Mountain in 1948. The multiuse building was to be torn down as part of the $179.8-million Banff Centre Revitalization project, but when Alberta construction costs skyrocketed a few years ago, project managers realized they could save a substantial amount of money by renovating Smith Hall, explains Bruce Chapman, president of Target Project Management Inc. in Calgary.
In June, the Banff Centre will move administrative staff into the newly updated and expanded building, which will be renamed Donald Cameron Centre.
