York meets the 'green' challenge

By Nishat Karim

This is a computer-generated rendition of the future Computer Science Building at York, chosen to represent Canada at the International Green Building Challenge. This is not necessarily a final reproduction of the building.

When York's future computer science laboratory was designed, the University and Busby + Associates Architects Ltd. had more than just York's vibrant red and white colours in mind. They were thinking green. Environmental green that is.

As a result of their careful and considerable planning, the computer science building has been selected as one of the three Canadian projects that will represent Canada at the Green Building Challenge (GBC) in Maastricht, Netherlands in October 2000.

As an international event, GBC assesses selected green buildings from around the world and presents these assessments at a conference. Also representing Canada this year will be the TELUS Building in Vancouver, British Columbia and the ANGUS Environmental Technopole located in Montreal, Quebec. The biannual event will bring together a total of 16 nations to discuss leading-edge green building designs.

To be located between the Farquharson Building and the Steacie Science Building, just north of Curtis Lecture Halls, the new building will accommodate some of the computer services currently located in the Chemistry and Computer Science Building. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin next month, and to be completed by August 2001, with the building ready for occupancy in January 2002.

Although colour is not the first thing that comes to mind when we think of a computer science laboratory, there are numerous aspects that will give this building its green tinge. As the first "cold weather green" building for a Canadian University, the laboratory will be highly insulated, allowing it to capitalize on solar gain and heat absorption in an exposed structure. Boasting natural ventilation, the building will have no traditional duct work and the atrium spaces will help to capture heat stratification opportunities - a fundamental aspect of the ventilation strategy.

No one said it was easy being green, but when the University, along with the architects, began plans for York's future computer building, it was crucial to them that the laboratory be a warm, open and welcoming facility. They strove towards a simple and flexible design in order to accommodate unpredictable future plans.

Other aspects which will help make the building environmentally friendly include the large component of operable windows which will allow for maximized free cooling. Wind sensors will also be used to control the opening and closing of windows in the upper atrium spaces. No less than 30 per cent humidity will be maintained during the heating season, while no more than 60 per cent will be kept during the cooling season.

Even aspects such as the flooring will be taken into account. Natural sheet products will be used and applied with a non-toxic glue, while minimal carpeting and wool will be used throughout the building. As a result of all these and other considerations, minimal construction waste will be produced at the completion of the project.

Later this year, when York's green building is presented at the GBC conference, Busby + Associates Ltd. anticipate the computer science facility to be the most energy efficient green building designed in a cold climate location in Canada to date.

Canada played a large part in the 1998 conference as hosts to the event held in Vancouver, during which time 14 countries presented their best green buildings. GBC hopes to advance green building performance and assessment throughout the world by bringing together communities of scientists, designers, owners and builders.