by Shane Henson — November 4, 2011—The Centre for Sustainable Development, a demonstration green building in Quebec whose mission is to inspire everyone from property developers to the general public to embrace sustainability, was recently inaugurated by its eight socially and environmentally minded member organizations and their donor partners. The Centre is the first commercial building in the downtown core of a major Canadian city to seek LEED Platinum certification in the category of new construction.
Visitors will be able to learn how to reduce their environmental footprint and promote sustainability through a variety of programs offered through the center this fall, including the Interactive Sustainability for Leaders course by Natural Step Canada; the Provincial Climate Leadership Conference, an awareness-raising event for Quebec businesses; and Amnesty International’s letter-writing marathon on International Human Rights Day. Just as important, the building itself, one of the most energy-efficient office buildings in Quebec and the first of its kind to seek LEED Platinum certification in the category of new construction, also serves a teaching instrument.
“We paid particular attention to the choice of materials and to the environmental management of energy, water and waste, as well as to social issues,” said Sidney Ribauxm chair of the center.
The $27-million center is equipped with a geothermal heating and cooling system, a high-performance thermal envelope, triple-pane windows, and an approximately 800m
In addition, the Centre for Sustainable Development also obtained permission from the city not to provide the parking spaces that would otherwise have been required by law.
