The Toronto Congress Centre - Green Building - Partners in Project Green
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
The Toronto Congress Centre
Green Building
ABOUT THE TORONTO
CONGRESS CENTRE
Located near Pearson International
CASE STUDY
Airport, The Toronto Congress Centre
(TCC) is a division of Congress Centres,
Inc., the largest privately-owned show
and meeting place in Canada. Founded in
1995, the TCC welcomes over 2 million
people each year from across the globe. The
facility’s events account for approximately
twenty percent occupancy of the 10,000
Located in the heart of the Pearson Eco-Business Zone,
hotel rooms in the immediate area. The Toronto Congress Centre strives for sustainability
LOCATION
ADDRESS: 650 Dixon Road, Etobicoke, Ontario
PHONE: 416-245-5000
WEBSITE: www.torontocongresscentre.com
GREEN BUILDING – RETROFIT
In response to customer demand for more exposition, meeting, and private function space,
TCC began the renovation of its unused north section in 2006. TCC’s Vice President, Customer
Experience and Corporate Communications, Cara Carey, states that the massive new addition
originated in part from the company’s reputation of providing the best customer experience of any
facility, anywhere in the world. TTC takes great pride in providing quality customer experience,
and has also trademarked its ideology as GEM™ , or Great Experience Makers™.
In 2006, TCC set the goal of creating an eco-friendly, multipurpose facility to exemplify the
company’s leadership role in providing superior customer experience. NORR Ltd. Architects of
Toronto, who were brought on board to re-engineer the space, produced a revolutionary design
that transformed the space into a state-of-the-art facility, complimenting the adjacent trade show
centre. This facility uses less energy, less water, more fresh air and natural light, with fewer toxins
and less waste than other facilities of its kind. The TCC North facility also includes a massive lobby
area with plenty of natural
light, 500,000 square feet of
exhibition space, 30 meeting
rooms, and a 25,000 square-
foot ballroom.
Construction began in early
2007 with the retrofitting
of the derelict north
building using zero waste
construction methods,
which meant diverting
waste by reusing up to The Rotunda – The Toronto Congress Centre North
95% of existing materials. The
CASE STUDY
process involved separating and
recycling materials, crushing old concrete and brick to use as site fill, and reusing the existing steel
frame structure, while new construction materials were selected by their recycled and reusable
content. To further reduce its carbon footprint, TCC chose mostly local building materials and
construction trades.
The new facility boasts features that span the entire sustainability spectrum, including:
Energy Efficiency
To minimize energy use, the TCC uses natural lighting, electronic energy efficient dimming
controls, LED exit signs, occupancy sensors, and compact fluorescent light bulbs. The heating
and cooling system is designed to be highly efficient and the 375 kilowatt (kW) emergency power
generator helps shave peak electrical loads.
Air Quality
The latest HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) technology monitors carbon
dioxide levels, and low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) interior finishes and eco-friendly
cleaning products are being used.
Water Management
The TCC incorporated an existing water tower for future use into its stormwater management
system, which will filter sediment before it enters the city’s sewers. The facility also promotes water
conservation through its use of low-flow, low-flush, and auto-flush plumbing, saving hundreds of
gallons of water daily.
Living Spaces
The facility brings the outdoors into the lobby with expansive windows, while future green roof
technology will aborb carbon dioxide to improve stormwater management and reduce heat island
effects, cutting HVAC costs.
A GREEN APPROACH
Retrofitting an existing
building is often more
difficult than building
from scratch, but
NORR Ltd. were up
for the challenge. With
construction commencing
in March 2007, the
northern extension was
also slated to finish in
just nine months, putting
pressure on finding the
best design solutions in a
New Expansion – The Toronto Congress Centre North
very short time frame. On top of
CASE STUDY
having limited time, the building
was also being designed as it was built, which made scheduling for subtrades difficult. NORR Ltd.
were able to collaborate with local subcontractors who responded promptly, which prevented any
major delays.
Unexpected occurrences are normal in building retrofits, and were no surprise for this project.
Although the 1950’s industrial factory provided a strong steel frame to work with, the building
team had difficulty connecting it with the existing structure. For example, the team had previously
looked into connecting the new building to the old rainwater system, but the existing system
turned out to be rusted, and a new drain network was designed last minute.
Although the building team was faced with many challenges, the TCC expansion was completed
on schedule. It officially opened in January 2008, with the new extension in full operation.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
TTC sees the retrofit as
an ongoing process, with
improvements continually added
to ensure the facility is up to both
customer and environmental
standards. TCC is currently
looking into CHP (Combined
Heat and Power) solutions for
energy recycling plans on further
reducing energy consumption by
using photo-voltaic lighting and
purchasing green power.
Event Set-Up
WHAT IS PARTNERS IN PROJECT GREEN?
Opportunities to gain a competitive advantage through sustainable business practices are more
attainable than you think. Partners in Project Green is a growing community of businesses
working together to green their bottom line by creating an internationally-recognized
eco-business zone around Toronto Pearson.
Through new forms of business-to-business collaboration, Partners in Project Green delivers
programming that helps businesses reduce energy and resource costs, uncover new business
opportunities, and address everyday operational challenges in a green and
cost-effective manner.
PEARSON ECO-BUSINESS ZONE
CASE STUDY
www.partnersinprojectgreen.comYou can also read
