Centennial College’s A-Building uses an all-electric domestic hot water heating and HVAC system.Scarborough, ON — Centennial College has opened the doors of its new zero-carbon building. The A-Building is a LEED Gold, zero carbon, mass timber building that is six storeys and more than 130,000 sq. ft.
The A-Building achieved zero carbon certification due to its building envelope and all-electric domestic hot water heating and HVAC systems.
A solar photovoltaic panel array on the roof will generate enough electricity to offset the facility’s electricity use by 68,000 kilowatt hours annually, contributing to its LEED Gold certification. Floor-to-ceiling windows let natural light into the space, which supports its WELL Silver certification.
An Aermec ASHP was one of the equipment used in this project.Products for the project were provided by HTS, a custom HVAC equipment provider.
Equipment used in the project included an Aermec air-source heat pump, Bell & Gossett pumps and other hydronic products, a Daikin makeup air unit and VRV, a DriSteem humidifier, Haakon air handler, Precision Boilers electric boiler, PVI electric domestic hot water heater, and Viessmann solar thermal collectors.
The A-Building plans to support Indigenous ways of being and teaching, according to Centennial College. The building is home to administrative offices, collaborative areas, food services and space for the School of Engineering Technology and Applied Science.
An interior courtyard serves as an outdoor classroom, allowing teaching in a circle formation, among other flexible classrooms, while 13 rooms equipped with unique exhaust fans make it possible for smudging to occur.
An Indigenous Working Group made contributions to Indigenous elements of the build as Centennial College worked with Colliers Project Leaders, EllisDon Construction, Dialog and Smoke Architecture to deliver the approximately $112 million project.