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From left: Dr. Jim Montgomery, principal/structural engineer, DIALOG Design; Greg Krischke, mayor, City of Leduc; Shaye Anderson, MLA, Leduc-Beaumont; Steve Rumley, VP, Infrastructure, EIA; Tanya Doran, LEED Green associate, executive director, Canada Green Building Council; Tom Ruth, president and CEO, EIA; John Whaley, mayor of Leduc County; Stanis Smith, executive VP buildings, Stantec. EIA Photo
Edmonton International Airport (EIA) has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for the south terminal domestic/international/transborder expansion and LEED Gold certification for the new central tower.
LEED is a certification achieved through independent review of design, construction, operation and maintenance practices, which is used by 150 countries and is also recognized by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).
Stantec designed the south terminal expansion and worked with EIA to achieve one of the airport’s core values—sustainability. This is the first LEED Gold certification for an airport terminal in Canada.
“Congratulations to Edmonton International Airport on certifying its new terminal to LEED Gold,” said Thomas Mueller, president and CEO of the Canada Green Building Council. “This certification represents a significant improvement in environmental performance along with a healthier indoor environment for staff and travellers. Arriving at one of the greenest terminals in Canada sets the right tone for both domestic and international travellers, reflecting the City of Edmonton’s commitment to sustainability. I hope to see more of Canada’s major transportation hubs following Edmonton’s lead and commit to greening their facilities through LEED in the future.”
Completed in 2012, the EIA terminal building expansion created maximum system flexibility to accommodate evolving airport requirements while achieving LEED Gold certification. Many measures were incorporated, including such sustainable innovations as rain water storage cisterns, solar water heating, sensor controlled general lighting, wood structural components in the form of king post trusses, displacement ventilation and the first living wall in an airport terminal building.
LEED certification includes innovative communication of sustainability to staff and the public. With this in mind, EIA will be commencing an online competition for Edmontonians to win places on sustainability tours, giving an inside look at all the green building features at EIA, including areas not open to the travelling public.
“We are very proud to have been certified and grateful to all the members of the team who helped us to achieve certification for our terminal expansion and central tower. EIA has committed to being environmentally and socially responsible while meeting the Edmonton region’s growing need for air service. In particular, energy conservation is one area in which we have focused by employing new technologies for lighting and heating the buildings as we expand,” said Steve Rumley, EIA vice president, Infrastructure.
LEED is a building certification process designed to encourage the design and construction of sustainable, energy-efficient and water-conserving buildings. In Canada, green building awards and LEED certification recognition are sponsored by the CaGBC, a not-for-profit, national organization advancing green building and sustainable community development practices.
Stantec’s integrated design approach was led by architects from Vancouver and Edmonton, and included structural, mechanical and electrical engineers. This vision also included fabrications teams from structural steel, curtain wall, mechanical and electrical systems in an effort to reduce time, energy and paper during design and construction.
PCL managed construction of the 446,000-square-foot terminal expansion, achieving 96 per cent construction waste diversion, more than16 per cent recycled content, and all other construction related credits identified within the LEED scorecard.
Tower LEED Gold certification
Designed by DIALOG and inspired by the unimpeded Alberta wind, EIA’s central tower is as functional as it is beautiful. The use of sculptural zinc cladding, as well as optimal solar orientation, allows maximum natural daylight in the winter and shading in the summer. Other green features in the building include rainwater harvesting and under floor air distribution.
EIA’s new central tower was constructed by EllisDon. This new building consists of 130,000 square feet of space constructed to LEED Canada NC 1.0 Gold level. LEED certifications take into account the location, design, efficiencies and construction techniques of a building.
The building’s design also incorporates energy and water savings technologies and techniques, reducing operational costs in perpetuity for the life of the building. The EllisDon construction team utilized both local and recycled materials in the construction of the building, stimulating both local manufactures and recycling programs. Throughout the construction process, over 75 per cent of the construction waste was diverted to recycling facilities instead of the landfill.
