Varennes library wins UDI Award for Excellence in the “Innovation” category
Macogep’s project management mandate, the Varennes multipurpose library, won the Urban Development Institute of Quebec (UDI) Award of Excellence. As part of the Montréal Real Estate Forum on April 1st, this award showcases the best achievements within the real estate industry in Québec. There were three categories: Best real estate project, Communication-Marketing and Innovation. Varennes multipurpose library won the UDI award in the third category stated above. It was competing against three other projects. One of which is the Montréal Rio Tinto Planetarium. This award is up to the challenges required to complete a project.
The first Net Zero institutional building in Québec
Varennes multipurpose library is an innovative project that must be completed by the summer. This is the first Net Zero institutional building in Québec that is born out of political will. Also, it will produce as much energy as it consumes. A serious challenge awaits the firm. In fact, Macogep must balance the new library’s needs in functionalities, with ambitious environmental goals of the city, especially in northern climate countries. Without precedents in Québec, the referral point was an energy modelling and a feasibility study. The goal is to reduce the building energy consumption. Therefore, the facility is powered through photovoltaic panels placed on the roof. This sophisticated system lessens the library annual energy consumption by two thirds.
Integrated Design Process
The city implemented an integrated design process to complete successfully this ambitious project. All the key stakeholders contribute jointly to the project definition and design as part of such a process. Also, Macogep coordinated a dozen meetings with the integrated design team. This team consists of city officials, cost controller, facilitator, energy modeller, architects, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, structural engineers, construction entrepreneur, LEED consultant, CanmetENERGY experts, and Solar Buildings Research Network from Concordia University. These meetings help complete the project chart that defines a common goal: reach Net Zero goal in the first three operating years of the building.
GOLD LEED Certification
We are able to aim for Gold LEED Certification since the multipurpose library in Varennes combines and integrates various energy efficient components. Among these components there are:
- South and West-oriented building to optimize passive energy intake to profit from maximum sunshine of the South,
- The pitch and photovoltaic panels that optimize the performance,
- Windows position,
- Vegetation screen installation,
- High performance building envelope,
- Clear interior coatings to highlight natural brightness,
- Landscape design without irrigation allowing water retentivity.
All of the elements above make this project an actual innovation hub to which Macogep proudly contributes (see project sheet).