Vancouver Fire Hall is First Zero Carbon Design Certified Building in BC

Vancouver’s Fire Hall No. 17 was recently awarded Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) design certification. Apart from being one of the first 16 projects to pilot the Canada Green Building Council’s ZCB standard, the recent announcement makes it the first fire hall in the country to receive the certification, as well as the first project of any kind in British Columbia to obtain the distinction. It is expected to cut operational carbon emissions by 99.67% when compared to the existing fire hall.

The new building, which will be located at the site of the existing fire hall (the corner of Knight Street at 55th Avenue), is also pursuing LEED Gold certification, Passive House certification, and Net Zero Energy as defined by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The design team includes: HCMA (architects and sustainability consultants), Morrison Hershfield (energy modeling), Integral Group (mechanical and electrical), RJC Engineers (envelope and structuring), and the City of Vancouver.

“Vancouver Fire Hall 17 is a response to the urgency of the climate crisis,” said Darryl Condon, Managing Partner at HCMA. “It shows that even large, complex facilities can lead the way in reducing our industry’s carbon footprint, while still improving the public service they provide. It’s testament to the City of Vancouver’s forward-thinking vision, and an example of how effective we can be as an industry when we collaborate from the earliest stages of a project.”

To read the full story in Canadian Architect, click here.