BRAMPTON, ON (May 6, 2019) – The City of Brampton has been recognized once again for its environmentally sustainable buildings. The Williams Parkway Operations Centre (WPOC) has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold certification from the Canada Green Building Council.
WPOC is a two-storey, 3,700-square-metre administrative building, with a garden and event terrace, green space, and staff and public parking. Some of the environmental highlights that contributed to its LEED® certification include:
· Water use reduction on site (e.g. using low flow fixtures, no landscape irrigation system)
· A storm water management pond created to reduce runoff into the storm water system
· Roofing material that reflects sunlight to reduce heat island effect
· A geothermal heat pump system with building automation
· Support for alternative transportation with the installation of bicycle racks and three electric vehicle charging stations
· A green roof area with vegetable garden, which reduces the heat island effect and cooling load
· Naturalized landscaping that eliminates the need for irrigation, and therefore reduces water use
LEED® certification recognizes a building’s outstanding environmental sustainability in design, construction and operation. Projects need to earn points in several categories to receive LEED® certification, such as Location and Transportation, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Innovation and more. Based on the number of points earned, a project then receives one of four LEED® rating levels: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum. The WPOC project, which completed in 2015, earned 60 points, qualifying for the Gold rating.
The City of Brampton has been pursuing LEED® certifications since 2007. The following projects have also achieved LEED® Gold certification:
· Brampton Fire Station 212
· City Hall addition and West Tower
· Brampton Fire Station 211 and Peel Paramedic Centre
· Gore Meadows Community Centre & Library
The following projects were designed and built to LEED® standards and are awaiting final certification:
· Springdale Library
· WPOC Phase 2
· Brampton Apparatus & Maintenance Building
· Brampton Fire Station 204 Addition
Quote
“One of Council’s directions for this term is Building a Green City. We’re committed to following LEED® and other sustainable principles to reduce emissions and help make Brampton a more sustainable city.”
– Mayor Patrick Brown