April 20th, 2022
mcCallumSather Workplace Earns New CAGBC Credit for Indoor Air Quality and Infection Control
mcCallumSather’s workplace has earned LEED Gold certification for its interiors and, in the process, participated in the CAGBC pilot for new metrics of indoor air quality and infection control.
Completed in 2019, the workplace spans 10,000 sf on the second floor of the heritage designated Westinghouse HQ. mcCallumSather led the architectural, interior design and mechanical engineering alongside a team including Seguin Engineering Inc. With this certification, it becomes one of 19 workplaces across Canada to earn a LEED Gold Certification under the v4 standards.
“When we designed our workplace, we could never have predicted how, a little over a year later, the pandemic would change how the world viewed the importance of indoor air quality and infection control. We just knew that to focus on these areas we were making a healthier and more productive place for our team,” says Joanne McCallum, co-founder and executive director of mcCallumSather.
The design integrates operable windows, a high-efficiency water-source heat pump system selected and designed to be geothermal compatible to facilitate future conversion and includes the separation of air exchanges between floors complete with the generous circulation of fresh air.
“Now, we are so grateful for our space. While we have moved to a hybrid model of work, these decisions help our team feel confident and safe returning to the office, making this space a true hub of collaboration. We hope that by participating in this pilot, the design of our workspace can help inform how these essential criteria are evaluated and integrated into future LEED Projects.”
mcCallumSather was recognized in 2021 as a Green Building Pioneer by the CAGBC, and sustainable design is core to its identity. Therefore, advanced sustainability certification was one of the critical success criteria from the outset of the project.
The award-winning design of the second floor, and Westinghouse HQ, has become a teaching tool and part of various national and international presentations on how to integrate advanced sustainability targets in a heritage retrofit. A forward-looking design, there is capacity to install a photovoltaic system on the roof at a future point, which will provide for up to 15% of the estimated electrical demand for the building.
“Typically, you will see projects striving for LEED Silver. What really struck me is that the LEED Gold goal was indicative of the fact that a considerately high amount of thought was put into the design of the office,” said Maryluz Velasco, Senior Sustainability Professional with mcCallumSather.
mcCallumSather interior performance statics:
- 25% Water Reduction*
- 27.3% Savings in Energy Consumption*
- 84.55% of its carbon emissions offset with the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits through Bullfrog Power
- 99.2% Waste Diversion as part of the construction project
*compared to a standard office design under ASHRAE
We achieved exemplary performance for:
- Having a reduced parking footprint, designed to encourage staff to commute or carpool.
- The purchasing of low emitting VOC materials
For more information, please contact:
Laura Sears, Senior Associate & Marketing Lead
mcCallumSather
lauras@mccallumsather.com
905.516.7323