Focus: Leading in sustainable design
Higher education institutions have been leaders in the effort to integrate sustainability into the design of campus buildings. As part of Waterloo’s commitment to addressing climate change in operations, operationalized through the Shift:Neutral climate action plan, the University needed to update its existing commitment to LEED Silver to be more ambitious, and place greater emphasis on energy and greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
Throughout 2021 and 2022, the Sustainability Office and Plant Operations consulted with industry experts, peer institutions, and internal stakeholders to compile the Net Neutral New Building Guideline. This is the University’s first performance-focused design requirement for new buildings, and is meant to direct campus growth to utilize leading practices for highly efficient and low carbon design.
The guideline emphasizes efficiency-first approaches with passive principles such as excellent insulation and airtightness, efficient ventilation, and appropriate use of natural lighting. Targets are in place for absolute energy and carbon intensity, pushing buildings to be net-zero or net-zero ready, with flexibility for the variety of lab, classroom, office, and residential buildings at Waterloo.
New buildings constructed under the guideline will mark a key shift on the campus, creating attractive, comfortable, highly-efficient, low carbon, and well-ventilated spaces in which students and employees can thrive.
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