The University of Calgary’s Energy. Environment. Experiential. Learning (EEEL) Building has recently been certified with LEED Platinum status. The EEEL building was designed by the architectural and interior design team led by Perkins+Will and DIALOG. EEEL is one of the largest LEED Platinum-certified laboratory buildings in North America.
“The design of EEEL centres around a grand ‘social stair’ and five-storey atrium, which brings an enormous amount of daylight into the building,” adds Peter Busby, Principal of Perkins+Will, the Design Architect of the project. “This not only plays into the energy efficiency of the building but also creates an inviting space that the students have embraced.”
“The building incorporated many architectural and engineering strategies to increase energy efficiency,” said Jim Goodwin, Principal at DIALOG and Project Architect for EEEL. “The LEED Platinum certification is certainly a great recognition and credit to all the hard work of the project team.”
EEEL is a student-centric building designed to provide opportunities for hands-on and experiential learning in both individual and collaborative settings. Situated on the north end of the University of Calgary campus, the EEEL building brings together multiple departments in the Science and Engineering faculties, promoting cross-pollination, integration, and collaborative research. The building features a modular lab and classroom layouts that put science on display: the interior glass corridor walls allow students a view into the labs, classrooms, and theatres to observe and develop curiosity about what is being taught.
“We are extremely proud of the EEEL building,” comments University of Calgary Vice President Bob Ellard. “The EEEL building is a perfect example to showcase the university’s commitment to sustainability, and we are very happy to receive LEED Platinum status for the building.”
Administered by the Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), is an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED Certification is based on performance in five key areas of human and environmental health, including sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. There are four possible levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
For more information, please visit www.ucalgary.ca/news/utoday/april2-2013/eeel-building-goes-platinum.