Perkins+Will announced that the VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre received Living Building Challenge (LBC) Petal Certification by the International Living Future Institute.
The certification is the most advanced measurement of sustainability in the built environment and recognizes projects in performance categories called Petals. The VanDusen Visitor Centre achieved certification in the categories of Site, Materials, Health and Beauty.
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, the VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre was inspired by the form and natural systems of a native orchid. Representing undulating petals, the roof appears to float above the building’s curved walls and flows from a central oculus and into the surrounding landscape. A multi-disciplinary design team that included architects, engineers, landscape architects, and ecologists collaborated to integrate natural and human systems in order to restore and enhance the ecological integrity of the site.
The Visitor Centre achieved LEED Canada-NC 1.0 Platinum Certified by the Canada Green Building Council and was named “Most Sustainable Building of the Year” in 2014 by World Architecture News. The project’s many innovations include: the procurement of healthy building materials; the integration of on-site renewable resources, along with passive design strategies, to significantly reduce energy consumption; the use of filtered rainwater for the building’s greywater requirements; and the treatment of 100% of blackwater by an on-site bioreactor.
“Almost a decade ago the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation commissioned Perkins+Will to create a signature, green facility to serve as a model of sustainable building for the City of Vancouver, to reflect its goal of becoming the greenest city in the world by 2020, and to raise the profile of the garden, both locally and internationally,” says Danica Djurkovic, Director of Facilities Planning and Development, City of Vancouver. “I am proud to say this project has exceeded our expectations. Since its opening, the garden has experienced a 50% increase in visitors and revenue and the Visitor Centre has become one of the most iconic buildings in Vancouver and in Canada.”
The VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre is the first project in Vancouver to be Living Building Challenge Petal certified and is one of only a handful of projects registered in British Columbia.
The Building Team included: Perkins+Will (architect), Ledcor Construction (contractor), Fast + Epp (SE), Integral Group (ME, EE), and R.F. Binnie & Associates (CE).
Related Stories
Green | Jan 28, 2019
This is the country’s greenest academic building
Perkins+Will designed the building.
Sustainability | Nov 5, 2018
How the built environment can help the climate crisis
Our buildings and cities will have to experiment with new climate responsive forms, and in many cases, the built environment will require dramatic shifts to achieve true resilience and continue working towards a carbon-neutral society.
Sustainability | Oct 25, 2018
As project delivery models evolve, designers rethink their role
New York City’s newest university campus, Cornell Tech, pushes the limits of sustainable and resilient design.
Green | Oct 17, 2018
USGBC survey suggests employees are happier, healthier, and more productive in LEED green buildings
Can healthier, more sustainable buildings give employers a hiring edge to attract best in class talent?
Sustainability | Oct 3, 2018
Introducing sustainable design early leads to more resilient projects
Many companies are influenced by the misconception that only some projects can qualify as sustainable.
Sustainability | Sep 18, 2018
Starbucks to build 10,000 “Greener Stores” by 2025
The company is teaming with SCS Global Services and World Wildlife Fund to develop the Greener Stores framework.
Sustainability | Sep 13, 2018
Under-development solar panels snap together and turn waste heat into hot water
The project is being developed at Brunel University London.
Sustainability | Sep 10, 2018
At Penn State, sustainability is more than a goal
The university, encompassing 13 colleges and 24 campuses, adheres to protocols established by the UN.
Green | Aug 15, 2018
What if your neighborhood could make you healthier?
The WELL Community Standard equips planners to build health promotion into the very fabric of neighborhoods.
Energy | Aug 6, 2018
Will California lead the way to energy independence?
The architecture, engineering, and construction industry will have to make major adjustments in the years ahead now that many state, city and local governments are getting serious about creating a carbon neutral buildings sector.