The first tenants of the Millennium Water development in Vancouver, B.C., were Olympic athletes competing in the 2010 Winter Games. Now the former Olympic Village, located on a 17-acre brownfield site, is being transformed into a residential neighborhood targeting LEED ND Gold. The mixed-use waterfront community features 1,100 residential units of both market-rate and affordable housing and a community center—itself targeting LEED Platinum. Firms on the project include Walter Francl Architecture, Merrick Architecture, gBL Architects, and engineering firm Morrison Hershfield.
A mix of low- and mid-rise buildings maximizes water and mountain views within the eight-block community. Narrow roadways and proximity to mass transit, shopping, and schools encourage pedestrian and bike traffic. The buildings are expected to consume 30-70% less energy than comparable structures; the senior residence will be a net-zero facility. The community as a whole is powered by a district heating system that meets approximately 70% of its energy needs through recycled waste heat from sewage.
Related Stories
| Oct 16, 2013
5 secrets of successful entrepreneurs
If you’re on the outside looking in, successful entrepreneurship may seem mysterious. But it isn’t. Here are five patterns of behavior that are common to successful entrepreneurs.
| Oct 15, 2013
High-rise Art Deco courthouse gets a makeover in Amarillo, Texas
Recognized as one of the most significant Art Deco courthouses in Texas, the Potter County Courthouse is modernized and restored to its 1930s aesthetic.
| Oct 10, 2013
Behind the scenes at the U40 Summit: See the $5,000 U40 Vision competition in progress [slideshow]
Sixty-five up-and-coming AEC leaders are battling for $5,000 in prizes today at BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco.
| Oct 10, 2013
Arthur Gensler to architects: Don't give away your ideas
The founder of Gensler advises dozens of up-and-coming AEC professionals at BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco.
| Oct 9, 2013
From power plant to office: Ambler Boiler House conversion
The shell of a 19th-century industrial plant is converted into three levels of modern office space.
| Oct 7, 2013
10 award-winning metal building projects
The FDNY Fireboat Firehouse in New York and the Cirrus Logic Building in Austin, Texas, are among nine projects named winners of the 2013 Chairman’s Award by the Metal Construction Association for outstanding design and construction.
| Oct 7, 2013
Progressive steel joist and metal decking design [AIA course]
This three-part course takes a building owner’s perspective on the range of cost and performance improvements that are possible when using a more design-analytical and collaborative approach to steel joist and metal decking construction.
Sponsored | | Oct 7, 2013
Bridging the digital divide between the BIM haves and have nots
There's no doubt that BIM is the future of design. But for many firms, finding a bridge to access rich model data and share it with those typically left on the sidelines can be the difference between winning a bid or not.
| Oct 7, 2013
How to streamline your operations
The average U.S. office worker generates two pounds of paper each day, according to the EPA. Ninety percent of that trash is made up of printed materials: marketing reports, project drafts, copy machine mistakes, and unwanted mail. Here are a few ways AEC firms can streamline their management processes.
| Oct 7, 2013
Reimagining the metal shipping container
With origins tracing back to the mid-1950s, the modern metal shipping container continues to serve as a secure, practical vessel for transporting valuable materials. However, these reusable steel boxes have recently garnered considerable attention from architects and constructors as attractive building materials.