Building selected for the Poster Presentation
Net Zero, 2010 Olympic Village, Vancouver, B.C.

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Type: Residential

Approximate gross area: 4,037 m2
Gross wall area: 3,800 m2
Fenestration Wall Ratio : 33%
Windows U-Value : 0.24 -Triple Pane
Number of floors above ground: 5
Year of completion: 2009

Architect: Gomberhoff Bell Lyon Architects
Energy analysis: Keen Engineering

General Description:
The South East False Creek 2010 Olympic Athlete’s Village comprises sixteen tightly interconnected buildings within a matrix of roads, public open space and pedestrian networks. The community will embrace 850 units of market housing, 250 units of social housing, 80,000 square feet of commercial space, and a full service Community Center all constructed at minimum LEED Gold standard.

The challenges of the existing urban context and street density, real t orientation as precedent to a Net Zero Overlay were considered by the team as an opportunity to challenge the performance of a building in a real city situation, with real city density, real overshadowing and a diverse community of occupants.

A design team including architect, client, mechanical, electrical and structural engineer worked collaboratively to create spaces where the energy demand for the interior activities was minimized through careful attention to building orientation, envelope design and systems integration.

  • The single loaded open corridor and stairs obviate the requirement for mechanical systems for heating & pressurization while permitting day light and air to pass through corridors and suites, thus achieving passive ventilation & daylighting.
  • Circulation is designed to be open and to incorporate planters and benches to promote social well being and a sense of identity and liveability for the residents.
  • The overhang from the corridor acts as a architectural shade that protects the envelope, increases the building durability, and eliminates summer solar heat gain in units.
The SBTool results   
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Weighting
Results

weights
results
Absolute Performance Results
indicators

Athena Environmental Impact Estimator
Melbourne, Australia - SBC08 Net Zero Olympic Village Poster 2.3 Mb

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SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES  applied to the design

  • Rain water collector / extensive green roof
  • Insulation for thermal break
  • Perforated metal panel for acoustic and solar control
  • LED lighting
  • Perforated metal dropped ceilings
  • High performance triple glazed windows
  • Furniture at corridor to promote social integration
  • Planters as privacy buffer
  • Thermal break
  • Metal mesh enclosure at stairs an corridor for passive ventilation
  • Perforated metal handrails to improve building cross ventilation
  • Rain screen exterior cladding system
  • Solar shading system at south and west elevations
  • North Skylights for a day lighting

Applied Sustainable Technologies

A-Heating system connected to the Grocery Store

The heat rejected by the Grocery Store and the electrical rooms will provide heating for the building and preheating for domestic hot water.

B-Ventilation chimneys at the units.

Conventionally the washrooms and kitchen hood exhaust vents pass individually through horizontal in-slab ductwork. Here, in the NZ building, suite exhausts feed into collector chimneys with 2 speed exhaust fans at the roof. The fans maintain constant negative pressure in the chimneys to prevent cross suite contamination.

C-Solar tubes.

The solar hot water vacuum tubes located on the roof top of the building provide hot water to heat the domestic water for the NZ and two other buildings on site .When the sun is absent and during winter months when air temperature is reduced, a neighbourhood energy utility provides required backup heating.

D- Monitoring

The domestic water, space heating and electric loads are all continuously monitored and recorded for immediate access by building occupants.