Panda Passage

In order to accommodate the very specific requirements of the Giant Pandas and the large number of visitors expected, the existing Eurasian Gateway building, surrounding grounds, and exterior exhibits were extensively modified and upgraded and new washrooms, a small retail gift shop, and a tea house were added.

For a project whose mandate was to “bring the outdoors indoors” and create a realistic habitat for Giant Pandas, the team needed to assess their overall sustainability goals outside of the traditional sense. The solution came from the International Living Future Institute's Living Building Challenge (LBC), which is the world's rigorous framework of green building requirements.

The LBC aligned perfectly with the zoo's conservation and sustainability values – low-impact materials, healthy indoor environment, community connectivity, equity, integration of beauty, culture and education. The LBC was also flexible enough to allow partial (Petal) certification, given the project's scope did not include HVAC system upgrades.