Windermere Net Zero Fire Station #31
Windermere Fire Station 31 will serve a new community in Southwest Edmonton, bordered by the North Saskatchewan River and the Whitemud Creek Ravine.
The community of Windermere aims to exemplify the careful integration of the natural and built environments. The City of Edmonton has taken a leadership role by requiring the fire station to obtain LEED Silver certification, be net zero, meet 40% better energy efficiency and 40% better greenhouse gas emissions than NECB 2011 and achieve 80 kilowatt-hours per m² per year for heating needs. Introba is providing commissioning services for the project.
To achieve net zero, the south-facing roof is clad with photovoltaic cells. The roof is optimized for solar generation capacity, generating the shape of the building. While the roof plane is lifted to provide a substrate for solar arrays, the ground plane is pushed down to collect and cleanse water in a front yard bioswale. A concrete plinth in the center of the bio-swale, accessed by a light metal bridge, provides a site for public art. Other sustainability measures include geothermal heating and cooling and maximizing natural lighting to reduce energy loads and improve the quality of the workplace.
Image courtesy City of Edmonton