Algonquin building ACCE’s CaGBC Leadership Awards

The Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence opened in late 2011, and it is already building a name for itself in sustainability.

Algonquin College’s new home for skilled trades students was awarded the Canadian Green Building Council’s (CaGBC) 2012 Academic Leadership Award at the CaGBC National Conference and Expo, held from June 11 to 13, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.The award was presented by Thomas Mueller, president and CEO of the CaGBC.

“Algonquin College is delighted to be the 2012 recipient of the CaGBC Academic Leadership award,” said Clude Brulé, executive dean of the Faculty of Technology and Trades. “It is a great recognition of the tremendous effort from an outstanding team of dedicated faculty and staff at Algonquin College who developed an academic vision for integrating all of our construction-related programs of study under one roof, together with our industry partners and our community stakeholders, and brought that vision to life by creating the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence (ACCE), an architecturally iconic high performance building designed to the exacting standards of LEED platinum.”

The Ottawa, Ont.-based, 190,000-sq.-ft. facility houses upwards of 2,500 full-time students and 5,000 part-time students in construction, design, engineering and various skilled trades.

The facility is designed to be LEED Platinum certified and has a variety of green features, including: a stormwater recovery system for flushing toilets, solar panels for heating water, an R50 insulated roof, air conditioning and heating provided by heat pump technology, a five-storey living green wall covered with plants and a green roof designed to offset heat from the sun.

“It has been a fantastic journey, and I happy to note that our work will be ongoing, as we continue to explore new innovative ways to convey knowledge and skills in this dynamic learning environment,” said Brulé. “This award is for all of the men and women of Algonquin College, and all of staff involved in the design and construction, who worked to make our Centre a remarkable place to work, learn and play.”

Other CaGBC 2012 Leadership Award recipients:

Andy Kesteloo Memorial Student Project Award
Winner: Simon VanGrootheest
VanGrootheest was instrumental in the development of The Urban Greenhouse, a project based in Vancouver, B.C., that envisions an urban agricultural facility that could produce food sustainably at a neighbourhood scale. 

CaGBC Emerging Green Builder Award

Winner: Aaron Short

Short is currently finishing his Master’s thesis in city planning at the University of Manitoba on sustainable campus design, and shows a strong commitment to the green building industry. He founded the University of Manitoba’s Sustainable Campus Student Group, is the CaGBC Manitoba Chapter’s student representative, and has recently been inducted into the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s sustainability leaders program. 

Government Leadership Award

Winner: Infrastructure Ontario

Infrastructure Ontario (IO) is a Crown corporation dedicated to building and renewing public infrastructure in Ontario and has had a commitment to green building and LEED since 2007-08. IO is currently managing more than 15 million square feet in green building construction across the province.

The CaGBC Volunteer Leadership Award

Winner: Sue Clark

Clark has been extensively involved in green building in Canada since 2006, and has worked tirelessly to contribute to and improve the LEED brand in Canada. She has also volunteered for numerous CaGBC initiatives, including the Emerging Green Builders, the National Capital Green Building Association and the LEED 2009 Submittals Taskforce, the GBCI Focus Group.

The CaGBC Chapter Leadership Award

Winner: John Crace

Crace is a founding member and current chair of the Atlantic Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council, and has been committed to the CaGBC since 2003 when he became one of Canada’s first LEED accredited professionals. He has demonstrated outstanding success in advancing green building and sustainable community practices in Atlantic Canada; his “super green” Joggins Fossil Centre is a landmark of sustainable architecture in Atlantic Canada.

The CaGBC Green Building Champion Award

Winner: Vivian Manasc

Manasc is senior principal of Manasc Isaac Architects, and has been a tireless advocate for green buildings in her own practice and in her community for more than two decades. She was also a founding board member of CaGBC in 2002 and was recently appointed to the National Capital Commission Advisory Committee on Planning, Design and Realty.

The CaGBC Industry Leadership Award

Winner: Gord Hicks

Under the leadership of Hicks, BLJC has become a leading firm in sustainable approaches to property and workplace management. He is committed to supporting the real estate industry in operating at the highest environmental standards, which is evident through his terms as a member of the CaGBC Board of Directors from May 2007 to 2010. In April 2008, Gord became one of 275 Certified Canadian Presenters of Al Gore’s “The Climate Project”, and in 2009 also joined the Board of that project.

The CaGBC Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Kevin Hydes

Hydes is internationally recognized as a leader in sustainable design, and for his contributions to the building industry. As the former president and CEO of Keen Engineering, and vice-president of Stantec over the past decade, he has gained a reputation as an innovator, pioneer, and green business leader. Hydes served as the chair of the USGBC for 2005 to 2006, and was a founder and director of the CaGBC from 2003 to 2010. He also chaired the World Green Building Council from 2007 to 2009.

***Award recipients’ descriptions provided by CaGBC