Under Construction - Learning and Innovation Centre

Green initiatives fill RRU’s new Learning & Innovation Centre

By Jennifer Blyth
Community Green Scene, Summer Edition 2010

There’s a brand new building rising at Royal Roads University whose construction really lives up to its name. From initial planning through construction and onto its use and operation once complete, innovative ideas have been at the forefront of the Learning and Innovation Centre.

The first building constructed on the Colwood campus since its transition from a military college to a university in 1995, the centre is designed to complement both the existing buildings, including Hatley Castle, and natural landscape of the property.

Set to open next spring, the 5,781-square-metre centre, sitting on the slope of University Drive between the forest and Colwood Creek, will accommodate projected enrolment growth, support the university’s interactive learning model and demonstrate its commitment to leadership in sustainability practices.

Environmental initiatives began long before building began. “In preparation for construction we went through a long and careful process, first just in selecting the site,” explains Bob Whitmore, Associate Vice-President, Planning & Site Operations.

Rather than compromise the surrounding forest, a previously disturbed site – a former parking lot – was chosen for the new building. A variety of invasive plant species has also been removed, including the prolific Scotch broom, with the added benefit of being returned to the earth in the form of compost.

A geological survey revealed the ground beneath the old parking lot actually held top quality gravel which was removed during excavation and stored on-site, then re-used during construction; the rest will be used elsewhere on campus.

Throughout construction, a third-party consultant is auditing the project to ensure the environmental initiatives are on-track, including protection of Colwood Creek, which runs through the campus to Esquimalt Lagoon below.

Beyond construction techniques, the building design, by Jensen Chernoff Thompson Architects, will help the university achieve its energy efficiency goals for years to come.

For example, the centre’s numerous windows not only provide excellent thermal insulation and a great view, but they’re also integral to the natural ventilation system, designed to optimize energy performance and reduce ongoing operating costs.

Beyond opening windows, the design also features a four-storey atrium that acts as a thermal chimney, drawing hot air up and out through large vents at the top of the building, in turn encouraging air flow from the connecting spaces, Whitmore explains.

During peak cooling hours, exhaust fans in the upper atrium will assist airflow and help cool classrooms by pulling more air through.

As for the design implications, “not only is this design feature highly functional and environmentally friendly, but it also provides the building with a stunning entranceway and will flood the learning commons with natural light.”

In winter, the ultra-efficient windows will also help keep the warm air in, with a heat exchange unit providing air flow. Up top, the reflective roof will keep the building cooler and enhance energy efficiencies while the roof’s ability to direct rainwater into a cistern to be used for non-potable water needs elsewhere will ease demands on the underwater aquifers that supply water to the campus.

Taking advantage of the south-facing lot, the building will feature solar-powered hot water – perfect for the showers included for staff and students. “We hope that encourages people to ride their bikes to campus,” states Whitmore.

Inside, all interior paints are low-VOC, meaning minimal off-gassing of chemicals into the air, and most of the flooring is flax-based linoleum.

Exterior cladding is a stone-look brick while plantings include a mix of easy-care plants requiring minimal water and some native plants, including fir trees and a large grassy area to be planted with Garry oaks and camus.

Looking ahead, the Learning and Innovation Centre will also minimize future waste as “it’s made to be easily renovated,” Whitmore says, pointing to interior walls, for example, that can be easily reconfigured should future needs for the space differ. “It’s a building you could use for a long time without a lot of renovations.”

Because of all these design and construction innovations, once built, operation of the centre will continue along the eco-friendly path. “The operation of the building will be very energy-efficient and low-cost to run,” he notes.

And even its academic use has kept these green goals firmly in mind. Technological innovations will allow teachers and students to pursue programming via “virtual classrooms,” where following their in-person sessions, students can continue their studies, including lectures, group meetings and study sessions, electronically. The result: fewer travel-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Read about the LIC today.