evolv1 – Waterloo, Ontario

Realizing a shared vision

Given the fact that the evolv1 project team was essentially breaking new ground with the Zero Carbon Building Program, a critical piece of the puzzle was the utilization of the integrated design process to ensure alignment among everyone involved, from the building owner, to the architectural and engineering teams and sustainability consultants, to the contractor and sub-trades.

“Probably the biggest piece of advice we can offer is to get everyone on the same page from the very beginning,” he said, adding that the project has been a true team effort. “In the early days of the project, there was a lot of consensus-building among the parties involved to ensure our vision was properly communicated and shared.”

This shared vision has also been helpful in navigating the uncertainty of working with governments, utilities and the associated red tape to figure out the details of a new initiative. Adhering to zero-carbon principles requires an additional level of attention to detail at every step of the design and construction process, making it even more important to have all hands on deck, Conrad noted.

Validating the financial feasibility of zero carbon building

evolv1’s ZCB-Design and ZCB-Performance certifications through CAGBC are third-party validations of the Cora Group’s belief that it is financially possible to build using low-carbon strategies for the same cost as conventional construction and with minimal impact on the environment, Conrad said.

With the energy and cost savings resulting from evolv1’s zero-carbon design, The Cora Group is able to offer tenants Class-A office space in a sustainable, high-performance building, at competitive market rates. evolv1’s LEED Platinum certification recognizes the building’s many sustainable features that benefit occupant health and comfort, including monitored control of clean, fresh air and daylighting, managed sunlight glare, monitored humidity levels and zoned temperature control.

“We all knew it was possible, but we’ve now proven it is absolutely, financially possible to build a Zero Carbon commercial building, and to do it solely through private capital funding,” he said.

ZCB-Performance affirms design choices

For the Cora Group, it was always the goal to apply for ZCB-Performance certification once the company was able to gather a year of reliable energy data, and the project team took steps to achieve this. To further validate evolv1’s performance, it was important to also ensure that the building was fully occupied before starting the certification period.

Given evolv1 was initially designed to meet the ZCB Standard, no physical changes to the building were required, affirming the project team’s vision. The team did need to work to meet evolv1’s energy model target levels, by continuously monitoring and adjusting the building automation system’s operating settings to manage energy use and lower consumption. With the help of data from third-party electricity meters provided by CircuitMeter, the project team was able to minimize peak demand.

The evolv1 team initially encountered challenges around ensuring occupant comfort while commissioning the building’s systems. At first, evolv1 used 30 percent more electricity than expected. The evolv1 team was, however, ultimately able to maintain a comfortable temperature for tenants, and additional sensors were installed to monitor and fine-tune the systems.

Once fully commissioned, the building was able to perform as anticipated; in fact, the performance of some elements of the project have impressed many observers, including the solar wall, the actual PV energy production and the overall efficiency of the building.

Notably, the project team was able to demonstrate that, on a sunny winter day, evolv1’s solar wall is capable of heating the building’s fresh air supply enough that it can leave its fresh-air heating system on bypass for significant parts of the day, with a February measurement showing the solar wall was able to heat -13 C outdoor air to 16 C.

An eye on the future of green building

For the Cora Group, the pursuit of ZCB Standard certifications for evolv1 represents both an investment in a greener future and an opportunity to underscore the company’s history as a sustainable builder for more than a decade.

“First and foremost, we want to make a difference,” Conrad said. “When we heard about the CAGBC Zero Carbon Building certification, we saw a tremendous opportunity to measure our efforts against a progressive new building standard and to pilot our project within a program that is capturing attention from across the country and indeed, around the world.”

He noted that the Cora Group’s participation in the Zero Carbon Building Pilot Program has enabled the project team to learn from others who share their vision and philosophy, as well as to contribute to broader industry knowledge about low-carbon construction.

And with its location within Waterloo’s Idea Quarter, on the doorstep of the ION Light Rail Transit system, evolv1 is gearing up to be a hub for next-generation innovation and the millennial workforce.

The hope, Conrad said, is that the building’s dual ZCB-Design and ZCB-Performance certifications will be an important seal of approval, signalling to premier tenants that the Cora Group is a leading provider of high-quality, sustainable green spaces. It’s the Cora Group’s hope that this focus on sustainability will ultimately change the way procurement is done.

“We envision a day where zero carbon building design will be on the top of a tenant’s wish list when searching for office space,” he said.