Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has been awarded its first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certification rating by the Canada Green Building Council for the St. Lawrence Power Development Visitor Centre.

“Earning this certification is in line with OPG’s commitment to the environment and sustainable construction,” says Bruce Robertson, plant manager at R.H. Saunders Generating Station. “We are very proud of the building and happy with what we’ve achieved.”

R.H. Saunders Generating Station is located beside the St. Lawrence Power Development Visitor Centre in Cornwall, Ont.

To reach this “green” distinction, OPG incorporated efficiency and environmental sustainability into the facility’s design and construction. Decisions included selecting a sustainable site, recycling construction material, and using ground source heat, which pumps heat to and from the ground. Additionally, the centre is accessible by bike paths and equipped with bike racks and electric vehicle charging stations.

The visitor centre was designed by PBK Architects and Genivar. Free to the public, it features interactive exhibits about electricity production and the history of the St. Lawrence Seaway and power project.

The centre officially opened in August 2010.