Rising 10 storeys from George Brown College’s waterfront campus in Toronto, Limberlost Place is the first mass-timber institutional building of its kind in Ontario. The award-winning, net-zero carbon emission building has been taking form since construction began in September 2021. Now, as the project nears completion, it’s hard to imagine the waterfront without it.
“Limberlost Place is more than a building; it will contribute significantly to revisions of the building code and allow for more mass timber buildings over six storeys tall,” says Black & McDonald’s Senior Project Manager, Praveen Nirula. “Limberlost Place is designed to achieve Net Zero Carbon, LEED Gold and Toronto Green Standard V3 Tier 4 design, and it has already won multiple design awards.”
Scheduled for completion in 2025, the 200,000+ square foot building will be home to the college’s architectural technology program, a demonstration lab, childcare centre, recreation facilities and dedicated space for Indigenous students.
The striking building plays a key role in the revitalization of Toronto’s burgeoning East Bayfront community and stands as a global example of what can be achieved with mass timber; it also showcases the latest smart technology, features a rooftop solar array and an eight-storey solar chimney for natural ventilation.
“The cooperation between all the partners and trades on this project has been tremendous,” Praveen points out. “Our Building Automation, Electrical and Sheet Metal teams have also been instrumental to getting us to where we are today.” In collaboration with PCL, our team was responsible for delivering key mechanical and automation systems that play a vital role in achieving the building’s sustainability goals.”
WORKING WITH MASS TIMBER
Given the unprecedented scale and design of this project, thoughtful coordination and an integrated approach were necessary from the initial stages between the various trades to minimize any installation challenges. As an example, Praveen points out that no floor penetrations were allowed during construction—meaning all holes had to be drilled in the factory and planned well in advance.
Meanwhile, moisture mitigation is a priority when working with mass timber, requiring the encapsulation of the building before any work could proceed. Moisture creates bulges and swells in wood, so developing a system to respond to rainfall was critical.
UNIQUE SYSTEMS & FEATURES
Limberlost Place has an intricate control system with many passive and active design features; it also includes renewable energies that were added to achieve the project’s sustainable targets.
“All these features had to be integrated—and work seamlessly—taking advantage of the local climate, microclimate, and reducing building energy use,” Praveen says. “So far, it’s been a great learning experience and an important project for our team.”
Another unique and critical feature of Limberlost Place is the radiant ceiling system, which will function as the primary source for heating and cooling. Covering upwards of 40 per cent of the ceiling, installing it was no easy feat for the team and involved a steep learning curve.
“The building and construction sector is by far the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for over 30 per cent of global emissions,” Praveen concludes. “With its many impressive features, Limberlost Place has set a benchmark, not only for mass timber construction but also for sustainable construction.”
AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Limberlost Place is years ahead of Toronto’s 2030 goals for sustainable design and performance for new developments and has become a global model for mass timber sustainable construction. Built with made-in-Canada mass-timber components, the design provides generous spaces focused on wellbeing by maximizing access to natural light and fresh air.
Limberlost Place will be able to operate passively 50 per cent of the year. The building will run with no fuel-fired systems. Electric systems are more energy efficient and represent a cleaner form of energy consumption than natural gas. A roof-mounted solar array will generate 24 per cent of Limberlost Place’s energy consumption to offset GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions generated in the electricity grid.
Black & McDonald is an integrated, multi-trade service provider that safely delivers high-quality construction, facilities management, and technical solutions to government, institutional and industry clients. Learn more about its history, services, projects, and news at www.blackandmcdonald.com.
