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Cardel Place awarded Alberta’s first LEED Gold
by Marie Cusack
WD Communications, Edmonton
In June 2004, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) awarded Calgary’s Cardel Place with Alberta’s first LEED Gold certification.
Cardel Place, located in north-central Calgary, features a fitness centre, a multi-component aquatic facility, three gymnasiums, two NHL-size arenas, a branch of the Calgary Public Library, a pro shop, a sports medicine clinic, child minding services, food service facilities, community meeting rooms and offices. Operated by the Nose Creek Sports and Recreation Association, this community-oriented recreation complex has become a daily destination point for more than 80,000 community residents in an area that formerly had no public recreation facility.
USGBC is the foremost organization of builders promoting environmental stewardship across the world. Certification by USGBC means that a project has gone far beyond basic energy conservation. According to the council, the LEED Gold rating recognizes Cardel Place as “a pioneering example of sustainable design.” Some of the innovative environmental features that garnered international acclaim include the following:
- an on-site storm water retention pond
- an abundance of windows, natural light, and sunshine
- water reduction by one million litres per year through waterless urinals, low flush toilets, and electronic faucets
- energy reduction of 30 per cent through high efficiency boilers, pumps, lighting, and occupancy detectors
- a smoke-free environment
- a heat recovery system
- ‘free cooling’ from the outside air, rink refrigeration, and snow melt
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is an international measurement tool used to gauge the environmental performance of buildings. The tool uses a total of 69 criteria to establish whether a building meets the rigorous environmental standards established by the United States and Canada Green Building Councils in five major categories:
• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy and Atmosphere
• Materials and Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality
An additional category, Innovation & Design Process, addresses sustainable building expertise as well as design measures not covered under these five environmental categories.
Cardel Place was financed through a partnership involving all three levels of government, the community, and private sector organizations. Government funds were contributed through the Infrastructure Canada-Alberta Program, which works to enhance municipal infrastructure across Alberta and to improve Albertans’ quality of life through investments that protect the environment and support long-term economic growth. In total, the Government of Canada, through the department of Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), contributed $522,500 towards this project.
By providing diverse sport and recreation programs to adults and children of all ages, Cardel Place makes it easier for Calgarians to live healthy lifestyles and improve their quality of life. Winning a LEED gold certification confirms that Cardel Place is true to its vision “to be an inspiring destination enriching individual, family and community lifestyles.”
