Cambridge building receives LEED Core and Shell certification

Enermodal Engineering based in Kitchener, Ontario was the LEED consultant on the first building in Canada to be certified as LEED “Core and Shell” or LEED-CS. The new headquarters for Collaborative Structures Limited, a construction firm in Cambridge, Ontario received its official certification this fall.
Whereas most projects are certified under the LEED-NC (New Construction) label, the LEED-Core and Shell certification is intended for buildings where the owner/developer does not occupy the entire building but leases space to tenants. The developer can therefore only control the environmental performance of the building envelope (shell) and infrastructure (core).
The 24,000-sq. ft. CSL building saves 41% in annual energy consumption, and 56% in potable water savings. The mechanical design features high-efficiency gas heating and cooling rooftop units, with an energy recovery system as well. The perimeter walls were constructed using insulated concrete forms, where rigid insulation is used as a concrete form and not removed after the concrete has set. They result in a tight and highly insulated building envelope. Mighton Engineering was responsible for the architecture, and CSL was the contractor.
Enermodal Engineering is about to break ground on its own new office building in Kitchener, overlooking the Grand River. The company, which specializes in green building design, is hoping to achieve LEED Platinum certification for the design. The goal is for the building to consume only 10% of the energy that would be used by an average office building.
Finally, Enermodal has been selected by the Canada Green Building Council as a contractor to oversee revisions to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system. LEED 2009 will be similar to the original, but substantial changes include new prerequisites and a new points weighting system.