New metals and materials research lab under way in Hamilton

A team of architects and engineers has designed a new laboratory for research into metals and materials that broke ground in December. The CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory at McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton, Ontario, is a 15,400 square metre facility that will operate within the Minerals and Metals Sector of Natural Resources Canada.

The building is designed for certification as LEED Platinum. Even though laboratory buildings by their nature consume large volumes of energy and air for heating and cooling, this one is expected to consume 70% less energy than the rate in the Model National Energy Code for Buildings. A highly integrated design is used that takes into consideration all the site’s passive energy, resource and waste reuse opportunities.

Diamond and Schmitt are the architects. Read Jones Christoffersen are the structural and building envelope consulting engineers; Cobalt Engineering is the mechanical, electrical and LEED consultant, and A.J. Clarke and Associates is civil engineer. Other firms involved are Nedlaw Living Wells (bio-filter); GSP Group (landscape); Aercoustics (acoustics); Paradigm Transportation Group (traffic), Curran McCabe Ravindran Ross (costing), and LMDG building Code Consultants (code).