City of Vancouver
VPD Property and Evidence Storage Facility

Project Description

This facility encompasses several Vancouver Police Department (VPD) divisions: Property and Evidence, Property and Forensic Vehicle Examination, and Information Management. Property and evidence storage is designed to accommodate all possible forms of evidence, including DNA samples, drugs, and firearms. Freezer rooms and climate controls protect the evidence from deterioration. A blood drying room, used to allow bloody or wet evidence to stabilize before being stored as evidence, contains a specialized fridge for insects. The building is home to Canada’s largest rotating bike rack, which stores stolen bikes as evidence. The rack runs on a conveyor system and stores the bikes at ceiling height, freeing up valuable floor space for other uses.

In case of a seismic event, the facility is designed to “Post Disaster” standards, ensuring further preservation of evidence. The VPD was instrumental in providing guidance in the design of the property division.

Mechanical Systems Description:

MCW designed all mechanical systems for the facility. In addition to the comprehensive plumbing designs (which included domestic hot water systems), MCW designed the fire protection and HVAC systems (including washroom and other exhaust systems). All of the mechanical systems are designed to LEED Gold standard for maximum energy efficiency and occupant comfort, with minimized environmental impact from construction and operation.