Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC)
Mountain Equipment Co-op

Project Description

Declared one of the greenest commercial buildings in the world when it opened in 2002, this new 30,270 sq. ft. retail centre was LEED Gold certified and exceeded the Model National Energy Code by 50% and met C2000 standards. The building construction followed extremely high standards set by the Client for sustainable green design. This is a ‘high profile’ Client that expressed a sincere desire to construct a flagship building that would clearly demonstrate environmental sensitivity and sustainable building practices. This project set the standard for sustainable design in Manitoba as the first and only LEED certified project and one of four Gold certifications in Canada. It was the recipient of seven national and international awards for sustainability including the 2003 RAIC Award of Excellence for Innovation and Sustainability and the 2005 Award of Excellence for Sustainability from the International Downtown Association in Denver. The project demonstrated the potential to create a LEED building on a limited budget with maximum creativity and in the process provided a significant impact to the urban design of a major street and a downtown.

(Photo credit: Courtesy of Prairie Architects.)

Electrical Systems Description:

MCW provided innovative design input for usage of lighting, power, photovoltaics, and optimization of mechanical systems.  Design input also included full engineering for all communication and life safety systems. The lighting included energy efficient merchandizing luminaries and  task lighting throughout. Photovoltaic panels that convert sunshine to electricity, used to run the pump that collects rainwater for Mountain Equipment Co-op’s green roof, were also part of the electrical design.