Green architecture – 25 York Street (Telus House Toronto)

Although it represents an office building whose sustainability in general is sometimes questionable, the 25 York Street (Telus House Toronto) still serves as an example how office buildings can be improved in order to conserve resources and provide healthier working environment. Located on the northeast corner of York Street and Bremner Boulevard in downtown Toronto, Telus House was recently certified as LEED Canada Platinum Certification for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance.

Designed by Adamson Associates Architects and Sweeney Sterling Finlay & Co., the 72,580 square-meter (781,236-square-foot) building includes 29 floors of commercial space topped with two mechanical floors on the roof and three floors of underground parking. 25 York Street achieved outstanding results in each category of the certification process through a variety of measures including meticulous site selection that promotes the continued development of the waterfront and is directly linked to Union Station, the biggest public transportation hub in the country.

25 York is at the forefront of smart design since it combines natural amenities with personal controls. Working areas feature 3.35m (11’) ceilings with windows extending from floor to ceiling, thus maximizing the intake of natural light on each floor.

Pressurized raised floors provide individual temperature control for all employees and greater access to fresh air, thus increasing workplace efficiency. Under floor HVAC distribution with voice, data and power results in lower leasehold improvement and construction costs.

Advanced heating and cooling delivered via a raised floor network that reduced energy costs by up to 25 percent, and Enwave cooling assures “locked in costs” and reduced Hydro requirements for cooling by 70 percent. Occupancy and daylighting sensors are used for automatic lighting control and energy savings through auto-dimming, individual fixture controls, dimmable ballasts and energy-efficient lighting.

Constant air-quality monitoring is used to ensure a healthier environment which was constructed from environmentally friendly materials. These include and low-emitting sealants, adhesives, paints, coatings, laminates, composites and carpet. More than three-quarters of wood is Forest Stewardship Council certified.

The building includes a number of green features including a combination green roof and white reflective roof components, rainwater cistern for irrigation and toilet flushing and occupant-controlled ventilation diffusers. Water consumption reduction is around 30 percent (10,000 liters or 2,642 gallons per year), and it is achieved by plumbing and fitting efficiency, as well as usage of low maintenance landscaping.