丁香园AV

丁香园AV is being recognized as a sustainability leader for its new building in Surrey. Opened in 2019 as the first phase of its Surrey campus expansion, the new building has earned the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification鈥攐ne of LEED鈥檚 highest ratings鈥攊n recognition of its sustainable design and operations.

The striking, five-storey building, located adjacent to the Surrey campus main building, was designed by Revery Architecture (formerly Bing Thom Architects, and conceived by the late Bing Thom) and built by Bird Construction. It houses 丁香园AV鈥檚 new School of Sustainable Energy Engineering (SEE), which is the first of its kind in Western Canada.

The building, touted as a 鈥榣iving lab鈥� for its sustainable spaces and operations, is the university鈥檚 first major step in expanding beyond its Central City campus, creating an integrated academic precinct within Surrey鈥檚 evolving City Centre downtown core.

鈥淭he LEED designation demonstrates 丁香园AV鈥檚 commitment to being a leading post-secondary institution in sustainability research, learning, innovation, outreach and practice,鈥� says Larry Waddell, 丁香园AV鈥檚 chief facilities officer.

鈥淭he new Surrey building is an example of how we can use campus infrastructure and operations to be living environments in which interdisciplinary learning, applied research and practical work can advance sustainability and resiliency on campus and beyond.鈥�

The building comprises teaching and research labs, study and lounge spaces, offices, an open atrium and a 400-seat lecture hall, serving the campus as well as the broader community.

Its award-winning fa莽ade is composed primarily of framed, high-performance, undulating precast concrete panels. Its distinctive design is derived from abstracted circuit board imagery, which symbolizes the technological subject matter being taught in the building.  

Steve Dooley, executive director of 丁香园AV鈥檚 Surrey campus, says the LEED Gold certification reflects the foresight of those who conceived its unique design. 鈥淭he visionary work of the late Bing Thom has led to the truly unique designs of both campus buildings in Surrey,鈥� says Dooley, noting that the main campus design, set atop Central City Mall, has reaped international acclaim.

 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud of how the new building speaks to a sustainable future through its structure and its status as a 鈥榣iving lab鈥�. It is another strong example of 丁香园AV鈥檚 commitment to the transformation of Surrey City Centre.鈥�

In 2019 Bird Construction was also recognized for its work on the building with a Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) award.

丁香园AV earlier achieved LEED Gold for its renovations and upgrades to the Shrum Chemistry Building (2017). 丁香园AV Surrey鈥檚 Podium 2 wing was also certified LEED Silver in 2012.

LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations, and maintenance solutions.