The BC Cancer Foundation has been awarded the prestigious LEED Canada Gold award for its landmark BC Cancer Agency Research Centre in Vancouver.

The $95 million BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, world-renowned for its ground-breaking cancer research, and distinctive for its round, Petri-dish-shaped windows, is the first newly-constructed health care or laboratory building in Canada to win the LEED Canada Gold ranking.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) designation is awarded by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) to leading-edge buildings that incorporate environmentally-sustainable design, construction and operational features to reduce the environmental impact.

“The BC Cancer Foundation is thrilled!” president and CEO Mary McNeil said. “This project has never been just about building a great facility, but about creating an environment where researchers can achieve their best.  All of us felt it was very important to strive for an environmentally-sustainable building, especially one dedicated to cancer research.”

Owned by the BC Cancer Foundation and operated by the BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), the research centre opened in March of this year, $6 million under budget and on schedule. BC Cancer Foundation donors supported a major fund-raising campaign for the project that began in 1997.

According to LEED Canada’s program manager Ian Theaker, the building’s LEED Canada Gold rating was the result of “exemplary” features including:  

• energy efficiency: 42 per cent energy savings with no use of HCFCs
• flexibility of design, including interstitial service floors that allow work spaces to be  reconfigured as technology and services change
• water efficiency, achieving “exceptional” 43 per cent savings, including the use of waterless urinals as a first for this type of  building
• 24 per cent recycled construction and finishing materials, described as “extraordinary” for laboratories and health care facilities

“The success of this project is a testament to the clear vision of the BC Cancer Foundation and BC Cancer Agency Research Centre users, the articulation of this vision by the design team, and the craftsmanship of the builders and all who combined an inspired architectural design, advanced building systems and sustainable design in this world-class facility!” said project engineer Blair McCarry of Keen Engineering in Vancouver.

The BC Cancer Foundation is an independent charitable organization that raises funds to support research and care through the BC Cancer Agency.  The BC Cancer Agency, a member organization of the Provincial Health Services Authority, provides a comprehensive cancer control program for the people of British Columbia.

Green Features/Performance: (August 2005)
LEED Gold
$95 million total cost
$6 million under budget
A day ahead of schedule
Opened March 2005

Energy
- Annual Energy Savings predicted to be $381,269.  
- 49.9% better energy performance than the Model National Energy Code for Buildings  for all energy use.
- 85% less energy than the Code for space heating.
- Approximately 7,200 gigajoules (6,800 Million Btu) are recovered from the chiller and used to provide space heating. This alone offsets roughly 60% of the space heating load.
- Heat recovery off of the laboratory exhaust air.
- High performance, low-emissivity windows.
- Efficient lighting – 23% lighting power savings over the Model National Energy Code. Lighting control strategies included occupancy and daylight sensors.
- No use of HCFCs (hydrochloroflourcarbons)  

IEQ
- Use of building materials with low emitting VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) for improved air quality for building occupants.   

WATER
- Water efficiency achieving 43% savings, including the use of dual flush water closets and non-flushing urinals.   
- Water efficient landscaping reduces the sprinkler requirements by 76%.

SITE
- Provision of bicycle storage and change rooms in support of bicycling as a means of alternate transportation.
- Electrical plug-ins are provided for electric cars in parking lot.  In addition, an occupant awareness program is in place to educate users on where to purchase electric vehicles.   

MATERIALS
- 29% of the construction and finishing materials are from recycled sources.  This included incorporating high volumes of flyash into the concrete mix, reducing the required amount of cement.
- Flexibility of design, including interstitial service floors that allow work spaces to be reconfigured as technology and services change.
- During the construction of this building, locally assembled materials were selected to reduce transportation energy.  - 77% of the materials were manufactured locally.  26% of the raw materials were extracted locally.
- A successful construction waste management program diverted 98.5% of the construction waste from landfill.

Media contact:
Penny Noble, APR
Director of Communications
BC Cancer Foundation                                               
Phone 604-707-5902                                                  
Cell 604-805-5637

BC Cancer Research Centre credit summary card