There’s something uplifting about the greys in the all-white winter setting of the Ādisōke project site, the future home of the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) and Library and Archives Canada (LAC) joint facility.
Although grey isn’t your typical cheerful colour, in this case, it tells an inspiring story. While the materials used to construct Ādisōke might be grey in appearance, they’re also eco-friendly green! The concrete includes a greater proportion of recycled materials, while the cement has a higher stone content and requires less energy to manufacture. Additionally, these materials are sourced 10 kilometres away from the worksite, which further reduces the carbon footprint.
Though the structure is just beginning to emerge from the ground, Ādisōke is already starting to deliver on the promise of becoming a model for sustainable buildings in Canada. The use of these greener materials was made possible by federal government funding for the construction of a net zero-carbon facility.
A net zero-carbon building is designed to minimize energy consumption through careful design and efficiency practices that benefit from the use of carbon-free energy sources.
The use of “green” concrete and cement is just the first step in making Ādisōke a sustainable landmark in Canada. Additional nature and climate-friendly features, as well as greenhouse emission-reducing components will be implemented throughout the construction process, including:
- A green roof with solar panels
- Large-scale use of natural materials, including wood and stone
- More sustainable building materials outside and inside the facility
- Improved insulation
- Triple-glazed windows
- Built-in solar panels on the building’s façade
- Abundant natural light inside the building
- Bird-friendly safeguards
- An indoor vertical garden
- Recycling and composting equipment
- Connection to the federal government’s district energy (heating and air-conditioning) system
- Energy-efficient lighting
- Charging stations for electric vehicles
- Extensive communal space surrounded by large green spaces and trees, located in the heart of the National Capital and adjacent to the Ottawa River
- Native plants
- Access to public transit and to bicycle and pedestrian pathways
OPL and LAC are committed to creating a clean, state-of-the-art cultural facility. This goal was clearly supported by the 4,000 Canadians surveyed on the architectural design.
Ādisōke, which means “storytelling” in Anishinābemowin Algonquin language, is leading the way in sustainable infrastructure development one concrete slab at a time.