Designed by architectural team of Bergmark Guimond Hammarlund Jones/ Urbana Architects in joint venture with HOK, the building is aiming for LEEDŽ Gold certification.

The site, an underused gateway to downtown Charlottetown, was selected for its potential to revive a neglected part of the city. The building, which will house offices for various federal government departments, will be both a symbol of Canada and a significant urban landmark. The four-story, 186,260-square-foot building is articulated as two distinct components to reduce its visual impact on the surrounding urban fabric. The L-shaped north wing defines the urban street edge. The south wing is pulled back from the street to accommodate a sun-filled urban park. All elevations are designed to reflect and reinforce the surrounding streetscape.

Sustainable design principles underlie all the building's features. Energy consumption will be 55 per cent less than a normal Model National energy Code building. The park and other landscaped areas will collect rainwater, filter contaminants, support plants and wildlife, and promote infiltration and groundwater recharge. Approximately 80 per cent of the site areas not covered by the building will be pervious to rainwater. Low-maintenance landscaping will rely primarily on hardy groundcovers, trees, and native plants. Rainwater will be saved in underground cisterns and reused to flush toilets. Overall, the building will use 80 per cent less potable water than comparable buildings.

The south wing, with its large areas of glazing, is skewed 45 degrees off the city's diagonal grid to optimize solar exposure for daylighting and a roof-top solar array. The higher sun angle to the south facade are less expensive and more effective than on the east-or west-facing facades. Glazing on the north-east and north-west facades has been carefully designed to provide glare-free daylighting for office spaces.

The design team's commitment to environmental sustainability will translate into a healthy and uplifting workplace for the 450 to 500 federal government employees who will work there.

All building materials and products have been selected to limit contaminants, especially during construction. Mechanical systems are designed for optimum indoor air quality. Underfloor air distribution, combined with an innovative chilled slab cooling system, will eliminate cross circuiting of supply and exhaust air flows and draw VOCs and bio-effluents away from people and office equipment. The mixed-mode mechanical system can function in natural ventilation mode during mild weather. Operable windows in the Atrium will promote cross ventilation and stack exhaust. Office areas will have access to views, fresh air, and, like the atrium, have daylight from two directions.

Source: "A New Benchmark for Public Buildings," ReNew Canada, March/April 2006, by Richard Williams, vice president, practice leader of architecture and sustainability at HOK Canada.