Duchess Park Secondary School goes for (LEED ) Gold

BY COLLEEN BIONDI

Darcy Bryant, co-owner of Prince George’s Bryant Electric is not new to “design-build” construction models. In fact, the company has done five of these fully-integrated, teamwork projects to date (where the client, general contractor, architect and sub-contractors are intimately involved in the planning and execution from Day One).

What is unique about the design-build on the new Duchess Park Secondary School (which will replace the old, outdated one located on the other side of the lot) is the fact that this project is going for the gold – LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold, that is.

This was a directive from the ministry of education office, one which Bryant and the rest of the project fully embrace, and is a “huge environmental step forward,” says Bryant. Bonus: Duchess Park will be the first secondary school in the province to meet LEED® Gold standards.

Many of the LEED®

gold points will be associated with site improvements, the building structure and the mechanics, but there are several electrical contributions, says Bryant. Automated controls, for example, will ensure that lights go off

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF WESTERN INDUSTRIAL CONTRACTORS LTD.

Front entrance of school.

when rooms are not being used; as well, longer-lasting and more energy-efficient LED-lighting has replaced the incandescent variety.

Fellow trade-contractor and foreman Shawn Madu of Christman Plumbing and Heating in Kelowna has been getting the hot water system up and running at Duchess. Christman’s nod to the environment involves heating the building via a geothermal system (with boilers as back-up).

“It’s not cheap but it is a long-term investment,” says Madu, who credits Geoutility Systems for this work. Because you are drawing water from the ground – where the temperature is more moderate than traditional systems – it is quicker and more cost-effective to both heat and cool. Madu also points to low-flow water fixtures and boiler pumps with high-energy efficiency motors as “green” contributions to the sustainability factor of this 154,000-square-foot project.

Trade contractors agree that doing complex technical work in conjunction with a design-build model has its challenges. “We make changes as we go; it is tough to keep on track,” says Bryant. Fixtures in the mechanical room often need to be moved or re-adjusted, says Madu. “It looks good on the drawings but once you get the equipment onsite it never seems to fit as planned.” Both concur that constant communication –site meetings and conference calls among team members – is critical for keeping parties and paperwork organized.

Dean Friend, construction manager with general contractor Western Industrial Contractors in Prince George, says two key reasons why their design-build team got hired was due to their unique design, and because they “listened to what the client wanted.” As a result, look for a three-court gym in a school community where athletics is highly valued, tons of glazing and natural light, a multi-purpose student meeting space

with two big roof skylights and two unique staircases – one a solid wall and one with a more perforated look. “They call this (area) the “WOW” feature,” says Friend.

The building process even involved going to the existing school and talking to students about what they wanted in the new space. “That (inclusivity) is one of the joys of the design build,” Friend adds.

The team is gunning for 41 LEED®

points (gold status is incurred at 39 to 51 points) at Duchess Park, he explains. This is not easy, given the remoteness of Prince George. For example, points are awarded for using local materials and disposing of waste responsibly. Bricks purchased from Medicine Hat were barely within acceptable range. And disposing of construction waste has been difficult, given there is no such recycling facility in the community.

Bryan Mix, secretary treasurer of School District No. 57, says that the team respected additional significant specifications of the build, such as the school’s history and traditions, while moving it functionally into the future. The community is also a player here; plans are afoot for a neighborhood park adjacent to the school. “We were impressed with the team at the outset and continue to be impressed,” adds Mix.

Karen Marler, team architect with Vancouver-based Hughes Condon Marler, is excited about the feature wood wall in the multi-purpose area, the student lounge above the main entrance and the “axial” relationship of the building to City Hall down 7th Avenue. “The view is really quite beautiful from the student lounge space,” she says.

“We had people (on the team) who have never been involved at the front end; it took them a while to understand that they were free to speak about issues outside of their expertise,” she adds. But once they did, it was full-steam ahead with confidence and a joint commitment to excellence.

Students will be transferred from the old school to the new one in the spring of 2010; what a fine way to return from spring break. ❏

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