The Guy-De Maisonneuve (GM) Building is about to become a testing ground for Concordia's PLAN/NET ZERØ initiative.
Through a deep energy retrofit, the university is turning necessary repairs into an opportunity to foster innovation in sustainable facilities. Work on the 11-storey structure will help cut energy consumption by 50 per cent by improving heating, cooling and ventilation systems, lighting and more.
The project will also reduce the building's greenhouse gas emissions, improve wellness and create more comfortable spaces for the Concordia community.
"This initiative reflects our commitment to shaping the next generation of resilient, intelligent and carbon-neutral campuses through innovative partnerships," says Concordia President and Vice-Chancellor Graham Carr. "The GM Building is the first step in a long-term transformation that will benefit our community and help us be best-in-class when it comes to sustainable innovation."
Unique partnership
After a two-year selection process, Concordia chose Johnson Controls, a global leader in sustainable building systems, as its partner for this project. The company will manage the two-year design and construction period, as well as a 10-year operations and maintenance phase to ensure the building continues to meet its ambitious performance targets.
"The GM Building was chosen as the first project because it's primarily an administrative building," explains Michael Di Grappa, vice-president of services and sustainability. "This allows us to test the model with minimal disruption to students, while creating a blueprint we can use later in academic buildings."
The project will also be the first time Concordia pursues WELL certification, an international standard focused on occupant well-being. WELL looks at factors such as air and water quality, natural light, noise reduction and opportunities for movement.
In addition, the retrofit is targeting LEED v5 Operations and Maintenance (Gold) and the Zero Carbon Building - Performance Standard, making it a model for sustainable building operations in Canada.
A living lab for innovation
Throughout the project, a space in the GM Building will be converted into a living lab. This flexible research space will bring together Concordia students, faculty and staff - as well as industry partners - to test new technologies in real-world conditions and share findings with the wider community.
The construction period runs until July 2027, followed by a decade of performance monitoring and living lab research.
"This project is about more than efficiency," says Marie-Claude Lavoie, associate vice-president of Facilities Management. "It's about reimagining how our buildings can support our academic mission and contribute to a net-zero future."
Learn more about Concordia's PLAN/NET ZERØ.
