Edmonton Transit System’s (ETS) new $99 million Centennial Garage has been unveiled. The 300,000 sq ft plus facility officially opens to bus traffic on April 24th, 2010. Covering an area of more than five football fields, this garage is the largest ETS facility, with room to house 250 regular and articulated buses. Centennial is the city's first garage designed to handle Edmonton's 13 articulated buses, with a special hoist than can lift the 20-metre, three-axled vehicles.
Morrison Hershfield is proud to have been the prime consultant for this new facility, designed and built to target a LEED® Silver (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Level certification form the CaGBC (Canada Green Building Council)® an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Key building features include a solar wall for heating recovery, a specialized low-volume bus wash system that recirculates and cleans the water used to wash the buses allowing it to be reused, and an innovative ventilation system that moves fumes away from occupied areas to increase employee safety and comfort. In-floor heating sends hot water through 80 kilometres of pipes in the concrete floor, avoiding the need for the overhead heat fans common in large industrial buildings, further improving air quality.
Other unique features include the use of drought resistant and native plant species in a low maintenance landscaping. The building is roughed-in to take advantage of snow melt from the neighboring snow dump site – utilizing the snow melt for free cooling in early summer months. Windows lining the top of the garage open electronically by occupants, allowing natural light and fresh air into the building. Low voltage lighting controls utilizing dimmers for office lighting are activated automatically by occupancy sensors saving energy. Main bus entrance lighting intensity is also controlled by dimmers based on the lighting levels outside the facility minimizing eye strain and improving efficiency.
Aside from project management, Morrison Hershfield provided architectural, structural, mechanical, fire & life safety, code review, electrical and civil engineering expertise, as well as LEED® consultancy services on this landmark project.