Greenroofs.com  Project of the Week: 3/25/13

VanDusen Botanical Garden  Visitor Centre
Vancouver, BC, Canada
17,222 sf. Greenroof

Project Description & Details

Exceeding LEED Platinum standards, the under certification Living Building Challenge VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre uses renewable sources found on-site to meet net-zero energy annually. Photovoltaics on the roof create electricity for the Centre, and hot water is provided by a biomass boiler fed by dry wood waste reclaimed from the surrounding area. Rainwater is filtered and used for the Centre’s greywater requirements; 100% of blackwater is treated by the on-site bioreactor.

Designed by Perkins+Will and Cornelia Oberlander with Sharp and Diamond Landscape Architects, the building was inspired by the leaves and flower of an orchid. The undulating green roofs are located on the “petals” and are planted with grasses and colorful bulbs. With slopes ranging from 2 degrees to 50 degrees, this project used three different green roof systems: the “ZinCo Perennial Garden,” “ZinCo Sloping Meadow,” and the oculus roof with a slope of more than 45 degrees was installed with the “ZinCo Steep Sloping Meadow” system including the Georaster elements.

Year: 2011
Owner: City of Vancouver
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Building Type: Educational
Type: Semi-Intensive
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 17,222 sq. ft.
Slope: 70%
Access: Inaccessible, Open to Public

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:

Architect: Perkins+Will
Landscape Architect: Cornelia Oberlander with Sharp and Diamond Landscape Architects
Structural Engineer: Fast + EPP Engineers
Mechanical and Electrical Engineer: Cobalt Engineers
Civil Engineer: Binnie Engineers
Ecologist: Nick Page
Greenroof System: ZinCo
Greenroof System Supplier:   Inc.
Consultant: Architek Sustainable Building Products
Greenroof Contractor: Houston Landscapes
Waterproofing: Soprema
Roofing Contractor: Metro
Construction Management: Ledcor

Click  here  to see  more information  about this project in  The International Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database.

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Love the Earth, Plant a Roof!

~ Linda V.