Edmonton Tower

Edmonton Tower is home to over 2000 City of Edmonton staff, 150 secure bike lock ups plus showers and a change room, and 360 parking stalls. The building is 27 floors and 60,400 square meters.

Reducing energy costs for heating and cooling in the building start with highly advanced, high efficiency mechanical equipment. Additionally, high thermal insulation and passive design strategies such as daylighting and optimal building orientation have been implemented. Through daylight harvesting, occupancy sensors, lighting controls and refrigeration heat recovery systems, the tower further reduces process energy. Overall, the energy intensity target is 110 KwH/m2/yr, which is 1/3 that of a typical Edmonton building.

By leasing an efficient building the City of Edmonton is leading by example in reducing the amount of energy used in business operations. This is also in aligned with Edmonton’s Energy Transition Strategy, the City’s newest climate change policy that guides the City and the larger community in Edmonton towards a low carbon future.

CONTEXT

• Commercial buildings account for around 23% of emissions in Edmonton
• By leasing an efficient building the City of Edmonton is leading by example in reducing the amount of energy used in our business operations
• This is also in aligned with Edmonton’s Energy Transition Strategy, the City’s newest climate change policy that guides the City and the larger community in Edmonton towards a low carbon future
• In the City’s new sustainable building policy passed in 2017 the BOMA BEST standard for sustainable operations was required for the first time. The City not only wants all of its buildings to be built sustainably, they will also be operated sustainably.

EMISSIONS

• Edmonton Tower has an energy use intensity target of 110 KwH/m2/yr, which is 1/3 that of a typical Edmonton building.
• This means heating and cooling cost are reduced by the highly efficient mechanical equipment and high thermal insulation
• There are also occupancy sensors and lighting controls on each floor

LOCATION, TRANSIT, ACCESSIBILITY

• Edmonton tower is easily accessible by bus, light rail transit, car, bicycle, and on foot.
• The building is also connected with Edmonton’s downtown pedway network: a network connecting office buildings, shopping centres, and parkades. It consists of approximately 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) of year-round climate-controlled underground tunnels, and walkways between the second floors of buildings, approximately 15 feet (4.6 m) above ground. The main network connects more than 40 buildings and parkades, and three of the five Edmonton Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations in the downtown area.
• Edmonton Tower has a large bike room and houses the some of the City employee bike share bikes. This allows employees to sustainably commute to their meetings downtown between buildings.

FURNISHING

• As a tenant the City of Edmonton was committed to also achieving LEED silver in our tenant fit up and ended up reusing and refurbishing a lot of the desk, cabinet and cubicle materials from previous offices.

HEATING AND COOLING

• Heating and cooling cost are reduced by highly efficient mechanical equipment, high thermal insulation and high performance glazing
• The building uses a chilled beam system. So instead of forced air units that sit in the perimeter of the building, Edmonton Tower has a zoned unit in the ceiling that uses water to move energy around. This enables the temperature to be controlled with a greater degree of accuracy and is more efficient.
• The Tower also uses passive design strategies to save energy, such as ensuring ample daylighting. You can also see this in the design of the workspaces.
• Occupancy sensors and lighting controls on each floor.

WATER

• Edmonton Tower recycles greywater for use in washrooms.
• To eliminate the need for irrigation, the building’s landscape strategy involves using 100% native or adapted landscaping.

WASTE

• The City has also expanded its recycling programs for staff in the new tower offering specialized recycling for things like K-Cup (coffee pods), batteries, and e-waste.

COST REDUCTIONS

• Fundamental and enhanced commissioning provides assurance that Edmonton Tower’s systems are operating to standards that result in the least environmental impact possible. Planting native landscaping helps decrease maintenance costs. Metering and sub-metering equipment monitors energy use. And, a measurement and verification plan identifies potential causes of any inefficiencies. These measures are used to verify ongoing optimization of energy and water consumption performance.