The first commercial building to achieve dual NetZero Carbon certification

evolv1

Located within the University of Waterloo’s David Johnston Research & Technology Park, and owned and developed by The Cora Group, evolv1 offers a perfect light-filled home for growing technology or professional services companies who include social and environmental impacts as part of their bottom line. The goal was to motivate, inspire, and educate the public about sustainable design, all within the context of a competitive marketplace.

evolv1 demonstrates that a high-performance building can be a market-driven, cost-effective building where design decisions are driven by competitive construction budgets. We used a highly-integrated design process where both passive and active systems were iteratively modelled to optimize value received against construction cost. The solution? A high-performance building envelope with triple glazing, a solar wall for preheated ventilation, a geo-exchange / VRF HVAC system, and a green wall. The site use of photovoltaics make it a net positive energy candidate.

evolv1 showcases how end-users act within the space—generating an internal community of creative types to ignite new discoveries that span science, technology and wellness. It is the first building to receive Zero Carbon Building–Design certification under CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Standard, and is CAGBC Zero Carbon Building–Performance certified and LEED Platinum certified.

To learn more about evolv1, its features, and why the project team made these choices, read Sustainability goes beyond zero carbon—it’s about creating greater wellness for tenants.