L-R: north-west elevation with street-scaled podium; north atrium with green

Manitoba Hydro, the primary energy utility in the province of Manitoba, set ambitious goals for its new headquarters, including energy efficiency, urban revitalization, and a supportive workplace. The 700,000 square foot, 22-story office tower occupies a full block in the center of Winnipeg, a city that is well known for its extreme climate and a downtown in recovery from severe economic downturn in the late 20th century.

The site was selected for its proximity to the city’s transit system and a network of raised walkways that connects buildings in the downtown core. The form and massing directly respond to the climate, while the architecture works to revive the city’s former ‘Chicago-scale’ urban spirit. The relocation of 2,000 employees from 15 suburban offices to the downtown also signifies the corporation’s shift to a collaborative culture and a commitment to provide the community with a signature architectural image.

The design also visibly manifests Manitoba Hydro’s commitment to environmentally responsible practices, achieving an unprecedented 64.9% energy savings by harnessing maximum passive solar, wind, and geothermal energy. To achieve the seamless integration of design and performance goals, Manitoba Hydro committed to following a formal integrated design process (IDP).Typically occupied by 2,150 people, 45 hours per person per week

Main facade on Portage Avenue

Animated street view on Graham Avenue

The site was specifically selected to maximize energy efficiency, sustainable technologies, public transport availability, and urbanization. Two significant public spaces were created to enrich the downtown: an outdoor park in the south portion of the site and a publicly accessible, three-story-high Public Galleria that runs the full length of the podium base to connect the north and south entrances and provide a new interior, barrier-free gathering space that can accommodate over 1,000 occupants for concerts, farmer’s and Christmas markets, and special events.

The building’s plan organizes vertical neighborhoods around north and south atria to create a sense of community in the high-rise format. Atria feature connecting stairs that also act as spectacular viewing platforms to the city and horizon. Employees report loving their new work space and collaborative environment, and some individuals who intended to retire have chosen to extend their employment.

With neither daycare nor a staff cafeteria, employees are encouraged to patronize city restaurants and services, contributing to a steady strengthening of the downtown economy. Fifteen hundred free parking spots were written out of the design as employees embraced public transit incentives. Over 2,500 visitors have toured the building and pedestrian counts are up in the downtown.

Metrics:

Percentage of building population traveling to site by public transit, carpool, bicycle, or foot: 65% by transit, 5% by bike/foot, 3 % for carpool

Percentage of building population using transit options other than single occupancy vehicle: 65%

Number of parking spaces (occupants & visitors): 151 spaces for 2100 occupants/visitors

Manitoba Hydro Place on the Winnipeg skyline

Manitoba Hydro Place occupies a previously underutilized site, formerly occupied by several vacant buildings. The vacant buildings were carefully deconstructed, with 95% of the components either recycled or reused. For example, old-growth Douglas fir beams were milled and reused in the new building for soffits and benches. The site had been designated a brownfield, so soil remediation was required to remove patches of hydrocarbon contaminants.

The two towers of the building sit on a street-scaled podium. Structural and glazing systems emphasize lightness and transparency to reduce the impact of the mass on the surrounding neighborhood. Large-scale entrance canopies protect against prevailing winds and provide shelter for pedestrians.

Green roofs cover the podium roof, providing a dramatic increase in landscaping compared to the hard-surface parking lots and tar roofs of the original site. All green roofs employ native plant species, irrigated by rainfall or, during drought conditions, by condensate collected from the building’s mechanical equipment. All plant species incorporated into the green roof are native to the region, and one of the green roofs is dedicated to the First Nations and was planted with sweetgrass in a traditional ceremony. An increased number of street trees and a grove at the site’s south park help create shade conditions at grade.

Site and climate analysis identified Winnipeg’s unusual abundance of sunshine and dominant gusting south winds as opportunities to harness passive solar and wind energies. The team generated 15 massing options and tested three for optimal performance. The Capital A option provided maximum passive solar gains in winter and natural ventilation in the shoulder and summer seasons. Climate-responsive features include a high-performance building envelope and a massive geothermal system with 280 boreholes, each 125 meters deep). Three south-facing, six-story “winter gardens” act as lungs, with 24-meter waterfalls that humidify/dehumidify air entering the building. The concrete structure creates thermal mass to moderate extreme temperature swings. The advanced facade system ensures 100% fresh air and maximum daylight. Automated louvers and windows open and close in reaction to light and temperature changes, making the bioclimatic design visible to the city. A radiant slab between the double facades maintains minimum temperatures in winter and heat exchange with the geothermal field in summer. In the winter, the solar chimney draws exhaust air down to heat the parkade and pre-heat incoming cold air via the south atria. During warmer seasons, the solar chimney exhausts stale air from the building.

 north atrium with green roof

The roofs of the podium feature deep-soil intensive green roofs and create accessible, lushly landscaped terraces as an outdoor amenity for employees, while also reducing stormwater runoff and providing additional thermal insulation. Excess rainwater is held within the green roof tray system until the planting medium is ready to absorb it. Hydro Place employs an innovative approach to green roof irrigation. Excess condensate generated by the building’s fan coil units during the hot summer months is directed to large cisterns located in the building’s parking garage. When conditions warrant, this reclaimed water is pumped back up to the green roof and redistributed via an efficient drip irrigation system. Waterless urinals and low-flow toilets and sinks are used throughout the building.

Precipitation managed on site:100% of precipitation that lands on podium/tower is directed to irrigation tank

Total water used indoors: 8687952 l/yr

Total water used outdoors: Natural precipitation however during low precipitation irrigation is from the condensate from the fan coils (as the system is hands off we haven’t measured the amount required)

Percent of total water from reclaimed sources: 100% of water used outdoors

Percent wastewater reused on-site: 0%

Calculated annual potable water use: 134 l/m²a

The design aligns with Manitoba Hydro’s policies of energy-use reduction and clean power sources. It successfully establishes an exemplar of climate-responsive, energy-efficient design for large buildings in extreme climates. Since the first occupants moved into the building in December 2009, the building has exceeded the original 60% energy savings goal and is now targeting 64.9% energy savings. This is in large part due to the integrated design process, which ensured the rigorous integration of systems and operations, including radiant heating and cooling delivered through an exposed concrete thermal mass. The large geothermal field, high-efficiency condensing boilers, and efficient heating and cooling systems ensure that supply and exchange is utilized. A sophisticated building management system monitors internal and external environments to optimize lighting, solar shading, and heating and cooling loads while taking advantage of passive energy sources. User control of lighting in the offices, managed through desktop computers, is projected to save an additional 10%–15% in electrical lighting loads. As a crown utility and the main supplier of electrical energy in the province, Manitoba Hydro’s clean energy, hydro, and wind electric sources provide carbon-neutral power to the building.

The two towers that comprise the ‘Capital A’ were conceived as a modern interpretation of the ubiquitous 19th-century urban loft building. Each floor provides consistent large-span column free spaces, expansive glazing, and is characterized by a robust exposed structure to provide the flexibility of potential reconfiguring for new occupants well into the future.

Raised floor systems facilitate the inevitable office churn and minimize the time and cost of retrofits. All air distribution, power, plumbing, voice, and data are distributed through the raised floor system, easily accessed by peeling away the carpet tile and lifting the concrete floor tiles.

The building facades are organized around a typical five-foot planning module, allowing for a multitude of uses and potential wall configurations. Manually operable windows punctuate the exterior façade at 10 feet on center, ensuring that all spaces have access to individually controlled natural ventilation.

The Public Galleria at the ground floor creates a grand public space that links the crown corporation to the life of the downtown and in turn establishes a popular, public destination for informal gathering and a range of formal and festive events through all seasons.

Durability, lifecycle costs, regional relevance, and health and wellbeing were critical factors in the development of the building’s materials palette. Locally quarried Tyndall limestone and locally sourced granites were chosen to reinforce Winnipeg’s urban fabric of masonry buildings and Manitoba Hydro’s relationship to the northern landscape. Embodied energy was a consideration in the selection of all materials.

Large portions of the structure were left exposed in order to increase the conductivity of the radiant concrete mass, and to reinforce the open loft concept. Douglas fir elements, the majority sourced from the buildings that previously occupied the site, are applied in key public spaces to introduce warmth and texture.

All interior materials meet low-VOC standards in order to provide a safe and healthy working environment. All carpet tile is made from 100% recycled materials. Color is used as an organizing element throughout the office spaces. The building core is painted red, running the full height of the building.

The towers’ exteriors are composed of extremely high-performance double- and triple-glazed unitized curtainwall panels. Curtainwall components were assembled locally to minimize costs and to facilitate quick and proficient installation and minimize delays due to the extreme climate.

Integrated design process - design charrette at KPMB Architects offices