teamwork, co-operation and innovation achieve

The Ottawa Construction News – December 2010 – PAGE C1

Teamwork, co-operation and innovationachieve sustainability and affordablehousing in downtown Ottawa

The massive Beaver Barracks redevelopment project in downtown Ot-tawa has proven how the spirit of creativity, co-operation and innovationcan turn an under-utilized urban land parcel into a vibrant, affordable hous-ing community.

Tenants have already started moving into the project’s first 160-unit, $30million phase at 464 Metcalfe Street, with the second building at 160 Argyleto be completed in the next month. Much work remains to be done on thesite. Work is scheduled to commence in January 2011 on the project’s $17million second phase, adding an other 88 units and 97,000 sq. ft. of con-struction.

The design and construction team including owner Centretown CitizensOttawa Corporation (CCOC), Barry J. Hobin and Associates Architects andZW Project Management Incorporated will continue working on the secondphase, along with most of the sub-trades who built the first phase eight-storey high-rise as well as a four-storey apartment which encompasses fourtwo-storey townhouse units, fronting on Argyle Avenue.

The project has had its share of special challenges: The downtown siteis packed with underground utilities and services to service the 247 unitsite. It had special planning, zoning and funding challenges (with manylayers of approval), as well as demanding special affordability and envi-ronmental certification requirements. In addition, the existing paramedicstation on Catherine Street next to the YMCA needed to remain in operationthroughout construction and then be incorporated seamlessly into the finalbuilding design.

According to CCOC’s Development and Construction Manager, KimMenard, it was the co-operative spirit, innovation and energy of the de-signers, project team and sub-trades who made the project a great successas they partnered together to meet those challenges.

“Everyone has really pulled together to create an incredible project,” shesaid. “I can’t say enough how impressed I am with the work by the teamsfrom ZW PMI, Barry Hobin & Associates, our sustainable design consult-ants, Halsall and Associates, and our geothermal energy provider, CorixUtilities.”

Corix, based in Vancouver, B.C., is responsible for one of the project’smost fascinating and unique features – a micro-utility geothermal heat andair conditioning system which is expected to meet the project’s energy needsat rates near-current market rates for the next 30 years. (See related story.)

STAFF WRITER – The Ottawa Construction News

The Beaver Barracks Project

Architect's rendering, Beaver Barracks central community gardenRendering by Barry J. Hobin and Associates

Architect's rendering, Catherine Street building, Phase 2 Construction

Rendering by Barry J. Hobin and Associates

Left to right: Benjamin Moore, Lexus Mechanical;Kim Menard, Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation; Stacey Bernier, Corix Utilities

Corix Utilities, central geo exchange plant

160 Argyle, Phase 1, 4-storey apartment looking west at the north elevation

PAGE C2 – December 2010 – The Ottawa Construction News

Noise and acousticsThe Beaver Barracks project has special acoustical chal-

lenges. Located downtown, next to the Queensway, theCanadian Museum of Nature and the Elgin Street police sta-tion, the site also houses a paramedic station. (Fortunately,ambulances will keep their sirens off when they rush to calls.)

Integral DX Engineering Ltd., with a previous relation-ship with the Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation(CCOC), has the responsibility for designing and managingthe site’s noise and acoustic solutions.

The project has three different types of buildings – con-crete apartments, wood apartments and stacked townhouses.“Each has its own challenges and requirements,” says Gre-gory E. Clunis, P. Eng.

The engineers pointed out special concerns with the woodtownhouse apartments when they noticed the potential fornoise leaks between the units. They recommended quick de-sign changes in consultation with the project team and themechanical contractor to solve these problems, which alsoincluded the compatibility of the floating floor system withvinyl sheet flooring in the original design. “Rapid consulta-tions between all concerned including the flooring suppliers,installers and InsulFloor (the supplier of the resilient flooring)resulted in two mock-ups and an agreed way ahead,” saidClunis.

Accessibility“We are collaborating with a number of supportive hous-

ing organizations who work with people with physical anddevelopmental disabilities or with a history of homelessnessto ensure that these people have access to permanent qualityhousing,” CCOC says in its project description. “Thesegroups include the In Community, Families Matter Co-oper-ative, Options Bytown and Ottawa Salus Corporation.”

CCOC’s Kim Menard and Barry Hobin architect GordonLorimer say that the designers paid special attention to accessthroughout the building so that persons with mobility deficitswould be able to go out and visit their neighbours anywherewithin the development. 10% of all units are design for resi-dents with special mobility needs. Countertops, bathroomsand windows are all designed to provide a high-quality livingenvironment.

Environmental sustainabilityThe Beaver Barracks project is a model for sustainable

development. Features such as the community garden, recy-cling facilities and building systems are complemented byspecial Green Education programs for tenants to encouragesustainable behaviour and teach tenants how to use the build-ing system. “This is important because tenant behaviour hasa large impact on the overall environmental performance ofthe buildings, and because of the importance of reducing in-dividual carbon footprints,” CCOC says.

As well, every unit has low-flow water fixtures, energy-efficient lighting, smart meters and Energy Star appliances.The building uses low-emitting adhesives, sealants andpaints, with durable low-maintenance materials throughoutthe site.

Resolving noise, accessibility and environmental issues The project team had to work

quickly over the last three years toput this project together and turn thedream of affordable, sustainablehousing into a real and viable com-munity.

The history of the site dates backto the 1800s, with the City of Ottawaeventually purchasing the site for adollar from the federal government in1992 then demolishing the formertemporary wartime housing on thesite, across the street on Argyle fromthe Canadian Museum of Nature.

“The site sat vacant for a decade,with all sorts of competing pressureson how use the land,” says Barry J.Hobin’s principal architect, GordonLorimer. “A community garden wasadded to the site and inserted into thezoning bylaw, and the city, needing aparamedic station downtown, de-cided to locate it there.”

In transferring the land to the city,the federal government included re-strictive covenants, including a re-quirement that the design conform toNational Capital Commission stan-dards “as an important gateway to theparliamentary precinct”.

As well, the city imposed designguidelines for environmental sustain-ability and set out requirements for amixture of affordable and market-ratehousing, handicapped access facili-ties with special noise abatement re-quirements (the project is near theQueensway) in the requests for pro-posals for the site redevelopment.

CCOC, the largest private non-profit housing group in Ontario (andpossibly Canada), as the successfulproponent, proved to be the idealowner, with an intimate knowledgeof the community; neighbourhoodvalues and requirements; and the pa-tience and staff resources to brave thecomplex and prolonged review andapproval process to make it throughto the construction start in March2009.

Menard says when CCOC real-ized the City would be ready to re-ceive proposals to develop the land in2007, they contracted with Barry J.Hobin and ZW PMI to begin workingon the design and construction por-tion of the submission. CCOC’s pro-posal succeeded despite stiffcompetition from several other qual-ified bidders.

CCOC raised $18.3 millionunder the Canada-Ontario AffordableHousing program and $11.9 millionfrom Action Ottawa, the City’s pri-mary program for increasing Ot-tawa’s supply of low-incomeaffordable housing and in municipalfinancing incentives. CCOC used itsown equity, private contributions,and mortgage borrowing to cover thebalance of the project’s $51 millionfinancing.

In the early stages, CCOC sched-uled a sustainable design charettewith funding assistance and supportfrom Canada Mortgage and Hous-

Beaver BarracksContinued from page C1–––––––––––––––––––––––

––––––––––––––––––––––Continued on page C3

ing.. “We invited all of the stakeholders toa two-day workshop including CCOC staff,the consulting team, the neighbours, includ-ing the Museum of Nature, the YMCA andthe owner of the adjacent Windsor ArmsApartments,” Menard said. “There werepeople from five or six city departments,planners, building officials, representatives

of the NCC, the Canada Mortgage andHousing Corporation.”

Gord Lorimer noted that the charettewas effective in setting a number of projectgoals including the decision to use a geot-hermal heating system and to achieve a 40per cent energy cost reduction over conven-tional apartment buildings.

The designers also turned design re-quirements and aspirations into specific im-




South elevation of 160 Argyle overlooking future community garden

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Altro Ethos Altro Whiterock


provements:Special, large ground-floor amenity

rooms provide space for tenant communityinvolvement and special events from out-side organizations (Menard said, for exam-ple, their new neighbours at the OttawaPolice headquarters or any other groupcould rent the ground floor room if theywish to use it for special functions orevents.)

Rooms have been designed with opera-ble windows, but the building design issuch that tenants will be equally comfort-able if they keep the windows closed. Thedesigners decided to avoid balconies forunits fronting the Queensway or MetcalfeStreets. “Our analysis showed thatQueensway noise levels would make bal-conies so uncomfortable that no one woulduse them. We were concerned that the bal-conies would simply become unsightlystorage areas,” said Lorimer.

The building, hosts a rooftop terracecommunity garden, which will provide arespite and social environment in thewarmer months;

The buildings don’t have garbagechutes, which can become blocked and(worse) encourage tenants not to take re-sponsibility for their waste and recycling.Tenants will receive encouragement to en-gage in good environmental practices from

an on-site CCOC facilitator.Handicapped units are designed with ac-

cessible bathrooms, kitchens, and handsfree access control door systems for thesuite entry doors

The paramedic facility has been incor-porated into the new structure, with specialaccess and egress for the ambulances. “Idon’t think tenants in this building willhave to worry about response time if theyneed to call 911,” joked ZW PMI ProjectManager, Thady Murray..

The buildings feature a diversity of unittypes. Everything from bachelor, one, twoand three bedroom apartment and town-house units provide an ideal living environ-ment for people who want to live inaffordable rental accommodations in thecentral core. “CCOC offers a mix of mar-ket rent units and affordable units that areincome based,” noted Menard.

These positive elements challengesbrought with them a host of design difficul-ties.

The most notable, say the designers, wasthe decision to use wood frame construc-tion for the four-storey apartment buildingon Argyle Avenue.

“We believed at the outset that woodwould be less expensive and quicker toconstruct,” said Gord Lorimer. “We haddone three-storey wood frame projectswithout problem, but no one appreciatedthe scale of problems we would encounterby adding the fourth floor.

“The addition of a fourth floor shifts thedesign to a completely different set of On-

tario Building Code provisions. The sprin-kler and seismic requirements imposed ona four-storey wood frame building make theintegration of sound control and fire sepa-rations much more complex,” he said. “Aswell, the extra floor has made it muchharder to run the piping and duct work forthe heat recovery ventilators we are using.”

“The additional code requirementsadded about 20 per cent to the structure’scost and intensified the labour component,”ZW’s Murray said. “The Argyle buildingwas supposed to be finished first ahead ofthe Metcalfe high rise, but because of thecomplex construction it will finish a monthlater.”

In some other projects, these types ofdesign and construction problems with de-lays and cost over-runs, might cause ten-sion and disputes between the projectparticipants, but no one is playing theblame game at Beaver Barracks.

“We’re very fortunate to have the kindof team we’ve had for this project,” saidMenard. “ZW’s site superintendent GerryNault really is the driving force behindkeeping this project on track despite signif-icant last minute site services changeswhich threw a real wrench into our care-fully thought out construction plans.,


(left to right) Kim Menard, CCOC; Thady Murray,ZWPMI; Gerry Nault, ZWPMI; Gordon Lorimer, Barry J. Hobin & Associates


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Proud provider ofStructural Steel andFabrication to theBeaver Barracks

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Lessard Group Inc. was the proud provider of windows, window wall, curtain wall, and interiorglazing for the Beaver Barracks Project

Architectural Aluminium and Glass Systems

Lessard Group is the leader in design, manufacturing and installation of intelligentbuilding envelope systems, with a complete range of doors and windows, curtain wallsand panels, for commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-dwelling buildings.

Interior & exterior paint coatings • Staining/lacquering/varnishingEpoxy coatings • Wallcoverings • Plaster & drywall repairs

Decorative & faux finishes • Concrete sealingAcrylic stucco coatings • Pressure washing and chemical cleaning

We are proud to be part of the Beaver Barracks project.

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ATC Advanced Technology Coatings Ltd. was formed in February 2002 by Presi-dent Teodoro Oliviero and Vice President Ryan O'Grady. Specializing in painting,wallcoverings, epoxy coatings and sandblasting. ATC has been a leader in the in-dustry in commercial and institutional projects throughout Ontario.

Proud provider of Acoustical Engineering Servicesto the Beaver Barracks project.

While the rest of the project team scram-bled to put the project back on track onpaper, Nault kept trades moving aheadand progressing with construction. Thereal measure of success is that everyoneis still talking to each other at the end ofthis process.” CCOC’s Menard said. “Ican’t speak highly enough about ZW andHobin’s design team. They’ve all beengreat to work with. We set our minds onthis project at the start to partner togetherand work through the challenges and itssafe to say we’ve still got a very goodworking relationship with each other,” shepaused,”even if I can’t seem to win theZW hockey pools.”

Similarly, ZW’s project managerThady Murray and Barry Hobin architectGordon Lorimer had words of praise forMenard’s many years of construction ex-perience in residential and ICI projects,both on the contracting side and theowner’s side, which allowed her to re-spond quickly and fairly when site issuesneeded direction or decisions from theowner.



Construction ManagersZW Group PMI - 150 Richmond Road, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 6W2

ArchitectsBarry J. Hobin & Associates63 Pamilla Street, Ottawa, ON, K1S 3K7

LandscapingLarocque-Levstek Consultants

Engineers/ConsultantsStructural Halsall Associates Limited

Mechanical & Electrical NORR Limited

CivilNovatech Engineering Consultants

GeotechnicalPaterson Group Inc.

AcousticsIntegral DX Engineering Ltd.907 Admiral Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 6L6

Building Code ConsultantMorrison Hershfield Group Inc.

Inspections & TestingPaterson Group Inc.

CommissioningR.J. McKee Engineering Ltd.

SurveyorsAnnis O’Sullivan Vollebekk Ltd.

Site Works and ExcavationDufresne Piling Co. (1967) Ltd.Goodeve Manhire (Shoring Engineering)

Parking Garage AsphaltO’Leary’s Ltd.

LandscapingExel Contracting Inc.

FormworkBellai Brothers Construction Ltd.

Concrete ReinforcementAGF Raymond Rebar 3419 Hawthorne Road, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4G2

Concrete SupplyCBM Canada Building Materials Company

Masonry & Block WallsBellai Brothers Construction Ltd.

Structural SteelRaycon Steel Inc.14 - 2295 Stevenage Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1G 3W1

Balcony RailingsGreco Aluminum Railings

Rough Carpentry (Argyle)Frameworks

Lumber SupplyKOTT Lumber

Finish Carpentry and TrimCanada Trim Ltd.5669 Power Road Gloucester, ON, K1G 3N4

Kitchen CabinetsNormac Kitchens Limited

Spray Foam InsulationWarmth Insulation & Building Services

Roofing & SidingFlynn Canada Ltd.DWS Roofing & Waterproofing

Caulking and Fire StoppingVincent Spirito & Sons Ltd.

Doors, Frames & HardwareMerlin Door & Systems Ltd. (Metcalfe and Argyle

S&I)

Overhead DoorsPivotech Doors

Windows & Curtain WallLessard (Metcalfe Building Supply & Install)VIMAT (Argyle Building Supply)

Drywall and FramingNation Drywall Limited413 Churchill Avenue., Ottawa, ON, K1Z 5C7

FlooringNational DécorInsulfloor Inc. (Insulated Flooring Supplier)

PaintingATC Advanced Technology Coatings Ltd.PO Box 9301 Station T, Ottawa, ON, K1G 3V1

ElevatorsKONE Inc.1735 Courtwood Cres., Ottawa, ON, K2C 3J2

Mechanical, Plumbing, HVACX-L-Air Energy Services Ltd./Hydroplumb6 - 141 Westcar Lane, Carp, ON, K0A 1L0

Lowe (Fire Protection)Geo Thermal Heating & CoolingCORIX Utlilies

313-17750 65A Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3S 5N4

ElectricalDay-View Electric Inc.5 - 2750 Stevenage Drive, Gloucester, ON, K1G 5N2

Stratacon (Commercial Metering)AR Tech (Transformer)Murray Electronics Inc.(Panels)

BEAVER BARRACKS SUPPLIERS’ LIST

Architect's rendering of Phase I and II of the Beaver Barracks Project, Ottawa, ONRendering by Barry J. Hobin and Associates

2750 Stevenage Drive - unit 6, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 5N2

Email: [email protected]

Tel.: (613) 737-9608 Fax: (613) 737-7639

DAY-VIEW ELECTRIC INC.Electrical Contractors

Entrepreneurs électriciens

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The Beaver Barrack’s most impressiveachievement cannot be seen from the sur-face. You need to go below ground where54 geothermal wells connect to an incredi-ble array of pipes, valves and electronicequipment to generate heating and coolingyear-round under a contract that assures theCCOC and its tenants stable energy costsfor the next three decades.

“GeoExchange, also known as geother-mal heat pump technology, takes advantageof the abundant low-grade solar thermal en-ergy that is stored in the ground year-round— literally energy under your feet,” saysRuben Arellano, an engineer with HemmeraEnergy, which designed the system forCorix Utilities. “Only a small amount ofelectricity is used to operate the system re-sulting in overall energy efficiency 300 to500 per cent greater than common naturalgas or electric equipment,” he says.“Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced dra-matically by the same degree.”

This system required significant up-frontcapital investments and the central Ottawasite also had special challenges. The geot-hermal wells needed to be drilled in softleda clay with a patchwork of municipalservices and utilities including sewer, water,gas and electrical lines overlaid on the bore-field, plus the added requirements to meetnew seismic code regulations.

“If you could see what things looked likeunderground, you would be amazed,” saidZW Group’s project manager Thady Mur-ray. “We started off with contaminated soilconditions which needed to be correctedfirst, storm water management require-ments, and of the utilities and site servicescompeting for space within the same area as

the 54 wells.”It was agreed that the best way to man-

age the complex environment would be todig down to the bottom of the proposed ex-cavation elevation and then build up thelayers of geo exchange lines, utilities andsite services in layers in a patchwork toavoid interference issues and pace the work

with various approvals as they were re-ceived from different authorities.

Corix Utilities took on the challenge ofbuilding and managing the GeoExchangesystem in a co-operative agreement withCCOC to install the system under a microutilities contract. Lead on site by StaceyBernier, Technical Director Sustainable En-ergy, Corix owns the system and is respon-sible for its design and management,recuperating its capital investment over theproject’s operating life. CCOC Develop-ment and Construction Manager KimMenard says the project assures that energyrates will be virtually fixed, aside from costof living increases, at current market ratesfor the next three decades.

Corix’s third party ownershipadded another level of complexity to thework since Corix worked with its own subtrades and suppliers, but the utility’s repre-sentatives integrated their efforts with theoverall project team to ensure the project re-mained on schedule and budget.

“To date, this is the largest central resi-dential system that we are aware of inCanada,” says Menard.

While the designers expect that theGeoexchange system will provide most ofthe project’s heating, cooling and domestichot water, the year-round, the system is ahybrid design that uses natural gas boilersfor additional energy to support heating anddomestic hot water during peak periods.

GeoExchange system provides ground source heating and cooling

STAFF WRITER – The Ottawa Construction News

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teamwork, co-operation and innovation achieve

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