February 2, 2006
Omicron is “LEED-ing” the way with our newly completed head office location in downtown Vancouver. The 15,400 sq.ft. space occupying the entire fifth floor of Bentall Tower Three was recently awarded LEED® Gold under the US Green Building Council’s new rating system for Commercial Interiors; the first project in Canada to achieve this level of certification.
“We consider our innovative space a sustainable design laboratory and a showcase of green building materials and technologies for staff, clients and visitors,” says Kevin Hanvey, MAIBC, LEED® AP, who is the lead designer of the project.
As an integrated design and construction firm, there was a strong desire to outwardly express our commitment to sustainability in the renovation of our new office space. As such, the project team went to extensive lengths to use innovative green products and practices; to demonstrate these strategies to test their broader applicability for future use.
The design of the office addresses the firm’s focus on functionality and sustainable design. The two primary goals were to minimize negative environmental impacts related to the construction and operation of the office space, and to improve the work environment for employees through a contemporary and functional design.
A traditional perimeter office plan was rejected in favour of an open plan office. This layout encourages discussion across disciplines and facilitates the integrated design process. This process is further enhanced by grouping employees into dedicated project teams rather than by discipline. Four discreet pavilions throughout the floor were created to house meeting rooms, a staff cafe and other required support spaces.
Design decisions were governed by a desire to showcase the green strategies and materials used. The intention is to educate employees, clients and the building community as to the merits and potential of green building. There was also a desire to introduce materials not normally associated with interior construction thereby furthering the idea that the space is a laboratory for different materials and technologies.
The LEED®-CI rating system assesses a commercial interior project according to its performance in several key areas including water use reduction, energy performance and use of building materials. Omicron’s head office renovation is recognized for its innovation in each area of assessment – please refer to the fact sheet for more specific information.
Omicron is committed to sustainable design initiatives which use the most environmentally responsible planning approaches, building systems and materials with the aim of reducing the impact on the physical environment, and maximizing the use of renewable resources. We have a large number of LEED® certified professionals on staff, who are leaders in the field of sustainable design and environmental stewardship. One of our core firm-wide objectives is to promote and support sustainable practices for both our internal and external business operations.
For more information, contact:
Beverley Attfield, BA
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
Omicron
604 632 4353
battfield@omicronaec.com
