June 17, 2004
The new City of Vancouver National Works Yard has been officially opened by the Mayor of Vancouver. The 12-acre Engineering Operations Facility is the City of Vancouver's pilot initiative to promote sustainable design practices. The City's leadership and level of commitment to sustainable principles is reflected in the design expertise employed and the application of sound environmental building practices, which culminated in two of the facility's buildings achieving LEED® Gold Certification.
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. The National Works Yard Administrative Centre and Parking Operations Building are the first buildings in Canada to receive LEED Gold Certification from the Canadian Green Building Council under LEED BC criteria.
Omicron was commissioned to design and build the new facility using sustainable design principles. The design of the Works Yard addresses the City's two principal goals of functionality and sustainable design. The large site is laid out to maximize operational efficiencies with the buildings designed to minimize energy consumption while emphasizing a healthy environment for the occupants. Furthermore, the facility is designed to minimize its impact on the environment while meeting the needs of the community and the City's budget constraints.
The National Works Yard replaces the existing Cambie Works Yard, which has been in operation for over ninety years and has outgrown its existing location. The new site is industrial land made vacant with the removal of freight railway facilities. Imagery for the Administrative Centre is drawn from the historical industrial and railway uses previously located on the site.
The new yard incorporates the operations of eight City branches along with associated administrative support for the facility. The facility comprises a technically complex program including an Administration Centre, Garage and Radio Shop, Parking Operations, Warehouses, Car Wash and Fuelling Station. Approximately 400 employees will be based out of the yard and its design has the capability to accommodate reasonable growth of the respective operations over the next 10 to 20 years. Manitoba Yard will remain in operation, continuing as the centre for Equipment Services, Sewer, Water and Sanitation operations along with an administrative centre.
Omicron is a multi-disciplinary company of design and construction professionals dedicated to providing total building solutions for its customers. Omicron's mandate is to provide customers with single source, fully integrated Architecture, Engineering (Structural, Mechanical and Electrical) and Construction services.
For more information, contact:
Beverley Attfield
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
Omicron
604 632 4353
battfield@omicronaec.com
