The recently opened George Schmidt Centre (GSC) has achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) "gold" for "homes midrise."
GSC is a second-stage 30-unit housing facility for men in recovery on the Kinghaven Treatment Centre campus on King Road in Abbotsford.
LEED is a program which certifies high-performing healthy green buildings, homes and communities into four levels – certified, silver, gold and platinum.
LEED for Homes Midrise is a new program to Canada, and GSC was the second project registered in B.C. and the first to be certified in western Canada.
Some of the sustainable targets achieved in the project included heat-recovery ventilation in each suite, high-efficiency irrigation systems, and diversion of 86 per cent of construction waste from landfills.
LEED for Homes Midrise, currently in a pilot stage, accommodates mainly residential buildings that are between four and 12 storeys.
The project is soon to be established by Canada Green building Council as a full program.
There are currently more than 60 projects registered in B.C. under this category.