Terri Meyer Boake B.E.S. B.Arch. M.Arch.
Associate Professor School of Architecture University of Waterloo

Advanced Case Studies in Sustainable Canadian Design:
 

Mountain Equipment Coop

Stone Kohn McQuire Vogt Architects

Toronto, Ontario

 

 

Mountain Equipment Coop, Toronto, Ontario: Quick Facts
Building Name Mountain Equipment Coop
City Toronto, Ontario
Country Canada
Year of Construction Completed March 1998
Architect Stone, Kohn, McGuire Vogt Architects, Dan Cowling, Project Architect
Consultants  
Program Retail Store, cooperative, member oriented facility selling outdoor recreational equipment
Gross Area not available
Owner/User Group Mountain Equipment Coop, members.
Climate Temperate, cold-humid
Special Site Considerations Built on an infill site previously used for industrial use. Site was contaminated so soil needed remediation.
Aesthetics Use of brick and stone on exterior in keeping with commercial/industrial district of neighbourhood. Interior materials chosen for their environmental qualities and left exposed.
Structural System Combination of concrete frame (using a coal slag by-product) and steel for first and second floors, heavy timber for clerestory section. Timbers reclaimed from Marconi Building in Montreal and salvaged wood from bottom of Ottawa and Lachine Rivers.
Mechanical System The whole building system is run by a Building Management System (BMS).
Special Construction Green roof over large percentage of flat roof over second floor.
Daylighting Provided by high level clerestory that serves to daylight a high percentage of the interior space.
Shading Roof overhangs at clerestory. No devices at second floor.
Acoustics Not noted.
Ventilation Sensors on operable clerestory windows open automatically to vent as required.
Adaptability Part of the ground floor area not presently required by MEC is leased out to other tenants. This will be reclaimed in the eventual need of expansion.
User Controls Not known.
Estimated LEED Rating Not yet available.
Budget 10 to 15% less than actual cost of construction
Cost of Constructions $5.3 million dollars
Annual Maintenance Cost Not available
Special Circumstances Decision made to use underground parking to reduce the footprint of the building. Revenue from parking is put back into the coop and its sustainable initiatives. The MEC Toronto Store began to participate in the Open Doors Toronto weekend, May 2003. Over 400 people toured the facility and green roof.
   
  

last updated August 27, 2005