Greening Canada’s New National Library Building
February 8, 2021
The Government of Canada today announced enhancements to the joint Ottawa Public Library (OPL)–Library and Archives Canada (LAC) facility to meet the standards to be a net-zero carbon building.
The new funding from the federal government will allow for:
- upgrades to the building’s envelope and insulation;
- triple-glazed windows;
- solar panels on the rooftop and embedded in the facade;
- additional sustainable materials; and
- an indoor green wall.
Other features in the building’s design that took into account ecological land and water use, energy efficiency, and sustainable materials include:
- an important community living space at the heart of the national capital, surrounded by green parklands and trees with the river running nearby
- native plants
- a green roof
- large-scale use of natural materials, including wood and stone
- sustainable building materials, inside and out
- abundant natural light inside the building
- a bird-friendly design
- recycling and composting equipment
- connection to the federal government’s heating and cooling district energy system
- access by public transit, bicycle paths and walking trails
- digitized tools and content at LAC to reduce the need for researchers to commute to Ottawa
Construction of the Ottawa Public Library–Library and Archives Canada joint facility on the western edge of downtown Ottawa is set to begin in 2021, with its completion scheduled for late 2024.
This is the second major sustainable infrastructure project for LAC. In 2022, it will open a new net-zero carbon preservation facility, which is currently under construction next to LAC’s existing Preservation Centre in Gatineau, Quebec.
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