Spacing contributor Laura Boudreau is blogging the Creative Places + Spaces Regional Forum at the Artscape Wychwood Barns. Follow her posts on Tuesday and Wednesday to learn more about innovative city-building at the Barns and beyond.
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When we think of “Green†architecture, we usually think of new technologies, new materials — in short, new buildings. But with the Barns, architect Joe Lobko has shown that old can be green. “There is a natural complement between heritage and sustainability,†he said during his panel discussion, From Concept to Development. “A lot of our building stock already exists, and that’s what we should be thinking about when we think about sustainability issues.â€
The Artscape Wychwood Barns is the first heritage building to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Canada certification at the Gold level. The Barns showcase many green design features, including:
• a cistern beneath Barn 2 to collect water for irrigation and toilets
• low-flow toilet fixtures, and waterless urinals (“Peeing is believing,†says the manufacturer)
• natural ventilation and daylighting through operable skylights in suites
To hear more from Joe Lobko about the Barns, check out the following video:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOUDqrPWcpE[/youtube]
photo by Steven Hoang
