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GE Grid IQ Innovation Centre
GE GRID IQ INNOVATION CENTRE located at 650 Markland Street in Markham, is the first new facility of its kind dedicated to
advanced development and manufacturing of Electrical Grid modernization technologies.
This new 200,000 Square Foot complex is comprised of a Four (4) Storey Curtain Wall Glass Office Building connected to a One (1)
Storey 90,000 Sq.Ft. State-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
The new Grid IQ Innovation Centre is situated on a parcel of land that is 8.6 Acres located near Hwy 404 & Major Mackenzie. The Site
includes 494 vehicle parking spaces, and is fully landscaped around the Building and along Street Boulevards.
This new building will include many amenities and features such as a Granite Lobby, an impressive Demonstration Room using the
latest technology in Digital Display Walls, Simulation Rooms, Research & Development Laboratories, Meeting Rooms, Cafeteria &
Commercial Kitchen to serve 500 employees along with a Gymnasium and associated Change Rooms with Shower facilities.
This project is a LEED registered project with a target of Silver Certification upon completion. Some of the Green initiatives on this
project include a white reflective roof on the Office Building, Rainwater Harvesting for irrigation of landscape areas, parking equipped
with electric chargers for alternative fuel vehicles, bicycle racks and many building automation features to reduce energy & improve
efficiency of Building Mechanical & Electrical Systems.
Leed Gold Certification for the Guelph Library in Ontario
The Guelph East End Public Library is the first LEED® Gold certified project located in Guelph, Ontario and the second LEED® certified project in the city. The development is Guelph's newest library branch.
Strategies and Results
Exterior building features include charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles as well as a carpool-only parking space designed to encourage staff to carpool to work. The use of high efficiency irrigation equipment and drought-tolerant plants reduce the need for landscape irrigation by 50% compared to conventional design. Consideration was also given to reducing the heat island effect through the use of a white roof. In addition, light pollution reduction measures were implemented to minimize night sky pollution and light trespass.
Over 90% of construction materials were successfully diverted from landfill and sent for recycling or reuse. This achievement is attributed to the construction waste management plan implemented by the contractor. Green procurement practices were also encouraged such that 15% of all building materials contained recycled content and 40% of all materials were extracted and manufactured within an 800km radius of the site. All of the wood used for construction was Forest Stewardship Council certified.
Commitment to Sustainability
The Guelph East End Public Library continues to demonstrate its commitment to environmental sustainability through the implementation of a green housekeeping program, which involves the use of cleaning products certified by Green SealTM or EcologoTM. This initiative will prevent indoor contaminant build up and provide a healthy environment for building occupants.
