Mohawk college’s net zero energy and zero carbon building—a living lab for high efficiency and renewable energy technologies in buildings

Abstract

In recent years, large high efficiency and Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) are becoming a reality that are setting construction and energy benchmarks for the industry. As part of this significant effort, in 2018, Mohawk College opened the 8,981 m2 (96,670 ft2) Joyce Centre for Partnership and Innovation (JCPI) building in Hamilton, Ontario; becoming Canada’s largest NZEB and zero-carbon institutional facility. The building integrated a high-efficiency design, construction materials, and technologies; as well as renewable energy technologies to significantly reduce its annual energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the JCPI building was also designed as a living lab where students, faculty, researchers and industry are able to monitor and validate the performance of this state-of-the-art facility. The building was designed to have an energy use intensity of 73 kWh/m2·year (0.26 GJ/m2·year); hence, potentially consuming approximately 80% less energy than the average educational service building in Ontario. This paper gives an overview of the design criteria and technologies that were considered to achieve this innovative building.