Sustainable Building Design and Construction 2008

About This Year's Project

The Madoc Performing Arts Centre is bound to be one of the most sustainable buildings in Canada when it is completed in August, 2008. Sustainability has been the key factor in everty aspect of the design and construction of this remarkable building.

Only the lowest-impact and longest-lasting materials have been chosen to build this structure. From the compacted stone of the rubble trench foundation, up through the load-bearing round straw bale columns, to the galvanized metal roofing, the building represents the best available choices for building materials in our northern climate.

Mechanical systems have also received a lot of attention. From the geo-thermal heating and cooling system that allows the building to maintain a comfortable temperature year round without relying on fossil fuels, to the PV panels that provide its electrical power, to the solar ventilation system that provides the building with pre-warmed fresh air, to the rainwater collection system that provides flushing water for the toilets, the building uses available technologies to drastically reduce its resource consumption and waste production.

As a public building, the Madoc Performing Arts Centre will allow thousands of people to experience the beauty, effectiveness and durability of all of these technologies. We hope you will use this web site to learn about this building, and take the opportunity to come and visit us during the construction and once the building is in use.