Water: Rainwater, collected off the roofs in a 30,000 litre underground stor- age tank, is used for dual flush toilets and marina wash water needs in the marine operations area. Surplus rainwater passes through a sedi- ment trap and hydrocarbon separator before being discharged into the ocean. There is no connection to the municipal storm water system and it is expected that over 108,000 litres of rainwater will be harvested and used annually. By using rainwater to flush toilets, the volume of mu- nicipally treated potable water used for the conveyance of sanitary waste has been reduced by 98%. The capacity of the rainwater storage tank is expected to be sufficient except for a few weeks of the year in July. What potable water is used within the new facility will be reduced by over 60% through the use of low flow water-conserving faucets and showers. New planting is drought resistant and will not require irrigation once established. Heat: The building does not have a natural gas connection: all heating and hot water needs are supplied by an ocean based geothermal system. Pumped in sea water passes through a heat exchanger. A series of heat pumps coupled with a system of plastic pipes embedded in the con- crete floors is used to provide radiant heat, cooling and hot water. This system is the main reason why the operations centre is considered the most energy efficient project in the country. The building envelope and cladding system are specifically designed to save energy by minimising thermal bridging and controlling air leakage. All occupied rooms are equipped with multiple controls designed to allow occupants to have a high level of control over their indoor environment, including indi- vidual lighting controls, controls for both temperature and fresh air, and operable windows. Air: The open plan layout and the atrium encourage natural ventilation. All offices and workstations are located beside openable windows; moto- rised ventilation louvres at roof level and at each floor open automati- cally when the building system senses that the outdoor air temperature and conditions are appropriate. Carbon dioxide sensors are linked to the ventilation system. When an increased level of CO 2 is detected in a room, the building control system provides fresh air to the affected room. Light: Sunlight is converted directly to electricity by photovoltaic panels in- stalled on the roof, providing 20% of the building’s total energy needs. The system is connected directly to BC Hydro so that ‘net metering’ is possible. Lighting fixtures use energy efficient direct/indirect fluorescent lights; when next to windows they have photo-sensors to adjust artificial light levels automatically and occupancy sensors to turn off lights when rooms are empty. Exterior sunshades, installed over south and east facing windows, are designed to limit the amount of direct sunshine which can penetrate the window and to help prevent the building interior from overheating. At the same time, the building has been planned so that all workstations and offices have operable windows and an abundance of natural light. Exterior lights shine downwards preventing light trespass across property lines.
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