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Schulich building achieves gold standard in sustainable design

The Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building, which is part of of York University’s Schulich School of Business, received LEED Gold certification – one of the highest standards of sustainability for a building.

Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building

Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building

The Canada Green Building Council issued the Gold certification, a third-party validation that Schulich’s new building has been designed to meet several sustainability criteria, including water efficiency, the reduction of CO2 emissions, and indoor environmental quality. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the global building industry’s premier benchmark for sustainable design.

The 67,000-square-foot building is one of the first in Canada to use the principles of thermally active building systems. One of the building’s core features is a dramatic glass solar chimney that stands 27 metres in height and provides passive natural ventilation for the entire facility.

Some of the other sustainable building features include more than 200 automated, computer-controlled and operable exterior windows to provide natural ventilation and radiant heating and cooling within the floors and ceilings.

“As a Certified LEED Gold Building, the McEwan building embodies the commitment of the Schulich School of Business to be a recognized international leader in environmental sustainability in all its endeavours,” said James McKellar, associate dean of external relations and professor of real estate and infrastructure.  

The Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building was named a recipient of The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) Design Excellence Awards last year in recognition of its architectural excellence, creativity and sustainable design. The building also received a Canadian Green Building Award in 2020 for its sustainable design, architectural excellence and technical innovation.