Williams Engineering Canada is thrilled to announce that The University of Calgary’s High-Density Library (HDL) in Calgary, Alberta, has been awarded LEED® Gold Certification!
The HDL features an environmentally controlled storage facility for older and less commonly used books, print journal subscriptions, and museum artifacts. The benefit of an HDL is that a large quantity of materials can be stored in a relatively small space. Advanced mobile shelving solutions and a sophisticated identification and retrieval system helped to utilize the space to its fullest potential. The expansion of the HDL has further freed up much-needed space in the University’s existing Taylor Family Digital Library.
Williams Engineering Canada provided mechanical and electrical engineering services for the design, tendering and construction phases of the project. Electrical system designs include standard power, emergency/standby power, telecommunications infrastructure, security systems, lighting, and building low-tension systems. The design included many LEED® and other sustainable design principles and qualifications, such as:
- LED luminaires were designed throughout to ensure archives had no exposure to UV lights.
- Networked lighting control, including occupancy sensor/daylight sensor/vacancy switch, was implemented to provide flexible control and energy savings.
- High-definition CCTV cameras and card access control systems were installed and networked back to U of C Main Campus to achieve the building’s required security level.
In pursuit of the LEED® Gold accreditation, our mechanical team incorporated the following into their design: water conservation, indoor environmental quality, thermal comfort, and measurement and verification. You can see a full range of the energy and sustainable features of the High-Density Library here.
Always working with sustainability in mind, we are pleased to have contributed to the LEED® Gold Certification. Being a part of this innovative project has been rewarding, as the preservation of print and artefactual contents is vital to maintaining the expansion of history and knowledge. Williams Engineering Canada looks forward to working with The University of Calgary on future projects, which contribute to finding innovative solutions no matter how small or large they might be.
