A rendering (courtesy NRB, Inc.) for the Xtrata Nickel South Rim Project. Review complete case study, including LEED scorecard, here.

			Building design for the office and dry complex was guided by these six goals: (1) To use leading practice environmental standards; (2) To eliminate or remediate environmental impacts; (3) To increase energy and resource efficiency; (4) To reduce greenhouse gas emissions; (5) To protect habitat; and, (6) To reduce waste. In April, 2008 the design-build contract was awarded to NRB Inc. headquartered in Grimsby, Ontario. The new Xstrata mine site 250 miles away in Garson, Ontario, was already in full development and operating out of temporary facilities, so space on site was restricted.

LEED scorecard
The Xstrata Nickel Rim South Project delivers a total project score of 41 points out of a possible 70 points:

Sustainable Sites: 5 points out of possible 14
The Nickel Rim South Mine site is surrounded by native forest and is set to preserve as much of the surrounding area as possible, greatly reducing the development impact on the local environment. To eliminate light pollution, exterior lighting is limited to "full cut-off" light fixtures located on the building itself so light is directed to the ground and will not spill onto the site or into natural areas. The building has a white reflective roof membrane so as not to contribute to warming of the local atmosphere. Careful design and planning was applied to the wastewater treatment system. All storm water and wastewater from both the building and the mine operation are treated on site.

Water Efficiency: 5 points out of possible 5
This office and "dry" complex is a good example of water conserving building operations. Most plantings are drought resistant, native species and will not use potable water. A cistern collects and stores water falling on the building roof. This water is then used to flush toilets, saving the more expensive treated water for better uses. Water conserving plumbing fixtures are used throughout the building. Overall, the building uses 37% less potable water than would be used by a similar facility of conventional design. This amounts to a savings of about 1,750,850 litres (44,000 gallons) of water - or the equivalent of about 58 backyard swimming pools each year.

Energy and Atmosphere: 12 points out of possible 17
No CFC's, halons or ozone depleting substances were used due to the careful selection of HVAC equipment. Expected to achieve more than 62% in energy savings, this facility was awarded the maximum 10 points. These savings are due to several excellent building design features:
:: Well insulated building shell (Spray foam, R31 roof and R22 walls)
:: High performance windows
:: A hydronic heating system
:: Re-use of heat recovered from clothes drying exhaust air
:: Re-use of heat recovered from hot water drains
:: Lighting controlled by day-lighting and occupancy sensors
:: A high-efficiency condensing water heater.
Energy experts agree that building commissioning can save significant amounts of energy. Commissioning agents review plans and selections of equipment, and carefully test all building heating and ventilation systems to ensure optimum operation in all operating conditions after installation. This facility was reviewed and approved for "Best Practice Commissioning."

Materials & Resources: 6 points out of possible 14
For this project, over 26% of all materials have high recycled content, much of which is in the building envelope itself using recycled steel. This is enough to push the project up to an Innovation Point. Also, 16% of the construction materials are extracted from within 800 km (500 miles) of the project site, and the entire building was manufactured locally in Grimsby.* Resource conservation also includes recycling and re-using waste. 85% of all construction waste generated on this site was diverted from landfill and sent to the appropriate recycling facilities. It is also thought that the modular process can offer better waste management during construction at the plant, than can be accomplished on-site as modular companies can restock any unused materials back into their inventory.

*The CaGBC ruled, that for a modular construction project, the modular manufacturers plant location is considered to be the final place of manufacture for all materials used in the construction and finishing of the building' CIR # 279 - June 11,2008.

Indoor Environmental Quality : 8 points out of possible 15
Many measures were taken during construction to ensure that the air stream was protected from construction-related contaminants. This benefits construction workers and building occupants. Materials selected were all low emitting. Adhesives and sealants, paints and coatings, were all low to no VOC content, and wood composites contained no urea-formaldehyde. For occupant comfort, control of lighting, thermostats and windows were placed in the hands of staff. Building mechanical systems are monitored to provide proper temperature and humidity conditions year round.

Innovation & Design Process: 5 points out of possible 5
Points awarded in this category are achieved as a result of exemplary performance in an existing category, or unique innovation in design strategies applied to meet a specific performance criteria. This project expects to receive points as follows:
:: Reduced mercury in light bulbs.
:: Green building education
:: Exceptional performance in recycled content
:: Design for de-constructability
:: LEED Accredited Professional.

The Green Building education point is a result of an interactive Kiosk being designed and installed at the Xstrata facility where visitors and staff can learn more about sustainable construction, modular construction and the Nickel Rim South project. Recycled Content exceeded the highest level awarded through the rating system by 11%.

back to top