The plastic wrap is gone, the final cleaning is done, and the monitors are plugged in: now everything is ready for the much-anticipated occupancy of George Brown College’s Limberlost Place. The 10-storey mass timber tower\u2014the first to be heated and cooled using a unique cooling system at the bottom of Lake Ontario\u2014is a collection of firsts for the college, the city, and the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Standing proudly on the waterfront, the building has a sustainable design and boasts net-zero carbon emissions, a LEED Gold certification, and compliance with the Toronto Green Standard Tier 4. And according to Urban Tornoto\u2014who toured the building yesterday<\/a>\u2014it sets a precedent as Canada’s first institutional mass timber tower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And most striking of all, more than 50% of the wood used in the project is fully exposed, with timber treated with fire-retardant products: “This is complemented by wood wall and ceiling finishes, stair guards, and accents,” according to Julian Mirabelli of Urban Toronto.<\/a> “There is no mistaking that this building is a showcase for the versatility of wood construction.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n