Calgary Public Building Awarded for Rehabilitation Efforts
It is no secret that the most feasible way to protect a historic
place from becoming a victim of the wrecking ball and bulldozer is
to give it a new purpose to serve a community's evolving
needs. Naturally, it is not realistic or even desirable to
expect that every old building become a museum or shrine to the
past once it becomes vacant. In fact, throughout their
lifecycle, most buildings have accommodated multiple uses and
tenants and, as a result, have been altered, 
upgraded and
retrofitted. This flexibility is one of the beneficial
qualities of a considerable amount of this country's building
stock.
Rehabilitation, the act of sustaining the use of a historic
place or a part of it through repair, modifications, and/or
additions while preserving the values associated with that place,
is a viable option which allows a building to continue to be
relevant for future generations to appreciate. Recent
examples of successful rehabilitation projects exist across our
nation. The following article by Jessica Wallace published in
University of Calgary's magazine, UToday, highlights, through the
conservation story of the Calgary Public Building, how century-old
structures can be rehabilitated to accommodate modern energy
demands and other contemporary use requirements.
UTODAY May 17, 2011
Calgary Public Building: Restorative Design
By Jessica Wallace
Marc Boutin, environmental design associate professor, and his
architecture firm, the Marc Boutin Architectural Collaborative Inc,
recently received the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)
Sustainable Communities Design Award, for their restoration design
on the Calgary Public Building.
Built in 1931, the Calgary Public Building is an eight-storey,
reinforced concrete structure located at the eastern end of Stephen
Avenue pedestrian mall in downtown Calgary. The building occupies a
major central site; adjacent to Olympic Plaza, in close proximity
to City Hall and home of the Epcor Centre for the Performing
Arts.
Established in 2000, FCM Sustainable Communities Design Awards
offers national recognition for municipally-led environmental
projects that demonstrate leadership, innovation and
excellence.
Boutin and his team earned recognition not only for their
extensive restorative building design, but also on the
sustainability of the project for future generations. The team's
design proposed upgrades to the buildings heating, cooling and
electrical systems, with the goal of improving energy efficiency in
the building and the health and safety of its more than 300
employees.
Where possible, they chose to reuse and recycle rather than buy
new or demolish. The renovation preserved the exterior of the
historic building and reaped significant environmental impacts.
The renovation has lowered operating costs in the Calgary Public
Building by an impressive 46 percent, while reducing greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions by 54 percent. The installation of low-flow toilets
and automatic faucets has reduced water consumption by 45 percent;
with solar power technology now generating 60 percent of the
building's hot water.
Boutin's design also earned LEED Gold certification for
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an internationally
recognized certification for green building based on environmental
factors such as energy savings, water efficiency and CO2 emissions
reductions. This project was also awarded the City of Calgary Lions
Heritage Award, which recognizes heritage conservation in our
city.
The Calgary Public Building project, under the direction of Marc
Boutin, is a fine example of how old and new design can coexist for
the benefit of the community at large as well as for those who
manage and use the building on a daily basis. This initiative
represents responsible heritage conservation principles and, as a
result, was recognized in 2010 by the City of Calgary through the
Lion Heritage Awards under the 'Building
Restoration' category. The project had to comply with
accepted heritage conservation standards and maintain the
structure's heritage integrity. Accordingly, the design team
was challenged to "Integrate the best of modern design with respect
for serious historical restoration to create a landmark facility
for Calgary."
A responsible steward
will ensure that heritage values are respected in any conservation
work undertaken on a historic place. Where can information
about the importance of a historic place be found? Enter the
Canadian Register
of Historic Places (CRHP), an essential tool for conservation
activities in Canada. The CRHP, a collaboration between all
levels of government in Canada, is an ever-increasing register
currently listing over 12,400 historic places formally designated
by jurisdictions across the country. Each record includes a
succinct description of the values attributed to a place as well as
the elements which define its character, known as a Statement of Significance (SoS). The CRHP
therefore arms people with the knowledge about a historic place
needed to make informed decisions which respect the historic values
of a place.
By the same token, the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of
Historic Places in Canada, now in its second edition, is
another indispensable tool which provides reliable advice for sound
decision-making where heritage conservation is concerned.
This is achieved through making available practical guidance on
recommended or appropriate interventions to all types of historic
places including landscapes, archaeological sites, and engineering
works.
With respect to the Calgary Public Building, protecting the
original materials and exterior architectural features, such as
windows and masonry, was integral to preserving its heritage
values. Municipally designated, the Calgary Public Building
is historically significant to the community for its distinct
Beaux-Arts architecture, a popular style for public structures
built between the First and Second World Wars. Elements
such as immense classical columns, high-quality Tyndall limestone
cladding, and impressive upper-level windows flanked by ornate
metal spandrels help define the character of the structure as a
prominent early 1930s federal government building. Indeed,
the project retained these exterior features thus maintaining the
integrity of its heritage values. The original
character of the interior materials and detailing were equally
respected during the project. 
By continuing to share similar positive stories of historic
places being adapted to modern requirements all the while retaining
their heritage value, it becomes clear that sustainable heritage
is, in reality, an achievable goal. The more we preserve of
our urban fabric, the greener our cities become with less landfill
being generated as the result of demolition. Adaptation and
change are not the archenemies of heritage, rather they are the
means to protect old buildings and serve modern needs. For
greater social and economic benefit to our communities, adaptive
reuse of our historic places will ensure that generations to come
will understand and appreciate their shared past.
