Welcome to Richmond Hill Hub
Richmond Hill Hub was designed and built with LEED® Certification in mind, incorporating many environmentally responsible and sustainable features to benefit residents and the community. Richmond Hill Hub is pursuing LEED® Silver certification.
Richmond Hill Hub LEED Certification
Below is a summary of the green building elements that have been built into Richmond Hill Hub.
Reflective roofing material
Richmond Hill Hub uses reflecting roofing material to reduce the strain on the building's cooling system by absorbing less heat from the sun's rays.
Low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emitting carpet and paint
Indoor air pollution is reduced at Richmond Hill Hub with paint, carpet, adhesives and sealants that have low or no concentration of chemicals which can be harmful to human health in higher concentrations.
Recycled building materials
Richmond Hill Hub is constructed from approximately 17 per cent recycled materials.
Low flow plumbing fixtures
Richmond Hill Hub overall water consumption is estimated to be 43 per cent less than a standard building.
What is LEED®?
LEED® stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is an internationally recognized rating system that measures the performance of green buildings from the design, construction and operational stages. In Canada, LEED® is administered through the Canada Green Building Council.
Richmond Hill Hub includes LEED® features in the following categories:
- Sustainable sites
- Water efficiency
- Energy and atmosphere
- Materials and resources
- Indoor environmental quality
- Innovation in design
- Regional priority
Energy savings of 45 per cent below code requirement.
Sustainable Sites
Sustainable sites reduce environmental impact through their location and site characteristics. Richmond Hill Hub is a sustainable site because of its:
- Proximity to transit
- YRT/Viva buses run frequently along Yonge Street
- Development density
- The building’s street-front design makes the most efficient use of space and allows the maximum number of housing units on the property
- Technology and design that reduces the environmental impact of construction and encourages long-term reduction in pollution, including:
- Reflective roofing material to improve energy efficiency by reflecting the sun’s rays rather than absorbing them like a standard roof
- Below grade parking to reduce the heat island effect of the site
Water consumption reduced by 43 per cent.
Water Efficiency
At Richmond Hill Hub every effort was made to increase the water efficiency of the building to reduce the burden on municipal water supply and wastewater systems.
Richmond Hill Hub uses 43 per cent per cent less water than a standard building through the use of these low flow household items:
Household Item | Typical Water Use | Richmond Hill Hub Water Use |
---|---|---|
Toilet (litres per flush) | 6 | 4.8 |
Urinal (litres per flush) | 1.9 | 0.5 |
Public Lavatory (litres per minute) | 1.9 | 1.9 |
Private Lavatory (litres per minute) | 8.3 | 1.9 |
Kitchen Faucet (litres per minute) | 8.3 | 5.7 |
Shower Head (litres per minute) | 9.5 | 5.7 |
A key element in water efficiency is the use of water-efficient landscaping. The plants at Richmond Hill Hub are native species or drought-resistant and able to survive on minimal water during summer weather. As a result, a permanent irrigation system was not required and water consumption will be significantly reduced.
Energy and Atmosphere
Richmond Hill Hub has achieved a 45 per cent energy consumption savings in comparison with the Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB).
The MNECB contains cost-effective minimum requirements for energy efficiency in new commercial, institutional and multi-unit residential buildings, additions and major renovations.
Materials and Resources
Indoor Environmental Quality
Several indoor environmental features have been integrated into Richmond Hill Hub for the benefit of residents.
Care has been taken to minimize the concentration of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs are chemicals containing carbon and hydrogen which can be harmful to human health in higher concentrations. The paint, carpet, adhesives and sealants used at Richmond Hill Hub have low and no-VOC content which reduces the amount of indoor air pollution and provides a safer and healthier place to live.
Innovation in Design
This website forms part of the LEED® Green Building Education component by using technology to help build public understanding of the purpose and importance of LEED. It is intended to inform visitors, tenants and the public of the Richmond Hill Hub commitment to environmental sustainability.
Waste Recycling Collection System
An example of innovative technology at Richmond Hill Hub is the installation of a Trisorter. The Trisorter helps separate the waste produced by residents into three categories: recyclable, organic and garbage. By doing this, less garbage is hauled for disposal which reduces the buildings overall impact on the environment. Incorporating a Trisorter into multi-residential buildings has been shown to reduce the amount of waste transported for disposal by over 50 per cent.
Regional Priority
The Regional priority section places added importance on specific environmental issues in the area. For Richmond Hill Hub’s geographic region, it was important to include:
- A roof with reflective material to improve energy efficiency
- A stormwater design to ensure quantity control of stormwater runoff so the municipal system is not overwhelmed
- Low flow plumbing fixtures to reduce water use