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Burnaby Mountain Secondary School

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Location

8800 East Lake Dr
Burnaby, BC
Canada

Content Type
  • Building
Budget
$14 million ($955/m2 )
Site/Building area
15,000 m2
Completion date
2000
Certifications & Awards
  • 2001: Award of Merit , Canadian Consulting Engineering Association
  • 2001: C.E.B.C. Award of Building Engineering Excellence
  • 2002: Environmental Award, City of Burnaby
project team
  • Owner: School District #41
  • Architect: Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects and Cornerstone Architects
  • Structural Engineer: HUB Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineer: Stantec
  • Electrical Engineer: Stantec
  • Energy: BC Hydro
  • Landscape Architect: Durante Kreuk Ltd.
  • Contractor: Dominion Company
  • Environmental: ENKON Ltd.
  • Geothermal: CSLM Associates

Summary

Key Sustainability Features

  • Urban Ecology Program
  • Stoney Creek stewardship programs
  • Stormwater management
  • Green school building:Energy savings of $15,000 per year
  • Annual reduction of 126,000 kg CO2 due to heat pump efficiencies

The Burnaby Mountain Secondary School boasts a green school building, an extensive on-site stormwater filtration system, and a curriculum-based urban ecology outreach program, all of which reflect the school's dedication to fostering a sense of responsibility to place and community.

Located below Burnaby Mountain, the school sits in close proximity to a tributary of Stoney Creek, one of the most productive fish-bearing streams in the Brunette Basin. Since its completion the new school and grounds have become headquarters for community stewardship projects focused on the health of this watershed.

A community coordinator position was created to encourage collaboration between the school, interested neighbors, and local environmental groups. School initiatives include educational tours for elementary school children, a school recycling program, an eco-sculpture welding project, the production of a documentary on the history and life of Stoney Creek, and workshops on storm drain marking. The latter two projects are joint efforts between the school and partner organizations within the community.

The school grounds include biofiltration swales, stormwater retention ponds, and constructed wetlands. These collect rainwater runoff from the roof, playing fields, and parking lots. Since the school was built there has been no net increase in overland stormwater flow to the stream. Native plants have been planted to increase biodiversity and decrease maintenance and irrigation demands. 

The school building is a Green Building BC project. It was constructed at low cost and met the school district's criteria that the school have lower than normal CO2 emissions, improved indoor air quality, and low energy and maintenance costs. To reduce its impervious surfaces the building was built up rather than out, and the parking area was reduced to 30 stalls to accommodate additional bicycle parking.

The building site was located to maximize the distance between new development and the riparian zone.

Tours: Available upon request

This post was imported from the 'Greater Vancouver Green Guide', it's part of the 'Green Guide Portal' to the Green Building Brain.