Tour - Joyce Centre for Partnership and Innovation

Summary

The Joy Center for Partnership and Innovation, Hamilton's first zero-carbon institutional building, exemplifies sustainable design. Built in 2018, it features a high-performance envelope, triple-pane windows, and solar reflective ceramic frit. Powered by 1980 solar panels, it utilizes natural light, solar thermal systems for hot water, and an airtight design with a single air handling unit. Geothermal wells and heat pumps provide heating and cooling, with a rainwater harvesting system for non-potable use, demonstrating a commitment to energy efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Takeaways

• 🏢 The Joy Center for Partnership and Innovation, built in 2018, is Hamilton's first zero-carbon institutional building and one of the largest in Canada.
• 🌿 It was one of the 16 pilot projects for the zero carbon building standard by the Canada Green Building Council, emphasizing its role in environmental leadership.
• 💰 The Center, costing 54 million dollars and spanning 96,000 square feet, represents a significant investment in sustainable infrastructure.
• 🔋 The building meets the zero-carbon standard by being highly energy efficient and offsetting its annual carbon emissions with on-site or procured renewable energy.
• 🛡️ A high-performance building envelope, including triple-pane glass windows filled with inert gas like argon, minimizes thermal energy demand while maximizing heating, cooling, and natural light.
• 🐦 The architectural ceramic frit on the windows helps birds avoid collisions and provides a solar reflectance of about 5% to reduce heat gain.
• ☀️ The Joy Center is powered by a rooftop photovoltaic system consisting of 1980 solar panels, feeding into an inverter for on-site power generation.
• 💡 Natural lighting is utilized to reduce energy needs, with sensor-controlled LED lighting that adjusts based on available sunlight.
• 🌳 The interior finishes, designed by local architects, use all-natural materials that do not emit harmful gases.
• 🔥 A solar thermal radiation system with five panels heats all domestic hot water without using natural gas, instead relying on a glycol water mixture warmed by the sun.
• 🏭 The building's airtight design requires only one air handling unit, which uses 100% dedicated outside air and heat recovery from exhaust air to preheat incoming cold air.
• 🔄 32 heat pumps are used for heating and cooling, working similarly to a refrigerator by transferring heat and producing warm water for geothermal wells.
• 🌡️ An electric temperature amplifier serves as a backup system for the heat pumps, capable of injecting a large amount of heat into the building quickly.
• 🌱 The geothermal system with over 600-foot deep wells and aSlinky system for excess heat dissipation works in tandem with heat pumps for efficient heating.
• 💧 A rainwater harvesting system with two storage tanks collects and filters rainwater for non-potable uses, such as flushing toilets and urinals.

Q & A

When was The Joy Center for Partnership and Innovation built?

The Joy Center for Partnership and Innovation was built in 2018.

What makes The Joy Center a zero carbon building?

The Joy Center is a zero carbon building because it is highly energy efficient and produces or procures carbon-free renewable energy to offset its annual carbon emissions.

How many square feet does The Joy Center encompass?

The Joy Center is 96,000 square feet in size.

What is the cost of constructing The Joy Center?

The construction cost of The Joy Center was 54 million dollars.

What type of windows does The Joy Center have, and how do they contribute to energy efficiency?

The Joy Center has triple pane glass windows filled with an inert gas like argon, which minimizes thermal energy demand while maximizing heating, cooling, and natural light.

What is the insulation value of the windows at The Joy Center?

The windows at The Joy Center have an insulation value of around R8.

How does The Joy Center utilize solar energy for power?

The Joy Center is powered by a rooftop photovoltaic system consisting of 1980 solar panels, which feeds into an inverter allowing the building to use power generated on-site.

What is the purpose of the architectural ceramic frit on the windows at The Joy Center?

The ceramic frit pattern on the windows helps birds avoid collisions and provides a solar reflectance estimated to be about 5% to reduce heat gain.

How does The Joy Center use natural light to reduce energy consumption for lighting?

The Joy Center uses large insulated windows, a central light well, and sensor-controlled LED lighting that dims or turns off when there is plenty of natural light available.

What system does The Joy Center use for heating domestic hot water without using natural gas?

The Joy Center uses a solar thermal radiation system with five solar thermal panels on an adjacent roof to heat domestic hot water.

How does The Joy Center manage air quality and temperature without traditional heating and cooling systems?

The Joy Center uses a single air handling unit with an enthalpy wheel, 32 heat pumps, and 28 geothermal wells, along with a variable refrigerant flow system for heating and cooling.

What is the purpose of the electric temperature amplifier in The Joy Center?

The electric temperature amplifier serves as a backup system for the heat pumps, used to pump a large amount of heat into the building quickly, such as in a vestibule on a cold day.

How does The Joy Center handle rainwater for non-potable uses?

The Joy Center uses a rainwater harvesting system with two storage tanks holding 228,000 liters of water, filtered through a series of filters and disinfected with UV light before use in non-potable fixtures.

What is the significance of the slinky system installed at The Joy Center?

The slinky system is installed to absorb excess heat from the geothermal system, allowing the heat to dissipate out of the ground as a safety precaution.