Okanagan College Kelowna Trades Complex Renewal and Expansion

This $35-million project will provide much-needed revitalization and renewal for Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus, creating additional capacity for students and apprentices in a building that will be a showcase for sustainability. The existing shops and classrooms will be fully renovated and retrofitted to modernize and better utilize the space. A two-storey addition will more than double the size of the complex, providing much needed student space and innovative classrooms for trades and technology programs specifically focused on skills development, training and upgrade. The project will be the first of its kind in British Columbia to transform a complex of this age – originally constructed in the 1960s – size, and diversity into a modern learning space that is energy neutral.

Integral Group provided LEED Consulting, Living Building Challenge and Energy Modeling services for this project realizing the College’s sustainable design goals to achieve net zero energy consumption for both the renovation and new construction components, and reduce maintenance by an estimate of $10 Million and operational costs by $220,000.

By applying sustainable design principles to building orientation, footprint and massing and by integrating daylighting, natural ventilation and managing heat gain to maximize the passive energy potential, the new building is on track for the following trifecta of environmental excellence:

• LEED Platinum certification
• Living Building Challenge Petal certification
• Net Zero for new construction
• In addition, the renewal portion targets LEED Gold for Existing Buildings Certification