Walking the talk

“We still think there’s an opportunity to do that in a DC, but we’d need somebody to come up with a customized racking system that would incorporate an air vent,” Coady explains.

They also looked at radiant cooling and heating, but that would interfere with the high-bay’s forklift wire guides. In the end, when a standard HVAC system proved the most realistic option, the team decided to install a high-efficiency boiler and insulate the high-bay building with high-performing composite panels. Like the lighting, temperature and airflow is all monitored by controls to make optimal use of the energy.

The architects’ plans extended to the building’s exterior as well. Rain in British Columbia can come swiftly and powerfully; in industrial parks with flat roofs and sealed paved lots, this can wreak havoc on the local ecosystem.

“For a building the size of ours, if the rains are concentrated it just produces a huge amount of water and runoff,” Fitterer says. “That goes into the creek system and damages it.”

With help from the City of Surrey, which funded part of the development as a pilot, the architects surrounded the DC with permeable pavers. Stormwater now seeps around the interlocking stones and into the soil—not the sewer system. (The wildflowers pay a big part in this process as well).

The exterior also includes tanks to collect nonpotable water, which is then used to irrigate the site and supply its toilet facilities.

Greening the chain
MEC made a point to weigh the environmental effects of all aspects of the development, including equipment sourcing. For example, one of the reasons it turned to its racking vendor—Vancouver-based Arpac Storage Systems Corporation—was because the manufacturer is located close to the DC. This choice proved to be as cost-effective as it was eco-conscious.

“It saved us about 20 trailerloads that would have had to come in from outside Vancouver,” Fitterer says. “Your costs for freight like this can escalate quickly.”
Another issue was improving employee transportation to and from work. Several high-end bike lockers at the front of the building have prompted more people to commute on two wheels. Regular bus service from a nearby SkyTrain station has led to a spike in staff public transit use.

“We have more people commuting to work on public transit than we did in the old location,” Fitterer says. “They don’t have to drive…so they’re saving money. And we actually have people switching shifts now so they can carpool.”