At close to 4,000 m2 the Green Roof on the ACCE building is one of our prime visible manifestations of sustainability that sets this building apart and gives it its striking, iconic presence. It consists of sedum drought-resistant plants that grow in a sand medium, requiring little maintenance or irrigation once established, and it is part of a high performance building envelope, achieving an R-50 insulating value. This growing vegetation also absorbs and controls rainwater runoff, which creates less strain on the building’s storm sewer drainage systems.

The Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence (ACCE) serves as a showcase and teaching laboratory for sustainable construction. Daily interaction with the building and the living lab concept helps produce graduates who are environmentally aware, knowledgeable about green building practices, and able to live and work in a sustainable world.

Gaining LEED Platinum certification has been an integral part of the design, materials selection and construction process of the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence since its inception. By meeting the highest standard for sustainability, ACCE has become one of the largest LEED Platinum certified building’s in Canada. Learn more about the ACCE building’s green commitments in this video produced by the Canadian Green Building Council.

Baseline Station, a central hub of Ottawa’s public transit system, is located immediately adjacent to the new ACCE building. An underground tunnel has been incorporated to provide a sheltered terminal for the future Light Rail Transit, with easy access to bus routes on the ground level. This new transit hub and accompanying pedestrian bridge over Woodroffe Avenue allows the community to easily access and be a part of ACCE, while providing safe access to all Algonquin students.

ACCE serves as a living laboratory that augments student learning and applied research. A five-storey biowall made up of living plants filters the air, providing oxygen to the atrium space and all five connected floors. Built-in sensors located throughout the building provide real-time and historical building diagnostics via on-site LCD screens and a unique website, allowing students to monitor the building’s temperature, humidity, air quality, structural load, and more.

The LEED® Platinum accredited Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence (ACCE) offers 190,000 square feet of space that allows for all construction and related design programs to be housed in a single location. This inter-professional space is designed to encourage collaboration between disciplines and offer many integrated and cross-program learning opportunities for students. Learn more about Algonquin College’s focus on Apprenticeship Training.

With its open demonstration spaces and many design and sustainability features, ACCE will become a natural hub for the entire trades and design industry as well as its associations. Bringing together students, professors, and researchers, with local builders and tradespeople will create synergies, increase industry awareness, and produce highly-skilled graduates who are familiar with the collaboration requirements of today’s construction and design sectors. The ACCE building is a member of the Canadian Green Building Council and is featured in this video.

The $79-million ACCE building has been partly funded through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP), Community, Industry, Union and Government Partnerships, and the following contributions:

• $35 million from the Government of Ontario
• $35 million from the Government of Canada
• $7 million from the Constructing our Future Capital Campaign
• $2 million from the City of Ottawa in the value of the land donated