New Science Building Opens at University of Toronto Mississauga
From left, Mississauga Deputy Mayor Matt Mahoney, Kent Moore, Chancellor Wesley J. Hall, Douglas E. McDougall, U of T President Meric Gertler, UTM VPP Alexandra Gillespie, Orlando Corporation President Blair Wolk and KieranTimberlake Partner Jason E. Smith.
Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn
KieranTimberlake staff recently traveled to the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) campus to celebrate the opening of the state-of-the-art New Science Building. It is one of the most energy efficient biological and chemical laboratory facilities in North America.
The four-story, 177,000 GSF research center was designed to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and innovation while meeting ambitious sustainability goals. Various life science research and entrepreneurship initiatives are now centralized, including advanced diagnostics, cancer phototherapy, neuroscience, chronic pain treatment and drug discovery, among others.
In the spirit of collaboration and transparency, extensive interior glazing puts innovative research on display to visitors and researchers alike.
UTM's research leadership sought to create an environment that would foster the innovative, interdisciplinary work that happens there. For example, a chemist should be able to walk across a seamless lab space to discuss their work with a biologist, molecular biologist, or other specialized researcher. Unlike the conventional approach of placing private offices at the exterior, generous views are reserved for public and collaborative spaces at all levels, opening up the building to the broader campus.
This ethos is further demonstrated by a thoughtful landscape that fosters connection to the site's ecology while encouraging engagement across social and disciplinary networks. These sites for interaction and conversation mirror the internal "collision" spaces distributed throughout the building, enabling chance encounters across a diverse community.
The theme of connection continues with the New Science Building's proximity to the existing Davis Building, offering another means for the flow of research and knowledge sharing by linking the new facility to much of the social and academic infrastructure at UTM.
A green roof integrates rainwater harvesting into the very design of the building and bioretention cells are dispersed throughout the surrounding landscape.
By implementing best-in-class sustainable energy systems, the New Science Building contributes to UTM's ambitious commitment to cut its total carbon footprint to 37% below 1990 levels by 2030.
To reduce energy use, the building features low velocity fume hoods, air quality monitoring, heat recovery systems, high efficiency chillers, active chilled beams, and demand-control ventilation/exhaust.
Further carbon reduction is achieved with a roof-top photovoltaic array and an on-site ground-source heat pump field, which allows the building to operate primarily by electricity. Together with the region's clean electricity grid, the New Science Building has an extremely low carbon footprint for a building of its type.
University of Toronto President Meric Gertler addressed the crowd during the building's opening.
The New Science Building was designed to evolve with the needs of its research community, establishing a transparent and welcoming beacon on campus.
Partner Jason E. Smith participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony alongside local and university leadership, including Mississauga's Deputy Mayor and the President of the University of Toronto. Principal Laurent Hedquist and Associate Peter Salim were also present to lead building tours.
