May 1, 2026

UTM’s New Science Building sets a standard for green wet lab design

KieranTimberlake is heading to Canada to document the New Science Building at University of Toronto Mississauga now that spring has arrived.

University of Toronto Mississauga New Science Building — A path winds along the north of the building, connecting a main drive to the rest of campus. The sloped landscape incorporates bioretention cells.

The New Science Building at UTM sets a standard for green wet lab design as one of the most energy-efficient biological and chemical laboratory facilities in North America. The LEED Gold tracking NSB aligns with UTM’s ambitious Grow Smart, Grow Green initiative and the university’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint to 37% below 2005 levels by 2030, achieve carbon neutrality by 2043, and ultimately become climate-positive by 2050. The four-story, 90,000 square foot building received the Pharmaceutical Sciences Group Inc. Sustainability Award (2025) with a remarkable 65% energy reduction below code requirements—far surpassing the mandated 20% improvement over ASHRAE standards—by employing the following innovative strategies:

The High-Efficiency HVAC System

Significant air exchange rate requirements were met with ultra-low velocity fume hoods, sophisticated air quality monitoring, modular heat-recovery pumps, and demand-control ventilation.

In the spirit of collaboration and transparency, extensive interior glazing puts innovative research on display to visitors and researchers alike.

Rooftop Photovoltaic Array

Providing capacity of up to 50kW of electricity (the equivalent of powering 200 computers), rooftop PVs sustainably support the building’s energy needs.

Heat Island Reduction & Green Roof

The building’s green roof joins UTM’s eight existing green roofs; bio-retention cells handle stormwater runoff onsite, while native landscaping integrates seamlessly with the surrounding ecological context.

Geoexchange Field

The building is heated and cooled by a geoexchange system that allows heat to be drawn from the building in warmer seasons, stored in the ground, and then returned to the building in cooler seasons. Made up of 170+ boreholes drilled over 300 feet deep, the system supplies about 75% of the building’s total heating and cooling energy load—while acting as a hands-on living lab for students and faculty to learn about sustainable technologies.

Daylight Harvesting

Skylights throughout the building bathe labs and collaboration spaces in natural light, reducing the need for electrical lighting.

Rainwater Harvesting

Water used for flushing toilets collects from the roof into a 10,000 gallon underground tank with UV and filtration measures for disinfection.