OTTAWA — Library and Archives Canada and the Plenary Properties Gatineau (PPG) consortium have announced they have signed a 33-year public-private partnership deal to design-build, finance, maintain and operate a new preservation facility in Gatineau, Que. to be located directly behind the current Preservation Centre.
The owner and PPG unveiled the design of the new building on June 18.
The new preservation centre will be the first net-zero carbon facility dedicated to archival preservation in the Americas, and the first federal building constructed to the requirements of Canada’s Greening Government Strategy, stated a release. The main features of a net-zero carbon building are minimal carbon emissions from energy consumption, achieved through building design and efficiency measures; energy needs met through carbon-free fuel sources; and minimal embodied carbon in building materials.
It will also be the world’s largest preservation facility equipped with an automated archive storage and retrieval system.
PPG will design, build and finance the new building, optimize storage space in the current Preservation Centre and operate and maintain both facilities.
Construction will begin this year, with the opening expected in 2022.
The PPG consortium includes:
- developer and equity member — Plenary Group;
- equity member — PCL Investments Canada Inc.;
- design-builder — PCL Constructors Eastern Inc.;
- design prime member — B+H Architects; and
- facilities management — ENGIE Services.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Library and Archives Canada to preserve the heritage of our country in what will be a state-of-the-art, iconic facility, and the first net zero carbon archival centre in the Americas. We look forward to working with our partners to deliver this project and supporting the government of Canada in its commitment to sustainable infrastructure and the preservation of our documented history,” said Brian Clark, senior vice-president with Plenary Group, in the statement.
Location of the Project should have been Kanata….That was/is Canada’s Silicon Valley….and is still home to the high tech sector in Ottawa….it is a beautiful building…reserve this space for tourist dollars and innovate this area instead with that goal.