Agreed, the renovation hardly appears as green if you glance at the steel and concrete-laden walls of the Art Gallery of Alberta. However, those who are willing to discover its essentially sustainable texture should try to gather how Randall Stout, the architect for the project, overcame ex-constructional nuisances. 800 tons of structural steel came from the demolished structure and above 65 percent of the existing building was subjected to renovation.
The new building has 84,000 SF of space, which includes 27,000 SF of new public spaces and galleries, and approximately 24,000 SF of interior exhibition space. Apart from wall coverings, tiles, carpets and engineered wood that came from recycled products, you will see high-tech lighting system with dimming capabilities to consume 8 percent less energy than the traditional lighting systems. Adhesives and glues with little VOCs (volatile organic compounds) used in construction maintain indoor air quality.
Randall employed new technology to ensure that the gallery achieves museum-standard environmental controls: no temperature and humidity related glitches. Moreover, mass transit is preferred to private automobiles to carry visitors from the Churchill LRT station to the art gallery.
The Gallery will open to the public on January 31, 2010.
Via: Edmonton Journal