Size697 square metres
OwnerBabco Equities
Structural EngineerEQUILIBRIUM Consulting Inc.
Construction ManagerNaikoon Contracting Ltd.
Passive House ConsultantPeel Passive House
Wood SupplierMercer Mass Timber LLC (CLT and glulam)BC Passive House (prefabricated Passive House wall panels)
Structural systemsLow riseMass timberPassive House / High performancePost + beamPrefabricated
Project materialsCross-laminated timber (CLT)Glue-laminated timber (Glulam)
Leveraging a prefabricated mass timber building system, this commercial structure fits seamlessly into a compact zero-lot-line site while employing quieter and more efficient construction techniques. Completed in just 10 days, 1 Lonsdale Avenue was constructed to stringent Passive House standards to fulfill the owner’s energy efficiency and sustainability objectives. It demonstrates how a timber-based workspace can serve as a contemporary, high-tech and eco-friendly alternative to traditional building methods.
When it comes to energy efficiency, advanced timber engineering, occupant comfort and design this high-tech commercial office project punches above its weight. The three-storey building squeezes into a narrow urban lot in the heart of North Vancouver’s Shipyard District with the help of made-in-B.C. prefabricated mass timber construction.
Featuring a main floor restaurant with two floors of office space above, 1 Lonsdale Avenue Commercial Building was built using a glue-laminated (glulam) post and beam system with 5-ply CLT roof and floor panels and 5-ply CLT shear wall panels, all manufactured in B.C. The building features a contemporary-industrial-inspired feel. South facing, a checkerboard of glazing draws in natural light to the open-plan office space while recessed ground floor glazing looks out to an exterior seating area. The overall design complements the scale of the surrounding neighbourhood that includes retail, galleries, amenities and restaurants. Walkability and easy access to public transit reduced the need for underground parking—in turn maximizing the building’s leasable square footage.
1 Londsdale Avenue showcases mass timber and advanced wood systems. The project was constructed on an infill lot and it combines Passive House-certified performance with BC Step Code standards. It also provides the required fire resistance ratings at a zero-lot-line which is common in an urban setting. Prefabricated wood systems allowed this building to be erected in 10 days which also minimized neighbourhood noise and disruption. Watch the technical video by WoodWorks BC to learn more about this project.
As an urban infill project flanked by a building at the back, an alley on one side and a street on the other two sides, the tight site location complicated design and construction. The solution—a vertical CLT exposed wall system that serves triple duty: acts as a sheer wall adjacent to the neighbouring building; achieves Passive House requirements by incorporating pre-insulated CLT panels and meets building code requirements for fire ratings. A building’s party wall on a zero-lot-line site is typically required to be noncombustible. In this case, the City of North Vancouver approved the use of CLT for this wall on account of fire-retardant treatments and its natural fire resistance—mass timber chars, forming a protective layer while retaining strength.
1 Lonsdale Avenue was built to meet the rigorous energy standards for Passive House. This means it will use up to 90 per cent less energy compared to a conventional building. Mass timber helped the design team meet the stringent criteria while addressing the unique challenges of the tight space. All of the CLT panels were fabricated to exact specifications, which helped reduce gaps and improve airtightness. CLT shear wall panels were pre-insulated to Passive House standards, then lowered by crane accommodating the constraints of the tight lot.
To reduce construction disruption in the busy neighbourhood, the contractor used a nearby staging yard to apply the membrane and insulation on the CLT for the north wall panels; some of the glulam posts and beams were even pre-connected. Materials were then delivered to the jobsite in a just-in-time sequence and lifted into place by crane. By using prefabrication, building information modelling (BIM) technology, virtual design and construction (VDC) modelling, they shortened the installation schedule from 21 to just 10 days, offering significant savings to the project.
Right in the heart of North Vancouver’s Shipyard District in an extremely challenging zero-lot-line site, 1 Lonsdale Avenue was built entirely out of CLT and glulam. Watch this time lapse video from Naikoon Contracting Ltd. to see how this Passive House Certified mass timber commercial buildings was complete in record time.
