From initial planning and throughout its construction, we incorporated sustainable principles and greening initiatives into the rehabilitation and upgrade of the Library of Parliament.

We set a new standard for sustainability by requiring that improvements to the Library of Parliament were all long lasting. This minimizes the need for maintenance or future upgrades while ensuring the Library will be beautiful and functional for decades.

Library of Parliament (Roy Grogan)

• We saved valuable Library of Parliament heritage features by preserving, instead of replacing existing materials. This 'minimum intervention' approach to conservation helped us avoid replacing the entire structure, which in turn saved time and money.
• We installed upgraded mechanical systems to optimize building performance, improve heating and cooling efficiencies and improve air quality.
• We helped to preserve valuable land surrounding the Library of Parliament by excavating below the building within the existing footprint to provide space for new mechanical systems.
• We removed toxic substances such as lead and asbestos from the building and introduced new durable and sustainable materials to replace them.
• By partnering with the Library of Parliament we reduced its file space requirements while also improving air quality by digitizing 70 file cabinets of newspaper clippings.
• We helped to develop protocols for cleaning and preserving the Library's historic book collections, specifically eliminating mold transfer to the newly renovated space.
• We protected the building and its occupants from possible earthquakes by stabilizing the masonry, the iron dome and all components within the building to meet current seismic code requirements.
• We installed a new thermal window system at each window opening to improve energy conservation.
• We upgraded the Library's lighting systems and thus improved energy efficiency as well as working conditions.

Start of temporary scaffolding, removing mortar joints. July 5, 2002

Reading Room windows and pendant lights installed. January 10, 2006

• We improved the air quality, specifically the temperature and humidity, to create a superior environment for the storage of the Library's collections. Our approach protects the building from condensation and increases overall energy efficiency.
• We exceeded our own rigorous waste diversion targets during the construction, renovation and demolition phases of the Library of Parliament project. We targeted 80 percent but instead diverted more than 82 percent or 14,986 cubic yards of material from landfills for reuse and recycling, including wood, rock, wiring, metals, asphalt and light fixtures.
• We generated creative and enduring new uses for discarded materials having enduring historic value. We saved and made available for reuse the worn copper roofing to decorate the interior of the new Canadian War Museum, and provided damaged stones, copper and other materials for the Library to transform into boutique products.