Daniel T'seleie
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 26/04) - The new federal building has been designed to co-exist with its environment. Though its placement in downtown Yellowknife may seem far from nature it must still deal with the elements.

"(Cities) have a lot of impermeable surfaces," said Karen LeGresley-Hamre, principal landscape architect for Avens Associates Ltd. She helped with the design of the project.

Waterproof surfaces such as pavement make storm sewers a necessity in city life, says LeGresley-Hamre.

In an effort to reduce the amount of water running off site, designers have included permeable surfaces in the building lot.

A strip of gravel around the perimeter of the parking lot will allow water to soak naturally into the ground says LeGresley Hamre.

There is more to a sustainable building than just reducing environmental effects.

"We're designing systems that will use a whole lot less water," said Dwayne Willmer, regional director of professional and technical services for Public Works and Government Services Canada.

The excess rainwater on site will also help feed the building's water needs.

"The toilets basically get flushed by rainwater," LeGresley-Hamre said.

Using rainwater for the buildings toilets is more cost effective and efficient than taking water from the city's water supply, says LeGresley Hamre.

Sunlight is another undeniable force of nature that has been factored into the building design.

"The building has two wings," LeGresley-Hamre said.

Having two wings will let in more sunlight than if the building was square, said LeGresley-Hamre.

"If you make a square building its got very little outside wall," LeGresley-Hamre said.

Natural light

The natural light will help heat the building and also allow employees to work with the lights off, says LeGresley-Hamre.

Right now builders are excavating dirt in preparation for a basement which will accompany one wing running along 51st street.

"We're about as far down as we're gonna go," said John Droog, area manager for PCL Constructors Northern Inc.

The other wing will run along Franklin Avenue.