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Pomerleau wins U of T Scarborough passive house student residence bid

Pomerleau is pleased to announce it has been awarded a design-bridge-build contract for the construction of a new residence hall at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Delivery is scheduled for the Fall 2023 semester.

“We are very proud to be partnering with the U of T Scarborough for the delivery of this unique Passive House building, which is set to be one of the most eco-efficient in the country,”commented Patrick Stiles, vice-president and regional manager at Pomerleau. “Our focus on building innovative and sustainable buildings has never been stronger, and we are excited to work with the U of T Scarborough to create a safe, healthy and inspirational living environment for its students. The future of construction is here, and we are very excited to be undertaking this flagship project for many generations to come in the GTA.”

An eco-efficient living space built with market-leading technology

This unique project, which will feature some of the most sustainable architectural design standards, is one of the first of its category to be built to Passive House standard. This low-energy design concept includes high-efficiency standards for building and window insulation, orientation, ventilation and functionality.

The 265,000 sq. ft building, which is to be erected at 3300 Ellesmere Road, will offer 746 beds in a variety of settings, including single and double occupancy bedrooms with semi-private shared washrooms, and single occupancy bedrooms with private washrooms. The building will also include a servery, a dining hall, a kitchen, a collection of mixed-use spaces for workshop-style learning, as well as offices. An outdoor roof garden and terrace will complete the living spaces.

The Pomerleau team expects to be breaking ground later this summer. Throughout the construction process, the latest in estimation and building information management technology (BIM) will be used to maximize precision in material usage, energy efficiency planning and timeline management. The site will also leverage the services of Spot, Boston Dynamic’s robot dog, to document site progress and support health and safety and quality standards management.

“We are very pleased to solidify our presence in the Ontario education building market segment. We have developed an excellent collaborative relationship with the U of T Scarborough, with whom we concluded our first virtual contract award process, a first for both our organizations. It demonstrates our commitment to overcoming the logistical challenges of the current pandemic to ensure the successful start of the project,” added Eric Gaulin, Executive Vice President -Canadian Building Operations.

This is Pomerleau’s first design-bridge-build project in the Toronto market, meaning that a large portion of the architectural design was elaborated before design-build bidders were brought to the table. The Owner’s Design Architects team, composed of Core Architects and Handel Architects, is therefore complemented by the Pomerleau’s Design-Build team which includes IBI Group, MCW, RDH, and EXP.