The Credit Valley Conservation Authority is a community-based environmental organization dedicated to conserving, restoring, developing, and managing natural resources along the Credit Valley River Watershed in Southern Ontario. Its expanded Head Office was designed to provide the organization with a renewed sense of identity, an increase in usable space and better support for its environmental mandate. Facilities include office accommodations for over 200 employees along with an environmental lab, hoteling stations for field staff and break-out spaces for collaborative group work.

The project was completed in two phases to assist the Authority in maintaining its major operations. The first phase comprised the construction of a large addition to the front existing facility, while the second, included renovations to existing building along with the erection of a new glazed link between the two structures, creating a sheltered courtyard for staff. A flexible floorplate with movable office partitions allow offices to be easily reconfigured according to staffing levels and / or departmental changes.

In keeping with the Authority’s commitment to sustainability, a number of green strategies were implemented to assist the Head Office in obtaining LEED Gold Certification; these include: built in sun shading elements, recycled building materials, increased access to daylighting, an in-slab hot water radiant heating system, storm water storage tank, heat recovery ventilators, variable refrigerant volume cooling system, high performance boilers, occupancy sensors, permeable pavement and rainwater harvesting.