VanDusen Botanical Gardens Unveils SIREWALL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vancouver BC, (Oct 19, 2011) – After nearly a decade of anticipation, an ambitious public amenity aiming to be Canada’s first Living Building will open its doors on October 19, 2011 at VanDusen Botanical Gardens for local architects, green builders, developers and enthusiasts to get a sneak peak.

“The Living Building Challenge inspires developers across the globe to adopt sustainable building standards at the cutting edge of the most progressive thinking,” said Jim Huffman, Design Manager for Busby Perkins + Will. “We’ve accepted new challenges and developed a brand new set of ideas with this project primarily focused around how a building operates, what it’s made of and where it comes from.”

The inspiration behind the design of VanDusen’s new Visitor Centre was taken from its 55 acres of botanical gardens with the idea that the final structure would sit discreetly within its natural surroundings. The shape of the building was designed to replicate the leaves of an orchid with a stem located in the main atrium where visitors can take note of as they enter the lobby. SIREWALL, a locally developed green alternative to wood was incorporated throughout the building’s interior and exterior.

“As a company committed to improving the quality and health of housing in North America, we are elated to have SIREWALL included in what could be Canada’s first Living Building,” said Meror Krayenhoff, Founder of SIREWALL Inc. “It is our hope homeowners, and the local building community will embrace our vision of building healthy, energy-efficient, beautiful, durable homes and buildings.”

The years of planning that have gone into constructing VanDusen’s Visitor Centre is the reason why industry experts are calling the design state of the art. Participants in the project hope it will be the first of many Vancouver buildings to participate in the living building challenge as the city moves towards being the world’s greenest by 2020.

About the Living Building Challenge

The International Living Future Institute is a non-governmental organization (NGO) committed to catalyzing a global transformation toward true sustainability. We seek partnerships with leaders in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in pursuit of a future that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative.

As the owner of the Living Building Challenge, the Institute has redefined the green building movement, substantially raising the bar for true sustainability. By embracing the psychology of the end-game, we seek to identify the most direct path to a future in which we all can thrive.

About SIREWALL

SIREWALL’s engineered sandstone is constructed with a matrix of local soils and cement surrounding a core of insulation. SIREWALL is inorganic and therefore does not require chemical sealants or treatments. It is long lasting, rot resistant, fire resistant, and non toxic. No other green building approach delivers this combination of ecological and health benefits.