The Living Building Challenge and the North Vancouver Outdoor School (NVOS) Master Plan

Situated on 165 hectares (of ecological reserve land in B.C.’s Cheakamus River Valley known as Paradise Valley, the NVOS is unique among a handful of environmental education centres in Canada. With a Federally recognized wild salmon reserve, and the largest recorded concentration of wintering bald eagles in North America, as well as a rufous hummingbird research site, the project was the recipient of a 2008 Holcim Award for Sustainable Construction Acknowledgement Prize. Serving more than 11,000 people annually, the NVOS currently operates out of a series of small 1960s buildings that, together with the supporting infrastructure, are nearing the end of their service lives. The NVOS vision is that all replacement buildings and infrastructure will embody the environmental principles espoused by the school and the Living Building Challenge. The need to develop a master plan and establish guidelines was identified as a crucial precursor to the design of the new infrastructure and buildings. This workshop from the Living Building Users Group (LBUG) – Vancouver, led by educator Victor Elderton and architect Ron Kato MAIBC MRAIC LEED® AP, that master plan will be examined. It happens Friday, June 24, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. at the Terasen Gas Building, 1111 Georgia Street, Vancouver. The cost is $5 in advance / $10 at the door with reduced rates for Cascadian and CaGBC members as well as students. Participants are advised to bring their own lunch. For more information, visit http://cascadiagbc.org/branches/bc/vancouver/leed-lb-users-group-vancouver-vlug-lbug-1/view.

1 Core LU