New fire station designed with LEED Silver certification will save 60 per cent in energy

For Immediate Release:
July 19, 2010

BURLINGTON, ON – Preparation for the construction of fire station no. 8 in northeast Burlington began this week. The 7,200 square foot (669 square metre) building will achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification for its environmentally sensitive construction features that deliver energy savings of up to 60 per cent.

The one-storey building will have a drive-through apparatus bay, dorm rooms, locker rooms and a kitchen. Located at 1827 Ironstone Dr., the station will look like three other Burlington fire stations. The project is expected to be completed by March 2011.

“The new fire station demonstrates our commitment to ensure the city provides fast, efficient and effective emergency fire response to keep our citizens and their property safe,” said Mayor Cam Jackson. “The Burlington Fire Department is recognized as a leader in fire and emergency services.”

The City of Burlington is funding two-thirds of the construction cost for fire station no. 8. As an infrastructure project, the federal and provincial governments are providing one-third of the funding.

“One of the key reasons for constructing this new station is to reduce the response time for the first fire truck to arrive at an emergency scene,” said Fire Chief Shayne Mintz. “It is anticipated that the time will fall from the current average of six minutes and 39 seconds to the council approved response time of first truck on scene within four minutes 75 percent of the time.”

The fire station will provide firefighters with optimum indoor air quality by using low emitting materials such as paints and carpets as well as indoor chemical and pollutant control.

Compared to the basic Ontario Building Code requirements, the new Fire station is projected to use approximately 60-per-cent less energy and a proportionate percentage saving on green house gas emissions. The savings are achieved through:

Water Efficiency:

A seasonal storm pond has been integrated into the property to reduce water run-off from the site.

A regenerating and water-efficient landscape has been incorporated to reduce water use. Occupancy sensors and low-flow fixtures have been included to reduce water usage.

Energy Efficiency:

This high-efficiency building includes 50-per-cent additional insulation to perimeter walls, foundation and the roof to reduce heat loads. Fibreglass-framed high performance glass windows will be installed to minimize electric light usage and give workers a healthy exposure to natural light, ventilation and views.

The thermal performance for these windows is 30-per-cent better than aluminum windows. The high efficient heating system includes a solar wall to preheat fresh air and a heat recovery system to transfer wasted energy back into 100-per-cent fresh air supply. This system is 60-per-cent more efficient than a standard HVAC system.

Light-coloured roof materials have been selected to reduce roof temperatures which will lower heat island effect and urban temperatures. Less energy will be used to reduce the interior temperature.

Fire station no. 8 will service the district bordered by North Service Rd (to the south), Burloak Drive (to the east), Dundas Street (to the north) and the Canadian National Rail line (to the west).

The Burlington Fire Department includes career staff and volunteers serving the diverse needs of the community. Activities of the department include fire suppression, fire prevention, public education, training and emergency planning.

For more information about the Burlington Fire Department, visit www.burlington.ca/fire.

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Communications contact:
Elizabeth Hendricks
Communications Advisor
City of Burlington
905 335-7600, ext. 7835
hendrickse@burlington.ca

Media contact:
Jennifer Johnson
Co-ordinator of Project Management
Corporate Strategic Initiatives
City of Burlington
905 335-7600, ext. 7358
johnsonj@burlington.ca