Vivo is happy to claim the designation of Calgary’s first Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited building.
The open design and extensive use of natural light – even in the gym and hockey arena – save electricity and create a bright atmosphere in the activity areas.
Where possible, all building material through the building came from local sources, saving energy by reducing transportation and fuel costs.
The ice rinks have innovative features to reduce refrigeration costs and at the same time lower heating costs elsewhere in the building. In fact, excess heat from our rink refrigeration systems helps to heat the pool water.
To reduce our energy bill, Vivo has a “cogeneration” system which produces electricity from natural gas. Our natural gas fired C-60 Microturbine provides 12% of our electrical energy required to operate our building and reclaimed heat produced in the process reduces our existing building boiler heat load by 18%.
The fixtures in our washrooms dramatically reduce water consumption with dual flush toilets and low flow showers. These features contribute to saving up to 26,500,000 water per year.
Vivo is committed to responsible, sustainable use of resources and encourages all community members to be stewards of the environment where we live, work and play.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can contribute to sustainability by walking or biking to Vivo or organizing carpools. Try to conserve water and towels, and use the recycling containers located throughout the building.
For more information on LEED visit the U.S. Green Building Council at usgbc.org.