1.5 ConEd Learning Hours
2:00 p.m.‐ 3:30 p.m.
Aquatic and arena facilities are among the highest energy‐consumers of all building types due to the large public spaces and high occupant loads that define them. They sustain challenging interior environments that require specially treated air, water, and ice—delivering strictly regulated conditions regardless of temperatures outside. The embodied carbon impact of these buildings has not been extensively studied, leaving limited information to reference. While there are growing efforts to close gaps in embodied carbon research, studies typically focus on dominant building forms, namely residential and commercial types. Gathering typology‐specific information is the first step in developing realistic frameworks to reducing embodied carbon for highly specialized buildings.
This presentation will cover the findings of an internal embodied carbon benchmarking study conducted by MJMA, one that focused on the community recreation project typology and leveraged data from the studio’s extensive pan‐Canadian portfolio. It will cover the varying embodied carbon impact of facilities across different Canadian climate zones and jurisdictions, present potential working methodologies to performing complete LCAs throughout the design process, as well as offer insights and recommendations to fellow designers of recreation facilities with the aim of broadening the discussion.
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the particular challenges of addressing embodied carbon in aquatic and arena facilities, especially in the context of evolving green building standards.
2. Discuss potential alternatives to traditional metrics that evaluate embodied carbon—ones that factor the social and health benefits of community recreation centres.
3. Understand the breadth of data required to perform complete LCAs, along with important caveats.
4. Discuss potential avenues for greater collaboration with sister disciplines, contractors, and manufacturers to better address carbon holistically.
Ted Watson, Partner
MJMA Architecture & Design
A partner at MJMA Architecture & Design, Ted Watson focuses on the design of comprehensive public space, collaboratively leading the design of many of the studio’s most challenging and ambitious projects. He brings 25 years of experience focused on projects in the recreational, community, and academic sectors. Framing design solutions around social, technical, and environmental challenges, Ted strives to advance the architecture of these project typologies as critical infrastructure for collective human engagement—aiming to ‘Elevate the Civic Experience’ and create impact beyond the immediate site.
Jeanne Ng, OAA, Senior Principal
MJMA Architecture & Design
Jeanne Ng is a Senior Principal at MJMA Architecture & Design who has been instrumental in furthering the studio’s architecture, community engagement, and sustainability goals since 1997. She has taken a leading role in many of the firm’s most notable community‐focused projects like the Regent Park (Pam McConnell) Aquatic Centre, Ajax Audley Recreation Centre & Library, and the Wellesley Community Centre and St. James Town Library. Jeanne has also led many of MJMA’s research initiatives in net zero energy and carbon, as the project principal for the Western North York Community Centre and the Embodied Carbon Benchmarking Project.