​VanDusen Botanical Gardens Visitors Centre

  • Vancouver Location
  • Pre-Engineered Project Type
  • VRCA Silver Award of Excellence Project Award
  • 19,000 ft² Project Size
  • Ledcor Construction Ltd. General Contractor
  • December 2011 Completion Date

Project Summary

Major Statistics:

  • Fast-paced fixed deadline
  • Complexity of design
  • No parallel or perpendicular lines
  • Compression of systems into a small footprint
  • LEED Platinum Standards & Living Building Challenge
  • Large number of design changes and site instructions
  • “One Shot” electrical rough-in
  • Off-site prefabrication of roof panels

The $19 million VanDusen Visitor Centre in Vancouver is state-of-the-art and one of the first of its kind in Canada with an impressive list of high-tech features. It is expected to be Canada’s first certified Living Building. It’s natural beauty and connection to the natural surroundings will allow this structure to become an iconic building for the City of Vancouver.

In addition to the Leed Platinum Design, the Visitor Centre is pursuing the Living Building Challenge (LBC) – the most stringent measurement of sustainability in the built environment. To receive its Living Building Certification (LBC), the center will have to operate for 12 months with net zero energy. If everything goes as planned, the center could be Canada’s first Living Building.

Bridge Electric Corp. was selected by Ledcor Construction Limited as the electrical contractor for the VanDusen Visitor Center in 2010, a contract that was 17 months of fast-paced, race-to-deadline construction. This completed project is another outstanding example of Bridge Electric’s commitment to delivering a quality project ON TIME.

The building is designed not only to inspire a celebration of the Garden and landscape, but to invest and show consideration for the environment through building systems and promote a social understanding of the balance between human activities and natural ecosystems

Another successful project completed ON TIME!