Sudbury, Ontario, located at the edge of a large geological structure known as the Sudbury Basin (a 1.85-billion-year-old meteorite impact crater), is home to Canada’s largest mining and smelting complex. By the 1970s, decades of mining and smelting nickel, copper and iron had reduced some 10,000 hectares of the surrounding area to desolation and had damaged watercourses for miles around. Sudbury is still a rich mining centre, but, as a result of a 90 % reduction in emissions and aggressive land reclamation, it has become a world centre for environmental science issues related to mining.

Working for years from four cabins, the Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit – a research joint venture involving Laurentian University, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources – needed a new home to expand its specialized research into the protection, remediation, and restoration of freshwater lakes and ecosystems.

The resulting Vale Living with Lakes Centre for Freshwater Restoration vastly increases the Cooperative’s research capabilities. The major funders of the project included Industry Canada (Knowledge and Infrastructure Program), Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities, Vale – a global mining company, FedNor, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Research Fund, and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.

The Centre provides researchers and technicians access to laboratories, classrooms, offices, environmental bays and a watershed restoration facility. At the Centre, researchers examine long-term effectiveness of pollution reduction, and how a damaged lake ecosystem is able to dynamically heal itself over time.

As well as being a centre of excellence for critically important ecological research, the Vale Living with Lakes Centre is an extraordinary building with an exceptionally low environmental footprint. The project makes extensive use of wood products harvested and manufactured close to Sudbury, including structural, framing and decorative wood products.

Rock Community Church is located in Woodbridge, Ontario, directly north of Toronto. Several years ago, the congregation bought a large, wooded property and used an existing residence and outbuildings for their needs while funding was acquired and design was developed for a permanent facility. Designed to incorporate a detailed list of user requirements, the new building was ready for occupancy in October 2007. There are two particularly noteworthy features of this building. One is the way it was designed to suit the site and second is the modular design that will allow the building to expand as the size of the congregation grows. The Rock Community Church design carefully uses structural and decorative wood products to blend with a beautiful natural setting and to provide architectural appeal and acoustical performance inside. The 2.2-hectare (5.4 acre) site (Figure 1) falls within the Woodbridge conservation area. To respect the natural setting, the design focused on creating an environmentally-friendly building site that would harmonize with its surroundings. All site elements, including the building and the parking lot, were carefully located to save existing trees and fit the site topography. The neighbouring deciduous trees provide shading from summer sun and allow the entry of winter solar heat through the floor-to-ceiling glazing in the altar area of the sanctuary.

The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board (the Board) delivers provincially mandated services to 13 communities in Northwestern Ontario. To help clients achieve self-sufficiency, the Board provides assistance to seniors, children, and people with addictions and administers social housing programs. In March 2012, the Board’s ability to help people was greatly enhanced by the opening of a new building in the Thunder Bay central business district. Before the new building came into service, services were delivered from three sub-standard locations, an arrangement that often required clients to travel from one location to another to get help. A feasibility study that examined the possibility of amalgamating the three offices considered three different locations for the new building. The site selected is in the centre of Thunder Bay, adjacent to the city hall and library (Figure 1). Initial resistance by the local community to bringing social services clients into the business district has been dispelled. Instead, it appears that the public and social services clients view a bright, progressive building as a positive influence. In addition, staff absenteeism has decreased. The building is wood post and beam construction with woodframe floors and infill walls. Glulam columns were left exposed. This aesthetically pleasing expression of the structure, combined with wood millwork and doors, provide a bright, positive atmosphere for staff and clients.