The Place de La Cité building must be considered as the main element at the center of the business sector development in downtown Gatineau.  This ten-floor building covers a 30,000 sq.m. area.  It is located across from the Maison de la Culture, next to the National Archives, and will soon be surrounded by a series of smaller office buildings.

In August 2001, Dessau was mandated to perform the preliminary studies to demonstrate that it was possible to build a buidling with superior energy efficiency results, while respecting concurrential economical criteria.  It was demonstrated, through simulation, that the proposed building's energy consumption must be of 30% inferior to that of a similar building that would be restricted to the National Energy Model Energy Code (CMNEB).  The results demonstrate that it will save close to $ 200,000 annually.

Mechanical:  The energy efficiency main characteristics are:

• Building heating, from the available thermal charge in the internal area.  To accommodate the building's perimeter, ventilo-convectors were utilized, which can be used while heating, as well as well cooling through air conditioned.  This concept allows utilization of low temperature heating water, available at the edges of cooling condensors.
• Utilization of a cooling system equipped with an auxiliary recovery condensor allowing heating from the internal area's thermal charge
• Evacuating air recovery for cool ventilating air prewarming
• Utilization of high efficiency lighting equipment 

Electricity:  A normal and an emergency distribution system were conceived to take full advantage of available space.  Telecommunications room are located on every floor and their infrastructure is built so as to accommodate the client's actual and future needs.  A lighting and plugs network has been developed so as to reduce construction costs during future office space deployment.  All works were executed under the strict TPSGC standards, the building's main tenant.

Services provided

• Power simulation of mechanicals and of operating modes
• Design and technical specifications
• Workshop drawings/design revision and approval
• Work supervision

Prizes and mentions

« Excelor » 2003 prize attributed by the "Chambre de Commerce de Gatineau" in the « Energy Efficiency » category.

« Mercuriades 2004 » attributed by the Fédération des Chambres de Commerce du Québec, in the « Energy Efficiency – large companies » category.

Realization dates

Preliminary studies : August 2001 to October 2001

Drawings, design and technical specifications : January 2002 to June 2002

Construction : April 2002 to June 2003