The announcement of the demolition of Place Versailles to build 5,000 homes and replace thousands of parking spaces with mineral and vegetated surfaces was greeted with a good deal of enthusiasm. However, very few details have emerged from the proposal. It is therefore appropriate to ask: “What exactly are we going to build there?”
Published at 1:23 a.m.
Updated at 1:00 p.m.
Dominique Laroche, Pierre-André Lévesque and Martin Brière
Architects at BGLA
While the climate budget to limit the increase to 1.5°C melts at approximately the same rate as our two main ice caps and the carbon neutrality deadline is announced with great fanfare for 2050, it is essential that this project major mixed development is designed with a carbon neutral perspective.
A neighborhood made entirely of wood
To move towards carbon neutrality, we must first consider the embodied carbon made up of CO emissions.2 produced in the life cycle of the materials and components chosen for the construction of the building. In this sense, wood is a real champion; it requires very little energy to transform and constitutes an extraordinary carbon sink. This carbon is locked in the wood and remains stable for the entire lifespan of the building.
There is no greater safety issue with wooden buildings; on the contrary, wooden structures are predictable in the sense that they will not collapse unexpectedly under the heat of fire like steel, and they will not crack irreparably under the effect of earthquakes, like concrete. They are highly resilient.
The best way to use wood for structure and get the greatest benefit from it is particularly in mid-rise buildings. Templates of four to seven floors organized compactly on the site would make it possible to easily build entirely in wood, obtain optimal density and create a real neighborhood on a human scale. South of Stockholm, the Hammarby Sjöstad district is an extraordinary precedent that should inspire us.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY DOMINIQUE LAROCHE
The district of Hammarby Sjöstad, dans le sud de Stockholm
Another undeniable advantage of wooden structures is the speed of erection, especially when compared to concrete. They save precious time in the current context of the housing crisis which requires the rapid construction of millions of new homes.
Wood is a natural resource that we are lucky to have in abundance here at home.
Wooden structures represent an opportunity to sustainably use our forest resources and create local, rewarding, innovative employment that will last for future generations.
For all these reasons, in addition to the scientific evidence demonstrating the benefits of the presence of wood in our living spaces, the main structure of all buildings in this new district should be made of wood.
Passivhaus certified
The Passivhaus standard was developed in Germany in the 1990s and is emerging in several regions around the world. It adapts to the local climate and allows energy savings of around 90% compared to a traditional building.
How does it translate into Quebec? By orienting most of the windows to the south and controlling the shadows cast between buildings, by further insulating the walls, by avoiding thermal bridges and by ensuring exceptional airtightness. The latter must be tested on site, otherwise certification is not possible.
These buildings are not more expensive to build; they simply require a real planning process, upstream, involving experts in the field. With the Passivhaus standard, we obtain as a bonus increased comfort for users as well as the assurance of living in spaces bathed in abundant natural light, accessible to all.
No half measures
It would be indecent to put it off until tomorrow and continue to shovel forward in our children’s yard. The district that will replace Place Versailles must be carbon neutral, like all the others that will follow. To achieve this, it is imperative to go much further than what is required by current regulations, which are known to be clearly insufficient to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
We have the knowledge, talent and expertise to design this new district in the most intelligent, optimal and sensitive way possible. No half-measures are now possible or acceptable. Decision-makers and project providers must set the bar as high as possible; they must show courage.
The time for procrastination is over; in the construction sector, the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 is now taking shape.
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