General Crerar Public School Addition
Additional Info
Award Winner : NRB Modular Solutions
Architectural Excellence : The new three room classroom addition was designed to attach directly to the existing school, wrapping around a corner to use the minimum amount of parking or play area. The exterior finish is a rain screen principle of fibre reinforced cement panels done in two tones with patterns to match the existing panels and brick on the school. High efficiency windows are varying heights with operable awning vents for optimal day-lighting, views for toddlers, as well as passive ventilation. Interior finishes include non-slip sheet flooring over the interior concrete ramp and vinyl composite tile in the classrooms. Ceramic tiles provide durable, bright and low maintenance finishes in the bathrooms that have “kid sized” fixtures. Walls are mold resistant drywall, taped, filled and painted in different colors while corridors have heavy duty abuse resistant wall board.
Cost Energy Effectiveness : Building the ramps within both the modular addition and the existing school to accommodate the minimum rise needed for handicap accessibility meant that the school addition could be directly attached to the school eliminating the extra space required and the cost of a long 36’ link/corridor that would have otherwise been necessary. The pre-poured suspended concrete floor that replaced the typical slab on grade, allowed a more cost effective way to manage the methane gas condition. The building envelope is designed for operational cost savings by implementing enhanced energy efficiencies including R26 spray foam insulation in the walls and R20 to the underside of the floor, including deck.
Occupied Date : 10/28/2013
Production Start Date : 7/5/2013
Project Location City : Toronto
Project Location State Name : Ontario
Technical Innovation : The building is non-combustible construction with recycled steel framing and concrete floors. The wall and floor assemblies contain eco-friendly spray foam insulation with an integral air/vapor barrier that also offers superior thermal protection. This particular site had a methane gas issue and so excavation had to be kept to a minimum and as a result drive-in helical piles were used as footings. This also meant that there would be a significant variance in floor elevations between the addition and the existing school. Since they are directly adjacent and connected a 1:12 concrete ramp was engineered and built right in to the modular addition that connected in to the existing school where another 1:12 ramp was created on site to cover the additional distance needed. The main entrance to the corridor was recessed in to the module for better weather protection, done at the plant. Steel canopies at the entrances were fabricated with lighting and soffits and installed at the site.
Total Square Feet : 4752