Manitoba Hydro Place was built in order to consolidate staff into one central location, a result of the amalgamation of Winnipeg Hydro and Manitoba Hydro.  In 2004 Manitoba Hydro formed an IDP (Integrated Design Process) team to develop and implement a design for a new highly sustainable office building in the downtown core.  The client mandated a series of key charter goals including, a minimum 60% energy reduction over the MNECB (Model National Energy Code Building) standard, and a design which would catalyze urban revitalization in a depressed urban core.  The location of the under-utilized site in downtown Winnipeg made it a prime candidate for redevelopment.  Demolition of the existing buildings began in May 2005 and materials were salvaged where possible.  Remaining materials were recycled wherever possible.  Existing conditions required implementation of an asbestos abatement program, and remediation of the soil, due to buried storage tanks and Hydrocarbon contamination.  Construction began in fall of 2005 and the building was occupied in fall of 2008.

Provides examples of successful solutions to brownfield barriers and issues:

• Exiting timbers reused in new building.
• Interior finishes reused in offices for Manitoba Eco-Network.
• Extensive recycling of remaining materials.
• Asbestos abatement and hydrocarbon soil reclamation.

The project is targeting LEED Platinum, and has extensive use of passive & natural ventilation, geothermal systems & heat recovery, daylighting, building automation, and hi-performance envelopes.