Oakville community centre recognized for commitment to green initiatives

A community centre in Oakville has earned recognition for its commitment to green initiatives.

The Oakville Trafalgar Community Centre has been awarded the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification.

Granted by the Canada Green Building Council, LEED is an independent, third-party verification that the facility was designed, built and operated to achieve high environmental performance.

To be LEED certified, the building is required to fulfill several evaluation parameters, including energy efficiency, water savings, indoor environmental quality, location and transportation, sustainable site development and materials selection.

“The LEED Gold certification for Oakville Trafalgar Community Centre speaks to our commitment and leadership in managing energy resources effectively to address climate change,” said Mayor Rob Burton.

“Ensuring our facilities are built, operated and maintained to the highest standards of environmental sustainability will support the town’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2041.”

The community centre officially opened its doors to the public in 2020, featuring an array of state-of the-art, energy-efficient features. Among its stand-out elements are 1,300 rooftop solar panels, anticipated to yield a minimum of 660 megawatt-hours annually. These panels are projected to reduce the facility’s energy consumption by 43 per cent and greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 20 tonnes each year.

The facility’s parking area follows LEED principles to create green and inclusive spaces. The electric vehicle station with three dual-wand chargers offers convenient access.

Based on LEED Gold requirements, there are six EV charging parking spaces and 14 green vehicle preferred parking spaces located close to the main building entrance.

The building also integrates other sustainable initiatives such as geo-thermal heating and cooling, and a robust rainwater management system.

Together, all the green initiatives help optimize the facility’s energy performance and reduce environmental impact. This facility emits 90 per cent less green house gases when compared with a similar-sized community centre in the town.

Oakville Trafalgar Community Centre features a 25-metre lap pool, therapeutic warm water pool, double gymnasium, fitness centre with running track, universal change rooms, multipurpose meeting rooms, space for intergenerational programming, café, and more.