By Fay Harvey
CALGARY, Alberta — Mathison Hall at Canada’s University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business recently received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) for its sustainable and energy-efficient materials, systems and design.
Officially opened in 2023, the $90 million, 111,900-square-foot Mathison Hall was specifically built to achieve the highest level of LEED certification. It also aims to meet the CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Standard, aligning with the University’s carbon-neutrality goals. The energy-efficient building offers expansive natural light and low-flow plumbing fixtures, and the energy generated through renewables aims to offset more than half of the building’s projected annual 280 tons of CO₂ emissions.
Using the Thermal Energy Demand Intensity (TEDI) metric, the four-story building’s envelope eliminates air leakage to minimize thermal bridging, resulting in more comfortable occupants, passive heat and less demand for energy. The exterior features a terra cotta rainscreen panel system, roof-mounted solar photovoltaic panels generate the building’s clean energy. Inside, mechanical systems use water to move heat and cooling energy throughout the building. As a result, necessary ventilation systems have more energy to focus on providing cool air.
Inspired by Alberta’s prairie surroundings and expansive horizon, an indoor multi-story atrium lights up the space, offering unobstructed views and abundant natural light while limiting the use of daytime in-facility lighting. The building’s exterior design was intentionally designed to complement the adjacent Scurfield Hall’s horizontal frame to connect the buildings on one plane.
Inside, the facility offers spaces for dining, studying and collaborating, including a 300-seat community space. The building’s ceiling and staircase are constructed of white oak, and an internal shading screen within the atrium’s south-facing sawtooth facade allows the cool outdoor and warm indoor air to mix. Meanwhile, a radiant temperature system in the floor regulates the energy needed to keep the space comfortable.
Outside, local culture is honored through the landscape. Meant to weave ecological and Indigenous history, the outdoor spaces, designed by Calgary-based O2 Planning and Design, use resilient native foliage that is responsive to seasonal climate to activate the space. An outdoor plaza connects the campus with the ecology while promoting socialization and connection.
Mathison Hall was designed by Toronto, Ontario-headquartered Diamond Schmitt Architects in collaboration with Calgary-based GGA-Architecture. Duke Evans Inc., also of Calgary, provided project management and EllisDon of London, Ontario, provided construction services.
Calgary-based civil engineering company Entuitive delivered the project’s structural engineering, Toronto-based Smith + Andersen led the mechanical engineering and Glendale, Calif.-based SMP Engineering was the project’s electrical engineer. Calgary-based ISL Engineering provided civil engineering assistance. Energy modeling services were provided by Footprint, a Smith + Andersen group based in Calgary, while the global firm Transsolar KlimaEngineering provided sustainability services.