GM Building deep energy retrofit
Concordia’s first PLAN/NET ZERØ pilot project is a deep energy retrofit of the Guy-De Maisonneuve (GM) Building. This major initiative is part of the university’s long-term commitment to decarbonize its campuses and create living labs for sustainable innovation.
About
Through the retrofit, Concordia is turning essential building repairs into an opportunity to reduce energy consumption by 50 per cent, eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and create healthier, more resilient spaces for the community.
The Guy-De Maisonneuve Building (GM) Building was chosen as the pilot because it is primarily an administrative building, which limits disruption to students while providing an ideal model for future retrofits in academic buildings.
Key goals
- Cut overall energy use by 50 per cent
- Eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from building operations
- Improve comfort, health and well-being for building occupants
- Create a living lab where students, faculty and industry partners can test real-world sustainable solutions
Certifications
The project is targeting three internationally recognized standards:
- LEED v5 Operations and Maintenance (Gold): Recognizes sustainable building operations, from efficient water and energy use to responsible materials and increased comfort.
- WELL v2 (Bronze): Focused on occupant well-being, including air and water quality, daylight, noise reduction and opportunities for movement. If achieved, this would be Concordia’s first WELL certification.
- Zero Carbon Building (Performance standard): Verifies that operations achieve deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and prioritize long-term resilience.
Living lab for innovation
As part of the project, a portion of the GM Building will be set aside as a living lab, a flexible research space where Concordia faculty, staff, students and partners can test new technologies in real-world conditions. The findings will be shared within the university and with external research and industry partners working toward sustainable innovation.
The lessons learned here will guide future projects at Concordia and help advance knowledge on sustainable buildings in Canada and beyond.
Timeline
July 2025 to July 2027
- Design and construction
July 2027 to July 2037
- Operations and performance monitoring
- Living lab in operation
Questions? Comments?
Contact Facilities Management by phone at 514-848-2424, ext. 2400, or by email at facilities@concordia.ca.
