Library and Archives Canada (LAC) recently completed the Gatineau 2 Project, a major initiative to upgrade and expand its facilities to serve the public and protect Canada’s documentary heritage. EXP is proud to have contributed to this significant project.
EXP was retained by GRC/Dialog Joint Venture to provide civil and transportation engineering services for this project. “Our role on this important project included the preparation and coordination of the conceptual design for the site layout, preparation of site services, grading drainage plans, as well as the design of the stormwater management system,” said Alam Ansari, Director of Operations, Eastern Ontario. EXP also prepared the traffic impact study which was required to demonstrate that the adjacent roads and intersections could accommodate site generated traffic. EXP also coordinated the site topographical survey and geotechnical investigations and provided construction review services.
As the second and newest preservation storage facility on the LAC campus, the building increases LAC’s storage capacity through state-of-the-art preservation technology. The 12,000 square foot building was completed through a single design, build, finance, operate and maintain public-private partnership contract. Inside the building are six massive archival vaults, totaling about 759,000 cubic feet (21,500 cubic meters) of storage—the equivalent of 8.5 Olympic swimming pools—housing a collection of paper documents, microfilm and motion picture film significant to Canada’s national history. Through specialized temperature and humidity controls and mechanical systems that prevent environmental damage, the facility creates the optimum conditions for safeguarding Canada’s culture and heritage.
In addition to the cultural significance of preserving Canadian history, the building is LEED certified and the first net-zero archival preservation facility in North and South America. With the latest state-of-the-art archival technologies, the facility also contains the world’s largest automated storage and retrieval system. The project received the RPIC Award for Design Excellence in Building and Infrastructure Projects and CPP Gold Award for Infrastructure.
“This was a significant project for our team to contribute to, as it celebrates and preserves Canada’s history while working towards a more sustainable future for all,” said Alam Ansari.
Learn more about EXP projects that place sustainability at the forefront here.