We’re an innovative place, and our office building demonstrate that. It’s designed to a LEED Platinum Standard and is near transit, across from a park and right on a bike route. With lots of natural light, fitness equipment, showers, and a bike room, it embodies the values and culture of MEC. Serving more than 4 million members is a huge undertaking. Loving where we work keeps us inspired to do everything we can to support people living active outdoor lifestyles.
1077 Great Northern Way, Vancouver BC V5T 1E1
Monday to Friday: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Phone: 604.707.3300
Fax: 604.731.6483
Email: info@mec.ca
Our office is scent-free. Please refrain from wearing perfume or scented products when you visit.
Tour a next generation green building. See what it offers employees, visitors and the community
Green features
Estimated to be 65% more energy efficient than conventional commercial buildings (based on the Model National Energy Code for Buildings, or MNECB), its features include natural lighting, energy efficiency and monitoring, passive cooling, heating and ventilation, and a high-performance building envelope. Outdoor amenities include water management, extensive landscaping, walking paths, seating and a rooftop patio with vegetable planters and fruit trees.
Materials
The building is basically a kit of mountable and demountable parts. It was assembled in pieces and can be taken apart at the end of its useful life. Structurally, glue-laminated timber columns and beams and composite wood assemblies for floors, walls, and roof figure prominently. Most wood materials were sourced from within the region. The timber structure is relatively light, which reduces the amount of concrete and steel needed to carry sheer loads and withstand seismic activity.
Energy
The form of the space influences its energy performance: narrow floor plates deliver natural light and Solera windows enhance its distribution, reduce glare, and provide a thermal barrier. Walls and roofs (rated to R-50 and R-70) round out the high-performance building envelope.
Heating and cooling is provided through a series of 20 geothermal wells that are optimized through a ground source heat pump. Incoming fresh air is tempered through ceiling-mounted hydronic heating and cooling panels.
A passive ventilation system draws fresh air through three vertical stacks. Air enters in high volume from the rooftop and then is dispersed at low velocity through vents in the raised floors on each level.
Water
A “blue roof” captures rainwater in a 7,700 gallon underground cistern. The water is used for flushing toilets and irrigating the rooftop garden, providing up to 80% of non-potable water needed (reducing potable water used by 55%).
Seasonal rains and storm water is managed through interconnected swales with plants that filter particulate and absorb excess runoff before water is discharged to the municipal sewer system.
Landscaping uses native and water-wise plants to reduce the need for irrigation. Grasses, wildflowers and rose hedgerows provide habitat and food for songbirds. High canopy trees along the boulevard and Central Valley Greenway provide shade from the summer sun and soak up moisture.
Light
Two slender intersecting bars define the form. They are designed to optimize light penetration to take advantage of sunlight throughout the year. Narrow floor plates ensure that natural light penetrates to the centre of the building.
Artificial lighting is needed for few hours during the day, and very little at all on sunny days. Occupancy sensors control lighting in enclosed spaces to further reduce electricity loads.
Vendor and sourcing inquiries
Although MEC doesn’t enter into partnerships to develop products, we’ll accept a sales package if you have a new and innovative product ready for retail sale. Send inquiries to vendorinquiries@mec.ca and the right person in our Buying and Design Department will review it and contact you if we’re interested.
We’ll also accept email at mec_sourcing@mec.ca from factories interested in sourcing opportunities.
