TORONTO – The Mount Dennis Early Learning and Child Care Centre, the City of Toronto’s largest child care centre and first net-zero building, recently celebrated its grand opening.
At 19,000 square feet, the child care centre, located at 1234 Weston Rd., provides space for 98 children, includes two infant rooms, three toddler rooms and three preschool rooms.
The new facility is fully electrified and not connected to natural gas.
According to a release, its net-zero design includes energy-efficient features such as:
- Super-insulated walls and roof.
- Triple-glazed windows with three panes of glass.
- Airtight construction which reduces air leaks to keep the building temperature and energy use consistent.
- Geothermal heat pump system which uses underground temperature to heat and cool the building.
- 264 solar panels located on the roof, which generate electricity, preheat domestic hot water and recharge the geo-exchange field.
- Energy recovery ventilators that improve indoor air quality by continuously exchanging stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air.
“These features enable the building to produce as much energy as it consumes each year, significantly reducing its carbon footprint while providing a healthy, comfortable environment for children and staff,” the release reads.
