Social Sciences Building
In October 2012, for the first time its history, the Faculty of Social Sciences, its 10,000 students, 260 professors and 100 staff members were brought together under one roof, in the heart of the downtown campus. Creating greater opportunities for collaborative research and teaching activities and lead to richer learning experiences, this move brought new vitality to the Faculty’s intellectual resources.
A Faculty at the forefront of sustainability
The 15-storey building with a surface area of 25 299 square metres includes new and updated classrooms, a large multipurpose room and an atrium with a now-iconic six-story living wall. The building is also connected to Vanier Hall, where the School of Psychology is located, by several walkways, bringing together the Faculty of Social Sciences’ nine academic units (departments, schools and an institute) as well as six research centres.
The Social Sciences Building meets strict environmental guidelines and received a Gold-level certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) program. It also reflects the Faculty of Social Sciences’ values and commitment to sustainable development.
Sustainable features:
- Construction materials selected based on their recycled content as well as their extraction and/or manufacture proximity to the University;
- Living wall composed of an array of plants acts as the building's air filtration system;
- 80% of the building’s heating needs are directly met through heat redistribution from the data to heat the FSS building and Vanier Hall;
- Near public transit stations and bike paths;
- Cooling, heating and lighting consumes 50% less energy than what is permitted by the Model National Energy Code for Buildings;
- Exterior landscaping that does not require irrigation and significant green roof surfaces.
