It’s a world’s first for Modern Niagara Group.

The building contractor announced on January 4 that it has converted the AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex in east-end Ottawa into a zero-carbon building (ZCB). The building, which earned ZCB certification from the Canada Green Building Council in December, becomes the first of its kind to achieve the milestone.

"Buildings account for a significant portion of carbon emissions – we believe that what we have accomplished at AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex represents a step in the right direction towards building a more sustainable future,” said Modern Niagara CEO Brad McAninch. “While converting AMPED into the world's first arena to achieve the Zero Carbon Building Performance Standard certification did not come without challenges, I see this achievement as a great opportunity for Canada's infrastructure more generally.”

Modern Niagara, which operates offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, is a mechanical and electrical, building services, and integrated building technology contractor that offers a broad spectrum of service offerings, including data-driven energy solutions for retrofits and new construction.

The firm’s work on the AMPED arena was recognized by the Canada Green Building Council for its energy efficiency and carbon-reduction measures. Not only do these measures entail reducing operational carbon, but they also reduce overall energy consumption by optimizing facility operation through intelligent building automation, on-site renewable energy generation, and replacing all fossil fuel consuming equipment on-site, such as gas-fired rooftop units, hot water heaters, and the ice rink dehumidifier.

Through its Zero Carbon Building Standard – Performance certification, the Canada Green Building Council recognizes highly energy-efficient buildings that produce onsite or procure carbon-free renewable energy or high-quality carbon offsets to offset the annual carbon emissions associated with building materials and operations.