A Catholic church in Toronto is slated to become the first Canadian church certified for its eco-friendly design by the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design rating system. LEED was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, a volunteer organization that promotes high-performance sustainable buildings.
St. Gabriel's broke ground for the new building last May, which is expected to be finished this August. The building will not only beautify the neighbourhood, conserve energy and improve air quality, it will also serve as a living monument to what Father Paul Cusack calls "eco-theology."
"You can't make people well on a sick planet, no matter how sophisticated your technology," said Cusack in a press release. "For people to be healthy, the planet must be healthy. We have tried to embody these teachings in the design of our new church."
The new St. Gabriel's will feature a solar glass wall on the south side that will harness the energy of the winter sun and will connect worshippers to an outdoor garden. Most of the parking will be underground to preserve green space around the building, and a "living wall" will be draped in foliage over which a thin layer of water will constantly flow.
"While reducing energy costs was one of the reasons for building a 'green' church," said Cusack, "our primary motivation was to establish a link between the sacredness of the gathered community of faith and the sacredness of Earth."
The Unitarian Congregation of South Peel in Mississauga, Ont., broke ground last August for their new "green" sanctuary, which is to be completed around the same time this year. Born of an idea that first surfaced at the eco day camp held there in the summer, the project is six years in the making and will use passive solar heating and cool-roof technology to reduce energy use by 60 per cent. The building complex also shares a bio-filter system for waste water, and although located in a busy urban area, the church has its own septic system, sending no sewage to the city. – AM with files from Iris Ward
