You’re invited to get a first-hand look at cutting-edge sustainability features showcased at a pair of buildings in Castlegar, Selkirk College’s Castlegar Campus and the Confluence building, at a tour on Thursday, April 23.
The first stop is Selkirk College’s Castlegar Campus. Moving from the main building to the Mir Centre for Peace, the tour will highlight innovative designs for energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, and nature-based solutions.
"Sustainability is a core commitment for Selkirk College,” says Kayla Tillapaugh, sustainability coordinator at Selkirk College. “We are focused on finding creative ways to increase building efficiency and improve environmental responsibility through on-the-land action."
After the tour at Selkirk College, make your way by foot, bike, or vehicle to the new Confluence building, one of the first fully public Passive House-certified mass timber buildings in Canada.
Architect Lukas Armstrong, with Stand Architecture, will discuss the design, systems, and construction strategies used to create this unique building, which is a national model for energy efficiency, environmental responsibility, and cutting-edge design, with 80% reduced emissions.
“Find out what makes The Confluence one of the most sustainable public buildings in the Kootenays,” says Armstrong. “These strategies can be applied to any building to significantly reduce energy use.”
The tour is part of Earth Days events happening across the region during April, spearheaded by the West Kootenay Climate Hub.
“Many people have a sense of despair that no action is happening on climate change,” says Laura Sacks, co-founder of the West Kootenay Climate Hub. “This tour highlights some of the exciting things already happening in the area that save money, improve health, and help the climate.”
The tour starts at the Selkirk College Castlegar Campus at 2:30 pm, and the second stop starts at The Confluence at 5:15 pm. Join one or both!
Registration is recommended. Some walking is required for the Selkirk College Tour, so if you have mobility issues, please note that in the registration form. For more details and to register, visit Selkirk.ca/sustainability-tours.