Project SNAPSHOT
Project Name: Eagle Street Industrial Park
Location: Cambridge, Ontario
Building Type: Industrial – Advanced Manufacturing
Project Type: New Construction
Size: 158,000 ft² / 14,680 m²
Completion Year: 2025
Certification: CAGBC Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard v3 (ZCB – Design v3)
Performance Target(s): Maximize energy efficiency, minimize operational and embedded carbon, reduce lifetime maintenance, and future-proof the facility for the evolving manufacturing needs of industrial tenants.
Project Overview
Owned and developed by Crillion Investment Corporation, a forward-looking ownership group committed to long-term stewardship, this project challenges the status quo in industrial development. The team made bold yet carefully evaluated decisions to exceed conventional standards—successfully reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 84%, embedded carbon by 30%, and projected utility costs by 21% compared to code-built industrial facilities.
These choices not only surpass current CAGBC ZCB-Design v3 building standards, but also future-proof the facility, delivering long-term operational savings, and aligning with the sustainability priorities of prospective tenants. The result is a next-generation, best-in-class industrial space that sets a new benchmark for energy performance, climate leadership, and market resilience.
Project Strategy & Outcome
Design & Construction Strategies
Envelope & Insulation
- R-30 thermally broken precast wall panels incorporating Kooltherm insulation1
- R-40 TPO roof assembly2
- R-20 rigid foundation insulation utilizing Neopor GPS3
- R-20 truck-level and drive-in doors
- Engineered thermal breaks at all major structural and envelope connection points to eliminate thermal bridging and maintain an exceptionally tight, high-performance building envelope
Systems (HVAC)
- State-of-the-art HVAC system featuring Daikin Rebel Applied electric cold-climate air-source heat pumps, enVerid Sorbent Ventilation Technology (SVT)4, MERV8 and MERV14 filtration, low-GWP R-32 refrigerant, and inverter technology—optimized for high-efficiency heating, cooling, and indoor air quality, achieving up to an 80% reduction in outdoor airflow and up to 30% HVAC energy savings.
- Operates on electricity for more than 95% of the year, with natural gas used only during extreme cold events—maximizing use of Ontario’s clean electricity grid.
Interior Loads & Controls
- High efficiency, adjustable LED lighting with motion sensors
- Early Suppression Fast Response (ESFR) sprinkler system
Energy Generation
- Pre-engineered to support a full rooftop solar array capable of generating enough power to fully electrify the entire facility
Materials & Embodied Carbon
- Concrete foundations and footings produced using Heidelberg Bronze mix that combines recycled concrete from demolished projects with new concrete
- Structural steel, roof deck, and rebar forged in electric arc furnaces using recycled steel sourced from end-of-life projects
- All exposed metal is hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel to prevent rusting, eliminating the need for repainting, and significantly reducing long-term replacement and maintenance.
Notes:
- Kooltherm is a high-performance, low-carbon insulation material with zero ozone-depletion potential and minimal global warming potential.
- A TPO roof assembly is a multi-layered system for flat or low-slope roofs that is known for its durability, flexibility, and energy efficiency. It uses a single-ply Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) membrane as the top waterproof layer. The assembly typically includes a roof deck, an underlayment, insulation, a vapor barrier, and the TPO membrane, which is secured through methods like mechanical fastening or full adhesion and is heat-welded at the seams.
- Neopor GPS is a low-carbon, GreenGuard Gold–certified product recognized by LEED for its environmental stewardship and high performance
- Sorbent Ventilation Technology (SVT) technology is one of the only air-cleaning systems validated under ASHRAE Standard 145.2 and tested by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to reduce HVAC energy use by up to 30%, while effectively removing carbon dioxide, ozone, and volatile organic compounds without producing any byproducts.
Performance Outcomes
Energy Use Intensity (EUI): 48 kWh/m²/year (61% less than a traditional industrial building)
Thermal Energy Demand Intensity (TEDI): 34 kWh/m²/year
Operational Greenhouse Gas Intensity (GHGI): 2.74 kgCO2/m²/yr (84% less than a traditional industrial building)
Embodied Carbon Intensity: 292 kgCO2/m² (30% less than a traditional industrial building)
Operating Cost Savings: 21% annual utility cost savings
Indoor Air Quality Improvements: The building’s high-performance filtration and SVT-based air cleaning maintain excellent indoor air quality meeting ASHRAE 62.1-2022 IAQ standards. They removes carbon dioxide, ozone, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—including formaldehyde—while generating zero byproducts, as confirmed by independent lab testing.
Other Outcomes:
- The enhanced building envelope delivers superior thermal comfort and energy performance
- The hybrid gas-and-electric heating system provides both operational flexibility and built-in redundancy
- The HVAC system delivers up to 160 tons of summertime cooling capacity to accommodate diverse tenant needs
Project Team
Owner / Developer: Crillion Investment Corporation
Sustainability Consultant: Ecovert
Architect / Designer: Built by Engineers Construction Inc.
Energy Consultant: Ecovert
Engineer (Electrical): Fliet Electric Ltd.
Engineer (HVAC/Energy): BAU Mechanical Inc.
Contractor / Builder: Built by Engineers Construction Inc.
Other Key Partners (if applicable): CBRE
Lessons Learned
- Long-term ownership vision enables bold but carefully considered decisions that prioritize lifecycle performance over short-term cost savings.
- Future proofing a building can reduce operational emissions, deliver energy savings, increase resilience to regulatory change, and enhance tenant appeal.
- Investing in durable, high-quality materials reduces lifetime maintenance requirements and stabilizes OPEX.
- Sustainability performance is increasingly influencing industrial tenant decisions and transparent metrics strengthen leasing outcomes.
Explore More
We encourage you to explore the following resources, which informed this case study and showcase the ownership vision, sustainability strategies, and technical innovations behind Ontario’s first zero-carbon industrial facility:
Local coverage highlighting the project’s ownership vision, sustainability strategies, and community impact.
A local feature detailing how the project is setting a new provincial standard for low-carbon development and environmental innovation.
National feature outlining the project’s leadership role in Canada’s green industrial development and technical innovation.
Manufacturer case study detailing the advanced HVAC system used on-site, including first-in-North-America technologies that support the building’s zero-carbon goals.
Leasing brochure with technical specifications, site advantages, and positioning as a “best-in-class” sustainable facility.
Property listing with current listing brokerage and leasing brochure.
Next Steps & Related Reading
- Curious about funding opportunities? Explore our Funding & Financial Resources to search for and leverage incentive programs for your projects.
- Looking for specific implementation strategies? Visit our Materials, Energy & Technology section for further guidance and practical tools.
- Know another building example that could inspire our region? Contact us to help grow our case study collection.