Environmental Foundations

The construction of the Manitoba Hydro Downtown Office Building signaled a revolutionary change in the way Canadian architects approached building design. Targeting a 60% reduction of energy compared to the Model National Energy Code for Buildings, the new Hydro office tower surpasses C-2000 requirements.

Manitoba Hydro has a mandate to promote energy efficiency and this is represented in the design and construction of their new office tower in downtown Winnipeg. In an effort to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status, which promotes expertise in "green building" through a comprehensive project certification, the Rapid Clamp forming system was a natural choice. Rather than use a traditional low re-use, job-built plywood system to form the foundation walls of the building, the contractor chose the modular, reusable Rapid Clamp forming system with a reusable Taper Tie. The steel Rapid Clamp frame and resin-coated plywood face of the panels allow for maximum cycling before re-facing. The Rapid Clamp system features a simple, hand-operated clamp system to configure gangs, eliminating the need for electric or pneumatic tools.

Through the use of the Rapid Clamp forming system, combined with all the special design features of the new office tower, Symons is helping to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainable development for generations to follow.