priMED Mosaic Centre

The priMED Mosaic aims to be a model for positive social change through business. It makes sense then that this was to be Alberta’s first Living Building Challenge-certified project, with not only office space for 110 people but employee amenities such as child minding, a wellness centre, lounge and games areas, a restaurant and an outdoor terrace.

A net zero energy requirement was particularly ambitious, given Edmonton’s severe climate. This – and the realization of other performance goals within a relatively modest budget – required early integration between all members of the design and construction team.

The building features two-storey and three-storey wings, interconnected by a series of bridges and staircases. The building was oriented on an east-west axis to maximize solar exposure through the day,

Fast + Epp chose glulam construction throughout – exposed heavy timber decking, supported on a series of glulam post-and-beam frames and glulam trusses. Scraps and cut-offs were even upcycled into furniture, desks and art. But perhaps the most structurally innovative aspect of this building is the glue-laminated floor structure; Mosaic Centre is the first project to utilize this product for a floor application.