The Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium will be housed in a new home designed and built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. It is aiming for LEED Platinum certification, which will be granted only once the construction and finishing phases are completed.

The Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan will be a sustainable building:

LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
It will use natural and displacement ventilation. The “high-performance” building envelope will be highly thermal resistant. All equipment will be energy efficient and water for common facilities will be heated with solar power.

LESS CITY WATER USED AND SENT TO THE SEWER SYSTEM.
The building will use modern, low-water-consumption urinals and toilets. The landscaping will include drought-resistant plants requiring little or no watering.

LIGHTING.
The building is designed to make the most of natural light. Outdoor lighting complies with Dark Skies standards, aimed at minimizing light pollution.

GREEN ROOF.
Much of the roof will be green, to absorb heat and water and breathe, thereby reducing the heat-island effect on the site. Over 75% of the concrete surface will be renaturalized, with a wooded area and patches of greenery.

MATERIALS.
Over 75% of existing structures will be reused. All demolition waste will be used as fill. Over 85% of materials will be reused under a construction waste management plan. Greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced thanks to the use of FSC-certified wood. Priority will be given to using recycled material. Half of all materials will be sourced locally.