Balsillie School of International Affairs, Waterloo, ON, Canada

Balsillie School of International Affairs

The CIGI Campus, or Balsillie School of International Affairs, offers a contemporary interpretation of a traditional academic quad building, and is centered around a generous landscaped courtyard and a stone bell tower. In addition to classrooms, seminar rooms rooms, and faculty offices, an auditorium wing pavilion bridges between a 19th century barrel warehouse which serves as the entrance to the adjacent Center for International Governance. Construction documents were completed in December 2009.

Transsolar’s integrated climate concept includes one of the first North American uses of radiant cooling integrated into a lightweight, partially precast voided biaxial slab (Bubbledeck). This highly integrated solution enables rapid construction of the structure and a low-energy cooling solution while allowing the large spans preferred for classrooms.

Transsolar also performed façade and daylight optimization studies and explored natural ventilation concepts, including the potential to use the bell tower as a solar chimney. Preliminary analysis showed potential for up to 65% energy savings over Ontario Building Code.

Balsillie School of International Affairs

Solar radiation

Balsillie School of International Affairs

Concept auditorium – peak winter/summer operation

Balsillie School of International Affairs

Concept auditorium – moderate temperature operation

Balsillie School of International Affairs

Concept classroom/office – winter operation

Balsillie School of International Affairs

Concept classroom/office – summer operation

Balsillie School of International Affairs

Concept classroom/office – spring/fall, hybrid operation