Éric-Sharp Arena
Client: City of Saint-Lambert
Project description
The Éric-Sharp arena was inaugurated in 1966 and stands out architecturally for its solid wood arched roof. Although originally slated for demolition, the City of Saint-Lambert undertook a series of improvements, including renovating the arena’s spaces and infrastructure while preserving the building’s signature British Columbia cedar-beam ceiling.
Several projects were completed, including modernizing the locker rooms, adding a fully windowed corridor and creating a multi-purpose room. A new public square was created in a section of the parking lot along with a new drop-off lane. In addition to renovating the arena, the reception area and mezzanine were rebuilt around the play area on a single level. The work was carried out using efficient heat recovery systems to reduce the complex’s environmental footprint.
-
Characteristics and Impacts
The critical charge ammonia refrigeration system offers significant advantages but may be toxic if it does not comply with standards. Safety measures were therefore implemented in the event of a leak, such as a neutralization basin and an air washer. The design limits the ammonia load to less than 300 lb, reducing risk. In addition, a desuperheater to recover and re-inject heat from the compressors into a domestic hot water preheating loop was installed to optimize energy performance, along with an ammonia-glycol condenser and two heat pumps to recover the ammonia condensation heat for heating the building.
The project was inspired by LEED principles and included such elements as exemplary energy performance, green technologies and a natural refrigerant for the rink’s refrigeration system, efficient water use and natural lighting maximization. A green wall that covers one of the facades of the new mechanical room was also added.
