Buildings and Energy

Joyce centre for partnership and innovation roof

Building the future

Mohawk College is home to Hamilton's first Zero Carbon institutional building.

Building Green

As part of Mohawk's plan to reduce carbon emissions, the College is committed to transforming our building and energy systems to do our part in fighting climate change.

At 96,000 square feet, Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation was our region's first, and is one of Canada's largest, Zero Carbon certified institutional buildings. Opened in 2018, the Joyce Centre continues to be a national example of sustainable building practices.

Now, Mohawk is applying and expanding the Joyce Centre's net-zero concept to the campus level by considering efficient design and innovative technologies to retrofit and upgrade existing spaces. Through our ongoing efforts to decarbonize our buildings, we have already reduced building emissions by over 65% from 2007 levels. Watch our video to learn more!

Explore Mohawk's LEED® Buildings

David Braley Athletic and Recreation Centre (DBARC) at Mohawk College offers 64,000 square feet of state-of-the-art fitness amenities for students, staff, faculty and the community, and event space for college and community events. The facility opened in Fall 2013 and features a number of innovative environmental features to help reduce its environmental impact and reflect Mohawk's commitment to environmental sustainability. Mohawk’s David Braley Athletic and Recreation Centre (DBARC) has received LEED Gold certification from the Canadian Green Building Council (opens new window) – meeting the global standard for green buildings in more than 132 countries.

Features include:

Rooftop solar panels which help to heat the water used in the facility. The rooftop is also "solar ready" allowing for the solar facility to be expanded to accommodate additional panels;
An energy management system which results in the building being 34% more efficient than conventional ones. This prevents the release of 249 tonnes of CO2 per year;
Convenient access to cycling, transit, walking, carpooling and car sharing infrastructure and services to encourage facility users to leave their car at home or ride in with a friend

Contemporary architecture meets smart classrooms with the latest technologies, minimal finishes and industry-leading energy upgrades. The H-Wing is a 40,000 square foot space with sustainability at the core of its design and day-to-day operation.

The H-Wing was constructed to LEED® Gold standards, where materials used and systems implemented are helping to reduce the building’s environmental impact. The building lives as a living lab for Engineering Technology students, with nearly 75% of the space is usable for academic programs. This compares to the industry average of between 40-50%. Features of this building include:

Clean energy features, including exterior lights powered by wind and solar, in-floor heating, and interior lights equipped with automatic sensors
A green roof and living wall made up of over 2,000 plants
A rooftop pollinator garden

LEED® Tours

Mohawk Sustainability created LEED® Tours to introduce students and visitors to the many design components within both facilities and to highlight the LEED® Gold certification awarded to the buildings. The tours are an opportunity to explore and interact with the features of this space.