UofT’s Landscape of Landmark Quality project featured in Architectural Record

February 23, 2024

Speaking recently with Architectural Record, founding partner Shirley Blumberg explained how geo-exchange — an energy-efficient method of heating and cooling buildings by leveraging the relatively stable temperature of the ground below — is integrated into the nearly complete Landscape of Landmark Quality project.  

At the heart of the University of Toronto’s (UofT) historic St. George Campus are four landmarks — King’s College Circle, Hart House Circle, Sir Daniel Wilson Quad, and the Back Campus Fields. Surrounded by heritage architecture and characterized by greenery, these spaces are the focus of the project. 

Helmed by a consortium of KPMB Architects, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, and Urban Strategies, the project will transform St. George Campus into a greener, more accessible, pedestrian-friendly realm. This includes replacing at-grade parking with below-grade parking to minimize vehicular traffic, reveal the green spaces that make up the site, and make space for pedestrians and cyclists; upgrading ramps to meet newer accessibility standards; designing pavilions that signal entrances and offer shelter; and implementing a geo-exchange system. 

UofT, which was recently named the most sustainable university in the world, is on track to become climate-positive by 2050, and the forthcoming geo-exchange system will reduce its carbon emissions by about 15,000 metric tons, making it the most significant contributor to the university’s annual target of emissions reduction. 

Read more on Architectural Record.