Town Hall and Emergency Services Building

The new town hall in Sackville, New Brunswick, houses fire, police, municipal services and council chambers in a single energy-efficient facility. Town activities had previously occupied four older, inefficient buildings. The development has improved services to the public, reduced the town's costs and increased its revenues. It is also expected to spark downtown renewal.

Designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, the Sackville Town Hall will reduce water consumption by more than 30 percent and use about 60 percent less energy than a comparable non-LEED building. The building uses geothermal, solar and photovoltaic power systems, high-efficiency lighting, heat recovery on exhaust units and occupancy sensors to control heating, cooling and lighting of infrequently used spaces.

The new facility was built on a brownfield in a part of Sackville targeted for renewal. The development is expected to increase property values and promote economic growth and development.

Results

Challenges

• Negotiating an agreement to share space with another level of government (for RCMP offices) was challenging but ultimately beneficial for both parties.
• Local contractors were unfamiliar with the sophisticated energy systems specified for the building. The designers conducted education sessions with trades and sub-trades to ensure that systems were properly installed.
• Residents who live near the town hall expressed concern about sirens and other noise. The design was modified to lessen these concerns.

Lessons learned

• Engage the public at all key milestones to keep stakeholders informed and allow them to voice their opinions and contribute suggestions.
• Allow sufficient time for comprehensive planning and to develop a detailed project brief.
• Develop a detailed scope-of-work statement for contractors.
• Engage a project manager/owner's representative. Sackville's project manager worked on the business case, site selection, project briefing, and the RFP process. His responsibilities also provided included quality assurance during design, administration of the construction contract and acquisition management.

Project Contact

Michael Beal
Acting Chief Administrative Officer
Town of Sackville, N.B. 
T. 506-364-4930