Fall River, NS
1997
4,940 sq. ft.
Client: Dalhousie University Medical School
Type: Institutional, Addition & Renovation

This project involved a major addition and renovation to an existing commercial building to accommodate an 8,000 square foot facility dedicated to diagnosis, treatment, and research related to environmental illness.

The Environmental Health Centre, operated by the Dalhousie University Medical School, is the first of its kind in Canada. It focuses on the disorder generally known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, an issue of particular prominence in Nova Scotia, due to recent indoor air quality problems in some local institutions. The fundamental philosophy in the design of the Environmental Health Centre is that the building should convey a healthy and healing environment where people can get better. The design of thelandscape, the building and its systems, the selection of building materials and the construction process should all embody this philosophy. Every decision should be tested against the needs of the patients.

The Environmental Health Centre is designed as a clean environment, with state-of-the-art handling systems, in which patients can feel comfortable, and treatment and research are not interfered with by the environment. It is divided into four zones based on the degree of cleanliness and/or potential for activity in the space to adversely affect the air quality. Every building material was tested for tolerance by a panel of chemically sensitive testers. Selections were made to minimize emissions at source and to minimize the potential of the materials to absorb chemicals. Special procedures were used to minimize contamination from manufacturing and construction processes. The completed building was allowed to "off-gas" for three weeks before occupancy.

Cleanability of materials was also important in their selection. Ceiling and walls are carefully configured to address acoustic concerns due to the prevalence of hard, non-porous surfaces. Daylight, colour, and rounded forms are incorporated to "soften" the environment.