Rebuilt to last

The renovation of Selkirk College’s Tenth Street residence will benefit Nelson long after construction is complete

1 of 4Reframing of the new suites—which will range anywhere from single-bedrooms to five-bedroom pods—is underway. — Photo courtesy Carrie Voysey

2 of 4Bunting Coady Architects' impression of the finished east wing and entrance atrium. — Rendering by Bunting Coady Architects

3 of 4Studio 80 is being revitalized at the same time as the dorms. — Photo courtesy Carrie Voysey

4 of 4Bunting Coady Architects' rendering of the finished Studio 80. — Rendering by Bunting Coady Architects

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What is embodied energy? And how does it relate to the renovation of Selkirk College’s Tenth Street residence in Nelson?

“It’s basically all the energy that goes into producing the concrete, the steel, running the equipment, everything,” said Paula Kiss, the project manager of the renovation. “That’s what a building represents.”

By choosing to remodel the dorms and the attached Studio 80 rather than bulldoze them and start from scratch, Selkirk College opted for an environmentally and economically responsible choice. The college is aiming to have the building meet LEED Gold certification, and has created many jobs during the reconstruction. When finished, the Tenth Street residence will provide housing for 100 students.

Barry Auliffe, director of communications and development for Selkirk College, said that the new dorms will be an asset for both the school and the community.

“That residence will bring the Tenth Street campus to life—it invigorates the neighbourhood,” said Auliffe. “There will be better bus service, the City has put in new sidewalks and there is a new park going in across the street. It just brings this part of town to life. The (Upper Fairview) neighbourhood would shut down at the end of the day, (but) now you’re going to have 100 students living there.”

Auliffe said that Selkirk College's Nelson campus hadn't had student residences for nearly a decade—squeezing an already-tight housing situation in Nelson. Competition between post-secondary institutions is fierce, but the new dorms will free up housing within town and will ideally keep B.C. students in B.C.'s schools.

The residences also contain Studio 80, used as part of Selkirk College's successful Contemporary Music and Technology program. Some renovations to the plumbing and insulation have already been done, and a fundraising campiagn to raise money for a new soundsytem, lighting and seats will soon be underway. When completed, the state-of-the-art theatre will be a boon for the college and city.

The project is currently moving into an exciting phase, as Nelson residents will begin to see what the finished project—scheduled for completion in September 2011—will look like. With the structure being reduced to a concrete shell, the walls will soon start to rise and windows and doors will then be installed.

Remodelling the residences in this manner shows a regard for the future, said Kiss.

“Right now in our culture, energy is still cheap. Steel is still cheap. Concrete is still relatively cheap,” she said. “Ten years from now, you’re going to see a lot more of this stuff, because energy prices will be higher and all of our resource extraction and use is going to be more expensive . . . Environmentally speaking, it is a far superior decision to use what you have.”