A highly efficient, mass timber facility, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) Headquarters and Multi-Tenant Complex functions as a hub that continues to support public education in the province, provide healthy workplace environments for its staff and visitors, and responsibly meet the organization’s goals of financial resiliency.

The 3-storey, 127,000 SF layout is spatially divided to house the OSSTF Headquarters, representing all the educators, educational assistants, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, attendance counsellors, and other education professionals in the secondary school system in Ontario. The building also includes two floors of leasable commercial office space, designed with a raised floor and underfloor air distribution system to allow for adaptable layouts, improved acoustics, and streamlined building services.

All design decisions were rigorously assessed for long-term value, the health and wellness of employees, and operational savings. The benefits associated with employee wellness include being surrounded by natural materials, daylight, and fresh air. The commitment to progressive climate solutions, as well as the long term savings associated with energy use reductions, all factored into the decision to use mass timber, while also investing in the naturalized restoration of the ravine edge. Constructed out of cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor slabs and glue-laminated timber (GLT) beams and columns, structural components were sourced nationally, where possible, and demonstrate a robust, honest, yet innovative application of natural materials.

“The central atrium is the building’s key design feature where everyone in the building can connect to each other and connect to nature, ultimately making for a healthier working environment for all who visit and work here,” notes Carol Phillips, Partner, Moriyama Teshima Architects.

Joined by a central atrium, the OSSTF Headquarters and Multi-Tenant Complex offers abundant outside views, light, openness, and numerous opportunities for spontaneous interactions between OSSTF staff and tenants. Shareable spaces on the ground floor include the lobby, café, and terrace, and feature a multipurpose, convertible event space. These amenities will be shared not only by the building occupants, but by external groups, providing opportunities for engagement with the wider community.

The building employs many strategies for an enhanced work environment, as well as sustainable operations. Some of the net-zero carbon and sustainability strategies include:

• NATURAL VENTILATION: Motorized and manual operable windows with room level CO2 and temperature sensors are provided in all regularly occupiable spaces. Natural ventilation is channeled from office spaces into the atrium, where it’s expelled via smoke control fans at the top of the atrium.
• DAYLIGHT HARVESTING: Glass faced offices were moved inboard, and open offices moved to the perimeter to allow light to penetrate 9m into the building. Daylight sensors allow for continuous light dimming in tandem with natural light.
• GEO-EXCHANGE: Heating and cooling is delivered via a ground source heat pump with drain-water heat recovery. Each floor is separated into 2 zones to allow maxi-mum flexibility in modulating conditioning to the floor plate.
• RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION: A roof-mounted solar array generates 25% of the building’s energy consumption to offset GHG emissions generated in the electricity grid.
• BIOPHILIA AND WELLNESS: An open feature stair winds around the water feature and waterfall inspired wood slat wall to encourage occupants to take the stairs rather than the elevator.

These strategies have resulted in the reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions by 84%, the reduction of thermal energy consumption by 60%, and a total energy reduction of 63%.

“The result is a building that is not only functional and efficient, but also symbolically reinforcing our union's mission and commitment to progress, equity, and innovation," said 

Jim Spray, Chief Financial Officer, Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Foundation. "The OSSTF Headquarters is already drawing attention across the education and labour sectors as a model for responsible and forward-looking workplace design.”

The new OSSTF Headquarters and Multi-Tenant Complex provides a unique, refreshed work environment for all occupants. Designed to the highest environmental standards, the OSSTF/FEESO headquarters is built on a foundation of social, environmental, and financial sustainability.