ONroute Design Overview

Some of the most impressive architectural achievements are great public spaces—from government headquarters, to transportation buildings and museums. Canada’s array of building design styles includes prominent examples of Gothic Revival, such as Ottawa’s Parliament building, as well as Toronto’s Union Station, which is widely recognized as the finest example of a Beaux Art building. Contemporary design followers need look no further than the Art Gallery of Toronto.

In the spirit of these great buildings, the ONroute Centres achieve architectural impact through visually inspiring design and regional identification that leverage the Ontario brand to the traveling public. Most importantly, the ONroute Centres’ network includes environmentally friendly features that ensure these buildings will welcome guests for the next 50 years.

The inspiration for Ontario’s ONroute Service Centres is rooted in the imagery of rock outcroppings in the natural landscape. Working in harmony with each other, the striking architectural buildings function as identifiable symbols for the service centre experience throughout the province. The designs for all of the centres—regardless of location— incorporate three distinct elements – a glass atrium with sloped glass walls covered by a sloped metal roof; traditional indigenous stone walls; and wood trellises and canopies.

Sustainability

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 1998. The certification provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. Meeting and exceeding the criteria makes the building enjoyable for its guests and decreases impact on the environment and surrounding areas.

Environmentally responsible and sustainable design features incorporated throughout the network of centres include:

• Building of all centres on remediated brownfield sites;
• The objective of diverting 75% of construction, demolition and land clearing debris from landfill disposal; as many resources as possible will be redirected back to the manufacturing process;
• Materials and building techniques are designed for durability; utilization of materials that are regional and contain a minimum of 15% recycled content are used; in addition, 50% of all wood base materials come from sustainable sources;
• A goal of reducing washroom water usage to more than 40% by using waterless urinals, low consumption toilets and touchless faucet fixtures;
• Optimizing energy performance—all ONroute Centres are equipped with a well-insulated air-tight building envelope;
• Lighting systems that incorporate high-efficiency fixtures and daylight sensors in the main public area; in fact, natural daylight is provided to 75% of occupied spaces by strategically placed skylights and by large expanses of energy efficient floor to ceiling windows in the main public area;
• Energy efficient kitchen equipment that optimizes usage and performance;
• Water efficient landscaping utilizing drought resistant planting – no irrigation is required.
• Elimination of Chlorofluorocarbons( CFC’s) in the heating and cooling equipment (chlorofluorocarbons are refrigerants that cause ozone layer depletion);
• All finishing materials meet the Green Seal Standard and the Green Label Indoor Quality Test Program;
• A Green cleaning program—considers the health of building occupants, caretaking staff and the environment; and, Carbon monoxide (CO2) monitoring.

Design Architect

The ONroute Centres were designed by Quadrangle Architects Limited, one of Canada’s most dynamic architectural firms.

The ONroute Centres are intended to become landmarks of thoughtful design, sustainable technology and beacons of hospitality for the province of Ontario now and for the next 50 years.

Choose a location below to view its Energy Use and Eco-Features.