Government Operations Committee on Dec. 6th, 2012

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

We are considering the options to ensure that we can do it as quickly as possible. We have always intended to free up East Block to create a domino effect. It's always changing. We are considering all other options to handle new developments. That's something we do daily.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

A new building, the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, has been planned for the parliamentary network. What are the operations needs that it meets? Why was this new building chosen? Given the appointments and meetings that take place, is this new building really beneficial for Canadian taxpayers?

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

Historically, I want to point out that the initial design of West Block was different than what it is today. To create Room 200, a room you know well, floors were demolished. As part of the West Block renovation, we want to recreate these floors, to give us more space. We also want to move Room 200 to the Sir John A. Macdonald Building. This new building will also have smaller committee rooms in the part that will be built, as well as all the support services that this kind of room requires. So there will be a catering service, a cloakroom and small preparation rooms. It will exactly meet the needs that House of Commons representatives have asked us to fill.

When people used Room 200, it was necessary to spread out. A number of surrounding offices were used for all kinds of things. Today, we have grouped them all together. We are increasing the efficiency of West Block with respect to meetings, but also with respect to the number of square feet that can be used for rooms. It's a good thing.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Thousands of people move through the Parliament Buildings every year. Canada is a country of builders. Are there any uniquely Canadian aspects to these buildings, aspects that people can say are truly aspects of Canadian engineering?

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

You are speaking more philosophically.

Actually, I believe there is only one place in the world where three neo-Gothic buildings have been preserved in this condition. Despite everything, these buildings are still visually very pleasing.

We know the historical importance of these buildings because they form the centre of Canadian democracy. We also recognize their value. Canadians recognize it.

Furthermore, more philosophically, this neo-Gothic style, which was very popular from the 1850s to 1900 incorporated medieval elements.

There are three main elements. Craftsmanship is valued. There are a lot of little statues and sculptures. Modern materials were also used for the steel structures that are covered in stone in Centre Block, whereas in medieval times, it was just stone stacked up.

The last—and perhaps the most important—element is the somewhat mystical aspect of the building, with its spires pointing toward the sky. That's its religious and mystical side. The architecture is very European, in reaction to the architecture that was developing in the United States at the time, which favoured the neoclassical style with white columns and so on.

Canada positioned itself in between the two by giving its buildings a somewhat mystical and religious air. That may seem a little philosophical to you, but that's among the elements that ensures that, when the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office evaluates the buildings, it gives them a classification and requires us not to make too many changes to the elements.

Basically, it's a very important building.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

It's very nice to see the passion you feel for our Parliament buildings. That was very nicely put, Mr. Mongeau.

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

Thanks.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Next and, I think the last questioner in this study, is Mr. Denis Blanchette.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

A little earlier, we were discussing the West Block program. Could you submit the information about the $208 million for the completed projects and leases? I'm not asking you to table them right now, but whenever you can.

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

I can give those to you or provide them later.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Go ahead.

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

The $208 million budget includes the restoration of two towers. It includes the southeast tower and one of the north towers. One cost $10 million and the other, $24 million. The projects are recapitalization projects, which allowed us to proceed more quickly.

There are a lot of small, urgent masonry jobs that cost about $8 million. We transferred the food production facility, which was at the very centre of Centre Block. We moved it outside. That work cost $27 million.

There are also small relocalization projects that cost $2.7 million. There are also a lot of small fit-ups and leases that we had to use. So there was about $120 million in renovations and $44 million in leases.

Most of that has been completed, but they are still part of it. I could give you more specific information, but I wanted to tell you that it is very much controlled.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

When do you plan to move ahead with work on the Confederation Building and the Justice Building, which are both in the same style as the three main buildings?

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

We had hoped to do it all at the same time, but it's impossible for coordination reasons and because of a lack of space. So we plan to move ahead with work on those buildings after we have completed the three on Parliament Hill. We are focusing on Centre Block, West Block and East Block. Then we will move on to the other buildings.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

So you will start in 2023 or 2025.

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

Yes, about that.

But in that time, we are doing urgent work. We spoke earlier about the plumbing systems and elevators that have been repaired. We are maintaining them in the best possible condition by dealing with all the small health and safety issues annually. We are stretching out their useful life because we want to focus on the three others that are at the centre. It's a vision choice.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

You are working with heritage buildings. We know that technology and codes change. In terms of construction, what has been done to ensure that we are not constantly opening and closing buildings to install the technologies of tomorrow in them. Do you have provisions in place for this?

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

I will hand things over to my colleague Ezio, but I want to mention that we follow the requirements of the House of Commons closely. Your representatives send us your requirements.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

There are requirements, but we need to look ahead and anticipate needs.

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

We spoke earlier about wireless. These are things we are looking at.

Perhaps Ezio can round out my answer.

[Ezio DiMillo]

That's a very good question, and you're absolutely right. Technology changes very rapidly, especially in the fields of multimedia, security, IT, and so on.

What we've done in the West Block design is to ensure that we've installed a distributed conduit system so that it's more easily adaptable to change. The end devices may change, and that is very typical in that industry, but at least we have a backbone in the building that will allow that change to happen more efficiently and effectively. We do work with our parliamentary partners, and we try to foresee what is coming down the road. They are the technical authorities in terms of IT, security, multimedia, and so on, but we are designing in the best systems that will have the longest life cycle possible.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Denis, very, very briefly please.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Okay.

That's too bad because it could have been very long.

We spoke briefly about the greening of buildings. Beyond what was already said, could you quickly elaborate on that? If you ever have anything more substantial to provide later, that would be most appreciated.

[Pierre-Marc Mongeau]

We can give a very brief answer because Ezio is the expert on this. If there are other things that the committee would like to know, the committee could ask him.

[Ezio DiMillo]

We are building a number of energy-efficient measures into the building. Our targets are to actually reduce, by 20%, the requirements of the model national energy code, first and foremost. We are going to be installing systems such as LED lighting. This is a relatively new technology, and the lights themselves will be smaller in dimension and produce much less heat than standard lighting.

There will also be high-efficiency motors, for instance, on all systems, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, pumps, etc. These will be variable speed motors so that when systems are supplying areas that are not in use, the motors will actually reduce in speed, thus saving energy. We are putting in a heat recovery system. I spoke earlier about how the West Block roof will be used as a solar energy recapture system.

We are also installing occupancy sensors in all the rooms. Obviously if the rooms are not occupied we'll have the lights go down automatically, and they'll come back on automatically once the rooms are occupied. We've installed electronic building system controls. These systems will be controlled automatically, and then they can also be adjusted remotely by a building operator. All plumbing fixtures, of course, will be water-saving systems. There will be brand new windows in the building, which will be much more energy efficient than the drafty windows you currently have.