Ronald McDonald House Ottawa (RMHO)
OTTAWA, ON, CA
The new Ronald McDonald House Ottawa (RMHO) is a three-storey, 25,000 sq. ft. building that adds 23 suites and common areas to the existing 14-suite facility, bringing the site's total capacity to 36 suites. The expansion allows the house to meet current and future demand for its services.
The project achieved CAGBC's Zero Carbon Design Standard certification and is pursuing LEED certification with a target of Gold.
The expanded facility features improved accessibility, a large communal kitchen and dining area, expanded children's play areas, a lounge, fitness area, a laundry room, and a communal workspace.
RMHO serves families who live too far from CHEO to commute back and forth, and the expansion has increased annual overnight capacity from 5,000 to 13,000 stays.
Sustainability features include:
Rooftop solar PV
Hybrid wood mass timber frame construction
Triple glazed windows
Air source variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling systems with heat sharing capabilities
Energy recovery in suites and amenity areas
Low-flow and WaterSense-labeled plumbing fixtures to reducing indoor water use consumption and domestic hot water heating loads
Low-emitting and sustainably sourced building materials
Native and drought-tolerant plant species reducing potable water needs for irrigation
Electric vehicle parking stalls
Services: Zero Carbon Building & LEED v4 for Building Design & Construction Review and Recommendations; LEED v4 Building Design and Construction Facilitation & Energy Model; CAGBC Zero Carbon Design Modelling, and OBC SB-10 Compliance at Building Permit
Image credit IDEA Architects