The Vale Living with Lakes building in Sudbury has earned an award of excellence at the 2012 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards.

Designed by J.L. Richards & Associates Ltd., the centre houses the Co-operative Freshwater Ecology Unit, which researches stressors that may affect the health of aquatic ecosystems throughout the North, including climate change, invasive species, urban development, trace contaminants, loss of biodiversity and excessive exploitation.

The $20-million, 28,000-square-foot centre officially opened in August 2011 and was designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum standards. It incorporates geo-thermal heating, a grey-water pond and a roof planted with blueberries. The centre is expected to be 70 per cent more energy-efficient than conventional buildings.

The centre received one of 12 awards of excellence, six of which were awarded for the design of buildings.

The 2012 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards were presented on Oct. 23 at the Ottawa Convention Centre with approximately 200 people in attendance.

Held annually for 44 years, the awards are the highest recognition for the Canadian consulting engineering industry. The program is a joint initiative of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies — Canada (ACEC) and Canadian Consulting Engineer magazine.

Canadian Consulting Engineer is a bi-monthly magazine for engineers in private practice.