In 2011 the Vancouver City Council approved a 10-year plan aimed at making Vancouver the world’s greenest city that includes a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 33%. The plot of land housing our Beatty Street design is host to an aging natural gas heating plant with the special distinction of being Vancouver’s number one emitter of greenhouse gases. Our client and close collaborator, purchased the heating company that runs the plant and hopes to convert the space into a low-carbon biomass plant that would reduce emissions by up to 80,000 tons per annum. In addition to the re-engineering of the steam plant, the client sought to construct 600,000 SF of office space and retail space as a mixed-use building that would also accommodate the 65,000 SF retrofitted steam complex.