The ongoing demolition of five aging buildings is one of the final stages in an $85-million, multi-year project at CFB Gagetown.
The project began in 2017, when the Department of National Defence (DND), Defence Construction Canada (DCC), designers and contractors started designing a new building for the 4 Engineering Support Regiment (4 ESR). The purpose-built facility would replace the older structures, bringing together 450 personnel from four regimental sub-units under a single roof.
The 20,640-m2 building was the second Gagetown project to be constructed using a Modified Design-Build (MDB) process. “It’s much more collaborative than a traditional approach,” says Jody Potter, DCC Coordinator, Construction Services at CFB Gagetown. “Everyone involved takes greater ownership of the design.”
Construction began in October 2019, and 4 ESR occupied the building in January 2023. The facility includes a maintenance area designed around a 25-ton overhead crane—the largest-span crane built in Atlantic Canada—which is used to pull turrets off tanks and motors out of vehicles. The building also has gender-neutral washrooms and showers, as well as a multi-faith room.
DND has committed to reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from its buildings and commercial vehicle fleet by 40% by 2030. The new building is designed to help DND achieve that goal. Its many green elements include high-efficiency lighting, a ground-source heat pump system, low-flow water fixtures and six electric vehicle charging stations. DCC is working toward attaining LEED Silver certification for the building.
Contractors are now demolishing the five aging structures the new building replaced. And, once again, DCC’s expertise in green project management is coming into play. “The old buildings contain asbestos, lead paint and other hazardous materials,” Potter notes. As well as disposing of those safely, contractors are sorting and recycling steel and many other building materials. Demolition of all buildings should be complete in spring 2025.
