Edmonton-based PCL Construction has won two global awards for its use mass timber in a development project.

The PCL-built Limberlost Place has been named Global Best Project of the Year by Engineering News-Record.

ENR honoured Limberlost Place for its pioneering mass-timber design and construction, commitment to safety and collaborative excellence. Located on the George Brown Polytechnic project in downtown Toronto, Limberlost also earned ENR’s Global Best Projects Award in the Education/Research category.

The annual program recognizes innovative and influential construction projects worldwide, with a panel of industry leaders selecting 32 projects from approximately 90 entries across 24 countries.

“This global recognition reflects the dedication of our people and partners to tackle complex challenges and deliver innovative, sustainable, and industry-leading solutions,” said Chris Gower, president and CEO of PCL Construction. “We’re grateful to ENR for this honour and proud to share it with our client, partners, and workforce, whose collaboration and commitment to excellence bring our purpose of building a better future together to life.”

Ontario’s first institutional building of its kind, Limberlost Place is a 10-storey, net-zero educational facility that sets a new precedent for mass timber construction and sustainable design. The project incorporates first-of-its-kind features, including a groundbreaking slab-band structural system, North America’s largest mass-timber columns rising three storeys, and a mass-timber feature stair spanning levels three to five.

The building also achieves zero-carbon energy performance through Enwave’s Deep Lake cooling and heating system, solar chimneys that drive natural ventilation, and a steeply sloped, south-facing roof optimized for solar panels.

PCL’s Toronto team collaborated with mass-timber experts from the company’s Denver office throughout preconstruction and construction. Meanwhile, PCL’s in-house workforce completed specialized training with the local carpenters’ union to build local expertise in mass timber construction.

Pictured: Limberlost Place

Photo: CNW Group/PCL Construction